Our hero was so much worried that he gave scant attention to the letters received from Phil Lawrence and Shadow Hamilton, even though those communications contained many matters of interest. He was looking at the Dickley communication for a third time when his sister entered. "Well, Dave, no more bad news I hope?" said Laura, with a smile. "It is bad news," he returned. "Just read that;" and he turned the letter over to her. "If you owe Mr. Dickley any money you ought to pay him," said the sister, after perusing the epistle. "I don't think father would like it if he knew you were running into debt," and she gazed anxiously at Dave. "Laura! You ought to know me better than that," he answered somewhat shortly. "I never run any bills unless I am able to pay them. But this is something different. It is in the same line with the one I got from Mr. Wecks. I didn't get his shoes, and I haven't gotten anything from Mr. Dickley for a long time, and nothing at all that I haven't paid for." "Oh, Dave! do you mean it?" and now Laura's face took on a look of worry. "Why, somebody must be playing a trick on you!" "If he is, it's a mighty mean trick, Laura. But I think it is more than a trick. I think it is a swindle." "Swindle?" "Exactly. And what is more, do you know who I think is guilty?" "Why, who could be guilty?" The sister paused for a moment to look at her brother. "Oh, Dave! could it be that awful Ward Porton?" "That's the fellow I fasten on. Didn't we meet him in Clayton? And that's only six miles from Coburntown. More than likely that rascal has been hanging around here, and maybe getting a whole lot of things in my name." Dave began to pace the floor. "It's a shame! If I could get hold of him I think I would have him locked up." "What are you going to do about this letter?" "I'm going to go to Coburntown the first chance I get and tell Mr. Dickley, and also Mr. Wecks, the truth. I want to find out whether the party who got those things procured them in person or on some written order. If he got them on a written order, somebody must have forged my name." "Hadn't you better tell father or Uncle Dunston about this?" "Not just yet, Laura. It will be time enough to worry them after I have seen Mr. Wecks and Mr. Dickley. Perhaps I can settle the matter myself." Dave was so upset that it was hard for him to buckle down to his studies; and he was glad that evening when an interruption came in the shape of the arrival of his old school chum and fellow engineering student, Roger Morr.