Through an accident to the gasoline tank of an automobile, Jessie's clothing took fire, and she might have been burned to death had not Dave rushed in and extinguished the flames.
Mr.Wadsworth was profuse in his thanks, and so was his wife, and both made inquiries concerning Dave and Caspar Potts.

It was found that the latter was one of the manufacturer's former college professors, and Mr.
Wadsworth insisted that Professor Potts give up farming and come and live with him, and bring Dave along.

Then he sent Dave to boarding school, where the lad soon proved his worth, and made close chums of Roger Morr, the son of a United States senator; Phil Lawrence, the offspring of a wealthy shipowner, and a number of others.
The cloud concerning his parentage troubled Dave a great deal, and when he saw what he thought was a chance to clear up the mystery, he took a long trip from home, as related in "Dave Porter in the South Seas." After many adventures he found his uncle, Dunston Porter, and learned much concerning his father, David Breslow Porter, and his sister, Laura, then traveling in Europe.
Dave was now no longer a "poorhouse nobody," as some of his enemies had called him, but a well-to-do youth with considerable money coming to him when he should be of age.

While waiting to hear from his parent he went back to Oak Hall, as related in "Dave Porter's Return to School." Here he added to his friends; yet some boys were jealous of his prosperity and did all they could to injure him.

But their plots were exposed, and in sheer fright one of the lads ran away to Europe.
Much to Dave's disappointment, he did not hear from either his father or his sister.