text: CHAPTER XII 
  
  THE MEETING OF THE GEE EYES 
  
  When Link Merwell went down again Dave looked at Nat Poole, thinking that lad might possibly attack him. But the dudish fellow was too scared to do anything but back away to a safe distance. 
  
  "Don--don't you dare to hit me, Porter!" he cried, in a trembling voice. "Don't you dare! If you do I'll tell Doctor Clay!" 
  
  "If you behave yourself I'll not lay my fingers on you, Nat Poole," was the reply. "Merwell brought this on himself--you know that as well as I do." 
  
  "He's pretty badly hurt, I fear." 
  
  "Oh, he'll come around all right," answered Dave. "You had better see to it that he gets to the Hall safely." 
  
  "Are you going to leave me?" 
  
  "Yes, I want to find Henshaw and the others." 
  
  Nat Poole wanted to argue, but he did not dare. Dave waited until Link Merwell sat up and opened his eyes. Then he leaped on the ice-boat and flung off the three skates he found there. 
  
  "Going away?" mumbled Merwell, when he could speak. 
  
  "Yes, and after this, Link Merwell, see that you keep a civil tongue in your head," answered Dave, and then he trimmed the sail of the ice-boat, shoved the craft around, and started for the river. 
  
  Dave was a good deal "worked up," but he had not deemed it wise to let his enemies see it. To be called a "poorhouse rat" had stung him to the quick, and once again when touched on that subject he had found his temper as ungovernable as ever. 