Dave Porter in the South Seas: or, The Strange Cruise of the Stormy Petrel. Stratemeyer Edward

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      Saturday passed, and on Sunday a large number of the students marched off to three of the town churches. Dave, Roger, and Phil attended the same church and Ben went with them, and all listened to a strong sermon on Christian brotherhood, which was destined to do each of them good.

      "It makes a fellow feel as if he's got to help somebody else," said Roger.

      "Well, it is our duty to help others," answered Dave. "The fellow who isn't willing to do that is selfish."

      "You've certainly helped Macklin, Dave," said Ben. "I never saw such a change in a fellow. I'll wager he is more than happy to be out of Gus Plum's influence."

      "I'd help Plum, too, if he'd let me," said Dave, and then gave a long sigh.

      Two days later there was a sensation at the school. Doctor Clay came into the main classroom in the middle of the forenoon, looking much worried.

      "Young gentlemen, I wish to talk to you for a few minutes," he said. "As some of you may know, I am the proud possessor of a stamp collection which I value at not less than three thousand dollars. The stamps are arranged in three books, and I have spent eight years in collecting them. These books of stamps are missing, and I wish to know if anybody here knows anything about them. If they were taken away in a spirit of fun, let me say that such a joke is a poor one, and I trust the books will be speedily returned, and without damage to a single stamp."

      All of the boys listened with interest, for many of them had inspected the collection, and they knew that stamp-gathering was one of the kind doctor's hobbies.

      "Doctor, I am sorry to hear of this," said one boy, named Bert Dalgart, a youth who had a small collection of his own. "I looked at the collection about ten days ago, as you know. I haven't seen it since."

      "Nor have I seen it," said Roger, who also collected stamps.

      "Is there any boy here who knows anything at all about my collection?" demanded the doctor, sharply. "If so, let him stand up."

      There was a pause, but nobody arose. The master of Oak Hall drew a long breath.

      "If this is a joke, I want the collection returned by to-morrow morning," he went on. "If this is not done, and I learn who is guilty, I shall expel that student from this school."

      He then passed on to the next classroom, and so on through the whole academy. But nothing was learned concerning the missing stamp collection, and the end of the inquiry left the worthy doctor much perplexed and worried.

      "That is too bad," was Dave's comment, after school was dismissed. "That was a nice collection. I'd hate to have it mussed up, if it was mine."

      "The fellow who played that joke went too far," said the senator's son. "He ought to put the collection back at once."

      The matter was talked over by all the students for several days. In the meantime Doctor Clay went on a vigorous hunt for the stamp collection, but without success.

      "Do you think it possible that somebody stole that collection?" questioned Dave of Phil one afternoon, as he and his chum strolled in the direction of Farmer Cadmore's place, to see if they could learn anything about the ram.

      "Oh, it's possible; but who would be so mean?"

      "Maybe some outsider got the stamps."

      "I don't think so. An outside thief would have taken some silverware, or something like that. No, I think those stamps were taken by somebody in the school."

      "Then maybe the chap is afraid to return them – for fear of being found out."

      So the talk ran on until the edge of the Cadmore farm was gained. Looking into a field, they saw the ram grazing peacefully on the fresh, green grass.

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