red within the bungalow, and then
he turned in bewilderment to Belle.

"Laura takes it awfully hard, but I don't think she ought to--at least
not yet," said the girl from Star Ranch. "There may not be a word of
truth in the story. Anyway, I'm not going to believe it until they prove
it."

"But what are you talking about, Belle?" questioned Dave, his face still
showing his perplexity. "What is it all about? Has anything happened at
home? It isn't my father; is it?"

"No, there is nothing wrong at your home, Dave--at least not in the way
you think." Belle paused for a moment as if not knowing how to go on.
"You remember what Link Merwell said; don't you?"

"About me?"

"Yes. Of course I don't believe it at all. But this young fellow, Ward
Porton, sent word to your father, and that has upset him a great deal,
so that he sent word to your Uncle Dunston and Laura, as well as to Mr.
Wadsworth. The word came in this morning, a couple of hours after you
had left; and after talking the matter over, your uncle and Mr.
Wadsworth made up their minds to return to Crumville without delay."

"And what did this Ward Porton have to say?" questioned our hero, and it
was with an effort that he steadied his voice.

"I can't give you all the particulars, because Laura did not show me the
letter. Poor dear! it just broke her up completely, and I've had an
awful time with her--and I've had an awful time with Jessie, too."

"But you must know something," went on Dave, while the others gathered
around, their faces showing their intense curiosity.

"Well, as near as I can make out, this Ward Porton has been
investigating matters connected with himself and with you, and he claims
that he is the real Dave Porter and that you are somebody else."

"Oh, say, that's nonsense!" burst out Phil, quickly. "Why, we proved
Dave's identity beyond question, when we came back from our trip to the
South Seas."

"Sure we did!" added Roger. "Dave's uncle went into all of the details
with the Crumville poorhouse authorities, and also got the particulars
of how that fellow named Sandy Margot, the good-for-nothing husband of
that crazy nurse, Polly Margot, abducted Dave and took him on a railroad
train, and then got scared and put him off at Crumville."

"I am sure I hope what you say is true, Roger," responded the girl from
the West. "What this Porton bases his claim on I don't know. As I said
before, I didn't read the letter Dave's uncle turned over