cious, and the
blood was flowing from a cut on his left temple.

[Illustration: "YOU JUST SAID THAT I WAS NOT DAVE PORTER," REMARKED
OUR HERO. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?"--_Page 201._]

"He came down pretty hard, I imagine," said Dave. "Let us carry him down
to the brook."

Not without some difficulty, the three lads raised the unconscious form
and carried it toward the brook, meeting the other boys on the way.

"Hello! what did you do; sock him one?" queried Luke.

"No, he fell, and as he couldn't use his hands he hit his head on a tree
root," answered Dave. "Get a little water, somebody, and we'll see if we
can revive him."

The water was soon brought, and with this they washed off the wound,
after which they bound up Link Merwell's head with several
handkerchiefs. The sufferer groaned and gasped several times, and
finally opened and closed his eyes.

"Say, he may be hurt worse than we think," remarked Roger, gravely.

"I guess he ought to have a doctor," added Dave. "But where to get one
around here I don't know. I don't believe there is one at Carpen Falls."

"I know there isn't, because I heard my mother asking about it," added
Ben. "But I think we ought to get him down to the bungalows."

All of the boys were agreed that this was the best thing to do, and so,
after putting up their fishing outfit, they began the return to the lake
shore, taking turns at carrying the unconscious youth.

"O dear! who is hurt?" cried Laura, as she saw the party approaching.

"It's Link Merwell," answered her brother. "Call Mr. Wadsworth; will
you?"

"Oh, Dave! so you've caught him; have you?" cried Jessie, while Laura
ran off on her errand. "Did you have a fight?"

"Not much of a one, Jessie. He got hurt through a fall."

"What a very foolish boy he has been!" was Belle's comment. "But I think
his father is partly to blame. He always allowed Link to do as he
pleased on the ranch, and when Link went to the city he always gave him
more spending money than was good for him, at least, so my father said."

"It was up to Link to do the square thing on his own account," broke in
Roger. "He had all the chance in the world to make a man of himself. But
he preferred the company of fellows like Jasniff. And this is the
result."

Mr. Wadsworth was in his bungalow writing a letter. He was surprised and
gratified at the news brought by Laura, and quickly followed her
outside. A little later Mrs. Wadsworth and Mrs. Basswood join