After this a conversation lasting the best part of half an hour ensued. The lumber dealer became quite interested in Dave's case, and readily consented to sign a document stating the facts concerning Ward Porton as he knew them. Roger, Phil and an office clerk witnessed the lumber dealer's signature, and then the boys bade Obadiah Jones good-bye and left.
"Dave, let me congratulate you!" cried Roger, grasping our hero's hand warmly.
"Oh, I knew it would all come out right in the end!" cried Phil, as he placed a loving arm over Dave's shoulder. "Say, you'll have one on Ward Porton when you show him that document!" he continued, with a chuckle.
"You don't know what a weight this has lifted from my shoulders," murmured Dave. And despite his efforts to control himself, two tears stood in his eyes. "The thought that I might not be the real Dave Porter after all was something terrible!" he murmured.
"What will you do; send word to Crumville and then go back to camp?" asked Roger.
"I suppose that would be best," answered Dave. "I'll first send word home and wait in Burlington for a reply."
It was not long after this when they entered a local telegraph office, and there Dave wrote out a telegram addressed to his father at Crumville. He asked that a reply to the communication be addressed to a leading hotel of Burlington, where the three lads afterwards went for dinner.
"A telegram for Mr. David Porter!" called out one of the hotel boys, just after the lads had finished eating; and he passed the communication over to our hero.
"It's from Crumville, and from my father," said Dave, as he glanced at the communication, which ran as follows:
"Your telegram received. Glad to know the truth. We had suspected Porton of trickery. Merwell is in the game."
"It's just as I thought," said Dave, when he allowed his friends to read the communication. "Link Merwell told Porton about how I had come from the poorhouse, and then the pair hatched up this game between them. I only hope my folks catch them and give them what they deserve."
That afternoon found the lads again on the way to Plattsburg, and early on the following morning they set out on the return to Bear Camp.
"Oh, Dave! did you learn anything?" cried Laura, when the boys appeared.