Two days after that, and while Dave was continuing his studies as diligently as ever, came word over the telephone from Clayton. "Is this you, Dave Porter?" came over the wire. "Yes," answered our hero. "Who are you?" "This is Nat Poole talking. I am up here in Clayton--in the First National Bank. You know my father got me a job here last week." "No, I didn't know it, Nat. But I'm glad to hear you have something to do, and I hope you'll make a success of it," returned Dave promptly. "I called you up to find out if you were in Clayton," continued the son of the money lender. "I wanted to make sure of it." "Well, I'm not. I'm right here at home, Nat." "Then, in that case, I want to tell you that the fellow who looks like you is here." "Where do you mean--in the bank?" "Well, he came in here to get a five-dollar bill changed. I happened to see him as he was going out and I called to him, thinking it was you. When I called he seemed to get scared, and he got out in a hurry. Then I happened to think about that fellow who looked like you, and I made up my mind I'd call you up." "How long ago since he was in the bank?" questioned Dave, eagerly. "Not more than ten minutes ago. I tried to get you sooner but the wire was busy." "You haven't any idea where he went?" "No, except that he started down the side street next to the bank, which, as maybe you know, runs towards the river." "All right, Nat. Thank you very much for what you've told me. I want to locate that fellow if I possibly can. He is a swindler, and if you clap eyes on him again have him arrested," added Dave; and this Nat Poole promised to do. The news over the wire excited Dave not a little. Of the men of the household, only old Professor Potts was in, and he, of course, could not assist in the matter. Dave at once sought out Mrs. Wadsworth and told her of what he had heard. "I think I'll drive to Clayton and see if I can locate Porton," he added. "Roger says he will go with me." "Do as you think best, Dave," answered the lady of the house. "But do keep out of trouble! This Ward Porton may prove to be a dangerous character if you attempt to corner him." "I think Roger and I can manage him, if only we can find him," returned the youth. Once more the black horse and the cutter were brought into service, and the two youths made the best possible time on the snowy highway that led through Coburntown to Clayton. Arriving there, they called at the bank and interviewed Nat Poole. "If what you say about Porton is true he certainly must be a bad one--almost as bad as Merwell and Jasniff," was the comment of the money lender's son. "I certainly hope you spot him and bring him to book. That's the way he went the last I saw of him," he added, pointing down the side street. Dave and Roger drove down the street looking to the right and the left for a possible sight of Ward Porton. But their search was doomed to disappointment for the moving-picture actor was nowhere to be seen.