"All right, I'll take you up and stay, and I'll do my level best to deserve your kindness, Dave," he said, in a husky voice.
"Good! Now here is the money, in five-dollar bills. If you don't mind, I'll go along when you pay those fellows. I want to see that you get a receipt in full from them. As you say you owe them the money, we'll let it go at that, although it's more than likely they cheated you."
"Maybe they did, but I can't prove it."
With added thanks, Gus Plum took the eighty-five dollars and placed it carefully away in an inner pocket.
"I'll write the men a note to meet me Saturday afternoon," said he. "Will that suit you?"
"Yes, but don't meet them at the tavern. The depot will be better."
"Very well, I'll make it the depot," answered the former bully. He was very humble, and once more Dave had great hopes of his keeping his promises.
Some of the other students were now coming up, and Dave brought out some books he had brought along from home, including a fine illustrated work on polar exploration which Jessie Wadsworth had presented to him. She had written his name and her own on the flyleaf, and of this inscription Dave thought a great deal.
"I've read a part of it already," he said to Gus Plum. "It's very interesting. Some day I'll let you read it, if you wish."
"Thanks, perhaps I will, Dave," said the former bully, and then with a meaning look at Dave he retired. He knew Dave had brought out the book merely in order that the other lads would not ask embarrassing questions.