Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/70



Dave and Ben stared in astonishment at the son of the money-lender of Crumville. Nat was highly indignant, but the reason for this was a complete mystery to the other lads.

"Blacken your character?" repeated Dave. "Nat, what are you talking about?"

"You know well enough."

"I do not."

"And I say you do!" blustered the bully. "You can't crawl out of it. I've followed the thing up and I've got the evidence against you, and against Roger Morr, too. I was going to speak to Doctor Clay about it, but I know he'd side with you and smooth it over—he always does. But if I tell my father, you'll find you have a different man to deal with!"

Nat spoke in a high-pitched voice that drew the attention of half a dozen men and women in the car. Ben was greatly annoyed.

"Say, Nat, don't make a public exhibition of yourself," he said, in a low tone. "If you've got