Dave Porter on Cave Island; Or, A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission

"Say, you're that fourth man!" gasped Captain Hunker. "But that other chap,--the fellow with smoked glasses, who had his face tied up----" He did not know how to go on.

Down and down and still down went Dave, with Link Merwell in front of him. Daylight was left behind with a suddenness that was appalling. The brushwood scratched our hero's face...

As my old readers know, the Wadsworth family and the Porters all lived together, for when Dave found his folks and brought them to Crumville, the rich jewelry manufacturer and h...

"It's rather a long story, and I scarcely know how to begin," said Dave, after he, Phil, and Roger had skated ahead and to the right, where the others were not likely to overhea...

It took the best part of the afternoon and evening to get the whole party together again, and send word to the mate of the _Golden Eagle_ to bring the vessel around to that side...

"Well, we are lost, that is all there is to it. And I am so dead tired I can't walk another step." And thus speaking, Link Merwell sank down on a tree-root to rest.

"Where in the world have you boys been? Why didn't you come back in time for supper? Don't you know it is against the rules to stay away like this?"

The watchman was indeed in bad shape. He had been found thrown under a workbench, and just returning to consciousness. He had a cut over his left ear and another on his forehead...

An hour went by and during that time Dave drew Phil to one side and related the particulars concerning the doings of Merwell and Jasniff, according to the story told by the form...

Without further delay, the two boys left the camp of the castaways and hurried along a small trail through the bushes. They soon came to a rocky depression in the midst of which...

At the end of a week Dave was more worried than ever. Each day he and his chums went down to the shipping offices and each day returned to the hotel disappointed. Not a word had...

In the middle of the week came Phil and Roger, in the midst of another snowstorm that was so heavy it threatened to stall the train in which they arrived. Dave went to the stati...

"That sounds pretty good, Dave, were it not for one thing. Do you imagine that two masked fellows, bent on blowing open safes, would stop to light and smoke cigarettes?"

It was Phil who asked the question, for he had been the only one to see Dave raise his shotgun, take quick aim, and fire into the brushwood lining the river at that point.

Both Dave and Ben stared in astonishment at the son of the money-lender of Crumville. Nat was highly indignant, but the reason for this was a complete mystery to the other lads.

Two days later, when Roger was packing up, getting ready to return home, he received a letter from Luke Watson that filled him with interest. Luke had gone to St. Augustine, Flo...

"I suppose so--although it is a rule of the works for the men to keep silent regarding precious stones. No one but myself and the general manager are supposed to know just what...

"Here they are--you can follow them as easily as I can," was the reply, and the heavy-set youth pointed out the tracks in the snow. They led all around the trees and bushes and...

The next three days were busy ones for the boys and Dunston Porter. Telegrams were sent back and forth between Phil and his father, and also between Dave and Mr. Wadsworth.

"Let us look around for footprints, Roger," said Dave, as the pair scrambled up the rocks once more. "If any persons landed from that smashed rowboat they'd have to walk in some...

The announcement that the mice that had been caught in the car were educated filled the boys with interest, but it did not lessen their indignation nor that of the other passeng...

Lying on his back between the rocks was the Englishman named Giles Borden. Hands and feet were bound with a strong cord, which ran around a projection of the rocks in such a man...

A half-mile was covered when, on turning a point of rocks, the boys and the captain came to a sandy cove. Here was more of the wreckage, and the whole party ran down to the beac...

"Now isn't that strange!" The man put out his hand. "I don't suppose you know me. My name is Sam Castner. I was once a supercargo for your father, on the _Arvinus_. You took a t...

It was Dave who asked this question, of Captain Sanders, when the latter came down to get a bite for breakfast. To get a regular meal, with the vessel pitching and tossing wildl...

"I will tell you everything," answered Dave. "But first let us skate up a little faster, so that the others won't catch a word of what is said." And with that he struck out more...

All were calculating the distance to the shore. Between them and the water was a slight hollow, overgrown with brushwood and vines. How long would it take to find a path through...

"Come on, fellows, if you are going! It's a good six-mile skate to Squirrel Island, and we've got to hustle if we want to get there in time for lunch."

Dave unlocked the door and they entered the mansion. A dim light was burning in the hallway. While they were taking off their caps and coats Dave's father appeared at the head o...

"Yes, and we are going to journey from winter into summer," added Phil. "It's good we remembered that when we packed our suit-cases. At first I was going to put in nothing but h...