Dave Porter and His Double Part 4

While Dave was speaking to his chum a man pa.s.sed him on the sidewalk, looking at him rather fixedly. This man was Mr. Asa d.i.c.kley, the proprietor of the largest gentlemen's furnis.h.i.+ng establishment of which Coburntown boasted. Our hero knew the man fairly well, having purchased a number of things at his place from time to time, and so he nodded pleasantly. Mr. Asa d.i.c.kley nodded in return, but with a rather sour expression on his face. Then he glanced at Ben, and at the handsome sleigh and still more stylish team of horses, and pa.s.sed on muttering something to himself.

"Mr. d.i.c.kley didn't look very happy," was Dave's comment, as he and Ben entered the sleigh.

"I don't think he likes my father very much," answered the son of the real estate dealer. "He wanted to get a piece of property here very cheap, and my father found another customer for the place at five hundred dollars more."

"I see, Ben. Just the same, why should he give me such a hard look? Of course, I haven't been in his place of business for a good while. But he can't expect me to buy all my furnis.h.i.+ng goods from him."

"Well, you know how it is, Dave--when you buy some things from some storekeepers they think they are ent.i.tled to your whole trade.

However, I shouldn't let the matter worry me."

"Not much! I've got other things to think about. Don't forget that I expect next month to take that examination in civil engineering.

That's what is on my mind just now."

"Oh, you'll pa.s.s, don't worry, Dave. Just think of what a brilliant showing you made at Oak Hall."

"True. But my studies in civil engineering have been a good deal harder than anything I tackled at school. If it wasn't for Mr.

Ramsdell, the old civil engineer who is coaching Roger and me, I don't know how I would possibly have gotten along."

"If you pa.s.s the examination, what will you do next?"

"Roger and I will go out on some constructive work and thus get a taste of real engineering. Mr. Ramsdell thinks he can get us positions with the Mentor Construction Company of Philadelphia, who are now doing a good deal of work in Texas--laying out railroads and building bridges."

"In Texas? Say! that's quite a distance from here."

"So it is, Ben. But it is not as far as I expect to get some day. If I ever make anything of civil engineering I hope some day to be able to do some great work in other parts of the world--maybe in Mexico or South America."

"Say, that will be great!" cried Ben, enthusiastically. "You'll have a fine chance to see the world. You must take after your uncle, Dave.

He was always a great fellow to travel. Think of how you located him years ago away down on that island in the South Seas!"

"It sure was a great trip! And some day I'd like to take it over again. But just now I've got to put in all my time on this civil engineering proposition. I think I'll be lucky if I pa.s.s and get that chance to go to Texas."

CHAPTER IV

WARD PORTON AGAIN

A quarter of an hour later the girls had finished their shopping and rejoined the boys. Then it was decided that the party should go on to Clayton, six miles farther. They were told that the road was in excellent condition, and this proved to be a fact, so that the sleighing was thoroughly enjoyed.

It was growing dark when they drove down the main street of Clayton, and, although a bit early, all agreed to Dave's suggestion that they get dinner at the leading restaurant--a place at which they had stopped a number of times and which they knew to be first-cla.s.s.

"What a pity Roger couldn't come along," said Jessie to Dave just before sitting down to the sumptuous meal which the boys had ordered.

"I know he would have enjoyed this very much."

"No doubt of it, Jessie," answered Dave, who well knew what a fondness for his sister the senator's son possessed. "But, as you know, Roger had to go home on a business matter for his father. Senator Morr is very busy in Was.h.i.+ngton these days, so Roger has to take care of quite a few matters at home."

"Isn't it queer that he doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of his father and take up politics?" went on the girl.

"Senator Morr didn't want him to do it. And, besides, Roger has no taste that way. He loves civil engineering just as much as I do."

"It's a wonder you and he didn't persuade Phil Lawrence to take it up, too, Dave."

"Oh, Phil couldn't do that. You know his father's s.h.i.+pping interests are very large, and Mr. Lawrence wants Phil to take hold with him--and Phil likes that sort of thing. He is planning right now to take several trips on his father's s.h.i.+ps this summer."

"When does that examination of yours come off, Dave?"

"About the middle of next month."

"And if you really pa.s.s, are you going to work away down in Texas?"

continued the girl, anxiously.

"If I can get the position,--and if Roger is willing to go along."

"I don't like to have you go so far away;" and Jessie pouted a little.

"Well, it can't be helped. If I want to be a civil engineer I've got to take an opening where I can get it. Besides, Mr. Ramsdell thinks it will be the best kind of training for Roger and me. He knows the men at the head of the Mentor Company, and will get them to give us every opportunity to advance ourselves. That, you know, will mean a great deal."

"Oh, but Texas, Dave! Why, that is thousands of miles away!"

"Not so very many thousands, Jessie," he answered with a little smile.

"The mails run regularly, and I trust you will not forget how to write letters. Besides that, I don't expect to stay in Texas forever."

"Yes, but when you come back from Texas, you'll be going off to some other far-away place--South America, or Africa, or the North Pole, or somewhere," and Jessie pouted again.

"Oh, say, let up! I'm not going to South Africa, or to the North Pole either. Of course, I may go to Mexico or South America, or to the Far West. But that won't be so very soon. It will be after I have had considerable experience in civil engineering, and when I am older than I am now. And you know what sometimes happens to a fellow when he gets older?"

"What?"

"He gets married."

"Oh, indeed!" Jessie blushed a little. "And then I suppose he goes off and leaves his wife behind and forgets all about her."

"Does he? Not so as you can notice it! He takes his wife with him--that is, provided she will go."

"Oh, the idea!" and now, as Dave looked her steadily in the eyes, Jessie blushed more than ever.

Where this conversation would have ended it is impossible to say, but at that moment Laura interrupted the pair, followed by Ben; and then the talk became general as the four sat down to dinner.

The horses had been put up in a stable connected with the restaurant, and after the meal it was Dave who went out to get them and bring them around to the front of the place. He was just driving to the street when his glance fell upon a person standing in the glare of an electric light. The person had his face turned full toward our hero, so that Dave got a good look at him.

"Ward Porton!" cried the youth in astonishment. "How in the world did that fellow get here, and what is he doing?"

Like a flash the memory of the past came over Dave--how Ward Porton had tried to pa.s.s himself off as the real Dave Porter and thus relegate Dave himself back to the ranks of the "n.o.bodies."

Dave was crossing the sidewalk at the time, but as soon as he had the team and the sleigh in the street he jumped out and made his way towards the other youth.