ster, a fat youth who had long been
one of Dave's Oak Hall classmates.

"Are you alone?" questioned our hero. He had just stepped from the
local train to change to the express for New York City; and he had
fairly run into Buster, who was standing on the platform flanked by
several suitcases.

"No, I'm not alone," answered the fat youth. "Shadow Hamilton and Luke
Watson are with me."

"You don't say so!" and our hero's face showed his pleasure. "Are you
bound for New York?" he questioned quickly.

"Yes, we are going to take the express."

"Fine! I am going there myself."

"Got a seat in the parlor car?"

"Yes. Number twelve, car two."

"Isn't that wonderful! We have eleven, thirteen and fourteen!"
answered Buster Beggs.

"Hello there, Dave Porter!" shouted another youth, as he stepped out
of the waiting-room of the depot. "How are you anyway?" and he came
up, swinging a banjo-case from his right hand to his left so that he
might shake hands. Luke Watson had always been one of the favorite
musicians at Oak Hall, playing the banjo and the guitar very nicely,
and singing well.

"Mighty glad to see you, Luke!" cried Dave, and wrung the extended
hand with such vigor that the former musician of Oak Hall winced.
Then Dave looked over the other's shoulder and saw a third lad
approaching--a youth who was as thin as he was tall. "How is our
little boy, Shadow, to-day?" he continued, as Maurice Hamilton
came closer.

"Great Scott! Am I blind or is it really Dave Porter?" burst out
Shadow Hamilton.

"No, you're not blind, Shadow, and it's really yours truly," laughed
Dave. And then as another handshake followed he continued: "What are
you going down to New York City for? To pick up some new stories?"

"Pick up stories?" queried the former story teller of Oak Hall, in
perplexity. "I don't have to pick them up. I have--"

"About fourteen million stories in pickle," broke in Buster Beggs.

"Fourteen million!" snorted Luke Watson. "You had better say about
fourteen! Shadow tells the same stories over and over again."

"Say, that puts me in mind of a story!" cried the youth mentioned, his
face lighting up. "Once on a time there was a--"

"Oh, my, Shadow! are you going to start right away?" demanded Dave,
with a broad grin on his face. "Can't you give a fellow a chance to
catch his breath? This is a great surprise--meeting you three on my
way to the city. And to think we are going to be together in one of
the parlo