Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/218

196 They had just reached the river side when Roger joined them, followed by Ben.

"Just heard you had a fight with Plum," cried the senator's son. "You don't look much punished."

"It was cut short by Mr. Haskers," answered Dave.

"How did it start?" questioned Ben.

"It was something the bully said to Dave," replied Phil, and he looked at the others in a peculiar way. "It was dirt-mean; that is all I have to say about it."

"Ben, I know you will stick to me," cried Dave, catching his old friend by the hand. "You know all about the—the past."

"Oh, so that was it," said Ben. "I hope you punched the whole head off the bully."

"What did Plum say?" demanded Roger, flatly. "Come, let me into the secret."

"He called me a poorhouse nobody!" burst out Dave, with great bitterness. "I—I'm not going to allow anybody to call me that, so there!" And he clenched his fists.

"Oh, I see!" Roger gave a low whistle. "How did he learn that you were brought up at the poorhouse?"

"Through Nat Poole, I suppose. That crowd will ding it into everybody now, and they'll do what they can to set the school against me!" Dave's