here, Phil Lawrence, I don't want any of your hot air!" cried Nick Jasniff, in a sudden rage. "You keep your mouth shut."
"It's a wonder you didn't stay in Europe, Jasniff," said Dave. "I didn't think you'd dare to come back to the United States."
"Say, you needn't – " began Jasniff, and then drew back, looking much disturbed. "You – er – you needn't rake up old times. Those things are all settled, and I've got as much right to be here as you have."
"Well, you won't come back to Oak Hall," said Sam.
"Don't want to come back. I'm going to a better school."
"And so am I," said Link Merwell, as if he was anxious to make the fact known to his former schoolmates.
"I don't care where you go, so long as you don't bother us any more," rejoined Dave.
"Oh, you haven't seen the end of us yet, has he, Nick?" said Link Merwell, appealing to his crony.
"Not much he hasn't," retorted Nick Jasniff.
"We are going to Rockville Military Academy," continued Link Merwell, mentioning a school which, as my old readers know, was located not a great distance from Oak Hall. In the past there had been many contests between the students of the two seats of learning, and the rivalry was very bitter.
"Rockville!" cried the senator's son. "I shouldn't think they'd want you there."
"Say, you take that back, or I'll – I'll – " blustered Merwell, and then stopped, not knowing how to proceed.
"Oh, say, come on, you fellows," broke in Nat Poole, who was growing scared, thinking there might be a fight. "You can talk this over some other time. Just remember what we started out to do. Hurry up, let's do it," and he motioned his companions towards the racing car.
"I'm ready to go ahead," answered Pete Barnaby, climbing into the driver's seat. "Come on, pile in, if you're going."
"I don't want Dave Porter and his crowd to think I am afraid of them," growled Link Merwell.
"We'll meet you after you get back to Oak Hall," sang out Nick Jasniff. "And we'll settle old scores."
"Well, you look out that you don't get your fingers burnt trying to do it!" retorted Dave. And then the racing car started off and was speedily lost to view around a turn of the road.
CHAPTER III
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE FALLS
"What horrid young fellows!" was Jessie's comment. She was trembling from head to foot and her face was pale.
"Don't mind what they say," answered Dave, kindly. He thought a great deal of the girl, and it distressed him greatly to see her so worried.
"I shouldn't think they'd want Jasniff and Merwell at Rockville," was the comment of the senator's son. "Everybody in that town knows how Jasniff was mixed up in that railroad station affair." He referred to a robbery committed by some men, the particulars of which were recorded in "Dave Porter's Return to School." Nick Jasniff had been in company with the evil-doers, but his share in the transaction had been smoothed over and hushed up by his family.
"Well, I heard that the military academy was rather hard up for pupils this term," answered Sam. "About a dozen of the sophs and juniors left, and the enrollment of freshmen was rather slim. I suppose on that account the authorities can't be overly particular as to who they take in."
"And of course Merwell and Jasniff had their sides of their stories to tell," said Dave. "You can be sure they didn't tell matters as Doctor Clay would have done."
"Or as we might have done – had we been asked," broke in Sam.
"Well, I hope you boys keep away from them when you get to school," said Laura.
"What do you suppose they are up to now, Dave?" asked the shipowner's son.
"I don't know, Phil; but from the look on Nat Poole's face I should think – " And then Dave stopped short.
"What?"
"Well, never mind now. I may be wrong, and there is no use of worrying. Come on, let us get to the Falls, – and try to forget that crowd." And so speaking, Dave started up the touring car he was running, and followed in the direction Pete Barnaby had taken, and Roger came after him.
The meeting at the tavern had disturbed all of the girls, and the boys had hard work trying to cheer them up and make them forget the unpleasant encounter. Everybody felt that there was "something in the air," but each person hated to mention it to the others.
Presently Dave reached the point where they would have to take to a side road that was deep with dust and hemmed in on both sides by rocks and bushes. Here, in the dust, could plainly be seen the marks of another automobile.
"Think they came this way, Dave?" questioned Sam.
"Yes, – although some other folks may be at the Falls on an outing."
"Oh, I hope we don't meet them again!" said Belle Endicott. The two machines were running slowly and close together.
They passed on around a long curve, and over a small hill, and then came in sight of the river, glistening in the sunshine between the trees. From a distance came the roar of the Falls, where a fairly large body of water rushed steadily over the rocks.
"Isn't it a shame that they are going to use the Falls for a mill!" said one of the girls.
"Well, this is a commercial age, and so one must expect those things," answered Dave. "But I shall hate to see the Falls used for business. They are so pretty."
There was another turn just ahead, and it was lucky for Dave that he was running slowly, for there, across the road, were placed several logs and dead limbs of trees. As it was, he ran directly on top of some of the tree limbs before he could come to a stop, and Roger, so close behind, had to turn into some bushes to avoid ramming the car in front.
"Well, of all things!" burst out Phil, while several of the girls screamed in fright.
"Who did this?" demanded the senator's son.
"It is easy to see who did it," answered Dave. "See the sign?" And he pointed to a big white card, tacked to a post propped up among the logs and tree limbs. On the card was painted, in red, the following:
THIS ROAD CLOSED
By Order of Aaron Poole
Pres. Eureka Paper Co.
"This is some of Nat's work!" burst out Phil. "That is why he was in such a hurry to get ahead of us."
"I believe you," answered Dave. "I was afraid he was up to some trick, but I didn't want to say anything about it until I was sure."
"But if Nat is guilty, how did he know we were coming here?" asked Roger.
"I guess I can explain that," said Ben. "I was talking to my cousin about it, down at the drug store. Just as we were coming out, after having some soda, I saw Nat behind one of the partitions. He must have heard all we said, and I suppose it made him mad to think we were going to have a good time, and that he wouldn't be in it."
"Exactly,"
