Chapter I: Preface

"Dave Porter on Cave Island" is a complete story in itself but forms the eighth volume in a line issued under the general title of "Dave Porter Series."

The opening tale of this series, called "Dave Porter at Oak Hall," related the adventures of a wide-awake lad at a typical boarding school of to-day. This was followed by "Dave Porter in the South Seas," whither our hero had gone to find his father, and then by "Dave Porter's Return to School."

From Oak Hall, Dave journeyed to Norway, as related in "Dave Porter in the Far North." On his return to this country he once more attended school, as told of in "Dave Porter and His Classmates." Dave made a host of friends and likewise a few enemies, and some of the latter plotted to do him much harm.

When vacation came once more, Dave received an invitation to visit a home in the far west, and what he did on that trip has been set forth in "Dave Porter at Star Ranch." Then, when vacation days were at an end, he came back to Oak Hall, as related in the seventh volume of this series, entitled, "Dave Porter and His Rivals."

In the present book we find Dave again at school. But the Christmas holidays are at hand and the lad returns home. Here a most mysterious and unlooked-for happening occurs, and Dave's great benefactor, Mr. Wadsworth, is on the verge of ruin because of it. Dave gets a clew to the mystery, and, with his chums, resolves to investigate. He takes a long journey and has a number of stirring adventures, the particulars of which are given in the pages that follow.

When I started this line of books I trusted that Dave might please the boys, but I did not imagine that so many thousands of boys and girls all over the land would clamor as they have for more concerning the doings of my hero. I thank all for their appreciation of my efforts to please them, and I sincerely trust that the reading of this new volume will be a benefit to them.

Edward Stratemeyer.
_February_ 1, 1912.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. The Schoolboy Chums 1
II. A Glimpse at the Past 16
III. What Dave Had to Tell 18
IV. The Schoolboy Hunters 28
V. A Tramp Through the Snow 38
VI. Good-by to Oak Hall 48
VII. Nat Poole's Revelation 58
VIII. A Merry Christmas 63
IX. Nat Poole Gets Caught 78
X. What Happened at the Jewelry Works 88
XI. Looking for the Robbers 98
XII. The Telltale Cigarette Box 108
XIII. Dark Days 118
XIV. Off for the South 128
XV. Something About White Mice 138
XVI. Picking up the Trail 147
XVII. Meeting Old Friends 157
XVIII. Off for Barbados 167
XIX. The Missing Ship 177
XX. Landing on Cave Island 187
XXI. Into a Cave and Out 197
XXII. The Hurricane 207
XXIII. A Strange Discovery 217
XXIV. Jasniff and Merwell 227
XXV. Link Merwell's Story 237
XXVI. The Column of Smoke 247
XXVII. Behind the Curtain of Vines 257
XXVIII. In Which the Enemy Sails Away 267
XXIX. A Chase on the Ocean 277
XXX. Homeward Bound--Conclusion 287

DAVE PORTER ON CAVE ISLAND