"Dunston Porter!" murmured Dave, and the others likewise repeated the name.
"Ha! this is remarkable!" ejaculated Caspar Potts. "Dave, do you remember what you called yourself when you were first found and taken to the poorhouse."
"I do, sir. I called myself Davy, and Porter, and Dun-Dun."
"Exactly, and Dun-Dun meant Dunston. You were trying to repeat the name, 'Dunston Porter'!"
"That would seem to be the fact," came from Oliver Wadsworth. "And if so——" He paused significantly.
"You think my real name is Dunston Porter?"
"Either that, or else that is the name of some relative of yours."
Dave's heart beat fast. He felt that he was getting at least a faint glimpse of his past. He turned again to Billy Dill.
"Then this Dunston Porter was your friend?" he observed.
"He was, and he helped me when I was stranded," was the answer. "I can't give ye all the particulars, cos some o' 'em is more like a dream than anything to me. When I try to think, my head begins to swim," and the sailor wrinkled his forehead as before and twitched his eyes.