CHAPTER XXXI
LIFTING THE CURTAIN
The second mate told the truth when he said Paul Shepley was a cowardand under the thumb of the former supercargo. That very evening Shepleybegged to see Captain Marshall alone, and, when given the opportunity,actually fell on his knees before the master of the _Stormy Petrel_.
"I am willing to do anything, captain!" he groaned. "Only don't--don'tswing me from the--the yardarm!" He had it firmly fixed in his mind thathe was to be executed.
"You deserve to be hanged!" answered the captain. "I don't see why Ishould spare you."
"It was all Van Blott's fault--he fixed the whole thing from beginningto end. He got the stolen cases on board and made me promise to help ingetting rid of them. And he got up the plan to run away with the ship."
After that Paul Shepley told his story in detail, and the captain becameconvinced that the first mate was more of a sneak than a villain.
"I will let you off, upon two conditions," said Captain Marshall, atlast. "The first is, that you serve as a common sailor for the rest ofthis trip. Will you do it?"
"Yes, but it's pretty hard on me," whined Shepley.
"The second condition is, that you promise to appear against Van Blott,whenever called upon to do so."
"Yes, I'll do that."
"Then go forward and take Billy Dill's place in the forecastle."
"Where is Dill to go?"
"I have made him second mate and Sanders first mate."
"Oh!" murmured Paul Shepley, and said no more. It cut him deeply to takeup quarters in the forecastle, where the men treated him any way butkindly, yet he was glad to get off so cheaply.
The next day was an anxious one for Dave, who was on the constantlookout for land. Toward nightfall a speck was seen in the distance, andin the morning, when he came on deck, the country youth saw before himSobago in all of its tropical beauty, with its cozy harbor, its longstretch of white sand, and its waving palms. In the harbor were ships ofseveral nationalities, and also numerous native canoes, and the scenewas an animated one.
The boys had no difficulty in getting ashore, but once on the streets ofNanpi, they scarcely knew how to turn. They walked along slowly untilthey came to a shipping office, in the window of which was a sign:
_English Spoken Here._
"I am going in here to ask a few questions," said Dave, and entered,followed by Phil and Roger. They found in the office a very stout andvery bald old gentleman, wearing big spectacles.
"You speak English, I believe," said Dave, politely.
"I speak English, and a dozen other languages, too," said thebald-headed gentleman, peering at them curiously. "Why--er--how's this?"he added, to Dave. "Is this some joke? Why did you shave so clean?"
"Shave?" repeated Dave. His heart gave a sudden bound. "Why do you askthat question?"
"Why, I--er--this is most extraordinary!" ejaculated the man, stillstaring at the country youth. "I don't understand it."
"Don't understand what?"
"You look so much like a man I know--a Mr. Dunston Porter. Maybe he issome relative of yours?"
"The very man I am looking for!" cried Dave. "Can you tell me where Ican find him?" His heart was almost in his throat as he asked thequestion. Supposing Mr. Dunston Porter had left Sobago Island for partsunknown?
"Find him? I think so. He was here yesterday and said he was going outto the ruins of the old temple on the Pokali Road. He expected to begone all day on the trip. He'll be back to town by night."
"Then you'll have to wait, Dave," came from Phil.
"Oh, I can't wait!" burst out Dave. "How far is that old temple fromhere?"
"About three miles."
"Can I hire somebody to take me there? I want to see Mr. Porter as soonas possible."
"Certainly; you can get a boy for a few pennies," answered thebald-headed man. "There is a boy now who wants a job." And he beckonedto an urchin who sat on an empty box, eating a banana.
When the lad came up the man explained in the native tongue, and soonthe party set off, Dave first thanking the bald-headed man for hiskindness.
To Phil and Roger the walk on the tropical road was long, hot, anddusty. But Dave was so busy with his thoughts that he did not notice hewas walking at all. How much the next hour or two might reveal!
Presently they came in sight of a ruined pile, which the native boypointed out as the old temple. Dave forged ahead and hurried into theruins, and then around to the back. Here, from under some palms, couldbe had a fine view of the surrounding country.
A hasty glance around revealed to Dave the form of a man, lying on thegrass half asleep. The country youth hurried forward, gave a good look,and uttered a little cry, at which the man sat up suddenly.
"Who are you?" asked the man, and then he began to stare at Dave veryhard.
"Is this Mr. Dunston Porter?" asked Dave, in a voice he tried in vain tosteady.
"Yes, that's my name. But you----" The man paused expectantly.
"I am Dave Porter. I have come about seven thousand miles to see you."
"I have come about seven thousand miles to seeyou."--_Page 274._]
"Dave Porter! Seven thousand miles to see me! I must be dreaming!" Theman leaped to his feet and came up to Dave. "How is this? Won't youexplain?"
"I will try, Mr. Porter."
"They do look exactly alike!" said Phil to Roger, in a whisper. "What anextraordinary likeness!"
"No wonder Billy Dill was startled when he first met Dave," added thesenator's son.
Dunston Porter heard the talk and looked at the others. At this Philtook a step forward.
"We are Dave Porter's school chums," he explained. "My name is PhilLawrence, and this is Roger Morr."
"Glad to know you. Did you travel seven thousand miles to see me, too?"went on the man.
"Hardly that, but we took the trip with Dave," answered Roger.
"He wanted to find the man who looked like him," continued Phil, for hesaw Dave could hardly speak for his emotion. "And he has found him. Youtwo look exactly alike--that is, you would, if your mustache was shavedoff."
"Yes?" Dunston Porter paused. "Is that all?"
"No! no!" cried Dave, struggling to keep calm. "I came to--to find outsomething about myself, if I could. It's a long story, and I'll have tostart at the beginning. When I was a youngster about three years old, Iwas picked up alongside a railroad track by some farming people. Theysupposed I had been put off a train by somebody who wanted to get rid ofme. They asked me my name, and I said something that sounded to themlike Davy and Dun-Dun and Porter, and so they called me Dave Porter."
"Ah!" cried Dunston Porter, and he was all attention. "Go on."
"I was taken to the poorhouse, and then went to live with some otherfolks who were very kind to me, and one rich gentleman sent me to aboarding school. While there I helped an old sailor named BillyDill----"
"Billy Dill! Well, I never! Go on, please."
"He was struck when he saw me--said I was somebody else with my mustacheshaved off, and a lot more. He finally told me about you, and said youhad told him about a crazy nurse and a lost child, and so I made up mymind to find you, if I could, and see if you knew anything about mypast." Dave's lips began to quiver again. "Can you tell me anything?"
"I--I--perhaps so." Dunston Porter's voice was also quivering. "Can youprove this story about being found near a railroad?"
"Yes."
"About thirteen years ago?"
"Yes."
"In the eastern part of the United States?"
"Yes, near a village called Crumville. They say I said something about abad man who wouldn't buy some candy for me. It may be that that man putme off the train."
"He did!" almost shouted Dunston Porter. "It was Sandy Margot, theworthless husband of the crazy nurse, Polly Margot, you just mentioned.She took the child and turned the boy over to her husband. Margot wantedto make money out of the abduction, but, during his travels with thelittle one, he learned
that detectives were after him, and, when thetrain stopped one day, he put the child off and promised it some candyto keep it from crying. He got away, and we never heard of him for aboutsix years. Then he was rounded up in a burglary and badly wounded. Heconfessed at the hospital, but he could not tell the name of the placewhere the child had been dropped. We made a search, but could discovernothing. Margot died, and so did his crazy wife; and there the wholematter has been resting."
"But who am I?" cried Dave, unable to restrain the question any longer.
"Oh, you don't know that? I thought Billy Dill knew. If what you havetold me is true, you are the son of my twin brother, David BreslowPorter."
CHAPTER XXXII
HOMEWARD BOUND--CONCLUSION
"I am the son of your twin brother?" repeated Dave, while Roger and Phillistened with intense interest.
"Yes," answered Dunston Porter. "He lost his son exactly as described,and the baby was said to resemble me very strongly."
"And where is your brother now?"
"He is traveling for his health. The last I heard of him he was inEurope, at one of the well-known watering places."
"Is his wife alive?"
"No, she died years ago. But he has a daughter with him, Laura--about ayear younger than you." Dunston Porter took Dave's hand. "This is simplymarvelous! I can hardly believe it! My nephew Dave! Why, it sounds likea fairy tale."
"It is marvelous, Mr. Por----"
"Hold on! If we are relatives, you'll have to call me Uncle Dunston,"and the man smiled pleasantly.
"Well, then, Uncle Dunston, are my father and my sister alone in theworld?"
"They are, excepting for me. We used to have other brothers, and asister, but all of them are dead. I am alone here--an old bachelor."
"But you used to live with my father, is that it?"
"Yes, we were once in business together--owned a chemical works in NewYork and another in Chicago, and we also had some patents formanufacturing gas by a new process. But both of us liked to travelaround, and so we sold out, and since that time we have been roamingaround the world, sometimes together, and then again alone, although healways takes Laura with him, no matter where he goes. He is afraid toleave her behind, for fear she will be lost to him just as you were."
"Do you know his exact address now?"
"No; but I think a letter sent to a certain address in Paris will beforwarded to him. To tell the truth, I have been out here so long I havepartly lost track of him. He will be amazed to hear from you, I am sure,and Laura will be surprised, too."
"I shall write to him as soon as possible," answered Dave.
"Of course! of course! And I will write too," rejoined Dunston Porter.
After that, sitting in the shade of the old temple and the palm trees,Dave and his chums told their story from beginning to end, and thenDunston Porter related some of his own experiences and told much moreconcerning Dave's father and sister Laura. He said that he and his twinbrother looked somewhat alike, which accounted for Dave's resemblance tohimself. He was glad to add that both he and his brother werewell-to-do, so they could come and go as they pleased.
"As you know, I am hunting for a treasure of pearls and preciousstones," said Dunston Porter. "So far, I have been unsuccessful, but Ifeel sure that I shall find them some day. And, even if I don't, thetask of looking for the treasure pleases me and gives me the chance tovisit many of these beautiful islands of the South Seas."
The boy who had brought Dave and his chums to the old temple had beendismissed, and Dunston Porter took them back to Nanpi, where he hadaccommodations in the best public house the place afforded. Here BillyDill visited him.
"Does my heart good to see ye again!" cried the old tar. "An' ain't itjest wonderful about Dave? Now stand up, side by side, an' look intothet glass. As like as two beans, say I!" And Dunston Porter agreed withhim.
Of course the old sailor had to tell all he knew, and Dave brought outpictures of Caspar Potts and the Wadsworths which he had brought along.In return, Dunston Porter gave Dave pictures of his father and hissister Laura. The boy gazed at the photographs a long while, and thetears filled his eyes as he did so.
"Well, there is one thing sure!" he murmured to Roger. "At any rate, Iam no longer a poorhouse nobody!"
"That's right, Dave," returned the senator's son, warmly. "Let mecongratulate you. By that picture, your father must be a nice man, andyour sister is handsome."
"And to think that they are rich," added Phil. "That's the best of all."
"No, the best of all is to find that I belong somewhere in thisworld--that I am not a nobody," answered Dave, earnestly.
"Won't Nat Poole and Gus Plum stare when they hear of this!" went onRoger. "I believe it will really make them feel sore."
"Ben and Sam and the others will be glad," said Phil. "And I am sureDoctor Clay will want to congratulate you. Dave, it paid to take thistrip to the South Seas, after all, didn't it?"
"I should say it did!" cried Dave. "I shouldn't have wanted to miss itfor the world!"
For several days Dave felt as if he was dreaming and walking on air, hisheart was so light. The more the boy saw of his uncle Dunston the morehe liked the man, and Dunston Porter was equally pleased. Both had longtalks regarding the past and the future, and it was agreed that the manshould return to the United States for the time being and, instead ofhunting for the treasure, trace up the present address of David Porter,senior, and Dave's sister Laura.
"I wish to meet this Caspar Potts, and also the Wadsworths," saidDunston Porter. "If I can, I wish to repay them for all they have donefor you."
"I am sure they will not take any money," answered the boy. "But theywill be glad to meet you." Later on Dave took his uncle on board the_Stormy Petrel_, where Captain Marshall gave the newly found relative avery enthusiastic welcome.
The captain of the bark had thought to bring Jasper Van Blott before theauthorities at Nanpi, but was prevented by an accident, which came closeto terminating fatally and sending the bark up into smoke and flames.Jasper Van Blott attempted to break out of the oil closet in the bow ofthe _Stormy Petrel_, and, in so doing, lit a match. This fell on someoily waste in a corner and, before an alarm could be given, the formersupercargo was seriously burned, and the whole bow of the bark was onfire. Jasper Van Blott had to be taken to a hospital, where it was saidhe would lose the sight of one eye and be disfigured for life. Undersuch circumstances, it was decided to let the case against him drop.The damage to the _Stormy Petrel_ was so serious that the bark had to belaid up for repairs, and, in such an out-of-the-way place, it was saidthese would take a month or six weeks.
"This has certainly proved to be a strange voyage," said Roger. "I mustsay, I don't like the idea of staying here six weeks. I'd like to getback home."
"Just what I say," answered Dave.
In the port was what is known as a "tramp" steamer, that is, one pickingup any cargo to be found, from one port to the next. This steamer hadsecured a cargo for San Francisco, and was to sail on the followingSaturday.
"We might secure passage on her," suggested Dunston Porter, and insideof twenty-four hours it was arranged that he, with Dave and Roger,should sail on the steamer. Phil was to remain with Captain Marshall, tostraighten out the mess left by Jasper Van Blott.
"But never mind," said the shipowner's son, when the chums came toseparate, "I'll see you again, sooner or later--and then we'll talk overall the many adventures we have had."
Dave and Roger found the accommodations on the steamer fully as good asthose on the bark, and the voyage to San Francisco passed pleasantlyenough. As soon as the boys went ashore, they hurried to thepost-office, where they found half a dozen letters awaiting them. One,from Ben Basswood to Dave, interested them greatly:
"You will be glad to learn that Shadow Hamilton is cleared of the trouble that was laid at his door," so ran the communication. "Doctor Clay had somebody set a watch, and, as a consequence, it has been proved beyond a doubt that Gus Plu
m took the stamps from where Shadow placed them in his sleep. When Plum was accused, he said he didn't know they were the doctor's stamps. It seems he needed money, as his father is down in the world and has cut off Gus' spending allowance. There was a big row, but the Plum family is hushing the matter up, and I understand Doctor Clay has agreed to give Gus one more chance at Oak Hall."
"It is just like Doctor Clay to give him another chance," was Roger'scomment. "He is as kind-hearted as any man in the world."
"If I ever go back to school, I hope I have no more trouble with GusPlum," said Dave. But he did have trouble, of a most peculiar kind, andwhat it was will be told in another volume of this series, to beentitled: "Dave Porter's Return to School; Or, Winning the Medal ofHonor." In this new volume we shall meet all our old friends once more,and learn something further of Dave's father and sister Laura.
Dave did not depend on the mails, but, as soon as he could, hadtelegrams flashed to Crumville and to Doctor Clay, stating he had foundan uncle and soon expected to meet his father and sister. Then the partyof three took a Pullman train for the East.
"I can tell you it feels good to get back to the United States oncemore," said the senator's son, as the boys sat by the car window,looking at the scenery as it glided by.
"Do you know, it seems an age to me since we went away," declared Dave."And yet, it is only a little over two months!"
"That is because so much has happened in the meantime, Dave. It wascertainly a remarkable trip!"
"And the trip brought remarkable results," said Dunston Porter, with aquiet smile.
When Dave arrived at Crumville there was quite a gathering to receivehim and the others. All the Wadsworths were there, including Jessie, whorushed straight into his arms, and Caspar Potts and Ben Basswood.
"Oh, I am so glad you are back!" cried Jessie.
"We are all glad," added Ben.
"We cannot bear to think of losing you, Dave," said Mrs. Wadsworth,anxiously. "You have become very dear to us all."
"You are not going to lose me; that is, not altogether," answered theboy. "No matter what happens, I shall never forget all my old friends!"
And all shook hands warmly. And here, kind reader, let us take ourdeparture.
THE END
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DAVE PORTER AT OAK HALL Or The School Days of an American Boy DAVE PORTER IN THE SOUTH SEAS Or The Strange Cruise of the _Stormy Petrel_ DAVE PORTER'S RETURN TO SCHOOL Or Winning the Medal of Honor DAVE PORTER IN THE FAR NORTH Or The Pluck of an American Schoolboy DAVE PORTER AND HIS CLASSMATES Or For the Honor of Oak Hall DAVE PORTER AT STAR RANCH Or The Cowboy's Secret DAVE PORTER AND HIS RIVALS Or The Chums and Foes of Oak Hall DAVE PORTER ON CAVE ISLAND Or A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission DAVE PORTER AND THE RUNAWAYS Or Last Days at Oak Hall DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS Or The Search for the Landslide Mine DAVE PORTER AT BEAR CAMP Or The Wild Man of Mirror Lake DAVE PORTER AND HIS DOUBLE Or The Disappearance of the Basswood Fortune DAVE PORTER'S GREAT SEARCH Or The Perils of a Young Civil Engineer DAVE PORTER UNDER FIRE Or A Young Army Engineer in France DAVE PORTER'S WAR HONORS Or At the Front with the Fighting Engineers
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* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Table of Contents, "278" changed to "288"
Page 193, "preposessing" changed to "prepossessing" (far fromprepossessing)
Page 271, "forcastle" changed to "forecastle" (place in the forecastle)
Dave Porter in the South Seas; or, The Strange Cruise of the Stormy Petrel Page 34