# Dave Porter at Oak Hall

First book in the Dave Porter series
Dave Porter Series
DAVE PORTER AT OAK HALL
OR
THE SCHOOLDAYS OF AN AMERICAN BOY
BY
EDWARD STRATEMEYER
Author of "Under the Mikado's Flag," "At the Fall of Port Arthur," "Larry the Wanderer," "Old Glory Series," "Pan-American Series," "Colonial Series," "American Boys' Biographical Series," etc.
ILLUSTRATED BY HAROLD MATTHEWS BRETT
BOSTON LEE AND SHEPARD
Published, August, 1905
Copyright, 1905, by Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company
All rights reserved
Dave Porter at Oak Hall
Norwood Press Berwick and Smith Co. Norwood, Mass. U. S. A.
"Three strikes! Batter out!" Oak Hall had won the game! Page 303.
PREFACE
"Dave Porter at Oak Hall" is a complete tale in itself, but forms the first volume of a line to be issued under the general title of "Dave Porter Series."
In writing this story I have had but one object in view,—to present to my young readers a faithful picture of life at an American boarding school of to-day. Oak Hall represents a type of institution to be found by the score in many of our States, and the scholars attending the school are no better or worse than are the boys elsewhere. Each lad has his peculiarities: one is bright and clever, another dull and slow; one upright and manly, another low and cunning; one full of life and merriment, another given to look on the dark side of things. Taken as a whole, such a school represents the world at large, for "men are but youths of larger growth."
It may be thought by some that Dave is an unusually bright and clever boy. Such, however, is far from being the fact. In every school there are certain lads who stand head and shoulders above those who surround them. As among men, they are natural born leaders, and they show this ​leadership at the very first opportunity given to them. When a chance comes, they know at once how to take hold and make the most of it. Dave was a poor boy, of unknown parentage, and had he not watched his opportunities and made the most of them he would have remained forever in his humble station in life and never been used as the main character of this tale.
In closing this brief foreword let me once again thank those thousands of readers who have signified their appreciation of my efforts to amuse and instruct them. I have read the numerous letters sent to me with deep gratification, and my one regret is, that it is physically impossible for me to answer all of them. I sincerely trust the present story proves to be all that my readers desire.
Edward Stratemeyer.
May 25, 1905.
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
| | Page |
| "Three strikes! Batter out!" Oak Hall had won the game! Frontispiece | 303 |
| "And I'll help you, Dave. I can't pick many, I know; but every little helps, they say" | 5 |
| Dave stripped himself of his jacket, and in another instant he had the garment around the suffering girl | 23 |
| As they entered, a shout went up from four boys seated at a table in the rear | 76 |
| "Mind now, no noise," he said, softly | 128 |
| "Go it, Porter, go it, old man!" | 175 |
| He gave the bully of Oak Hall a shove that landed him flat on his back | 193 |
| "Hurrah! Dave Porter wins the race!" | 270 |
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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