Dave Porter in the South Seas; or, The Strange Cruise of the Stormy Petrel Read online

  CHAPTER XIV

  A GLEAM OF LIGHT

  "I would advise that you keep that satchel and the picture out of sightat first," said Professor Potts, as he rang the bell of the sanitarium."Talk to the old sailor and try to draw him out. Then show him hisbelongings when you think the time ripe."

  Mr. Wadsworth and Dave thought this good advice, and when they wereushered into the old sailor's presence, the boy kept the satchel behindhim.

  "Well, douse my toplights, but I'm glad to see ye all!" cried BillyDill, as he shook hands. "It's kind o' you to pay a visit to such an oldwreck as I am."

  "Oh, you're no wreck, Mr. Dill," answered Oliver Wadsworth. "We'll soonhave you as right and tight as any craft afloat," he added, falling intothe tar's manner of speaking.

  "Bless the day when I can float once more, sir. Do you know, I've beenthinkin' that a whiff o' salt air would do me a sight o' good. Might fixmy steerin' apparatus," and the tar tapped his forehead.

  "Then you must have a trip to the ocean, by all means," said CasparPotts. He turned to the rich manufacturer. "It might be easilyarranged."

  "Dill, I want to talk to you about the time you were out in the SouthSeas," said Dave, who could bear the suspense no longer. "Now, pleasefollow me closely, will you?"

  "Will if I can, my hearty." The sailor's forehead began to wrinkle. "Youknow my memory box has got its cargo badly shifted."

  "Don't you remember when you were down there--at Cavasa Island, andelsewhere--how hard times were, and how somebody helped you."

  "Seems to me I do."

  "Don't you remember traveling around with your bundle and your satchel?You had some money in bankbills and some loose silver, and a work onnavigation, and a Bible----"

  "Yes! yes! I remember the Bible--it was the one my aunt gave me--Godbless her! She, Aunt Lizzie--took care o' me when my mother died, an'she told me to read it every day--an' I did, most o' the time."

  "Well, you had the Bible and your satchel and your bundle of clothes,"went on Dave, impressively. "And at that time you fell in with a man whoafterwards gave you his photograph."

  "So I did--the man who looks like you. But I----"

  "Wait a minute. Don't you remember his telling you a story about a crazynurse and a lost child?"

  "I certainly do, but----"

  Dave drew the photograph from his pocket and thrust it forward, directlybefore the tar's eyes.

  "There is the man!" he cried. "Now, what is his name? Tell me his name,at once!"

  "Tell me his name, at once!"--_Page 121._]

  "Dunston Porter!" fairly shouted the sailor. "Dunston Porter! That's it!I knew I would remember it sometime! Dunston Porter, of course it was!Funny how I forgot it. Better write it down, afore it slips my cableagain."

  "Dunston Porter!" murmured Dave, and the others likewise repeated thename.

  "Ha! this is remarkable!" ejaculated Caspar Potts. "Dave, do youremember what you called yourself when you were first found and taken tothe poorhouse."

  "I do, sir. I called myself Davy, and Porter, and Dun-Dun."

  "Exactly, and Dun-Dun meant Dunston. You were trying to repeat the name,'Dunston Porter'!"

  "That would seem to be the fact," came from Oliver Wadsworth. "And ifso----" He paused significantly.

  "You think my real name is Dunston Porter?"

  "Either that, or else that is the name of some relative of yours."

  Dave's heart beat fast. He felt that he was getting at least a faintglimpse of his past. He turned again to Billy Dill.

  "Then this Dunston Porter was your friend?" he observed.

  "He was, and he helped me when I was stranded," was the answer. "I can'tgive ye all the particulars, cos some o' 'em is more like a dream thananything to me. When I try to think, my head begins to swim," and thesailor wrinkled his forehead as before and twitched his eyes.

  "Tell me one thing," said the rich manufacturer, "Do you think thisDunston Porter is still at Cavasa Island, or in that locality?"

  "I suppose so--I don't know."

  "When did you come away from there?" asked Professor Potts.

  "It must be nigh on to a year ago. I came straight to 'Frisco, went upthe coast on a lumber boat to Puget Sound, and then took passage to NewYork. Next, I drifted up here to look up some friends, and you know whathappened after that."

  "Was Dunston Porter alone out there?" questioned Oliver Wadsworth.

  "Why--er--I can't say as to that. He didn't say much about himself, thatI can remember. Once he told me about that child, but--but it's hazy--Ican't think! Oh, it drives me crazy when I try to think! The roar of thesea gets in my ears, and the light from the lighthouse fires my brain!"And the old tar began to pace the floor in a rolling gait.

  "He is growing excited!" whispered Caspar Potts. "It is too bad! Were hein his right mind, he might be able to tell us a great deal."

  "Supposing we go out and have lunch together," suggested OliverWadsworth. "And then we can go for a ride on the lake."

  He spoke to the sanitarium manager, and the upshot of the matter wasthat the whole party went out to a hotel for dinner. Previous to going,Dave gave Billy Dill the satchel and money and the bundle, which seemedto tickle the tar immensely.

  "Douse my toplight, but I feel like old times again!" he cried, whenthey had had a good dinner and were seated on the forward deck of one ofthe lake boats, used to take out pleasure parties. "Oh, but I love thewater!"

  "I suppose this doesn't look anything like around Cavasa Island,"remarked Dave, trying to draw the sailor out.

  "Not much, my boy. Cavasa Island has a volcano in the middle of it, andonce in a while that volcano gets busy, and folks run for their lives.An' they have earthquakes, too. Once I was out with Dunston Porter, andalong came an earthquake, and the other fellow, Mr. Lemington, almosthad his leg broken."

  "Who was Mr. Lemington?" asked Caspar Potts, quickly.

  "Why, he was Dunston Porter's partner in the treasure-hunting scheme.Oh, I didn't tell you about that, did I? Funny, how it slipped my mind,eh? They went to the volcano for the treasure. I guess that was when thebaby disappeared--and that other man--I don't remember much of him, hewas wild. It was misty, misty. But they didn't get any treasure, I knowthat. And then Mr. Lemington got disgusted and sailed for Australia."

  "Did you ever see the baby?" asked Dave.

  "Did I? Why--I think so. I don't remember."

  This was all they could get out of the sailor, try their best, and, uponOliver Wadsworth's advice, they did not bother him any further. Beforereturning to the sanitarium, the rich manufacturer called Dave to oneside.

  "Dave, do you want to go to Cavasa Island?" he asked, with a quietsmile.

  "I do," was the prompt answer. "I was going to speak to you about it.You know I told you that Phil Lawrence is going--on one of his father'sships this summer. I'd like very much to go with Phil."

  "Then you shall go, if we can make the necessary arrangements. Now, whatI want to know is: Do you not think it would be an excellent thing totake this Billy Dill along? The trip might cure him entirely, and hemight aid you greatly in clearing up this mystery."

  "Why, Mr. Wadsworth, you must have been reading my thoughts!" exclaimedthe country boy. "I was going to suggest that very thing."

  "Then we will speak to Dill about it before we leave him. Do you knowwhen your friend Lawrence is to join his father's ship?"

  "No, sir; but I can soon find out. And here is Mr. Lawrence's address,if you want it," added Dave, and wrote it on a card.

  When the idea of sailing on the Pacific once more was broached to BillyDill, his eyes lit up with pleasure.

  "I'd like nothing better!" he cried. "I've been a-thinkin' I might shipagain. I can't stay an' be spongin' on you folks any longer, it wouldn'tbe proper. I want to pay up, now Dave has found my money for me."

  "Keep your money, Dill," returned Oliver Wadsworth. "You may need itlater." And then he explained what Dave wished to do, and how the tarmight accompany the youth on his
long trip.

  "I'll go--an' glad o' the chance," said Billy Dill, readily. "Just drawup your articles, an' I'll sign 'em any time ye want." And so the matterwas settled.

  Dave returned to Oak Hall late that night in a very thoughtful mood. Somuch had been done and said that he wanted time in which to think itover. It was not until the next day that he got a chance to talk mattersover with Phil and Roger, both of whom listened attentively to his tale.

  "It seems to me you are learning something, Dave," said Roger. "I hopethe whole matter is cleared up before long. Then Plum and Poole willhave to stop casting slurs on you."

  "And now, Phil, I want to go out to the South Seas with you," continuedDave. "And, what is more, I am going to ask your father to find a placeon the vessel for Billy Dill."

  "I fancy he'll do that, if I ask him," answered Phil. "I'll write andtell the whole story, and I know he will be as much interested as I am."

  "I wish I was going on that trip with you," said Roger. "Such an outingwould suit me to a T."

  "I guess there will be room enough for another passenger," answeredPhil. "Why don't you ask your folks about it?"

  "I will!" burst out the senator's son. "They are going to Europe, youknow. I was to go along, but I'll see if I can't go with you twoinstead."

  After that there was a good deal of letter-writing, and the boys waitedanxiously for replies. In the meanwhile, the final examinations for theterm began. Dave did his best to keep his mind on his lessons, andsucceeded so well that he came out second from the top, studious PollyVane heading the list. Roger came next to Dave, with Ben Basswoodfourth, Phil sixth, and Sam Day seventh. Gus Plum was almost at the endof the list, and Nat Poole was but little better. In a lower class, LukeWatson stood second, Buster Beggs fourth, and Chip Macklin fifth. ShadowHamilton, although generally a good student, dropped to tenth place inhis class.

  "I am more than gratified at this showing," said Doctor Clay, when theexaminations were over. "The general average is higher than usual. Youhave done well, and I shall award the prizes with much pleasure."

  After that there was an entertainment lasting the best part of theafternoon, and in the evening the students celebrated by a bonfire onthe campus and a general merrymaking. They sang the school song over andover again, and gave the Hall cry:

  "Baseball! Football! Oak Hall Has the call! Biff! Boom! Bang! Whoop!"

  "To-night's the night!" whispered Phil, as he entered the school withhis chums. "Just wait and see!"