Chapter I: Preface

"DAVE PORTER AND HIS RIVALS" is a complete story in itself, but forms the seventh volume in a line issued under the general title of "Dave Porter Series."

When I brought out the first volume of this series, entitled "Dave Porter at Oak Hall," I trusted that the story would please the young people for whom it was written, but I did not imagine that so many thousands of boys and girls all over our broad land would take to Dave as they have, and would insist upon knowing more about him.

My opening tale was one of boarding school life, and this was followed by "Dave Porter in the South Seas," whither our hero had gone in search of his father, and then by "Dave Porter's Return to School," in which book Dave met all of his friends again and likewise a few of his enemies.

So far our hero had heard about his father, but had not yet seen his parent, and the next volume, "Dave Porter in the Far North," related the particulars of a trip to Norway, where the youth had some stirring adventures amid snow and ice in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Coming back to America, the lad was sent again to Oak Hall, as set down in the next volume, called "Dave Porter and His Classmates." During that term at school many complications arose, and our hero did something for the honor of Oak Hall that was a great credit to him.

Dave's father was now with him, but his sister Laura was in the Far West, and upon her return he received an invitation to visit a large ranch, and how he went, and what strenuous times he had, were related in "Dave Porter at Star Ranch."

As soon as his Western outing was at an end, Dave returned home, and then betook himself once more to Oak Hall. Here, to his surprise, he found an unusual state of affairs, the particulars of which are given in the pages that follow.

Once again I thank those who have praised my books in the past. I hope the present volume will also please them and do them good.

EDWARD STRATEMEYER.

CONTENTS

I. AN AUTOMOBILE RIDE

II. DAVE AND HIS PAST

III. WHAT HAPPENED AT THE FALLS

IV. AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL

V. THE BOYS AND A BULL

VI. A TALK WITH AARON POOLE

VII. ON THE WAY TO OAK HALL

VIII. ABOUT SOME NEW STUDENTS

IX. THE FOOTBALL MEETING

X. LOOKING FOR A MISSING ROWBOAT

XI. A MIDNIGHT FEAST

XII. AN EARTHQUAKE FOR JOB HASKERS

XIII. IN WHICH SOME SHOES ARE MISSING

XIV. WHAT THE GIRLS HAD TO TELL

XV. A RUNAWAY MOTOR-BOAT

XVI. A STRUGGLE ON THE GRIDIRON

XVII. REORGANIZING THE ELEVEN

XVIII. AN INITIATION AND WHAT FOLLOWED

XIX. SNEAK AGAINST SNEAK

XX. THE GREAT GAME WITH ROCKVILLE

XXI. THANKSGIVING, AND A SNOWBALLING CONTEST

XXII. IN WHICH THE SHOES COME BACK

XXIII. HOOKER MONTGOMERY'S STRANGE REQUEST

XXIV. A RACE ON SKATES

XXV. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY

XXVI. A DASH FOR LIBERTY

XXVII. A GAME OF ICE HOCKEY

XXVIII. A DISCOVERY OF INTEREST

XXIX. HOOKER MONTGOMERY'S REVELATION

XXX. THE ENEMY RUNS AWAY

XXXI. ANOTHER VICTORY--CONCLUSION

DAVE PORTER AND HIS RIVALS