"No, I didn't—Nat got himself into trouble."
"Bah! You needn't try to tell me! I know all about it."
"I don't care to discuss the question," went on Dave, a trifle sharply.
"Nat was to blame—if you don't believe it, ask Mr. Sully, the roadmaster," put in Ben.
"Don't you try to tell me!" fumed Aaron Poole. "I know both of you boys only too well! You did your best to get my son and his friends into trouble. Now, I want to warn you about something. I understand both of you are going back to Oak Hall. Nat is going there, too, and I give you fair warning that you must treat him fairly. If you don't I'll come to the school and have it out with Doctor Clay, understand that?" And the money-lender shook his long finger into the faces of the boys.
"Mr. Poole, just let me tell you something," answered Dave. "It is something you ought to know, and I feel it is my duty to tell you, even though you are not treating us as you should. Come out of the crowd, please."
"I don't want to listen to your talk."
"Well, you had better,—unless you want a lot of trouble later on."
"What do you want?" And rather unwillingly the money-lender followed Dave and Ben to a secluded corner of the railroad station.
"I want to warn you about the company Nat is keeping. The two boys he is going with, Nick Jasniff and Link Merwell, are bad characters. You don't have to take my word for it—write to Doctor Clay and see what he says. Nick Jasniff ran away from school and he got hold of some money that didn't belong to him and used it. Link Merwell got mixed up with some horse-thieves, on his father's ranch out West, and his father had to foot the bill to hush the matter up. I feel it my duty to tell you this, so that you can warn Nat. That's all." And Dave caught Ben by the arm and started to walk away.