Chapter XVIII The Civil Engineering Examination - Dave Porter and his Double by Edward Stratemeyer
As the days went by, and Dave and Roger continued to prepare themselves for the examination which was rapidly approaching, the authorities did all they could to locate Ward Porton and his confederate. Diligent inquiries were made concerning the identity of the man who had occupied the room at Lamont with the former moving-picture actor, and it was finally discovered that he was Tim Crapsey, a fellow already wanted by the police for several crimes.
“It’s queer that a fellow like Porton should throw in his fortunes with a man like Crapsey,” was Roger’s comment. “From all accounts Crapsey is a thoroughly good-for-nothing fellow with a great liking for strong drink.”
“That shows Porton’s real disposition, Roger,” answered Dave. “If he were any kind of a clean-minded or decent fellow he wouldn’t want to put up with such a vile fellow as this Tim Crapsey is represented by the police to be.”
“If Crapsey is already known to the police they ought to be able to locate him sooner or later.”
“Those slick criminals have a way all their own for keeping out of sight of the police.” Dave paused for a moment. “Do you know I’ve been thinking of something. Maybe this fellow, Crapsey, simply used Porton as a tool.”
“I don’t quite understand, Dave.”
“Why, in this way: when they heard about the miniatures, and Crapsey heard how much Porton looked like me, and how intimate I and the Wadsworths were with the Basswoods, it may have been Crapsey who concocted the scheme for getting possession of the miniatures. And if he did that, it is more than likely that he will be the one to dispose of the pictures or send in an offer to return them for a certain amount.”
“You mean and cut Ward Porton out of the deal?” questioned the senator’s son, quickly.
“He may not cut Porton out entirely. But the chances are that he’ll let Porton have as little of the returns as possible. A professional criminal like this Crapsey isn’t going to let an amateur like Porton in on the ground floor if he can help it.”
“Maybe he’ll do Porton out of it entirely. Wouldn’t that make the moving-picture actor mad!” and Roger grinned over the thought.
“It is no more than Porton would deserve,” answered our hero. “Just the same, I hope the authorities capture them both and return the miniatures to Mr. Basswood.”
Two days before the time when Dave and Roger were to undergo the much talked-of examination in civil engineering, there came news from a country town fifteen miles beyond Hacklebury. A livery stableman there sent in word that he was boarding a horse which he thought might be the one stolen from Mr. Bryson. The Crumville liveryman at once notified Ben and the local police, and the boy and an officer accompanied him to Centertown. Mr. Bryson at once recognized the horse as his own, and wanted to know how the Centertown liveryman had become possessed of the animal.
“He was left here by a man I think was this Tim Crapsey the paper spoke about,” announced the livery stable keeper. “He said he was on the road to the next town, but that the storm was too much for him, and that he wanted to leave the animal with me for a few days or a week. He said he was rather short of cash and asked me to lend him ten dollars, which, of course, I did, as I thought the horse was ample security,” went on the livery stableman, bitterly.
“Was the fellow alone?” was the question which Ben put.
“He came in alone, but I think after he left the stable he was joined by another fellow down on the corner.”
The Centertown livery-stable keeper had not noticed where Crapsey and his companion had gone, but thought they had made their way to the railroad station. It was learned that a train bound for New York City had left Centertown about an hour later. All came to the conclusion that Ward Porton and Tim Crapsey had taken this. The train had been stalled some hours along the road, but had finally reached the Grand Central Terminal of the metropolis.
“Well, this proves one thing–that Porton and Crapsey got as far as New York City with the miniatures,” said Dave, when he heard the news.
“Yes, and New York is such a large place, with so many people in it, that it will be almost impossible for the authorities to trace them there.”
“That’s it, Roger–especially when you remember that this happened some time ago, so that by now the thieves may be in Chicago, San Francisco, or in London, Paris, or some other far-away place.”
At last came the time when Dave and Roger were to go in for the examination which meant so much to them. They had worked hard, and Mr. Ramsdell had assisted them in every way possible; yet both were rather doubtful over the outcome of the affair.
“It isn’t going to be like the examinations at Oak Hall,” said our hero. “Mr. Ramsdell admitted that it would be stiff from the word go.”
“I know that,” answered the senator’s son. “It seems that several years ago they were a little lax, and, as a consequence, some fellows slipped through that had no right to pass. Now they have jacked the examiners up, so that the test is likely to be fierce.”
“Oh, Dave! what are you going to do if you don’t pass?” cried Jessie, when he was ready to leave home.
“If I don’t pass now, Jessie, I’ll simply go at my studies again and keep at them until I do pass,” he answered.
The examination which was held in the city was divided into two parts, one taking place from ten to twelve in the morning, and the other from two to five in the afternoon. There were about thirty students present, and as far as possible each was separated from any friends he might have on hand, so that Dave sat on one side of the hall in which the examination occurred and the senator’s son sat on the other.
“Well, how did you make out?” questioned Roger of Dave, when the two went out for their midday lunch.
“I don’t know exactly, Roger,” was the reply. “I think, however, that I answered at least seventy per cent, of the questions correctly. How about yourself?”
“Well, I’m hoping that I got seventy per cent. of them right,” returned the senator’s son. “But maybe I didn’t get above fifty or sixty per cent.”
The afternoon questions seemed to be much harder than those of the morning. The students were given until five o’clock to pass in their afternoon papers, and never did Dave and Roger work harder than they did during the final hour. One question in particular bothered our hero a great deal. But at almost the last minute the answer to it came like an inspiration, and he dashed it down. This question proved a poser for the senator’s son, and he passed in his paper without attempting to put down a solution.
Following that examination, Dave returned to Crumville. Roger journeyed to Washington, where his folks were staying at a leading hotel, Congress being in session and Senator Morr occupying his place in the Senate.
There was a week of anxious waiting, and then one day Dave received an official-looking envelope which made his heart beat rapidly.
“What is it, Dave?” cried his sister, when she saw him with the letter in his hand. “Is it your civil engineering report?”
“I think it is, Laura,” he answered.
“Oh, Dave, how I hope you’ve passed!”
“So do I,” put in Jessie.
Dave could not give an answer to this, because, for the moment, his heart seemed to be in his throat. Passing to the desk in the library, he slit open the envelope and took out the sheet which it contained. A single glance at it, and he gave a shout of triumph.
“I’ve passed!” he cried. “Hurrah!”
“Oh, good!” came simultaneously from his sister and Jessie. And then they crowded closer to look at the sheet of paper.
“Does it say what percentage you got?” continued his sister.
“Why, as near as I can make out, I’ve got a standing of ninety-two per cent.,” he announced, with pardonable pride. “Isn’t that fine?”
“It’s the finest ever, Dave!” said his sister, fondly, as she threw her arms around his neck.
“Oh, Dave, it’s just glorious!” exclaimed Jessie, her eyes beaming. And when he caught her and held her tight for a moment she offered no resistance. “Oh, won’t your father and your uncle be proud when they hear of this!”
“I’m going to tell them right now!” he cried, and ran off to spread the good news.
“My boy, I’m proud of you,” said his father. “Proud of you!” and he clapped Dave affectionately on the shoulder.
“I didn’t expect anything different from our Davy,” put in Uncle Dunston. “I knew he’d pass. Well, now you’ve passed, I wish you every success in the profession you have chosen.”
“Oh, I’m not a full-fledged civil engineer yet, Uncle Dunston,” broke in Dave, quickly. “I’ve got a whole lot to learn yet. Remember this is only my first examination. I’ve got to study a whole lot more and have a whole lot of practice, too, before I can graduate as a real civil engineer.”
Dave lost no time in sending a telegram to Roger. In return, a few hours later came word from the senator’s son that he, too, had passed.
“Hurrah!” cried Dave, once more, and then could not resist the temptation to grab Jessie about the waist and start on a mad dance through the library, the hallway, the dining-room, and the living room of the mansion. Mrs. Wadsworth looked on and smiled indulgently.
“I suppose your heart is as light as a feather now, Dave,” she said, when the impromptu whirl came to an end.
“Indeed it is, Mrs. Wadsworth,” he answered. “Passing that examination has lifted a tremendous weight from my shoulders.”
Of course Mr. Ramsdell was greatly pleased to think that both of his pupils had passed.
“Now I can write to my friends of the Mentor Construction Company and see if they can give Dave and Roger an opening,” he said. “They promised it to me some time ago in case the boys passed.” And he set about sending off a letter without delay.