CHAPTER VIII
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
As my old readers know, the Wadsworth family and the Porters all lived together, for when Dave found his folks and brought them to Crumville, the rich jewelry manufacturer and his wife could not bear to think of separating from the boy who had saved their daughter from being burned to death. They loved Dave almost as a son, and it was their proposal that the Porters make the big mansion their home. As Dave's father was a widower and his brother Dunston was a bachelor, they readily agreed to this, provided they were allowed to share the expenses. With the two families was old Caspar Potts, who spent most of his time in the library, cataloguing the books, keeping track of the magazines, and writing a volume on South American history.
With a merry jingling of the bells, the family sleigh drove into the spacious grounds. As it rounded the driveway and came to a halt at the front piazza the door opened and Dave's father came out, followed by Dunston Porter.
"Hello, Dad!" cried the son, joyously, and made a flying leap from the sleigh. "How are you?" And then he shook hands with his parent and with his uncle—that same uncle whom he so strongly resembled,—a resemblance that 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. "Before you know it, you'll be taller than I am!" And he gave his nephew a hand-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 time Dave 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 her as 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 her another squeeze.
"Very glad, Dave, very glad indeed!" she answered, beaming on him. "I don't mind the way you torment me in the least," and then she hurried off, to make sure that the dinner ordered in honor of Dave's home-coming should be properly served.
In the library doorway stood Caspar Potts, his hair now as white as snow. He came forward and laid two trembling white hands in those of Dave.
"Dave, my boy Dave!" he murmured, and his watery eyes fairly glistened.
"Yes, Professor, your boy, always your boy!" answered Dave, readily, for he loved the old instructor from the bottom of his heart. "And how is the 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; and then you'll be famous."
"I don't know about that, Dave. But I like to write on the book—and the research work is very pleasant, especially in such pleasant surroundings," murmured the old gentleman.
Mr Wadsworth was away at his office, but presently he came back, and greeted Dave warmly, and asked about the school and his chums. Then, as the girls went off to get ready for dinner, the men folks and Dave went into the library.
"Have you heard anything more of those two young rascals, Merwell and Jasniff?" questioned Mr. Porter.
"Yes, but not in the way I'd like," answered Dave, and told of what Nat Poole had had to say and of what had occurred at Squirrel Island. "Have you 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 before Peter." 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," said the jewelry manufacturer. "They have circulated many reports, about you and 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 their necks!" And Oliver Wadsworth showed his excitement by pacing up and down the 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 a church fair the girls attended. They acted in such a rude fashion that both of the girls ran all the way home. All of us went out to look for them, 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 handed them 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 chances with 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 the clothing closet. Then he dressed for dinner. As he came out he met Jessie, who stood on the landing with a white carnation in her hand.
"It's for your buttonhole," she said. "It's the largest in the conservatory." And she adjusted it skillfully. He watched her in silence, 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 half whispered.
"Are you really, Dave?" she returned, and her eyes were shining like stars.
"You know I am; don't you?" he pleaded.
"Yes," she answered, in a low voice. And then, as Laura appeared, she added hastily, but tenderly, "I'm glad, too!"
It was a large and happy gathering around the dining-room table, with Mr. Wadsworth at the head, and Jessie on one side of Dave and Laura on the other. Professor Potts asked the blessing, and then followed an hour of good cheer. In honor of Dave's home-coming the meal was an elaborate one, and everybody enjoyed it thoroughly. As nobody wished to put a damper on the occasion, nothing was said about their enemies. Dave told some funny stories about Oak Hall happenings, and had the girls shrieking with laughter, and Dunston Porter related a tale or two about his travels, for he still loved to roam as of yore.
The next day—the day before Christmas—it snowed heavily. But the young folks did not mind this and went out several times, to do the last of their shopping. Late in the afternoon, Peter brought in some holly wreaths and a little Christmas tree. The wreaths were placed in the windows, each with a big bow of red ribbon attached, and the tree was decorated with candies and candles and placed on the table in the living-room.
All the young folks had surprises for their parents and for Professor Potts. There was a set of South American maps for the old professor, a new rifle for Dunston Porter, a set of cyclopedias for Mr. Wadsworth, a cane for Dave's father, and a beautiful chocolate urn for the lady of the 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! Dave had a new pocketbook for Laura, with her monogram in silver, and a cardcase for Mrs. Wadsworth. For Jessie he had a string of pearls, and numerous gifts for the others in the mansion. From Laura he received a fine book on hunting and camping out, something he had long desired, while Mrs. Wadsworth gave him some silk handkerchiefs. From his father came a new suit-case, one with a traveler's outfit included, and from his uncle he received some pictures, to hang in his den. Mr. Wadsworth gave him a beautiful stickpin, one he said had been made at his own works.
But the gift Dave prized most of all was a little locket that Jessie gave him for his watchchain. It was of gold, set with tiny diamonds, and his monogram was on the back. The locket opened and had a place in it for two pictures.
"You must put Laura's picture in there," said Jessie, "Laura's and your father's."
"No, I have them already—in my watch case," he answered, and then, as nobody 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. Without those 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 Dave started to catch her by the arm, she ran away to join Laura. But she threw 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 the young folks went sleigh-riding. The evening was spent at the Wadsworth mansion in playing games and in singing favorite songs. Altogether it was a Christmas to be long remembered.
During the fall Mr. Wadsworth had been busy, building an addition to his jewelry works, and on the day after Christmas Dave went over to the place with his uncle, to look around. The addition covered a plot nearly a hundred feet square and was two stories high.
"It will give us a new office and several new departments," said the rich manufacturer, as he showed them around. "When everything is finished I shall have one of the most up-to-date jewelry works in this part 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 until early in January."
"What about your safes?" asked Dave. He remembered the big but old-fashioned safes that had adorned the old office.
"We are to have new ones in about sixty days. I wanted them at once, but the safe company was too busy to rush the order. I wish now that I had those safes," went on the manufacturer, in a lower voice, so that even the 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 they willing 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 of such gems, I should say at least seventy-five thousand dollars."
"Phew! And the settings are to cost eight thousand dollars. That makes a pretty valuable lot of jewelry, I'm thinking," was Dunston Porter's comment.
"You are right, and that is why I wish I had those new safes," added Oliver Wadsworth.
"Can't you keep the diamonds in some safe deposit vault? "
"There is no very good safe deposit place in Crumville. Besides, I must have 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 the place," 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 fact that 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 shall be glad when the order is finished and the gems are out of my keeping. I don't want any outsider to know I have them."