A PHOTOGRAPH OF IMPORTANCE
"I should not believe it, had I not seen it with my own eyes."
It was in this fashion that Roger expressed himself on the following
day, when discussing the affair of the night previous with Dave. Shadow
was around, as usual. He looked sleepy, but otherwise acted as if
nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"It certainly is remarkable," was Dave's comment. "The question is, what
made him go to the castle? I think I know, but I cannot speak about it.
But I'll tell you what I should like to do, Roger: go up to the castle
while it is daylight and take a thorough look around."
Roger was willing to do this, and the upshot of the talk was that Dave
and the senator's son paid the old brick-and-stone structure a visit on
the following Saturday half-holiday, taking Phil and Ben with them. They
went up in a boat by the short route, arriving there about half-past
three o'clock.
There was not a soul about the deserted mansion, and the few birds flew
away at their approach. It was a clear, sunny day, and they lost no
time in throwing every door and window wide open, so that they might
have the full benefit of the light and fresh air.
"Here is the room in which he moved around the most," remarked Roger,
gazing around earnestly. "But I can't say that I see anything unusual,
do you?"
They were all searching around, and after a few minutes had passed Ben
uttered a low cry and held up a small object, almost covered with dust
and dirt.
"A class pin!" cried Dave. "We must see if we can find any more of
them."
It was not long before Phil came upon two pins sticking on a board of a
closet. Then Roger ran into the next room and, after a short hunt,
uncovered a flat pasteboard box with several more of the class pins,
each a bit tarnished by the dampness, but otherwise uninjured.
"He must have come for the pins," said Ben. "That solves the mystery of
how they disappeared from Mr. Dale's possession."
"Here is a postage stamp!" ejaculated Phil, and held it up. "It's an old
German issue," he added. "And here are half a dozen others, all
evidently torn from a sheet. Boys, Shadow must have taken the doctor's
collection!"
Dave said nothing to this, for he had discovered a cupboard in a
corner, tightly closed and with the wooden button of the door missing.
He now opened the door of the cupboard with a knife.
"Hello, what's in there?" asked Roger, who was behind him.
"Seems to be some clothing," answered Dave, and hauled forth some loose
garments and also an old satchel. The garments formed part of a sailor's
garb, and the satchel was marked on the bottom with the name, "William
Dill."
"It's Billy Dill's missing outfit!" cried Dave, eagerly. "Oh, Roger, how
glad I am that I have found this! It's the best yet!"
All the boys were interested, for they knew Dave's story and the tale of
the strange sailor. As Dave ran to the light with the satchel, they
crowded around him.
"I think I am fully justified in opening this grip," said the country
boy. He was so agitated he could scarcely speak.
"Why, certainly," cried Phil. "Open it, by all means. It may throw light
on some things which Billy Dill has been unable to explain."
The satchel was not locked and came open with ease. Inside was a bag
containing some loose silver and a roll of forty-six dollars in
bankbills. There was also a locket, containing the picture of a motherly
old lady, probably the sailor's parent. Under the locket were a small
Bible and a work on ocean navigation, and at the bottom a thick, brown
envelope containing a photograph.
"Let us see whose picture that is," said Phil, and Dave opened the
envelope and drew the photograph forth. As he held it up there was a
general cry, in which he was forced to join.
"That's the man who looks like you, Dave!" cried Roger.
"What a striking resemblance!" exclaimed Phil.
"And he has the mustache, just as the sailor said," added Ben. "Dave,
that man looks enough like you to be your older brother, or your
father!"
Dave said nothing, for he was too much overcome to speak. As he gazed at
the picture, he began to tremble from head to foot. Taking away the
mustache, the face was exactly like his own, only older and more
careworn. He did not wonder that Billy Dill had become confused because
of the resemblance. He turned the picture over. There was not a scrap of
printing or writing on it anywhere.
What was the meaning of this mystery? What was this man to him? Was he
the man who had once lost a child through a crazy nurse? In his
perplexed state of mind, the questions were maddening ones to the boy.
"What do you think of it, Dave?" asked Phil, after a pause, and the eyes
of all the others were turned on the poorhouse boy.
"What do I think of it?" he repeated, slowly. "I think this: I am going
to find this man, if he is alive, even if I have to go around the world
to do it. He must know something of my past--most likely he is a
relative of mine. I am going to be a poorhouse nobody no longer. I am
going to establish my identity--and I am going to do that before I do
anything else."
Dave spoke deliberately, weighing every word. It was almost as if he was
registering a vow. The others saw a look of determination settle on his
face, and knew that he would do as he said.
The boy from the country had suddenly lost interest in clearing up the
mystery surrounding Shadow Hamilton, and allowed the others to finish
the search for class pins and postage stamps. One more pin was found and
three rare stamps from Brazil, and then the search was abandoned, and
they returned to Oak Hall, Dave carrying the sailor's possessions.
That evening there was an interesting interview in Doctor Clay's office,
in which Dave and his friends took an active part. The worthy master of
Oak Hall listened to all the boys had to tell with keen attention, and
smiled quietly when told how Dave and Roger had first followed Shadow in
his somnambulistic feat. He took possession of the class pins and the
stamps, and said the latter were undoubtedly from his collection.
"We now have nearly all of the class pins," he said. "But fully
nine-tenths of the postage stamps are still missing and they represent a
value of at least twenty-five hundred dollars. I am tolerably sure that
Maurice Hamilton took them in his sleep, but the question is, did he
destroy the others, or did somebody else come along and take them?"
"I believe Chip Macklin came to see you, sir," said Dave, significantly.
"He did, Porter, and I am going to follow that clew up--if it is a
clew," answered Doctor Clay, gravely.
After the others had departed, Dave showed the things he had found
belonging to Billy Dill. The master of the Hall was as much astonished
as anybody over the resemblance between his pupil and the photograph,
and examined the picture with care.
"I do not wonder that you wish to investigate this," said he. "I should
wish to do so, were I in your position."
"I have simply got to do it, Doctor!" cried Dave. "I shall not be able
to settle my mind on a thing until it's done. Would you go home and see
Mr. Wadsworth and Professor Potts first, or go direct to that sailor?"
"Why not send a long letter to your friends, telling them what you have
told me? You can add that I agree that the photograph resembles you
closely, and that you wish to talk the matter over once again with this
William Dill."
As impatient as he was, Dave concluded to follow this advice, and a
letter of ten pages was sent to Mr. Wadsworth and to Caspar Potts the
next morning. In the meantime, it may be added here, Doctor Clay had a
closer watch than ever set on Shadow Hamilton's movements, and he also
began a quiet investigation of Gus Plum's doings.
The letter that Dave sent to Crumville created a sensation in the
Wadsworth household, and was read and re-read several times by the
members of the manufacturer's family and by Professor Potts.
"There is undoubtedly something in this," said the professor. "It
certainly is entitled to a strict investigation. If you will permit me,
I will run up to Oak Hall to see Dave, and then take him to see this
Billy Dill."
"I will go with you," answered the rich manufacturer. "The outing will
do us both good, and I am greatly interested in Dave's welfare. I only
trust that there is a happy future in store for him."
"And I say the same, sir, for no boy deserves it more," answered
Professor Potts.
A telegram was sent to Dave, and on the following day Oliver Wadsworth
and Caspar Potts journeyed to Oakdale. Dave met them at the depot with
the Hall carriage.
"There he is!" exclaimed old Caspar Potts, rushing up and shaking
hands. "My boy! my boy! I am glad to see you again!" And he fairly
quivered with emotion.
"And I am glad to see you," cried Dave, in return. He shook hands with
both men. "Mr. Wadsworth, it was kind of you to answer my letter so
quickly," he added.
"I knew you would be anxious, Dave. My, how well and strong you look!
The air up here must do you good."
"It is a very healthful spot," answered the youth, "and I like it better
than I can tell."
"A fine school--a fine school!" murmured Professor Potts. "You could not
go to a better."
On the way to the Hall, Dave told his story in detail, and exhibited the
photograph, which he had brought with him, scarcely daring to leave it
out of his sight.
"It is just as you have said," remarked Oliver Wadsworth. "A most
remarkable resemblance, truly!"
"That man must be some relative to Dave," added Caspar Potts. "There
could not be such a resemblance otherwise. It is undoubtedly the same
strain of blood. He may be a father, uncle, cousin, elder brother--there
is no telling what; but he is a relative, I will stake my reputation on
it."
The visitors were cordially greeted at Oak Hall by Doctor Clay and made
to feel perfectly at home. They were given rooms for the night, and in
the morning the doctor and his visitors and Dave had breakfast together.
It had been decided that a visit should be paid to Billy Dill that very
afternoon, and by nine o'clock Mr. Wadsworth, Professor Potts, and Dave
were on the way to the town where was located the sanitarium to which
the sailor had been taken. Dave had the tar's satchel and clothing with
him, and the precious photograph was stowed away in his pocket. Just
then he would not have parted with that picture for all the money in the
world.