Dave Porter at Star Ranch | Page 8

handkerchief and wipe off Mr. Potts's clothes," said
Dave, sternly.
"Eh?" queried the money-lender's son in dismay.

"You heard what I said. Go and do it, and be quick about it."
"I--er--I don't have to."
"Yes, you do. If you don't----" Dave ended by walking over to a barrel
and filling the syringe with the spraying fluid.
"Hi! don't you douse me with that!" yelled the other youth in alarm.
Then he started to run away, but the senator's son caught him by one
arm and Phil caught him by the other.
"You've got no right to hold me!"
"Well, we'll take the right," said Roger, calmly. "Now, Nat, do as Dave
told you."
There was no help for it, and with very bad grace the money-lender's
son drew from his pocket a silk handkerchief and removed what he
could of the fluid from Caspar Potts's clothing. Many spots remained.
"I am afraid the suit is ruined," said the aged professor, sorrowfully.
"Anyway, it will need a thorough cleaning."
"If it is ruined, Nat can pay for it," said Dave, firmly.
"I'll pay for nothing!" grumbled the boy who had done the mischief. He
was short of spending-money, and knew how hard it was to get an extra
dollar from his parent.
"He certainly ought to pay for it," said Caspar Potts. "Some men would
have him locked up for what he has done."
"Humph! Don't talk foolish! It was only a little fun!" grumbled Nat. "I
didn't mean any harm. You can easily get those spots out of your
clothes."
"Did he do anything else to you?" asked Dave of the professor.
"Yes, he plagued me a good deal, and he shoved me down in the

cow-yard," was the reply. "I was hoping some one would come to drive
him away. I said I'd have the law on him, but he laughed at me, and
said nobody else was around and his word was as good as mine."
"If that isn't Nat to a T!" murmured the senator's son. "Doing the sneak
act every time!"
"Well, we are witnesses against him," put in Phil. He looked at Dave
and suddenly began to grin. "Oh, but this is great!" he cried.
"What's struck you?" queried Dave.
"Oh, nothing, only I reckon we've got a good hold on Mr. Aaron Poole
now--in case he tries to make a complaint against you."
"To be sure we have!" burst out Roger. "He won't dare to do it--after he
knows what Professor Potts can do."
"What are you talking about?" demanded Nat, curiously. "Is my father
going to make a complaint against Dave? What is it for?"
"Maybe you'll learn later--and maybe you won't," answered the
senator's son. "But if you see your father you had better tell him to call
it off as far as Dave is concerned--if he wants to save you."
"Then you've had trouble, eh?"
"No worse than this--if as bad."
"Humph! In that case my father won't believe what you say about me!"
cried Nat, cunningly. And then of a sudden he leaped back, turned, and
ran around a corner of the barn at top speed. He made for the road, and
was soon hidden from view by trees and bushes. Phil and Roger
attempted to catch him, but Dave called them back.
"No use in doing that," said Dave. "Let him go. It will be time enough
to say more when Mr. Poole makes his complaint."
The three youths assisted Caspar Potts in rearranging his toilet, and in

the meantime the aged professor told the lads the details of his trouble
with Nat. The money-lender's son had certainly acted in a despicable
manner, and he deserved to be punished.
"I will leave the matter to Mr. Wadsworth, and to your father and your
uncle," said Professor Potts to Dave. "They will know better what to do
than I."
On the way back to the Wadsworth mansion the boys told of the pistol
incident and the professor became much interested. He agreed with Phil
and Roger that Nat's doings were much worse.
Dave's father and his uncle had returned, and the youth went straight to
them with his tale. Then Mr. Wadsworth came in and was likewise told.
All the men were also informed of what had happened to Caspar Potts.
"I think I see a way of clearing this matter up--if Mr. Poole attempts to
act against Dave," said Mr. Wadsworth. And then he had a long talk
with Professor Potts.
The folks at the mansion had just finished dinner when visitors were
announced. They proved to be Aaron Poole and an officer of the law,
brought along to arrest Dave.
"I think you had better let me engineer this affair," said Mr. Wadsworth,
and so it was agreed. He entered