The dude and his crony, as well as Larkspur, were still down upon the
Rovers, but for the present they kept quiet, the reason being that
they were behind in their lessons and had to work hard to make up. But
all were watching their chances to do the Rover boys some injury on
the quiet.

Dick, Tom and Sam got along well in their studies. The only trouble
they had in the classroom was with Professor Sharp, who made them "toe
the mark" upon every occasion. But they took good care to obey the
rules, so the irascible teacher got no chance to lecture or punish
them.

The boys got a number of letters from home, and these brought news
that the law case Tad Sobber had instituted against the Stanhopes and
the Lanings was being pushed vigorously. Mr. Rover wrote that he felt
certain the shyster lawyer Sobber had on the case was going to present
a great mass of "evidence," no doubt manufactured for the occasion.

"It's a shame!" cried Tom after hearing this. "Such a lawyer ought to
be in prison!"

"The thing of it is to prove he is doing something wrong," answered
Dick. "It is one thing to know the truth and quite another to prove it
in court."

"If the case should be lost the Lanings will be poorer than ever,"
said Sam.

"That is true, Sam. I wish we could do something, but I am afraid we
can't."

Fate seemed bound to make matters worse for the Rover boys. On a
clear, cold Saturday afternoon in December the three brothers and
Songbird went out to look for nuts in the woods near Ashton. They had
heard that the seminary girls occasionally visited the woods for that
purpose, and each was secretly hoping to run across Dora and the
Lanings.

It did not take the boys long to reach the woods, and they soon found
a spot where hickory nuts were plentiful. They had brought some bags
along, and were soon hard at work gathering the nuts.

While thus occupied they heard a number of girls coming along. At
first they fancied the newcomers might be from the seminary, but soon
saw that they were natives of the place. They were five in number, and
among them was Minnie Sanderson.

"Why, how do you do?" said Minnie, coming up with a smile on her face.
"How strange to meet out here!" And then she shook hands with each
of the Rovers, and speedily introduced her friends, and the Rovers
introduced Songbird.

Minnie was neatly attired in a brown dress, with a brown hat to match,
and while she did not look anyway "stunning," she made an attractive
appearance. Her friends, too, were pretty, and well dressed, and all
were very jolly.

"It's a nice bunch, all right," murmured Tom to Sam. "I like their
open-hearted way of talking."

"So do I," answered the youngest Rover.

The girls joined the boys in gathering nuts, and so spent an enjoyable
hour roaming through the woods. Often the Rovers and Songbird would
knock down the nuts with sticks and stones and leave the girls to
gather what they wanted.

"We like to have a large quantity of nuts on hand for the winter,"
said Minnie to Dick. "Then, when there is a deep snow on the ground we
can sit before the blazing fire and crack nuts and eat them. You must
come over some time this winter and help," she added.

"Perhaps I will," murmured Dick. He had to admit to himself that
Minnie was very cordial and that she was by no means bad looking. He
did not wonder why Flockley and Koswell were so anxious to call upon
her.

Roaming through the woods caused Songbird to become poetic, and while
they rested in the sunshine, and picked some of the nuts that Tom and
Sam had cracked, he recited some verses composed on the spur of the
moment:

  "Hark to the silence all around!
  The well-trained ear doth hear no sound.
  The birds are silent in their nest,
  All tired Nature is at rest.
  The brook in silence finds its way
  From shadows deep to perfect day.
  The wind is dead, there is no breeze--"

  "To make a fellow cough and sneeze!"

murmured Tom, and gave a loud ker-chew! that set all the girls to
laughing.

"That isn't right!" declared Songbird half angrily. "There is no
sneeze in this poem,"

"Oh, excuse me. I only thought I'd help you out," answered Tom
soberly. And then the would-be poet continued:

  "The wind is dead, there is no breeze
  To stir the bushes or the trees.
  Full well I know, as here I stand,
  That Solitude commands the land!"

"Good! Fine! Immense! Great!" cried Sam enthusiastically. "Hurrah for
Solitude!"

"Why, Mr. Powell, you are a real poet," said one of the girls gravely.
And this pleased Songbird greatly.

"You'll have to write in my autograph album," said another, and the
would-be poet readily consented. Later he inscribed a poem in the book
three pages long.

At last it came time to leave the woods, and the boys walked with
the girls toward the road. As they did this they heard the sound of
wheels.

"Must be a carriage coming," said Dick, and stepped into the roadway
to see, followed by the others in the party. A few seconds later a
turnout rumbled into sight. It was the Hope Seminary carryall, and it
contained half a dozen girls, including Dora, Nellie and Grace.

"Hello! Look there!" cried Tom, and raised his cap, and the other boys
did the same. Dora and her cousins looked at the crowd, and their
faces flushed. They bowed rather stiffly, and then the carryall bowled
on its way.

"Why, those are your friends!" cried Minnie, turning to the Rovers.
"Don't you want to speak to them?"

"It's too late now," answered Dick. He had a curious sinking sensation
in his heart that he could not explain. He looked at his brothers, and
saw that they, too, were out of sorts.

The passing of the carryall put a damper on matters, and the girls
felt it. They talked with the Rovers and Songbird a few minutes longer
and then turned in one direction while the Brill students turned in
another.

"Fine lot of girls," was Songbird's comment. "Very nice, indeed. And
they know how to appreciate poetry, too," he added with satisfaction.

"Oh, yes, they are all right," answered Dick carelessly. Somehow, he
was now sorry he had gone to the woods after nuts.

"I am going to call on all of them some time," went on Songbird. "That
Minnie Sanderson told me she plays the piano, and sings. I am going to
get her to sing a new song I am writing. It goes like this--"

"Excuse me, Songbird; not now," said Dick. "I want to do an extra
lesson." And he hurried off, while Sam and Tom did the same.

Two hours later Dick ran into William Philander Tubbs, who had been
down to town in company with Stanley.

"Had a lovely time, don't you know," drawled William Philander. "While
Stanley posted some letters and addressed some picture postals I did
up the shops. And what do you think? I found a beautiful new maroon
necktie, and it was only a dollar--same kind they would charge one
seventy-five for in the big cities. And I saw a new style of collar,
and some patent-leather pumps that have bows with loose ends, and--"

"Some other time, Billy," interrupted Dick. "I'm in a hurry now."

"Oh, I'm sorry. But, Dick, one other thing. I met Miss Stanhope and
her cousins."

"You did?" And now Dick was willing to listen. "Where?"

"At one of the stores. They were doing some buying, in company with
those chaps you don't like."

"The chaps I don't like! You don't mean--"

Dick paused in wonder.

"I mean that Flockley chap and his chums, Koswell and Larkspur."

"Were Miss Stanhope and the Misses Laning with those fellows?"
demanded the elder Rover.

"They seemed to be. They were buying fruit and candy, and I think
Flockley treated to hot chocolate. The girls seemed glad enough to
see me, but I--ah--didn't want to--ah--break in, you know, so I came
away."

"Where did they go after having the chocolate and candy?"

"I don't know. I didn't see them after that." And there the talk came
to an end, for several other students appeared. Dick walked off in a
thoughtful mood.

"Deeper and deeper!" he told himself, with something like a groan.
Then he hunted up Sam and Tom.

"Going with Flockley and that crowd!" cried Tom. "Not much! I won't
have it!" And he commenced to pace the floor.

"What are you going to do about it?" asked Sam.

"Call on the girls and talk it over--and you and Dick are going with
me."

"I'll not go," declared Dick.

"Neither will I," added Sam.

"Yes, you shall--and to-night," said Tom firmly.




CHAPTER XX

DAYS OF WAITING


Eight o'clock that evening saw the three Rovers on their way to Hope
Seminary. Tom was the leader, and it had taken a good half hour's
arguing on his part to get Dick and Sam to accompany him.

"You'll make a fool of yourself, and make fools of us, too," was the
way Sam expressed himself.

"Most likely they won't want to see us," was Dick's opinion.

"If they don't want to see us, really and truly, I want to know it,"
answered Tom bluntly. "I don't believe in this dodging around the
bush. There is no sense in it." It had angered him to think Nellie had
been seen in the company of Flockley and his cronies, and he was for
"having it out" without delay.

"Well, you'll have to lead the way," said Dick. "I'm not going to make
a call and have Dora send down word that she can't see me."

"She won't do that," said Tom. "I know her too well."

"Well, you call on Nellie first."

"I'm not afraid," retorted Tom. He was so "worked up" he was willing
to do almost anything.

The nearer the three students got to the seminary the slower they
walked. Even Tom began to realize that he had undertaken what might
prove a very delicate mission.

"I think it would have been better to have sent a letter," suggested
Sam. "Let's go back and write it before we go to bed."

"And put down something in black and white that you'd be sorry for
afterward," grumbled Dick.

At the entrance to the seminary grounds they halted again, but then
Tom caught each brother by the arm and marched them up to the front
door and rang the bell.

A maid answered their summons and led them to a reception-room. A
minute later one of the teachers appeared.

"Why, I thought you young gentlemen knew the young ladies had gone
away," said the teacher after they had mentioned the object of their
visit. "They said they were going to send you a note."

"Gone away!" echoed Dick.

"Yes. The three left for home on the late afternoon train. Mrs.
Stanhope and Mrs. Laning said it was a matter of business. Then you
didn't get their note?"

"We did not," answered Tom.

"That is too bad. I am sure they spoke of sending it. Wait, I will ask
Parks, our messenger, about it."

The teacher left the room, and the Rover boys looked speculatively at
each other.

"They must have been getting ready to leave when Tubbs saw them," said
Dick.

"And we never knew they were going," added Sam bitterly.

"The matter of business must refer to that Sobber case," said Tom. "I
don't know what else could take them home."

"Maybe they have lost the case and must give the treasure up," said
Sam. "In that case, Mr. Laning would have to take the girls away from
such an expensive place as this."

In a few minutes the lady teacher came back.

"Parks says he took three notes, addressed to Richard, Thomas and
Samuel Rover. He says he went over to Brill this morning with them and
gave them to a man named Filbury."

"Filbury, eh?" said Dick, naming an old man who worked around the
dormitories. "Well, we didn't get them, and I am very sorry."

"So am I, Mr. Rover," said the teacher.

"Do you know how long the young ladies will be gone?"

"They could not tell. They said they would send letters after they
arrived home."

This was all the seminary teacher could tell, and a minute later the
Rovers said good night and left. All hurried from the grounds in deep
thought.

"We must find Filbury and see what he did with those letters," said
Tom, and his brothers agreed with him.

When they reached Brill they located the man they were after fixing a
light in one of the halls.

"Where are those letters you got for us this morning, Filbury?" asked
Dick sternly.

"Letters?" asked the old man, who was rather absent minded. "I don't
remember no letters, Mr. Rover."

"I mean the three letters which Parks of Hope Seminary gave you for me
and my brothers."

"Oh, them. I remember now. Let me see. Yes, I got them, and one for
Mr. Flockley, too. I gave him all the letters. He said he'd hand 'em
to you." And apparently satisfied, Filbury resumed his work on the
light.

"When was this?" demanded Sam.

"About eleven o'clock. I hope it's all right. I would have delivered
the letters myself, only I had a lot of work to do."

"It is not all right, and we are going to look into the matter at
once," said Dick; and hurried off with Tom and Sam at his heels.
They went straight to the room occupied by Flockley and Koswell, and
knocked on the door. There was a stir within, a few whispered words,
and then the door was opened.

"What do you want?" asked Jerry Koswell. Flockley was sitting by the
table, reading.

"Flockley, what did you do with those letters you got from Filbury for
us?" demanded Dick, striding into the room.

"Letters?" asked the dude carelessly. "Oh, I put them on the table in
Tom and Sam's room."

"When?"

"This morning."

"They weren't there after dinner," said Sam.

"Nor after supper, either," added Tom.

"Look here, do you accuse me of stealing your letters?" demanded
Flockley, rising as if in anger.

"No; but we want to know where they are," answered Tom.

"I told you what I did with them. I wouldn't have touched the letters,
only Filbury asked me to do the favor. If they are not on the table
maybe the wind swept them to the floor. Did you look?"

"No."

"Then you had better."

"You might have spoken about them, Flockley," said Dick coldly. "Any
other student would have done so."

"Or you could have handed us the letters at lunch," added Sam.

"I am not your hired man!" cried Dudd Flockley. "Next time I'll not
touch the letters at all!" And then he dropped back into his chair and
pretended to read again.

"If we don't find the letters you'll hear from us again," said Dick.
And then he and his brothers retired.

They entered the room occupied by Sam and Tom and lit up. The notes
were not on the table.

"Here they are!" cried Sam, and picked them up from the floor, under
the edge of Tom's bed. They looked rather mussed up, and all of the
Rovers wondered if Flockley had opened and read them.

"I don't think he'd be any too good to do it," muttered Tom as he
opened the note addressed to himself.

It was from Nellie, and rather cool in tone. It said all were
called home on account of the case at court, but did not give any
particulars. At the bottom was mentioned the time of departure from
Hope and also from Ashton. The notes from Dora and Grace contained
about the same information, and Grace added that she wanted Sam to
write to her.

"If we had had these letters this afternoon we might have gone to Hope
instead of nutting," said Tom bitterly.

"They must have expected to see us, either there or at the depot,"
said Sam. "Otherwise they wouldn't have been so particular about
mentioning the time of departure from both places."

"Yes, I guess they expected to see us, or hear from us," said Dick,
and breathed a deep sigh.

"Well, they did see us--when we were with Miss Sanderson and her
friends."

"What must they have thought--if they imagined we had received the
letters?" groaned Tom.

"They thought we cut 'em dead," replied Sam. "Isn't this the worst
ever? And all on Flockley's account! I'd like to punch his nose!"

"I'd like to be sure of one thing," said Dick, a hard tone stealing
into his voice. "Did Flockley just happen to be in Ashton when the
girls got there, or did he open and read these letters and then go on
purpose, with Koswell and Larkspur?"

"Say, that's something to think about!" cried Tom. "If he opened the
letters I'd like to make him confess."

"Well, one thing is certain," said Dick after the matter had been
talked over for a while, "we missed a splendid chance to talk matters
over with the girls. It is too bad!" And his face showed his concern.

"And you didn't even want to go to Hope with me," commented Tom, with
a humor he could not repress.

"Wish we had gone yesterday," answered Sam bluntly. He could read
"between the lines" of the note he had received, and knew that Grace
wanted to see him just as much as he wanted to see her.

Sam said he was going to write a letter that night, and finally Tom
and Dick agreed to do the same.

"But I shan't write much," said Dick. "I am not going to put my foot
in it." Nevertheless he wrote a letter of four pages, and then added
a postscript of two pages more. And the communications Sam and Tom
penned were equally long.

"We'll not trust 'em to the college mail," said Tom. "We can take 'em
to the post-office when we go to church to-morrow," And this was done.

After the letters were posted the brothers waited anxiously for
replies, and in the meantime buckled down once more to their studies.
It was now well along in December, and one morning they awoke to find
the ground covered with snow.

"Snowballing to-day!" said Tom with a touch of cheerfulness, and he
was right. That day, after class hours, the students snowballed each
other with a will. The freshmen and the sophomores had a regular
pitched battle, which lasted the best part of an hour. All of the
Rovers took part in the contest, and it served to make them more
cheerful than they had been for some time.

"What's the good of moping?" said Tom. "We are bound to hear from the
girls sooner or later." Yet, as day after day went by, and no letters
came, he felt as downcast as did his brothers.

The boys were to go home for the Christmas holidays, and under
ordinary circumstances they would have felt gay over the prospect. But
now it was different.

"Going to send Dora a Christmas present?" asked Tom of Dick, a few
days before the close of the term.

"I don't know. Are you going to send anything to Nellie?"

"Yes, if you send something to Dora."

"Sam says he is going to send Grace a writing outfit and a book of
postage stamps," went on Dick.

"That's what they all need," growled Tom. "It's a shame! They might at
least have acknowledged our letters."

The boys did not know what to do. Supposing they sent presents to the
girls, and got them back? They held a meeting in Dick's room and asked
Songbird's advice.

"Send them the nicest things you can buy," said the would-be poet. "I
am going to send a young lady a gift--a beautiful autograph album,
with a new poem of mine, sixteen verses in length. It's on 'The Clasp
of a Friendly Hand.' I got the inspiration once when I--er--But never
mind that. It's a dandy poem."

"Who is the album to go to?" asked Tom indifferently.

"Why--er--Minnie Sanderson," answered Songbird innocently. "You see,
we have gotten to be very good friends lately."




CHAPTER XXI

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS


The next day the Rover boys went down to Ashton to see what they could
find in the stores. Dick said he wanted to get something nice for his
Aunt Martha, Tom wanted something for his father, and Sam said he
thought Uncle Randolph was deserving of a gift that was worth while.

Yet when they got into the largest store of which the town boasted
all seemed to gravitate naturally to where the pretty things for the
ladies were displayed.

"There's a dandy fan," murmured Tom. "Nellie likes fans very much."

"So does Grace," returned Sam. "Say, what are you going to do?"

"What are you going to do, Sam?"

"I'm going to get one of those fans and send it, along with a box of
bonbons and chocolates," answered the youngest Rover boldly. "And I'm
going to send Mrs. Laning a pair of kid gloves," he added.

"Then I'll send a fan, too," answered Tom, "and I'll send Mrs. Laning
a workbox. I know she'd like one."

In the meantime Dick was looking at some fancy belt buckles and
hatpins. He knew Dora liked such things.

"I'll just take Songbird's advice and get the best I can and send
them," he told himself. And he picked out the best buckle he could
find, and likewise a handsome hatpin, and had them put into a fancy
box, along with a fancy Christmas card, on which he wrote his name.
Then he purchased a five-pound box of candy at the confectioner's
shop, and Tom and Sam did the same.

This was the start, and now that the ice was broken, and the first
plunge taken, the boys walked around from one store to another,
picking up various articles, not alone for the folks at home, but also
for their various friends. And they added a number of other things for
the girls, too.

"It's no worse to send four things than two," was the way Tom
expressed himself.

"Right you are," answered Dick. Now that they had decided to send the
things they all felt better for it.

On the day school closed there was another fall of snow, and the boys
were afraid they would be snowbound. But the train came in, although
rather late, and all piled on board.

At Oak Run, their railroad station, they found Jack Ness, the Rover's
hired man, awaiting them with the big sleigh. Into this they tumbled,
stowing their dress-suit cases in the rear, and then, with a crack
of the whip, they were off over Swift River, and through Dexter's
Corners, on their way to Valley Brook farm.

"And how are the folks, Jack?" asked Sam as they drove along, the
sleighbells jingling merrily in the frosty air.

"Fine, Master Sam, fine," was the hired man's answer.

"And how have you been?"

"Me? Oh, I've been takin' it easy--since Master Tom quit plaguing me."

"Why, I never plague anybody," murmured Tom, with a look of injured
innocence on his round face. He reached out and caught some snow from
a nearby bush. "Say, Jack, what is that on the horse's hind foot?" he
went on.

"Where? I don't see nuthin'," answered the hired man, and leaned over
the dashboard of the turnout to get a better view. As his head went
forward Tom quickly let the snow in his hand fall down the man's neck,
inside his collar.

"Hi! hi! Wow!" spluttered Jack Ness, straightening up and twisting his
shoulders. "Say, what did you put that snow down my back for?"

"Just to keep you from sweating too much, Jack," answered Tom with a
grin.

"At your old tricks again," groaned the hired man. "Now, I reckon the
house will be turned upside down till you go back to college."

When the boys got in sight of the big farm house they set up a ringing
shout that quickly brought their father and their uncle and aunt to
the door. And behind these appeared the ebony face of Aleck Pop, the
colored man who was now a fixture of the Rover household.

"Hello, everybody!" cried Tom, making a flying leap from the sleigh
the instant it drew up to the piazza. "Isn't this jolly, though?" And
he rushed to his Aunt Martha and gave her a hug and kiss, and then
shook hands with his father and his Uncle Randolph Dick and Sam were
close behind him, and went through a similar performance.

"My! my! Don't squeeze the breath out of me!" cried Mrs. Rover, as she
beamed with delight "You boys are regular bears!"

"Glad you got through," said their father. "It looks like a heavy
storm."

"It does my heart good to see you again," said Uncle Randolph. "I
trust you have profited by your stay at Brill." He was well educated
himself, and thought knowledge the greatest thing in the world.

"Oh, we did profit, Uncle Randolph," answered Tom with mischief
chewing in his eyes. "Dick and I helped to win the greatest football
game you ever heard about."

"Tom Rover!" remonstrated his aunt, while Aleck Pop doubled up with
mirth and disappeared behind a convenient door.

"We brought home good reports," said Sam. "Dick stands second in
the class and Tom stands fifth. That's not so bad in a class of
twenty-two."

"And Sam stands third," put in Tom.

"That is splendid!" said Anderson Rover. "I am proud of you!"

"And so am I proud," added Randolph Rover.

"You'll all be great men some time," said their Aunt Martha. "But come
into the sitting-room and take off your things. Supper will be ready
in a little while. But if you want a doughnut beforehand--"

"Hurrah for Aunt Martha's doughnuts!" cried Sam. "I was thinking of
them while riding in the train."

"Well, you shall have all you wish during the holidays," answered his
aunt fondly.

They were soon settled down and relating the particulars of some of
the things that had happened at Brill. None of the boys cared to tell
of the coldness that had sprung up between themselves and the girls.
They simply said they knew the girls had gone home.

"That was an outrage," said Mr. Rover with considerable warmth.

"An outrage?" repeated Dick doubtfully. "What do you mean?"

"Perhaps you didn't hear the report that was circulated at Hope
Seminary concerning them."

"We heard no report, excepting that they had been called home."

"Somebody circulated a story that they were going to school on money
that did not belong to them--that their folks had confiscated a
fortune belonging to others. Grace wrote to her mother that the story
was being whispered about everywhere, and it was making them all
miserable; and that's the main reason for their going home."

"What a contemptible thing to do!" cried Tom. "Who do you suppose is
guilty--Tad Sobber?"

"I can think of nobody else. He is so angry he would do anything to
injure them and us."

"And what of the case?" asked Sam. "Will it come up in court soon?"

"Some time next Spring."

"And what do the lawyers think of our side winning?" questioned Dick
eagerly.

"They say it depends largely upon the evidence the other side submits.
It is possible that the case may drag on for years."

"What a shame!" murmured Dick.

It continued to snow all that night and the next day, and Christmas
found the family all but snowbound at Valley Brook.

"Merry Christmas!" was the cry, early in the morning, and the boys
tumbled out of bed and dressed in a hurry. Then they went below, to
find a stack of presents awaiting them. They quickly distributed the
gifts they had brought and then looked at their own. They had almost
everything their hearts could desire.

Yet each youth felt a pang of disappointment, for among all the gifts
there were none for them from the Stanhopes or the Lanings.

"We are out of it," said Dick laconically to his brothers.

"So it appears," answered Tom soberly. For once, all the fun was
knocked out of him.

"Well, I am glad I didn't forget them, anyway," said Sam bravely. But
he wondered how it was Grace could treat him so shabbily.

The boys passed the day as best they could in reading and playing
games, and in snowballing each other and Jack Ness and Aleck Pop.

"My! my! But dis am lik old times at Putnam Hall!" said the colored
man, grinning from ear to ear when Tom hit him on the head with a
snowball. "Hab yo' fun while yo' am young, Massa Tom."

"That's my motto, Aleck," answered Tom. "Have another." And he landed
a snowball on the colored man's shoulder.

"I move we go down to the post-office for mail," said Dick toward
evening. "We don't know what we may be missing."

"Second the motion!" cried Tom. "The post-office it is, if we can get
through."

"Can't no hoss git through these drifts," came from Jack Ness.

"We'll hitch up our biggest team and take our time," said Dick. "We
have got to get down to the post-office somehow." He was hoping
desperately that he would find a letter from Dora there.

When the old folks heard of it they shook their heads doubtfully. But
the boys pleaded so strongly that at last they were allowed to go.
They got out a strong cutter and the best pair of horses on the farm,
and bundled up well.

"If you can't make it, drive in at one of the neighbors," said Mr.
Rover on parting.

"We will," answered Dick.




CHAPTER XXII

WORD AT LAST


It was a long, hard drive to Dexter's Corners, and by the time the
boys arrived there they were chilled through and through and the team
was pretty well winded. They went directly to the postmaster's house,
for the office was in a room of the building.

"I'll see if there are any letters," said the postmaster, and went
off. He returned with a picture postal for Mrs. Randolph Rover and two
advertising circulars for her husband. There were also a newspaper and
a magazine for the boys' father.

"And is that all?" asked Dick, his heart sinking.

"That's all."

"Not worth coming for," muttered Tom as they turned away.

"The mail didn't come in this morning," shouted the postmaster after
them. "You'll have to wait for more stuff until the train arrives at
Oak Run."

"Let us go over to the Run and see if we can learn anything about the
trains," said Sam, a spark of hope springing up in his breast.

They drove over the river, and as they did so they heard the whistle
of a locomotive.

"Something is coming," cried Dick.

"Perhaps it's only the night freight," returned Tom.

When they reached the depot the train was standing there. It was the
morning accommodation, nine hours late. They saw some mail bags thrown
off and also several express boxes and packages.

Curiosity prompted Dick to inspect the express goods. He uttered a cry
of joy.

"A box for us!" he exclaimed. "And from Cedarville!"

"Where?" cried Tom and Sam, and ran forward to look the box over. It
was two feet long and a foot high, and equally deep, and was addressed
to R., T. and S. Rover.

"From the girls, I'll bet a snowball!" cried Tom joyfully. "Hurry up
and sign for it and we'll see what it contains."

The agent was at hand, for he was the ticket agent and station master
as well, and they soon signed for the box. Then they took it to a
secluded corner of the station, and with a borrowed hammer and chisel
pried off the cover.

The sight "that met their gaze filled them with pleasure. There were
several packages for each of the boys, from the girls and from Mrs.
Stanhope and Mrs. Laning. There were some beautiful neckties, some
books, and some diaries for the new year, and a box of fudge made
by the girls. Dora had written on the flyleaf of one of the books,
wishing Dick a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and similar
sentiments from Nellie and Grace appeared in the books for Tom and
Sam.

"Say, I reckon this was worth coming for," remarked Sam.

"Rather," answered Dick.

"Wouldn't have missed it for a million dollars," added Tom.

"Maybe the mail bag has some letters for us," went on Sam. He was
disappointed that no note had accompanied the gifts.

"We'll take the bags to the office and see," said Dick, and this was
done a little later, after the box had been closed and put in the
cutter and carefully covered with a robe. In the bags were found
letters from their old friends, Hans Mueller and Fred Garrison, and a
postal from Dave Kearney, but that was all.

"Well, we mustn't expect too much," said Dick. "Remember, we didn't
send any letters."

"But we will now, thanking them for all these nice things," said Sam
quickly.

It was nearly midnight before the boys got home again, and their folks
were much alarmed about them. They were almost exhausted, but very
happy, and they showed their new presents with great pride.

"They are dear girls!" said Mrs. Rover. "It was splendid of them to
remember you this way, and splendid of Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning,
too."

The next morning was spent in writing letters. It was rather hard at
first to say just what they wanted to, but after they had started the
letters grew and grew, until each was ten pages or more. They told
about meeting Minnie Sanderson and the other girls by accident, and
about not getting the notes until that night, and Dick added the
following to his letter to Dora:

"And now let me tell you something in secret. Songbird Powell has
developed a very, very strong liking for Miss Sanderson, the girl Tom
and Sam and I aided when first we came to Brill. He talks about her a
good deal, and took her to a concert at Ashton one evening. He said he
was going to give her an autograph album for Christmas and write in
it an original poem sixteen verses long, on 'The Clasp of a Friendly
Hand,' That is pushing matters some, isn't it? We all wish him luck."

"There, that ought to make her understand how I feel about Miss
Sanderson," said Dick to himself. And then he ended the letter by
stating he hoped they would meet again soon so that they could have a
good long talk.

On the day after the letters were mailed the storm cleared away and
the sun came out brightly. The boys went for a long sleigh ride, and
visited some friends living in that vicinity. Then they helped to
clear off a pond, and on New Year's day went skating.

"And now back to the grind," said Tom with a little sigh.

"Never mind. Remember summer will soon be here," answered Sam. "And
then we can go on a dandy trip somewhere."

The next day found them back at Brill. This was Saturday, and the
school sessions were resumed on Monday. They went at their studies
with a will, resolved to get marks that would be "worth while" at the
June examinations. They were asked to join the college basketball
team, but declined, and took regular gymnasium exercise instead. Much
to their surprise, Dudd Flockley was put on the team.

"I don't think that dude will make good," said Tom, and he was right.
Flockley made some bad errors during the first game played, and was
lectured so severely that he left the team in disgust, and Songbird
Powell was put in his place. Then the team won three games straight,
which pleased all the students of Brill greatly. Minnie Sanderson was
at two of the games, and she applauded Songbird heartily. The two were
certainly warm friends. Dick spoke to Minnie, but did not keep himself
long in her company.

At last, after waiting much longer than they had expected, the boys
received letters from Dora and the Lanings. The girls had been on a
visit to some relatives in Philadelphia, and had just received the
letters mailed from Oak Run.

The three Rovers read those letters with deep interest. They told
about what the girls had been doing, and related the particulars of
the trouble at Hope Seminary. It was all Tad Sobber's work, they said,
and added that Sobber had written that he would not only get the
treasure, but also disgrace them all he possibly could.

"The rascal!", muttered Dick when he read this. "He ought to be put in
prison!"

Dora's letter to Dick was an especially tender epistle, and he read it
several times in secret. He was glad that the misunderstanding between
them was being cleared away. He wished she might be near, so that he
could go and see her.

"I'd take a run to Cedarville if it wasn't so far," he told his
brothers.

"I'd go along," answered Tom, and Sam said the same.

"Perhaps we can run up there during the spring vacation," went on
Dick.

There was little more snow that winter, but the weather remained
bitterly cold until well into February. The boys had considerable fun
snowballing, and skating on the river. Racing on skates was a favorite
amusement, and Sam and Tom won in a number of contests.

One day Tom was skating by himself. He was doing some fancy figures,
and he did not notice the approach of Jerry Koswell, who was skating
with a young lady from Ashton. Tom came around in a circle, and Jerry,
who was looking at the young lady instead of where he was going,
bumped into Tom. Both of the students went down, Tom on top.

"Hi! What do you mean by this?" burst out Koswell in a rage.

"What do you mean?" retorted Tom, getting up.

"You knocked me down on purpose!" howled Jerry.

"It was as much your fault as mine."

"It wasn't my fault at all. I've a good mind to punch your face!" And
having gotten to his feet, Koswell doubled up his fists threateningly.

At this the young lady let out a scream.

"Oh, please don't fight!" she cried. And then she skated to a distance
and disappeared in a crowd.

"You keep your distance, Koswell," said Tom coldly. "If you don't--"

He got no further, for just then Koswell let out with his right
fist. The blow landed on Tom's shoulder and sent him spinning away a
distance of several feet.




CHAPTER XXIII

THE SPRINGTIME OF LIFE


"A fight! a fight!" came from the crowd, and soon Tom and Koswell were
surrounded by a number of students and some outsiders.

The blow from the bully angered Tom greatly, and skating forward he
made a pass at Koswell. But the latter ducked, and then came back at
Tom with a blow that sent the fun-loving Rover into several students
standing by.

"Say, Rover, look out, or Jerry Koswell will eat you up!" said one of
the seniors.

"Koswell is a good scrapper," came from another.

"I gave him one lesson and I can give him another," answered Tom.
"There, take that!"

He turned swiftly and rushed at Koswell. One blow after another was
delivered with telling accuracy, and Koswell went flat on his back on
the ice. When he got up his nose was bleeding.

"I'll fix you!" he roared. "Come on to shore and take off your
skates!"

"I'm willing," answered Tom recklessly. He knew fighting was against
the rules of the college, but he was not going to cry quits.

The pair moved toward the shore, the crowd still surrounding them.
They soon had their skates off.

"Now, Jerry, do him up brown!" came from Larkspur, who was present.

"Give him the thrashing of his life!" added Flockley, who had come up.

"He has got to spell able first, and he doesn't know the alphabet well
enough to do it!" answered Tom.

"What's up?" cried a voice from the rear of the crowd, and Dick
appeared, followed by Sam.

"Koswell attacked me, and wants to fight, and I am going to
accommodate him," said Tom.

"Don't you butt in!" growled Koswell.

"I won't," answered Dick. "But I want to see fair play." He knew it
would be useless to attempt to get Tom to give up the fight.

Without preliminaries the two faced each other, and Koswell made a
savage rush at Tom, aiming a blow for his face. Tom ducked, and landed
on his opponent's chest. Then Koswell hit Tom on the arm and Tom came
back at him with one on the chin. Then they clinched, went down, and
rolled over and over.

"Stop, you rascal!" cried Tom suddenly. "Can't you fight fair?"

"What's up?" asked Dick, leaping forward.

"He bit me in the wrist!"

"I--I didn't do anything of the kind!" howled Jerry Koswell.

"Break away, both of you!" ordered Dick. "We'll see into this."

Tom let go, but Koswell continued to hold fast. Seeing this, Dick
forced the two apart and both scrambled up.

"See here, this isn't your fight!" said Larkspur to Dick.

"It will be yours if you don't shut up!" answered Dick, so sharply
that Larkspur shrunk back in alarm.

"I didn't bite him!" grumbled Koswell.

"He did--right here!" answered Tom positively. "Look!"

He pulled up his sleeve and showed his wrist. There in the flesh were
the indentations of a set of teeth.

"You coward!" said Sam. "You ought to be drummed out of Brill!"

"That's worse than using a sandbag," added Dick.

"I--I didn't do it," muttered Koswell. He looked around as if he
wanted to slink out of sight.

"You did!" cried Tom. "And take that for it!" And before the brute of
a youth could ward off the blow he received Tom's fist in his right
eye. Then he got one in the other eye and another in the nose that
made the blood spurt freely. He tried to defend himself, but Tom was
"fighting mad," and his blows came so rapidly that Koswell was knocked
around like a tenpin and sent bumping, first into Flockley, then into
Larkspur, and then into some bushes, where he lay, panting for breath.

"Now have you had enough?" demanded Tom, while the crowd marveled at
his quickness and staying powers.

"I--I--" stammered Koswell.

"If you've had enough, say so," went on Tim. "If not, I'll give you
some more."

"I--I'm sick," murmured Koswell. "I was sick this morning when I got
up. I'll--I'll finish this with you some other day."

"All right, Koswell," answered Tom coolly. "But when you go at it
again, do it fairly, or you'll get the worst of it. Remember that!"

"Hurrah for Tom Rover!" was the cry from Stanley, and the cheer was
taken up on all sides. Jerry Koswell sneaked away as soon as he could,
and Flockley and Larkspur followed him.

"He'll have it in for you, Tom," said Sam as he and his brothers got
away from the crowd. "Most likely he is mad enough to do anything."

"Oh, he was mad before," declared Tom. "I am not afraid of him."

Everybody thought there might be another fight in the near future, but
day after day went by and Koswell made no move, nor did he even notice
Tom. He kept with Flockley and Larkspur, and the three were often
noticed consulting together.

At last winter was over, and the warm breath of Spring filled the air.
Much to the pleasure of the boys, they got news that Dora, Nellie and
Grace were going to return to Hope, regardless of the reports that had
been circulated about them.

"Good! That's what I call pluck!" cried Dick.

They learned when the girls would arrive at Ashton, and got permission
to go to town to meet them. It must be confessed that all of them were
a trifle nervous, in spite of the warm letters that had been sent.

When the train came in they rushed for the parlor car, and then what a
handshaking and greeting followed all around! Everybody was talking at
once, and after the first minute or two there was nothing but smiles
and laughter.

"I am so sorry that--you know," whispered Dick to Dora.

"So am I," she answered, "What geese we are, aren't we?"

"Well, we won't have any more misunderstandings, will we?" he went on,
squeezing her hand.

"Never!" she declared, and gave him an arch look. "And you say
Songbird is--is--"

"Going with Miss Sanderson? Yes; and they are as thick as two peas.
But, Dora, I never was--er--very friendly with her. I--I--"

"But you--you talked to her at that football game, Dick. And you
didn't meet me when Sam--"

"I know. But I had to find her a seat, after she about asked me to. I
wanted to be with you, I did really, dear."

"Who said you could call me dear?" And now her eyes were as bright as
stars.

"I said so, and I'm going to--when we are alone. The future Mrs. Dick
Rover deserves it," he went on boldly, but in a very low voice.

"Oh, Dick, you're awful!" cried Dora, and blushed. But somehow she
appeared mightily pleased.

The boys drove the girls to the seminary, and by the time the
boarding-school was reached all were on the best of terms once more.

"Mamma wanted us to come back," explained Dora. "She says, even if we
do lose that fortune she wants me to have a better education, and she
will pay the bill for Nellie and Grace, too."

"It will make the Lanings quite poor, I am afraid, if the fortune is
lost," replied Dick gravely.

"I know it, Dick, but we'll have to take what comes."

"Have you heard from Sobber or his lawyer lately?"

"Nothing since he threatened to disgrace us."

"You must watch out for him. If he attempts to bother you while you
are here let us know at once."

"We will."

"I hope the case in court is decided soon, and in your favor."

"Say, stop!" cried Tom, as they were turning into the gate at the
seminary.

"What's up?" asked Sam, while Dick halted the team he was driving.

"Here comes a buggy along the side road. Just look who is in it!"

All turned to look in the direction of the turnout which was
approaching. As it came closer the Rover boys recognized it as one
belonging to Mr. Sanderson. On the front seat sat Songbird, driving,
with Minnie Sanderson beside him. On the rear seat was William
Philander Tubbs, in company with one of Minnie's friends--a girl the
Rovers had met while nutting.

"There's a happy crowd!" cried Tom after they had passed and bowed and
smiled.

"No happier than we are," said Dick as he looked meaningly at Dora.

"You are right, Dick," she answered very earnestly.




CHAPTER XXIV

AT THE HAUNTED HOUSE


"Boys, I've got a proposition to make," said Dick, one Friday
afternoon, as he and his brothers, with Songbird and Stanley, were
strolling along the river bank.

"All right. We'll accept it for twenty-five cents on the dollar,"
returned Tom gaily.

"What is it, Dick?" asked Songbird.

"Do you remember the haunted house at Rushville, the place Mr.
Sanderson called the Jamison home?" asked Dick of his brothers.

"Sure!" returned Sam and Tom promptly.

"Well, I propose we visit that house to-morrow and investigate the
ghosts--if there are any."

"Just the thing!" cried Sam.

"I've heard of that place," said Stanley. "I am willing to go if the
rest are."

"If I go as far as Rushville I might as well go on to the Sanderson
home," said Songbird, who could not get Minnie out of his mind.

"Well, we'll leave you off--after we have interviewed the ghosts,"
answered Dick with a laugh.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" asked Stanley with a faint smile.

"No. Do you?"

"Hardly, although I have heard some queer stories. My aunt used to
think she had seen ghosts."

"She was mistaken," said Tom. "There are no real ghosts."

"Say, Tom, how could a ghost be real and still be a ghost?" asked
Songbird and this question brought forth a general laugh.

The boys sat down on a bench in the warm sunshine to discuss the
proposed visit to the deserted Jamison place, and it was arranged that
they should drive to the spot in a two-seated carriage. Then, while
the Rovers and Stanley investigated to their hearts' content, Songbird
was to drive on to the Sanderson home for a brief visit.

"But, mind, you are not to stay too long," said Dick. "An hour is the
limit."

"I'll make it an hour by the watch," answered the would-be poet. "Say,
I just thought of something," he went on, and murmured softly:

  "To-morrow, ere the hour is late,
  We shall go forth to investigate.
      The Jamison ghost
      Shall be our host;
  We trust we'll meet a kindly fate!"

"That's as cheerful as a funeral dirge!" cried Tom.

"We don't want to meet any kind of a fate," added Sam. "We want to
have some fun."

While the boys were discussing the proposed trip to Rushville they did
not notice that Larkspur was close at hand, taking in much that was
said. Presently Larkspur sauntered off and hunted up Jerry Koswell.

"The Rovers are going off to-morrow," he said. "Where do you suppose
they are going?"

"I am not good at guessing riddles," answered Koswell rather sourly.
He hated to hear the Rover name mentioned, since it made him think of
his defeat at Tom's hands.

"They are going to the old Jamison place at Rushville."

"Well, what of it?"

"I was thinking," answered Larkspur meaningly. "You said you would
like to square up with the Rovers, and with Tom especially."

"So I would. Show me how it can be done and I'll go at it in jig
time." And now Koswell was all attention.

"I happen to know that Tom Rover and Professor Sharp are on the outs
again," said Larkspur. "The professor wouldn't like anything better
than to catch him doing something against the rules."

"Well, what do you propose, anyway?" demanded Jerry Koswell.

"Come up to the room and I'll tell you," answered Larkspur, and then
the two hurried off and, joined by Dudd Flockley, hatched out a scheme
to get the Rovers into dire trouble with the college authorities. They
had a number of preparations to make, and paid a hurried visit to
Ashton and several other places, Flockley hiring a runabout for that
purpose.

Saturday proved clear and warm, and the Rovers and their friends
started directly after lunch for Rushville in a two-seated carriage,
hired from a liveryman of Ashton. As they did not wish to excite any
curiosity, they told Tubbs and Max that they were going out merely for
a long ride.

"Going to call on Miss Stanhope and the Misses Laning, I suppose,"
said William Philander.

"No. They have some lessons to make up to-day," answered Dick, and
this was true; otherwise the Rovers might not have been so willing to
spend their time at the haunted house.

No sooner had the Rovers and their two friends driven away from Brill
than an automobile dashed up on the side road, and Flockley, Koswell
and Larkspur climbed in. The automobile kept to the side road until
the Rovers turnout was passed, then took to the main highway, passing
the upper end of Ashton.

"Here is where you can leave us," said Koswell to the chauffeur. "I'll
see to it that the machine comes back safely."

"You are sure about being able to run it?" asked the man.

"Of course. I ran a big six-cylinder at home."

"Very well, then. This is a fine car, and there would be trouble with
the boss if anything happened to it."

"Nothing is going to happen, so don't worry," answered Koswell coolly.
Then the chauffeur left, and the automobile dashed on its way in the
direction of Rushville.

As the Rovers and their chums were out purely for pleasure, they
took their time in driving to Rushville, going there by way of Hope
Seminary. They thought they might catch sight of Dora and the Lanings,
but were disappointed.

"Too bad that they have got to grind away on such a fine day as this,"
said Dick.

"Well, such is life," returned Sam. "One good thing, schooldays won't
last forever."

"Just wait till the summer vacation comes!" cried Tom. "I'm going to
have the best time anybody ever heard about."

"What doing?" questioned Stanley.

"Oh, I don't know yet."

They took their time climbing the long hill leading to the haunted
house, and it was just three o'clock when they came in sight of the
dilapidated structure, almost hidden in the tangle of trees and
underbrush.

"Now, Songbird, you've got to be back here by four, or half after, at
the latest," said Dick as he and his brothers and Stanley got out. "No
spooning with Minnie till six."

"Huh! I don't spoon," grumbled the would-be poet. "I am--er--only
going to show her some new verses I wrote. They are entitled--"

"Keep them for Minnie!" cried Sam. "And remember what Dick said. We
are not going to hang around here after dark."

"Scared already?" asked Songbird.

"No, but enough of this place is enough, that's all."

"I'll be back, don't worry," said Songbird, and away he drove at a
swift gait, leaving the Rovers and Stanley in the roadway in front of
the house said to be haunted.