contest was harder than the one on the gridiron," remarked Phil,
when they were returning to Oak Hall in one of the big sleighs.

"Rockville meant to win," said Buster. "And it looked as if they would
win, at first."

"They have a star player in Mallory," said Ben. "But one star doesn't
make a team."

"Say, that puts me in mind of a story," began Shadow. "Once three
fellows----" But then he broke off short, as a handful of soft snow
thrown by Roger took him full in the mouth.

"Keep your stories for to-night, Shadow!" cried Dave. "Now for a song!"
And then the crowd in the sleigh began singing at the top of their
lungs.

It was assuredly a grand victory, and that evening the whole school
celebrated, with bonfires, singing, and dancing. Dave was called on for
a speech. Plum took part in the celebration, for he was not seriously
injured.

"And now for the holidays and home!" said Dave, on the following Monday
morning. "Just two weeks more of the grind, boys!"

"They'll soon slip by," said Phil.

"Dave, do you imagine that Merwell and Jasniff will return to
Rockville?" continued the shipowner's son.

"I don't know--perhaps, after a while--when they think I will drop the
charge against them."

"Perhaps they are too scared to come back," said Phil.

"They are bad eggs," murmured Dave. But how bad, he was still to learn.
He was to meet Merwell and Jasniff again, and what that pair did to
injure him and those he so dearly loved will be told in another volume
of this series, to be entitled: "Dave Porter on Cave Island; or, A
Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission." In that book we shall meet Dave and
many others of our characters again, and learn the particulars of a
happening at Crumville that was as dismaying as it was perplexing.

"Well, let us forget Merwell and Jasniff," said Roger. "Say, that
hockey victory has made me feel two years younger."

"That and a letter he got from Laura," murmured Phil.

"Humph, as if I didn't see the letter you got from Belle Endicott,"
retorted the senator's son.

"Dave got a letter, too--from Jessie," went on Phil. "Perhaps----"

"Hi, you fellows, get through grinding, and come for a skate!" shouted
Ben, bursting into the dormitory. "The ice was never better."

"That's the talk!" cried Dave, throwing down his Latin grammar. "First
fellow to get his skates on gets a ginger snap!"

And off he ran, with the others at his heels. And here for the present
we will say good-by to Dav