This is a children book. In the first volume, entitled 'Dave Porter at Oak Hall', I introduced a typical American lad, full of life and vigor, and related the particulars of his doings at an American boarding school of to day a place which is a little world in itself. At this school Dave made both friends and enemies, proved that he was a natural leader, and was admired accordingly. The great cloud over Dave's life was the question of his parentage. His enemies called him 'that poorhouse nobody', which hurt him deeply. He made a discovery, and in the second volume of the series, entitled 'Dave Porter in the South Seas, ' we followed him on a most unusual voyage, at the end of which he found an uncle, and learned something of his father and sister, who were at that time traveling in Europe. Dave was anxious to meet his own family, but could not find out just where they were. While waiting for word from them, he went back to Oak Hall, and in the third volume of the series, called 'Dave Porter's Return to School, ' we learned how he became innocently involved in a mysterious series of robberies, helped to win two great games of football, and brought the bully of the academy to a realization of his better self. As time went by Dave longed more than ever to meet his father and his sister, and how he went in search of them I leave the pages which follow to relate. As before, Dave is bright, manly, and honest to the core, and in those qualities I trust my young readers will take him as their model throughout life. Once more I thank the thousands who have taken an interest in what I have written for them. May the present story help them to despise those things which are mean and hold fast to those things which are good.
