CHAPTER VIII--A MERRY CHRISTMAS
As my old readers know, the Wadsworth family and the Porters all livedtogether, for when Dave found his folks and brought them to Crumville,the rich jewelry manufacturer and his wife could not bear to think ofseparating from the boy who had saved their daughter from being burnedto death. They loved Dave almost as a son, and it was their proposalthat the Porters make the big mansion their home. As Dave's father was awidower and his brother Dunston was a bachelor, they readily agreed tothis, provided they were allowed to share the expenses. With the twofamilies was old Caspar Potts, who spent most of his time in thelibrary, cataloguing the books, keeping track of the magazines, andwriting a volume on South American history.
With a merry jingling of the bells, the family sleigh drove into thespacious grounds. As it rounded the driveway and came to a halt at thefront piazza the door opened and Dave's father came out, followed byDunston Porter.
"Hello, Dad!" cried the son, joyously, and made a flying leap from thesleigh. "How are you?" And then he shook hands with his parent and withhis uncle--that same uncle whom he so strongly resembled,--a resemblancethat had been the means of bringing the pair together.
"Dave, my son!" said Mr. Porter, as he smiled a welcome.
"Getting bigger every day, Davy!" was Uncle Dunston's comment. "Beforeyou know it, you'll be taller than I am!" And he gave his nephew ahand-clasp that made Dave wince.
"Oh, he's getting awfully tall, I said so as soon as I saw him,"remarked Jessie, as she, too, alighted, followed by Laura. By this timeDave was in the hallway, giving Mrs. Wadsworth a big hug and a kiss.When he had first known her, Dave had been a little afraid of Mrs.Wadsworth, she was such a lady, but now this was past and he treated heras she loved to be treated, just as if he were her son.
"Aren't you glad I've returned to torment you?" he said, as he gave heranother squeeze.
"Very glad, Dave, very glad indeed!" she answered, beaming on him. "Idon't mind the way you torment me in the least," and then she hurriedoff, to make sure that the dinner ordered in honor of Dave's home-comingshould be properly served.
In the library doorway stood Caspar Potts, his hair now as white assnow. He came forward and laid two trembling white hands in those ofDave.
"Dave, my boy Dave!" he murmured, and his watery eyes fairly glistened.
"Yes, Professor, your boy, always your boy!" answered Dave, readily, forhe loved the old instructor from the bottom of his heart. "And how isthe history getting on?"
"Fairly well, Dave. I have nine chapters finished."
"Good! Some day, when it is finished, I'll find a publisher for you; andthen you'll be famous."
"I don't know about that, Dave. But I like to write on the book--and theresearch work is very pleasant, especially in such pleasantsurroundings," murmured the old gentleman.
Mr. Wadsworth was away at his office, but presently he came back, andgreeted Dave warmly, and asked about the school and his chums. Then, asthe girls went off to get ready for dinner, the men folks and Dave wentinto the library.
"Have you heard anything more of those two young rascals, Merwell andJasniff?" questioned Mr. Porter.
"Yes, but not in the way I'd like," answered Dave, and told of what NatPoole had had to say and of what had occurred at Squirrel Island. "Haveyou heard anything here?" he added.
"Did the girls tell you anything?" asked his father.
"Not a word--they didn't have a chance, for we didn't want to talk beforePeter." Peter was the driver of the sleigh.
"I see." Mr. Porter mused for a moment and looked at Mr. Wadsworth.
"Those good-for-nothing boys have done a number of mean things," saidthe jewelry manufacturer. "They have circulated many reports, about youand your family, and about me and my family. They must be very bitter,to act in such a fashion. If I could catch them, I'd like to wring theirnecks!" And Oliver Wadsworth showed his excitement by pacing up and downthe library.
"Did you get your affairs with the department stores fixed up?"
"Yes, but not without considerable trouble."
"Have Jasniff and Merwell shown themselves in Crumville lately?"
"Yes, three days ago they followed your sister Laura and Jessie to achurch fair the girls attended. They acted in such a rude fashion thatboth of the girls ran all the way home. All of us went out to look forthem, but we didn't find them."
"Oh, if I had only been at that fair!" murmured Dave.
"What could you have done against two of them?" asked his uncle.
"I don't know, but I would have made it warm for them--and maybe handedthem over to the police."
"I have cautioned the girls to be on their guard," said David Porter."And you must be on your guard, Dave. It is not wise to take chanceswith such fellows as Jasniff and Merwell."
"I'll keep my eyes open for them," answered the son.
Dave ran up to his room, and put his big bundle away in a corner of theclothing closet. Then he dressed for dinner. As he came out he metJessie, who stood on the landing with a white carnation in her hand.
"It's for your buttonhole," she said. "It's the largest in theconservatory." And she adjusted it skillfully. He watched her insilence, and when she had finished he caught her by both hands.
"Jessie, I'm so glad to be back--so glad to be with you again!" he halfwhispered.
"Are you really, Dave?" she returned, and her eyes were shining likestars.
"You know I am; don't you?" he pleaded.
"Yes," she answered, in a low voice. And then, as Laura appeared, sheadded hastily, but tenderly, "I'm glad, too!"
It was a large and happy gathering around the dining-room table, withMr. Wadsworth at the head, and Jessie on one side of Dave and Laura onthe other. Professor Potts asked the blessing, and then followed an hourof good cheer. In honor of Dave's home-coming the meal was an elaborateone, and everybody enjoyed it thoroughly. As nobody wished to put adamper on the occasion, nothing was said about their enemies. Dave toldsome funny stories about Oak Hall happenings, and had the girlsshrieking with laughter, and Dunston Porter related a tale or two abouthis travels, for he still loved to roam as of yore.
The next day--the day before Christmas--it snowed heavily. But the youngfolks did not mind this and went out several times, to do the last oftheir shopping. Late in the afternoon, Peter brought in some hollywreaths and a little Christmas tree. The wreaths were placed in thewindows, each with a big bow of red ribbon attached, and the tree wasdecorated with candies and candles and placed on the table in theliving-room.
All the young folks had surprises for their parents and for ProfessorPotts. There was a set of South American maps for the old professor, anew rifle for Dunston Porter, a set of cyclopedias for Mr. Wadsworth, acane for Dave's father, and a beautiful chocolate urn for the lady ofthe house.
"Merry Christmas!" was the cry that went the rounds the next morning,and then such a handshaking and such a gift-giving and receiving! Davehad a new pocketbook for Laura, with her monogram in silver, and acardcase for Mrs. Wadsworth. For Jessie he had a string of pearls, andnumerous gifts for the others in the mansion. From Laura he received afine book on hunting and camping out, something he had long desired,while Mrs. Wadsworth gave him some silk handkerchiefs. From his fathercame a new suit-case, one with a traveler's outfit included, and fromhis uncle he received some pictures, to hang in his den. Mr. Wadsworthgave him a beautiful stickpin, one he said had been made at his ownworks.
But the gift Dave prized most of all was a little locket that Jessiegave him for his watchchain. It was of gold, set with tiny diamonds, andhis monogram was on the back. The locket opened and had a place in itfor two pictures.
"You must put Laura's picture in there," said Jessie, "Laura's and yourfather's."
"No, I have them already--in my watch case," he answered, and then, asnobody was near, he went on in a whisper, "I want your picture in this,Jessie."
"Oh!" she murmured.
"Your picture on one side, and a lock of your
hair on the other. Withoutthose I won't consider the gift complete."
"Oh, Dave, don't be silly!"
"I'm not silly--I mean it, Jessie. You'll give them to me, won't you,before I go back to Oak Hall?"
"Maybe. I'll see how you behave!" was the answer, and then just as Davestarted to catch her by the arm, she ran away to join Laura. But shethrew him a smile from over her shoulder that meant a great deal to him.
In the afternoon, Ben came over, with his young lady cousin, and all theyoung folks went sleigh-riding. The evening was spent at the Wadsworthmansion in playing games and in singing favorite songs. Altogether itwas a Christmas to be long remembered.
During the fall Mr. Wadsworth had been busy, building an addition to hisjewelry works, and on the day after Christmas Dave went over to theplace with his uncle, to look around. The addition covered a plot nearlya hundred feet square and was two stories high.
"It will give us a new office and several new departments," said therich manufacturer, as he showed them around. "When everything isfinished I shall have one of the most up-to-date jewelry works in thispart of the country."
"Are you going to move the old office furniture into this new place?"asked Dave, noticing some old chairs and desks.
"For the present we'll have to. The new furniture won't be here untilearly in January."
"What about your safes?" asked Dave. He remembered the big butold-fashioned safes that had adorned the old office.
"We are to have new ones in about sixty days. I wanted them at once, butthe safe company was too busy to rush the order. I wish now that I hadthose safes," went on the manufacturer, in a lower voice, so that eventhe clerks near by might not hear.
"Why, anything unusual?" questioned Dunston Porter, curiously.
"I took that order to reset the Carwith diamonds, that's all."
"Oh, then you got it, didn't you?" went on Dave's uncle. "Were theywilling to pay the price?"
"I told them they would have to or I wouldn't touch the job."
"What do you suppose the diamonds are worth?"
"They were bought for sixty thousand dollars. At the present value ofsuch gems, I should say at least seventy-five thousand dollars."
"Phew! And the settings are to cost eight thousand dollars. That makes apretty valuable lot of jewelry, I'm thinking," was Dunston Porter'scomment.
"You are right, and that is why I wish I had those new safes," addedOliver Wadsworth.
"Can't you keep the diamonds in some safe deposit vault?"
"There is no very good safe deposit place in Crumville. Besides, I musthave the gems here, if my workmen are to set them properly. Of course,I'll keep them in the old safes when they are not in the workshop."
"I should think you'd want a watchman around with such diamonds in theplace," remarked Dave.
"I have a watchman--old Tony Wells, who is as honest as they make 'em.But, Dave, I don't want you to mention the diamonds to anybody. The factthat I have this order is being kept a secret," went on Mr. Wadsworth,anxiously.
"I'll not say a word to anybody," answered our hero.
"Don't do it--for I am anxious enough about the jewels as it is. I shallbe glad when the order is finished and the gems are out of my keeping. Idon't want any outsider to know I have them."