Dave had turned again to his studies and was making such progress that he was now at the head of his class. Roger was just below him, and Phil and Ben were also doing well.
One windy day Dave was walking along the river bank, when some bits of half-burned paper blew towards him. Out of curiosity he picked up one of the bits and was surprised to see that it contained writing in his own hand.
"My missing composition on the 'Three Greatest Achievements of Gearge Washington'!" he murmured to himself, and it was true. "Now, how did this get here?"
He picked up several other bits of paper, and finally traced them to the remains of a small fire which had been built in a hollow among the rocks.
He looked over what there was of sheets in the ashes and sorted out sixteen unburnt bits. Nine were of his lost composition, and the others in another hand.
"I'd like to know whose hand that is," he mused. "Can it be that of Chip Macklin?"
Folding the bits of paper up he placed them in his pocket, and returned to Oak Hall. Entering one of the lower classrooms, he found the teacher and asked if he could look at some of the copy-books there.
"What is your object, Master Porter?" asked the under-teacher, pleasantly.
