Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/67

Rh At last came the day when Dave was to leave. His trunk had been packed and sent off the day before, and he had his railroad ticket and ten dollars tucked away in his pocket. Mrs. Wadsworth had presented him with a neat silver watch, and Jessie had added a chain and locket, the latter with his monogram engraved upon it. He wished he had her picture in the locket, but he did not have the courage to ask for it.

Mr. Wadsworth took him to the depot, accompanied by Caspar Potts, and at the station they fell in with Ben Basswood.

"I thought I'd come to bid you good-bye," said Ben. "I can tell you, I wish I was going too."

"You must get to Oak Hall somehow, Ben," returned Dave.

Now that he was really starting out it must be confessed that Dave felt just a bit queer. Since coming to Crumville he had never been many miles from home, nor among those who were utter strangers to him.

"I hope you don't get homesick, Dave," said Caspar Potts, kindly. "If you do, fight it off right at the start—don't brood over it."

"We'll write to you from time to time," added Oliver Wadsworth, "and you must write in return."

"I'll certainly do that, Mr. Wadsworth."