LITMIR.BIZ

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      Dave looked the box over with care. It was a common pasteboard box, with nothing on it in the way of writing or advertising.

      "This certainly is a mystery," he said, slowly. "First the shoes disappear, and now they come back. I give it up."

      "Somebody has been playing a trick on us!" declared Roger. "The question is, who?"

      "I don't know of anybody who would do such a thing, excepting it was Nat Poole," declared Ben.

      "Well, there is no use of taxing Nat with it," declared Dave. "For he would deny it point-blank, unless you could prove it against him."

      The boys talked the affair over until it was time to go down to breakfast, but they could reach no conclusion regarding the mystery.

      "Maybe it will never be explained," said Buster.

      "Well, even so, I am glad to get my shoes and slippers back," lisped Polly Vane.

      A few days after the restoration of the foot coverings there came a thaw and then a sudden cold snap. Ice began to form on the river, and soon it was thick enough for skating, much to the joy of the students, for nearly all of them loved to skate. Some of the boys had ice-boats, and these were also brought out for use.

      "I understand that Rockville is going to put out a strong ice-hockey team this winter," said Roger to Dave one day. "They are going to challenge us, too."

      "Well, we'll have to make up a team to beat 'em," answered Dave.

      "That won't be so easy," declared another student. "They have some great skaters and hockey players at the military academy this season. They've got one player who is a star."

      "Who is that?"

      "Will Mallory. He came from down East, and he is the slickest ice-hockey player you ever set eyes on."

      "Well, if they challenge us we'll do our best," declared Dave, and some others said the same.

      The next day, after school, Dave had occasion to go to Oakdale on an errand. Roger was going along, but at the last minute had to stay behind, so Dave went alone.

      He had scarcely passed out of the school grounds when he noticed that he was being followed. A tall, thin man had stepped from behind some oak trees, and was coming after him.

      "I wonder what that chap was doing around the school?" the youth asked himself.

      He walked along rapidly, and the man did the same. Then Dave slackened his pace, and the follower did likewise.

      "He doesn't want to catch up to me, that's sure," thought the youth. "Maybe he is afraid I'll recognize him. Wonder who he is?"

      He turned and looked back. But the man had his overcoat pulled up and his soft hat pulled far down, and Dave could see little of his face.

      "This is a mystery," mused Dave. "I am going to speak to him," and he stopped short and waited for the mysterious individual to come up.

      CHAPTER XXIII

      HOOKER MONTGOMERY'S STRANGE REQUEST

      The stranger approached slowly, as if hoping Dave would go on before he came up. Once he looked towards the fields on either side of the road, as if thinking to turn off. But no side road was at hand, so he had to either come on or turn back.

      "Why, it is Doctor Montgomery!" said the lad to himself, as he recognized the man. Then, as he got still closer, Dave saw that the so-styled doctor looked shabby and dissipated. His nose was exceedingly red, as if he had been drinking, and his overcoat was much worn and so were his shoes.

      "How do you do?" he said, somewhat gruffly, as he came up to where Dave was standing.

      "How are you?" returned Dave, coldly, and stepped aside, as if to let the doctor pass. But instead of doing this the traveling physician came to a somewhat unsteady halt.

      "Your name is Dave Porter, isn't it?" he queried, trying hard to steady a voice that liquor had rendered nervous.

      "It is."

      "I guess you know me, Doctor Montgomery."

      "Yes."

      "Going to Oakdale?"

      "I am."

      "So am I. If you don't mind I'll walk with you. I want to talk to you."

      "What do you wish?" demanded Dave. The road was rather a lonely one, and he did not fancy the doctor for a companion.

      "I've been wanting to see you for some time, Porter," answered Hooker Montgomery, hesitatingly, as if not knowing how to begin. "Fact is, I went up to the school hoping to meet you."

      "Why didn't you call for me if you wanted to see me?"

      "Well--er--the fact is, Doctor Clay and I are not on good terms, that's why. To tell you the truth, I once sold some of my medicines to some of his hired help, and he didn't like it. He thinks my medicines are not--er--reliable. But they are, sir, they are--more reliable than those of most physicians!" And Hooker Montgomery tried to draw himself up and look dignified. But, to Dave, the effort was a failure. He could read the fellow thoroughly, and knew him to be what is commonly called a fakir, pure and simple.

      "What did you want of me?" asked Dave, as they walked on in the direction of Oakdale.

      "I wished to see you on an important business matter."

      "Business? What business?"

      "I will come to that presently, Porter. But it is important, very important, I can assure you. I was going to ask you to call at a certain place in Rockville and see me about it."

      "What place?"

      "A boarding-house at which I am stopping. It is a very nice place, located on the river, and kept by a lady named Dunn--Mrs. Margaret Dunn."

      At once Dave remembered the letter picked up on Bush Island--the letter written by Doctor Montgomery, and asking Jasniff to meet him at Dunn's on the river. In that communication the doctor had said he would aid Jasniff all he could, provided the Rockville student would assist him in some transaction involving little risk--which would mean that there must be something "shady" about it.

      "Can't you explain the business to me without my going to Rockville?" he asked.

      "I cannot. I have some things at the boarding-house--some letters and documents--I wish to show you. Day after to-morrow is Saturday. Can't you come to Rockville in the afternoon and see me? I can assure you, sir, it is very important, very important indeed!" And Doctor Montgomery gave Dave a mysterious look.

      "Do the letters and documents concern me personally?"

      "They concern you, and--shall I tell you? Yes, I will! They concern you and your sister. But don't ask me to say more now. I will explain all when you come to see me."

      Dave began to think rapidly. This fellow was friendly with Jasniff and probably with Merwell also. Once Merwell had caused Laura Porter much annoyance by holding certain letters she had written. Was it possible Merwell still had some of her letters, and was he planning to make more trouble because of them?

      "I don't understand this business, Doctor Montgomery," he said, frankly. "If it was so important why didn't you write to me, or telephone?"

      "I will explain. This is important to you and your sister. It would hurt your reputation to make anything public. I want to do things on the quiet, see? Acting entirely in your interests, Porter. You will understand it all when you call and--er--see the letters and documents, and the photographs, especially the photographs."

      "All right then--I'll come--if I can get off."

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