"Rover DOJS 
 
 -*^*w j^HSMMB 
 
 On a Tour 
 
 ARTHUR M,WMFIEL
 
 THE ARRIVAL AT THE BARLOW 
 
 Frontispiece {Page 304.) 
 
 The Rover Boys on a Tour.
 
 THE ROVER BOYS 
 ON A TOUR 
 
 OR 
 LAST DAYS AT BRILL COLLEGE 
 
 BY 
 
 ARTHUR M. WINFIELD 
 
 (Edward Stratemeyer) 
 
 AUTHOR OF THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL, THE 
 
 ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN, THE PUTNAM 
 
 HALL SERIES, ETC. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP 
 PUBLISHERS 
 
 Made in the United Statu of America
 
 BOOKS BY ARTHUR M. WINFIEID 
 
 (Edward Stratemeyer) 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES 
 
 THE ROVEH BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 THE SECOND ROVER BOYS SERIES 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL 
 
 THE PUTNAM HALL SERIES 
 
 THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS 
 THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS 
 THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS 
 THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION 
 THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT 
 THE PUTNAM HALL MYSTERY 
 
 I2mo. Cloth. Illustrated. 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, New York 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY 
 
 EDWARD STRATEMEYER, 
 The Rover Boys on a Tour
 
 StacK 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 MY DEAR BOYS: This book is a complete 
 story in itself, but forms the twentieth volume 
 in a line issued under the general title, "The 
 Rover Boys Series for Young Americans." 
 
 As I have mentioned in other volumes, this 
 line was started a number of years ago with 
 the publication of "The Rover Boys at School," 
 "On the Ocean" and "In the Jungle." These 
 stories were so well received that there was an 
 immediate cry for more, and so, year by year, 
 they were followed by the publication of "The 
 Rover Boys Out West," "On the Great Lakes,'* 
 "In the Mountains," "In Camp," "On Land and 
 Sea," "On the River," "On the Plains," "In 
 Southern Waters," "On the Farm," "On Treas 
 ure Isle," "At College," "Down East," "In ttie 
 Air," "In New York," "In Alaska," and finally, 
 "In Business," where we last left our heroes. 
 
 The Rover boys have, of course, gradually 
 been growing older. Dick and Tom are both 
 married and doing what they can to carry on 
 
 iii 
 
 2076533
 
 iv INTRODUCTION 
 
 their father's business in New York City. Sam, 
 the youngest of the boys, is still at Brill College. 
 The particulars are given of some winter sports 
 around that institution of learning, and then of 
 a great baseball game in which the youngest 
 Rover distinguishes himself. Then Sam gradu 
 ates from college, and all the boys, with some 
 others, go on a long automobile tour, during 
 which a number of exciting adventures occur. 
 The party is caught in a storm on the moun 
 tains, and later on are caught in a great flood. 
 What the Rover boys did under such trying 
 circumstances I leave for the pages which fol 
 low to disclose. 
 
 Once more I wish to thank all my young 
 friends for the many gratifying things they have 
 said about my books. I trust that the present 
 volume will fulfil all their expectations, and that 
 the reading of the same will do them good. 
 
 Affectionately and sincerely yours, 
 
 EDWARD STRATEMEYER
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I THE SNOWBALL FIGHT i 
 
 II SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 14 
 
 III WHAT HAPPENED TO SONGBIRD 25 
 
 IV THE CHASE 35 
 
 V AT THE RAILROAD STATION 46 
 
 VI AT THE SANDERSON HOME 57 
 
 VII SAM AND GRACE 67 
 
 VIII SOMETHING ABOUT BLACKIE CROWDEN 78 
 
 IX IN WHICH TOM ARRIVES 90 
 
 X THE FEAST 100 
 
 XI TOM FREES His MIND in 
 
 XII OLD GRISLEY COMES TO TERMS 121 
 
 XIII SAM ON THE ROAD 133 
 
 XIV DAYS OF WAITING 143 
 
 XV BASEBALL TALK 154 
 
 XVI THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME 166 
 
 XVII How THE GAME ENDED 176 
 
 XVIII GOOD-BYE TO BRILL 187 
 
 XIX GETTING READY FOR THE TOUR 201 
 
 v
 
 vi CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 XX A MOMENT OF PERIL 211 
 
 XXI NEWS OF BLACKIE CROWDEN 221 
 
 XXII ON THE TRAIL 232 
 
 XXIII BACK AT ASHTON 242 
 
 XXIV AT THE FESTIVAL 252 
 
 XXV A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE 262 
 
 XXVI SAM FREES His MIND 272 
 
 XXVII A TELEGRAM FROM NEW YORK 282 
 
 XXVIII CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 292 
 
 XXIX THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER 304 
 
 XXX MRS. SAM ROVER COKCLUSION 314
 
 THE ROVER BOYS 
 ON A TOUR 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE SNOWBALL FIGHT 
 
 "Now then, boys, are you ready?" 
 
 "I am!" 
 
 "Been ready for the last five minutes !" 
 
 "Sure you've got all the snowballs you can 
 carry?" 
 
 "I couldn't carry any more if I tried," came 
 from Sam Rover, with a grin. "Just see how I 
 am loaded up," and he glanced down at both 
 hands, which were filled with snowballs, and 
 at the snowballs held under either arm. 
 
 "I've got some dandy hard ones," put in Spud 
 Jackson. 
 
 "Oh, you can't use soakers, Spud !" cried Stan 
 ley Browne, who was the leader of the snow 
 balling contingent. "That's against the rules." 
 
 "They are not soakers, Stanley/' was the re- 
 i
 
 2 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 ply. "They are only good and hard, that's all." 
 
 "Hi, you fellows! When are you going to 
 start things?" came a cry from behind a snow 
 wall up the slope of a hill. "We can't waste the 
 whole afternoon waiting for you." 
 
 "We're coming, don't fear," answered Stanley 
 Browne. 
 
 "And when we arrive you won't know what's 
 struck you," announced Sam Rover gaily. 
 
 "It's all veil enough to brag, but you'd chust 
 better start dot fight," came in German- Ameri 
 can accents from behind the snow wall, and a 
 merry face appeared in sight for an instant and 
 a fist was shaken playfully at those beyond. 
 
 "Sound that bugle, Paul !" yelled the leader of 
 the attacking party, and an instant later the mel 
 low notes of a bugle floated out on the crisp, 
 wintry air. 
 
 It was the signal for the attack, and with merry 
 shouts the students at the foot of the hill charged 
 upward through the snow toward the wall above. 
 
 The occasion was the annual snowball fight 
 at Brill College. Snow fights there were, of 
 course, without number, but each year there was 
 one big contest in which the freshmen and 
 sophomores attempted to hold a snow fort lo 
 cated on the hill back of the institution against 
 the attacks of the juniors and seniors. Accord-
 
 THE SNOWBALL FIGHT 3 
 
 ing to the rules, three charges were allowable, 
 all of which must be made inside of two hours, 
 and if all of these failed to take the fort, then 
 the victory went to the defenders, and they 
 were permitted to crow over their success un 
 til the following winter. 
 
 A little over an hour and a half had been spent 
 in the sport and two attacks had been made and 
 repulsed, much to the chagrin of Stanley Browne, 
 the senior in charge of the attacking army. Ju 
 niors and seniors had fought nobly, but the fresh 
 men and sophomores outnumbered them, and, 
 being strongly intrenched behind the snow wall 
 of the so-called fort, had succeeded in forcing 
 a first, and then a second, retreat. 
 
 "Say, fellows, we've got to do it this time, 
 sure!" cried Sam Rover, as, side by side with 
 Stanley, he led the attack. "If we don't oust 
 them they'll never get done talking about it." 
 
 "Right you are, Sam!" answered Bob Grimes, 
 who also had hands and arms full of well-made 
 snowballs. 
 
 "Remember what I told you," came from Stan 
 ley, as he turned slightly to address his follow 
 ers. "Don't throw any snowballs yet. Do as 
 the soldiers did in Revolutionary days wait un 
 til you can see the whites of their eyes." 
 
 "And then make those whites blacks!" burst
 
 4 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 out Spud Jackson, gaily. "Come ahead, and no 
 turning back." 
 
 Up the snowy hillside sped the crowd of stu 
 dents, while a number of professors and visi 
 tors watched the advance from a distance. 
 
 "Get ready for 'em ! Don't let them come too 
 near!" came in a rallying cry from behind the 
 snow wall. And then, as the attacking party 
 came closer, a volley of white spheres came fly 
 ing through the air into the faces of the juniors 
 and seniors. 
 
 It was a sharp and heavy volley, and for the 
 instant the air seemed to be filled with flying 
 snowballs. Many of them, of course, went wild, 
 but others landed on the heads and bodies of the 
 attacking party, and for the moment the advance 
 was checked. 
 
 "Wow!" came from one of the juniors who 
 had been hit in the ear. "Why can't we do some 
 throwing ourselves?" 
 
 "That's the talk ! Give it to 'em !" came from 
 another student who had had his cap knocked 
 off by a snowball. 
 
 "No, no," answered Stanley. "Save your 
 snowballs until we get closer." 
 
 "Come on, we'll soon be up there," put in Sam 
 Rover. "Only a hundred feet more, fellows!" 
 
 There was a yell of assent, and forward the
 
 charging party went again in the face of an 
 other volley of snowballs. By bending low the 
 juniors and seniors protected themselves as 
 much as possible from the onslaught, but many 
 were hit, two so stingingly that they had to retire 
 to the rear. 
 
 "Hurrah! We've got 'em on the run!" came 
 from the leader of the fort contingent, who 
 had mounted a tree stump located behind the wall. 
 "Give it to 'em, fellows! Give it too 'em hot!" 
 
 "Now, then, boys, all together!" yelled Stan 
 ley at the top of his voice, and then the eager 
 juniors and seniors launched their snowballs 
 with all the swiftness and accuracy of aim at 
 their command. 
 
 The two previous attacks which had been re 
 pulsed had taught the advancing students a les 
 son, and now in this third attack scarcely a snow 
 ball was wasted. Those in the front ran direct 
 ly up to the wall of the fort, while those farther 
 back spread out, as directed by their leader, to 
 the right and to the left, sending in cross fires 
 at points where the fort was supposed to be 
 weakest. 
 
 It was a thrilling and spirited fight, but, al 
 though the students were greatly excited, there 
 was little more actual roughness than there would 
 have been at a football or other athletic contest
 
 6 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Over the wall, boys ! Over the wall !" burst 
 out Sam Rover, and the next instant he was up 
 on the wall of the fort, quickly followed by Stan 
 ley, Bob, Spud, and several others. 
 
 "Back there, you rebels ! Back !" came in a yell 
 from the interior of the fort, and then a wild 
 fusillade of snowballs struck Sam and his chums 
 in various parts of their bodies. 
 
 "Jumping hambones!" spluttered Spud, as a 
 snowball took him directly in the chin. "What 
 do you think I'm built of, iron?" 
 
 "Get back or you'll get worse!" was the cry 
 from the fort, and then another snowball took 
 Spud in the ear. 
 
 In the meantime, Sam Rover had dodged a 
 ball which was coming directly for his face, and 
 now he returned the fire with a hard one that 
 took the sophomore below him in the ear. Then 
 Sam jumped down into the fort, quickly followed 
 by eight or ten others. 
 
 "Clear them out! Don't let them stay here!" 
 was the wild cry. 
 
 "Everybody around the flagpole!" was the 
 command of the fort leader. 
 
 The flagpole was a small one located in the 
 center of the enclosure, and from it fluttered the 
 banners of the freshmen and the sophomore 
 classes. Those making the attack would have
 
 THE SNOWBALL FIGHT 7 
 
 to haul those banners down before they could 
 claim a victory. 
 
 Snowballs were now flying in all directions, 
 and it was quite probable that in the excitement 
 many of the students let fly at their friends in 
 stead of at the enemy; but it was all good, clean 
 sport, and everybody enjoyed it greatly. 
 
 "Now, then, fellows, for a center rush !" came 
 from Stanley, when he and Sam and about 
 twenty others had forced their way to within 
 ten yards of the flagpole. 
 
 "Avalanche them, boys! Avalanche them!" 
 came suddenly from one of the sophomores, and 
 then without warning huge chunks of loose snow 
 were sent flying through the air on the heads 
 of those who were battling to get to the flag 
 pole. 
 
 "Great Caesar's ghost!" spluttered Bob, as 
 some of the snow went down inside his collar. 
 "What is this ; a snowslide ?" 
 
 "Oh, you mustn't mind a little thing like that,'* 
 answered Sam Rover. "Come ahead, everybody I 
 Push!" 
 
 There was a wild scramble, with many yells 
 and shouts. Student after student went down 
 in the melee, a few to be trampled upon, but 
 fortunately nobody was seriously hurt. There 
 was such a congestion that to make or throw
 
 8 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 more snowballs was out of the question, and 
 the most a fighter could do was to snatch up a 
 handful of loose snow and thrust it down the 
 neck of the student opposing him. Sam and 
 Stanley, with four others close by them, had! 
 now managed to get within a few feet of the 
 flagpole. Here, however, the freshmen and 
 sophomores had planted themselves in a solid 
 mass, and it looked for the moment as if noth 
 ing could budge them. 
 
 "Only six minutes more, boys ! Only six min 
 utes more!" came from one of the sophomores 
 who had been detailed as a timekeeper. "Save 
 those banners for six minutes and we'll win." 
 
 "Hit 'em, fellows, hit 'em!" roared Stanley. 
 "We've got to get those banners this year." 
 
 "And we're going to do it," added Sam. He 
 turned to Bob and Spud. "Boost me up, fel 
 lows, and I'll walk right over their heads to the 
 pole." 
 
 "All right, if you want to take the chance," 
 answered Spud, and in a twinkling Sam was 
 shoved up into the air onto the shoulders of 
 the boy in front of him. 
 
 This student let out a cry of alarm, but be 
 fore he could do anything Sam made a leap 
 forward, landing on the shoulders of two stu 
 dents close to the pole.
 
 THE SNOWBALL FIGHT 9 
 
 "Fire him back! Don't let him reach the. 
 pole!" came in a yell from several throats. 
 
 "Hold him by the ankles! Don't let him 
 jump!" cried out the leader of the fort de 
 fenders. 
 
 Several students turned to clutch at the ankles 
 of Sam Rover, but he was too nimble for them, 
 and with another leap he reached the flagpole 
 and clutched it tightly. 
 
 "Hurrah! Rover has reached the pole!" 
 
 "Get those banners, Sam ! There is no time to 
 spare !" 
 
 "Hold him !" "Pull him down !" "Maul him !" 
 cried the fort defenders. "Don't let him climb 
 up the pole !" 
 
 Several turned to clutch at Sam's legs and 
 feet, but he thrashed out wildly and all but one 
 fell back, fearing injury. The undaunted stu 
 dent caught Sam by a heel and held on very much 
 as might a bulldog. 
 
 "Let go there," came from Spud, and the next 
 instant he raised a chunk of snow and shoved it 
 directly into the open mouth of the boy who 
 had the grip. This was too much for the stu 
 dent, and he fell back among his fellows. 
 
 "Only two minutes more !" yelled the time 
 keeper. "Two minutes more !" 
 
 "We won't need more than fifteen seconds,"
 
 10 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 came triumphantly from Sam, and as he spoke 
 he commenced to climb the pole. 
 
 A sophomore followed, clutching again at one 
 of his feet, but now the Rover boy had his hand 
 on the first of the banners, and down it came 
 in a twinkling, and the second quickly fol 
 lowed. 
 
 "Here you are, boys; catch them!" Sam cried 
 and, wadding the banners into something of a 
 ball, he hurled them out into the midst of a group 
 of seniors. 
 
 ''Hurrah! we've got 'em!" was the triumphant 
 cry. "We've got 'em !" 
 
 "Time's up !" yelled the timekeeper. 
 
 A cheer arose from the juniors and seniors, 
 who quickly held the captured banners aloft. 
 The freshmen and sophomores were, of course, 
 keenly disappointed, and a number of them 
 showed it. 
 
 "Let's drive them out of the fort, anyway!" 
 was the sudden cry. "Give it to 'em ! Send 'em 
 flying!" 
 
 "Wait, wait, this contest is at an end," said 
 a professor who was one of the umpires. 
 
 "Never mind, let's have some fun anyway." 
 This cry was taken up on every side, and while 
 some of the seniors retired with the two cap 
 tured banners, the other students continued the
 
 THE SNOWBALL FIGHT il 
 
 contest, those who had held the fort doing all 
 they possibly could to overcome and expel their 
 enemies. 
 
 As soon as he had thrown the banners Sam 
 slid down the pole, and was now trying his best 
 to make his way out of the crowd of fresh 
 men and sophomores. These students were very 
 bitter against the Rover boy, and several did all 
 they could to trip him up and cover him with 
 snow. 
 
 "Say, Sam, that was great !" cried Spud. "Best 
 I ever saw!" 
 
 "Out with 'em ! Out with 'em !" was the yell. 
 "Don't let 'em stay in the fort even if they did 
 get the banners." 
 
 "Come on!" cried Sam quickly. "Now we 
 have the banners let us drive them clean down 
 the other side of the hill." 
 
 This suggestion received instant approval 
 and, in spite of all that some of the professors 
 could do to stop it, the fight went on as furi 
 ously as ever. Some of the students who had 
 retreated to a safe distance came back with a 
 fresh supply of snowballs, and the air was once 
 more filled with the flying missiles. 
 
 "Come on, let us teach them a lesson," cried 
 Bob Grimes. "They should have stopped fight 
 ing as soon as the banners were captured. Let
 
 12 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 us give the sophomores and freshmen all they 
 want." 
 
 This cry was taken up on all sides, and around 
 and around the enclosure which had been desig 
 nated the fort went the various crowds of stu 
 dents. The blood of the juniors and seniors 
 was now up, and slowly but surely they forced 
 the younger students to retreat. Then came a 
 break and something of a panic, and a few min 
 utes later the fort defenders were retreating 
 down the other side of the hill, which led through 
 some brushwood to a road that ran to Ashton. 
 
 "After 'em! After 'em! Don't let 'em get 
 away!" cried Sam, and was one of the first to 
 go down the hill after the retreating students- 
 On the way he paused only long enough to make 
 several snowballs. 
 
 Having reached the road which led to the 
 town, the freshmen and sophomores divided, 
 some going behind a barn and others taking to 
 the woods beyond. Not knowing exactly what 
 to do next, Sam and several with him halted to 
 consider the matter. 
 
 "There they go !" was the cry a moment later, 
 and a number of students were seen speeding 
 around a corner of the road. 
 
 "That's Bissel, the fellow who hit me in the 
 ear," cried Sam. "I'm going after him."
 
 THE SNOWBALL FIGHT 13 
 
 "And, yes, there is Dutz, who filled my mouth 
 with snow," cried Spud. "Come on!" 
 
 Sam was already on the run, and, coming to 
 the turn in the road, he let fly several snowballs. 
 
 "Here! Here! What do you mean by such 
 actions?" came suddenly from behind some 
 brushwood which lined the roadway and then, 
 as the students advanced still further, they were 
 surprised to find themselves confronted by a tall 
 man wearing a heavy, fur-lined overcoat. He 
 had likewise been wearing a beaver hat, but 
 the tile now lay in the snow. 
 
 "Belright Fogg!" exclaimed Sam in dismay. 
 "That lawyer who tried to get the best of us! 
 And I thought he was one of the students!" 
 
 "Ha ! so it is you," snarled the man in the fur 
 overcoat harshly. "What do you mean, Rover, 
 by attacking me in this fashion?"
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 
 
 "SAY! that isn't one of the students." 
 "Not much ! Why, that's the lawyer who used 
 to do business for the railroad company the 
 man the Rovers had so much trouble with!" 
 "Who knocked his hat off?" 
 "I don't know Sam Rover, I guess." 
 Such were some of the remarks made as a 
 number of the juniors and seniors began to con 
 gregate around Sam and Mr. Belright Fogg. All 
 of the students could readily see that the lawyer 
 was very much put out over what had occurred 
 "I say, Rover, what do you mean by attack 
 ing me in this fashion?" repeated Belright Fogg, 
 with a savage look at the youth before him. 
 
 "If I knocked your hat off, Mr. Fogg, I am 
 sorry for it," answered Sam, as soon as he could 
 recover from his surprise. 
 
 "Knocked my hat off?" roared the lawyer. 
 "You hit me a hard one on the head ; that is what 
 you did!" 
 
 14
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 15 
 
 "Let me see if you are hurt," put in Stanley, 
 stepping forward. "Where did the snowball hit 
 you?" 
 
 "You keep your hands off me," returned Bel- 
 right Fogg. "I've a good mind to have the law 
 on such loafers as you." 
 
 "We are not loafers, Mr. Fogg," answered 
 Sam, the color coming quickly to his face. "We 
 were having our annual snowballing contest, and 
 \ve did not know that any outsider was on this 
 back road. If I hit you and hurt you I am very 
 sorry for it." 
 
 "Humph! I think you will be sorry for it if I 
 bring a suit for damages," muttered the lawyer. 
 "I don't know why Dr. Wallington permits such 
 rowdyism." 
 
 "This isn't rowdyism, nor are we loafers," put 
 in Stanley, somewhat sharply. "You seem to 
 forget, Mr. Fogg, that this road runs through 
 the property belonging to Brill College, and we 
 have a perfect right to hold our snowballing 
 contest here. If you want to report the mat 
 ter to Dr. Wall " 
 
 "Bah! I know you students, and I wouldn't 
 expect any sympathy from your teacher. He's 
 too afraid of losing any of his students." Bel- 
 right Fogg snatched his beaver hat from the 
 hands of Spud, who had picked it up. "I'll set-
 
 16 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 tie with you for this later, Rover," he added, 
 and then turned on his heel and hurried down 
 the road. 
 
 "I wonder what brought him on this back 
 road on foot?" observed Bob. 
 
 "He isn't on foot. He has his horse and cut 
 ter beside the barn," answered another student. 
 "There he is now, picking up a robe out of the 
 snow. It must have fallen out of the cutter and 
 he walked back to get it." Which surmise was 
 correct. 
 
 "This looks like more trouble for me," said 
 Sam, soberly. "I'm mighty sorry it was Mr. Bel- 
 right Fogg I hit with that snowball." 
 
 "You can wager he'll make out a case against 
 you if he possibly can," remarked Spud. "Law 
 yers of his calibre always do." 
 
 "Well, this settles the snowball fight for us," 
 put in Stanley, as he looked up and down the 
 road. "The freshies and sophs are clear out of 
 sight. Let us go back to the campus and cele 
 brate our victory;" and then, as Belright Fogg 
 drove away in his cutter, the students walked 
 over the hill in the direction of Brill. 
 
 To my old readers the youths already men 
 tioned in these pages will need no special intro 
 duction. For the benefit of others, however, let 
 me state that Sam Rover was the youngest of
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 17 
 
 three brothers, Dick being the eldest and fun- 
 loving Tom coming next. They were the sons 
 of one Anderson Rover, a rich widower, and 
 had for years made their home with their Un 
 cle Randolph and their Aunt Martha at a beauti 
 ful farm called Valley Brook. 
 
 From the farm, and while their father was 
 in Africa, the three Rover boys had been sent 
 by their uncle to school, as related in the first 
 volume of this series, entitled "The Rover Boys 
 at School." This place was called Putnam Hall 
 Military Academy, and there the lads made many 
 friends, and likewise several enemies, and had 
 "the time of their lives," as Tom Rover often 
 expressed it* 
 
 The first term at school was followed by an 
 exciting trip on the ocean, and then another 
 trip into the jungles of Africa, where the boys 
 went looking for their parent. Then came a trip 
 to the West, followed by some grand times on 
 the Great Lakes and in the Mountains. Then 
 the boys returned to Putnam Hall, to go into an 
 encampment with their fellow-cadets. 
 
 This term at Putnam Hall was followed by a 
 
 * For particulars regarding how Putnam Hall Military 
 Academy was organized, and what fine times the cadets 
 there enjoyed even before the Rover boys came on the 
 scene, read "The Putnam Hall Series," six volumes, start 
 ing with "The Putnam Hall Cadets." PUBLISHERS.
 
 18 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 never-to-be-forgotten journey on Land and Sea 
 to a far-away island in the Pacific. Then they 
 returned to this country, sailing down the Ohio 
 and Mississippi rivers. After leaving the 
 Father of Waters, they took an outing on the 
 Plains, and then went down into Southern Wa 
 ters, where they solved the mystery of a de 
 serted steam yacht. 
 
 After so many exciting adventures the three 
 brothers had been glad to journey to the home 
 farm for a rest, after which they returned to 
 Putnam Hall, settled down to their studies, and 
 graduated with considerable honor. 
 
 "Now for college !" Dick Rover had said. But 
 before setting out for Brill, a fine institution of 
 learning located in the Middle West, the boys 
 had become involved in a search for a fortune 
 left on Treasure Isle. 
 
 During their days at Putnam Hall the Rover 
 boys had become well acquainted with Dora 
 Stanhope, who lived near the school with her 
 widowed mother, and also with Nellie and Grace 
 Laning, Dora's two cousins, who resided a short 
 distance farther away. It had not been long be 
 fore Dick and Dora showed a great liking for 
 each other, and at the same time Tom often 
 paired off with Nellie and Sam was frequently 
 seen in the company of Grace.
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 19 
 
 A few miles away from Brill College was lo 
 cated Hope Seminary, an institution for girls, 
 and when the Rover boys went to Brill, Dora, 
 "Nellie and Grace went to Hope; so that the 
 young folks met almost as often as before. 
 
 A term at Brill College was followed by an 
 unexpected trip Down East, where the Rovers 
 brought to terms a rascally ex-schoolteacher, 
 named Josiah Crabtree, who had given them 
 much trouble while at Putnam Hall. 
 
 In those days the art of flying was attracting 
 considerable attention and, through the indul 
 gence of their father, the Rover boys became 
 the possessors of a biplane and took several 
 thrilling trips through the air, their experiences 
 in that line coming to an abrupt finish when 
 the flying machine was one day wrecked on the 
 railroad tracks. This had brought on a sharp 
 contest between the Rover boys and the railroad 
 lawyer, Mr. Belright Fogg. The Rovers had 
 claimed all that was coming to them, and the 
 railroad had been made to pay up, much to Bel- 
 right Fogg's disgust. Later, the lawyer had been 
 discharged by the railroad from its services. 
 
 About this time Mr. Anderson Rover, who 
 was not in the best o'f health, was having much 
 trouble with brokers in New York City who were 
 trying to swindle him out of some property. The
 
 20 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 brokers were Pelter, Jackson & Company, and 
 it was not long before the Rover boys discov 
 ered that Pelter was in league with Josiah Crab- 
 tree. In a struggle poor Tom Rover was hit 
 on the head by a wooden footstool thrown by 
 Pelter and knocked unconscious. This had so 
 affected his mind that he wandered off to Alas 
 ka, and Sam and Dick had many adventures 
 trying to locate him. When he was found he 
 was brought home and placed under the care of 
 a specialist, and soon was as well as ever. 
 
 Dick Rover was now growing older, and, with 
 his father in such poor health, it was decided 
 that the youth should leave Brill, become mar 
 ried to Dora, and settle down in charge of the 
 office in Wall Street, New York. This plan was 
 carried out, as related in detail in the volume 
 preceding this, entitled "The Rover Boys in 
 Business." At that time, Sam and Tom still 
 remained at Brill, but an urgent message from 
 Dick brought them quickly to the metropolis. 
 A large number of unregistered bonds belonging 
 to the Rovers had mysteriously disappeared, and 
 all the boys went on a hunt to recover the se 
 curities. In the end it was learned thast their 
 old enemy, Jesse Pelter, was the guilty party, 
 and he was brought to justice. Then it was 
 felt that Dick needed assistance in the office,
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 21 
 
 and it was decided, much to Tom's satisfaction, 
 that he might get married to Nellie Laning and 
 move to the city. 
 
 "That will leave me all alone at Brill," said 
 Sam Rover at that time. 
 
 "Well, you shouldn't mind that so much," Tom 
 Rover had replied. "Remember, Grace will still 
 be at Hope," at which words the youngest 
 Rover had blushed deeply. 
 
 When the Rovers had gone to Brill College 
 they had been accompanied by their old-time 
 school chum, John Powell, always called "Song 
 bird" on account of his propensity for writing 
 doggerel which he insisted on calling poetry. 
 At the same time there came to Brill from Put 
 nam Hall one William Philander Tubbs, a very 
 dudish student with whom the boys often had 
 great fun. 
 
 It did not take the three Rover boys long 
 to make a number of friends at Brill. These 
 included Stanley Browne, a tall, gentlemanly 
 youth; Bob Grimes, who was greatly interested 
 1 in baseball; Will Jackson, always called Spud, 
 because of his unusual fondness for potatoes; 
 and Max Spangler, a German-American youth, 
 who was still struggling with the language, and 
 who had failed to advance in his studies, so that 
 at the present time he was only in the sophomore
 
 22 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 class. They had also made several enemies, but 
 these had for the time being left Brill. 
 
 "You'll be the hero of this occasion, Sam/' 
 remarked Stanley, as the students tramped in 
 the direction of the college campus. 
 
 "Hero of the occasion, I suppose, for hitting 
 Mr. Fogg in the head," returned Sam, with a 
 slight grin. 
 
 "Oh, forget that!" burst out Spud. "I don't 
 think he'll do a thing. Remember the affair oc 
 curred on the college grounds, just as Stanley 
 said." 
 
 "Say! where is Songbird to-day?" asked Paul 
 Orben. "He ought to have been in this fight." 
 
 "He wanted to come very much," answered 
 Sam, "but he had a special errand to do for Mr. 
 Sanderson, who is laid up with a broken ankle." 
 
 "Was he doing the errand for Mr. Sanderson 
 or for Minnie?" questioned Stanley; and then 
 a short laugh went up, for it was well known 
 among the young collegians that Songbird Pow 
 ell and the daughter of Mr. Sanderson, a pros 
 perous farmer of that vicinity, were much at 
 tached to each other. 
 
 As Sam Rover and his friends reached the 
 college campus, a great cheer arose. 
 
 "There he is!" 
 
 "Here the conquering hero comes!"
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS 23 
 
 "Let us put him up on our shoulders, fellows !" 
 and a rush was made towards the youngest Rover 
 boy. 
 
 "Not much ! Not to-day !" returned Sam, and 
 slid back behind some of his friends. 
 
 "Aw! come on, Sam!" cried one of the stu 
 dents. "You are the hero of the occasion, and 
 you know it." 
 
 "Forget it, Snips," answered Sam. "What 
 did the fellows do with those banners?" 
 
 "Lentwell has them. He is keeping them for 
 you. I suppose you'll nail them up in your den?" 
 
 "Surest thing you know!" 
 
 "Maybe the f reshies and sophs will want them 
 back," put in another youth in the crowd. 
 
 "Not much ! They can have them back after 
 I graduate next June," answered Sam. "They 
 
 have got to understand Stop it, fellows, 
 
 stop it! I don't want to Well, if you've 
 
 got to, I suppose I'll have to submit." And an 
 instant later Sam found himself hoisted up on 
 the shoulders of several stalwart seniors, who 
 tramped around and around the college campus 
 with him while all the other seniors, and also 
 the juniors, cheered wildly and waved their caps. 
 
 "Doesn't that make you feel proud, Sam?" 
 asked Spud, during a lull in the proceedings. 
 
 "It sure does, Spud," was the quick reply.
 
 24 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "I've only got one regret that Dick and Tom 
 aren't here to share this victory with us." 
 
 "Yes, it's a shame. And just to think of It, 
 after next June, when we graduate, we'll all be 
 scattered here, there, and everywhere, and the 
 good old times at Brill will be a thing of the 
 past." 
 
 "Don't mention such things" put in Stanley. 
 "It makes me sick clean to the heels every time 
 I think of it. But I suppose college days can't 
 last forever. We've got to go out into the 
 world, just as our fathers did before us." 
 
 "Yes, and I've got to get into business," an 
 swered Sam. "I want to help father, as well as 
 Dick and Tom, all I can." 
 
 "Hi, fellows!" was the unexpected cry from 
 the lower end of the campus. "Here come the 
 freshies and the sophs back! Line up and be 
 ready to receive them!" 
 
 "That's it! Line up, line up, everybody!" 
 ordered Stanley. "Give them our old song of 
 victory 1"
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 WHAT HAPPENED TO SONGBIRD 
 
 IT was fully half an hour later before Sam 
 Rover could break away from his college chums 
 and run up to room Number 25, which he had 
 formerly occupied with his brother Tom and 
 which he now shared with Songbird Powell. 
 
 Nearly a week before, the youngest Rover 
 had made a date with Grace Laning, inviting 
 her, if the snow remained on the ground, to a 
 sleighride that afternoon and evening. At that 
 time Sam had forgotten completely that this 
 day was the date set for the annual snowballing 
 contest. 
 
 "I think I'll go anyway," he had remarked to 
 Songbird, the day before. But then had come 
 word to his roommate that Mr. Sanderson want 
 ed him on a matter of importance, and Stanley, 
 as the leader of the seniors, had insisted upon 
 it that he could not spare both of his chums. 
 
 "All right, then," Sam had answered finally; 
 "you can go, Songbird, and do what Mr. San- 
 
 25
 
 26 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 derson wants you to, and I'll put off my sleigh- 
 ride with Grace until after the contest;" and so 
 it had been settled. 
 
 There were no public turnouts at the college, 
 but Sam had arranged with Abner Filbury, who 
 worked around the place with his father, to 
 obtain for him a first-class horse and cutter from 
 the Ashton livery stable. 
 
 "That horse is some goer, believe mef" re 
 marked Abner, when he came to the door of 
 Sam's room, to tell him that the turnout was in 
 readiness. "You'll have to keep your eye on 
 him, Mr. Rover." 
 
 "All right, Ab. Trust me to take care of 
 him," returned Sam lightly. "Don't forget that 
 I was brought up on a farm, and my Uncle Ran 
 dolph had some pretty spirited animals." 
 
 "Have a good time, Sam!" cried Spud, who 
 was present to see his chum depart. "Wish I 
 was going to see such a nice girl." 
 
 "Oh, your time will come some day," an 
 swered Sam. 
 
 "Are you going directly to Hope?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Alone?" 
 
 "I expect to unless you want to ride along that 
 far." 
 
 "Say! I'd like that first-rate," returned Spud,
 
 WHAT HAPPENED TO SONGBIRD vj 
 
 eagerly. "I know some of the girls up there, 
 and I'd like to call on them. I wouldn't mind 
 walking back later on." 
 
 "Then come on if you are ready. I haven't 
 any time to wait." 
 
 "Oh. I'm always ready," came from Spud; 
 and he lost no time in bestowing himself be 
 side Sam. 
 
 The. latter gathered up the reins, gave a 
 slight chirp to the horse, and away they sped 
 out of the college grounds and on to the high 
 way leading past Hope Seminary, which was 
 ibout two miles distant. 
 
 The air was cool and bracing, and the snow 
 on the highway well packed down, so that the 
 Tutter slid over it with ease. As Abner Fil- 
 bury had said, the steed was a mettlesome one, 
 and soon Sam found he had all he could do to 
 hold the horse in. 
 
 "Some goer, that!" remarked Spud, as he 
 pulled his cap down tighter to keep it from flying 
 off. "Puts me in mind of a race horse." 
 
 "Yes, I shouldn't wonder but what he could 
 make a mile in almost record time," responded 
 Sam, as they flew along past the trees, bushes 
 and occasional farm buildings which lined the 
 roadway near Brill. 
 
 "You want to watch yourself with a horse
 
 2g THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 that goes as fast as that," returned Spud, with 
 a chuckle. "If you don't, you'll get a mile or 
 two past Hope before you know it;" and at this 
 little joke Sam grinned. 
 
 Early in the ride they passed one or two cut 
 ters and several farm wagons. Then they, 
 reached a turn in the road, and to their sur 
 prise saw ahead of them a sign resting on a 
 large wooden horse: 
 
 ROAD CLOSED 
 
 "Hello! What does this mean?" queried Sam, 
 as he brought his horse to a standstill. "I didn't 
 know this road was shut off." 
 
 "Oh, yes, I heard something about this, come 
 to think of it," returned Spud. "They are go 
 ing to move that old Jackson barn from one 
 side of the road to the other, and they must 
 have closed the road for that purpose. You'll 
 have to take the old road on the left, Sam." 
 
 "I suppose so," grumbled the other. "Too 
 bad, too, for this road was just about perfect 
 for sleighing. But never mind, I suppose I can 
 get through on the other road well enough." 
 
 They turned back a distance of less than two 
 hundred feet, and then took to the side road 
 which Spud had mentioned. This was more
 
 WHAT HAPPENED TO SONGBIRD 29 
 
 hilly than the other, and ran through a long patch 
 of timberland on which no houses were located. 
 
 "Hark! Don't I hear another sleigh com 
 ing?" questioned Spud, a minute later. 
 
 "Something is coming, that's sure," answered 
 Sam. "Gracious me! Look at that!" 
 
 Coming to another bend of the woodland road, 
 the youngest Rover had barely time to pull his 
 steed well toward the right hand and almost 
 into some bushes when another cutter hove into 
 sight, coming along at a furious rate. The horse 
 was on a gallop, and the man driving him, a 
 fellow wrapped up in a heavy overcoat and with 
 a fur cap pulled far down over his forehead, 
 was using his whip freely. 
 
 "Wow ! That fellow must be in some hurry," 
 observed Spud, as the other turnout flashed past. 
 "He isn't sparing his horse any." 
 
 "It's a lucky thing for me that I pulled in here 
 as I did," returned Sam, and his tone of voice 
 showed his anger. "If I hadn't done it he would 
 have run into us, sure pop." 
 
 "You're right, Sam. That fellow had no 
 right to come along in that fashion. He ought 
 to be arrested for reckless driving. But maybe 
 he wants to catch a train at Ashton or some 
 thing like that." 
 
 "No train he could catch for an hour and a
 
 30 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 half, Spud. And he could walk to the station 
 in that time ;" and thus speaking, Sam chirruped 
 to the horse, and they resumed their ride. 
 
 A little farther on the woodland road made 
 another turn, and here the way was uphill. The 
 numerous rains of the summer previous had 
 washed the rocks bare of dirt, and often the cut 
 ter bumped and scraped so badly that Sam was 
 compelled to bring his steed down to a walk. 
 
 "Well, one satisfaction, we'll be back to the 
 main road before long," observed Spud, as they 
 finally reached the top of the hill and could get 
 a view of the surroundings. "There is the other 
 road just below us." 
 
 "Hello! What's that ahead?" cried Sam, 
 pointing with his left hand. "Looks to me like 
 somebody lying in the snow." 
 
 "It is somebody !" exclaimed his chum. "Say ! 
 do you suppose that other horse was running 
 away, and this fellow fell out?" 
 
 "Not much, with that other fellow using the 
 whip as he was!" returned Sam. "This fellow 
 ahead probably had nothing to do with that 
 other cutter. Excepting he may have been 
 knocked down by the horse," he added sud 
 denly. 
 
 "That's what the trouble is! That rascal 
 knocked this fellow down and then hurried on,
 
 WHAT HAPPENED TO SONGBIRD 31 
 
 Sam! Poor fellow! I wonder if he is much 
 hurt?" 
 
 By this time the cutter had reached a point 
 opposite to where the person in the snow rested. 
 All the boys could see was some person, wrapped 
 in an overcoat, lying face downward. A cap 
 that looked strangely familiar to Sam lay close 
 at hand. Stopping the horse, Sam leaped from 
 the cutter, and Spud did the same. 
 
 "Say, Sam!" burst out the latter, "it looks 
 like " 
 
 "Songbird!" burst out the Rover boy. "It's 
 Songbird, Spud, and he's badly hurt." 
 
 It was indeed poor Songbird Powell who 
 rested there in the snow by the roadside. He 
 had on his overcoat and his fur-lined gloves, 
 but his head was bare, and from a cut on his 
 left temple the blood was flowing. The boys 
 turned their college chum over, and at this Song 
 bird uttered a low moan. 
 
 "He has either had an accident or been at 
 tacked," was Spud's comment. "I wonder how 
 badly he's hurt?" 
 
 "I'm afraid it's pretty bad," answered Sam, 
 soberly. "That's a nasty cut. And say! his 
 chin is all swelled up as if he had been hit there 
 with a club!" 
 
 The two boys knelt beside their unconscious
 
 32 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 chum and did what they could to revive him. 
 But Songbird did not open his eyes, nor did he 
 make any other sound than a low moan. 
 
 "We'll have to get him somewhere out of this 
 biting, cold air," observed Sam. "There is a 
 farmhouse just below here on the main road. 
 Let us put him in the cutter and carry him there." 
 
 When they picked Songbird up he uttered an 
 other moan and for an instant his eyes opened; 
 but then he collapsed as before. They deposited 
 him on the seat of the turnout, and Sam picked 
 up his cap and several books that lay scattered 
 around. With sober faces the boys led the met 
 tlesome horse down the slope to the main road. 
 Both kept their eyes on their chum, but be still 
 remained insensible. 
 
 "Maybe he won't get over it," suggested Spud. 
 
 "Oh, don't say that!" cried Sam in horror. 
 "It can't be as bad as that." And then he added : 
 "Spud, did you notice the looks of that horse 
 when he dashed past us?" 
 
 "I didn't have time to notice much," was the 
 rejly. 
 
 "Did he wear white stockings?" 
 
 "What ? Oh ! I know what you mean white 
 feet. Yes, he had white feet. I know that 
 much." 
 
 "And did he have any white under his neck?"
 
 WHAT HAPPENED TO SONGBIRD 33 
 
 "Yes, I think he did. Do ^cm think you know 
 the horse, Sam?" 
 
 "I know Mr. Sanderson has a horse with 
 white feet and a white chest a dark horse, 
 just like that one was." 
 
 "Then it must have been Mr. Sanderson's 
 horse and cutter!" cried Spud. "If it was, do 
 you think that man was running away with the 
 outfit?" 
 
 "I don't know what to think, Spud. To my 
 mind it's a mighty serious piece of business. 
 But our first duty is to do all we can for poor 
 Songbird." 
 
 Arriving at the nearest farmhouse, Spud ran 
 ahead and knocked on the door. A woman an 
 swered the summons, and as she happened to 
 know the youth, she readily consented to have 
 Songbird brought in and laid on a couch in the 
 dining-room. Hardly had this been done when 
 the sufferer slowly opened his eyes. 
 
 "Don don't hit m-m-me again!" he mur 
 mured. "Pie-please don't !" 
 
 "It's all right, Songbird. Don't you know 
 me?" said Sam, quietly. 
 
 The injured collegian opened his eyes again 
 and stared at the youth before him. 
 
 "Sam! Wh-where did you co-come from?" 
 
 "Spud and I found you on the road, face down
 
 34 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 in the snow," answered Sam. "What happened? 
 Did you fall out of the cutter, or were you at 
 tacked?" 
 
 "I I Oh! how my head spins!" mut 
 tered Songbird. He closed his eyes again and 
 was silent for a moment. Then he looked once 
 more at Sam. 
 
 "I was attacked," he mumbled. "The man 
 he hit me with a club and hauled me out of 
 the cutter." 
 
 "It must have been the fellow we saw on 
 the road !" exclaimed Spud. "Songbird, why did 
 he do it?" 
 
 "I I do-don't know," mumbled the sufferer. 
 "But maybe I do!" he suddenly shouted, in a 
 strangely unnatural voice. Then with a sudden 
 strength born of fear, he raised his left hand 
 and dived down into the inner pocket of his coat. 
 "The package! It's gone!" 
 
 "The package ! What package ?" queried Sam. 
 
 "The package belonging to Mr. Sanderson!" 
 gasped poor Songbird. "The package with the 
 four thousand dollars in it! It's gone!" and 
 with another groan Songbird lapsed onoe more 
 into unconsciousness.
 
 CHAPTER IVi 
 
 THE CHASE 
 
 IT must be confessed that Sam and Spud, as 
 well as the woman of the house, were very much 
 surprised over the statement made by Song 
 bird. 
 
 "Attacked and robbed!" murmured Sam. 
 "What an awful thing to do !" 
 
 "He said he had been robbed of four thousand 
 dollars!" broke in Spud. "Where in the world 
 would he get that much money? He must be 
 dreaming, Sam." 
 
 "I hardly think so, Spud. I know he was to 
 go on a very important errand for Mr. Sander 
 son, who is laid up at home with a sprained 
 ankle." 
 
 "Well, if Songbird was robbed, it's more than 
 likely the fellow we saw in the cutter did it." 
 
 "Exactly! And the chances are he will get 
 away just as fast as he possibly can," added Sam, 
 bitterly. 
 
 "What do you think we ought to do?" 
 35
 
 36 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "I think we ought to notify the authorities, 
 Spud." 
 
 "Hadn't we better wait until we get some 
 particulars from Songbird?" 
 
 "Not much! The quicker we get after that 
 fellow the better. Remember he is running away 
 not only with the money but also with Mr. San 
 derson's horse and cutter. Many people living 
 in this vicinity know Mr. Sanderson's animal, and 
 that may help us to locate that rascal." Sam 
 turned to the woman of the house. "Have you 
 a telephone?" 
 
 "No, we haven't any ; but the folks in the next 
 house up the road have one." 
 
 "Then I'll go there and telephone," said Sam. 
 "You do what you can for Songbird, Spud. I'll 
 try to get a doctor, too, while I'm at it." 
 
 In a few seconds more Sam was on the way, 
 using his horse and cutter for that purpose. Ar 
 riving at the next farmhouse, he readily received 
 permission to use the telephone, and at once 
 got into communication with the authorities in 
 Ashton, and asked the official in charge to send 
 word around to the various towns and villages 
 within the next ten or fifteen miles, and he also 
 sent word to a physician at Ashton. Then he 
 managed to get Grace on the wire. 
 
 "I'm afraid I'll be late," he told the girl. "And
 
 THE CHASE 37 
 
 maybe I won't be able to get there at all," he 
 added. "Songbird has been knocked down on 
 the road and robbed, and he is in pretty bad 
 shape." 
 
 "Oh, Sam! isn't that too bad!" was Grace's 
 reply. "Do you mean that he is seriously in 
 jured?" 
 
 "We can't tell yet, Grace. I have just tele 
 phoned for the doctor, and now I am going back 
 to the Bray farmhouse, where Songbird is, to 
 wait for him." And after that Sam gave the 
 girl as many details of the affair as he deemed 
 necessary. 
 
 "Oh ! I hope he gets over it, Sam," said Grace. 
 "And to think he was robbed of all that money! 
 If they can't get it back, what ever will Song 
 bird and the Sandersons do?" 
 
 "I don't know," he returned. "It certainly is 
 a bad piece of business. But now I've got to go 
 back, so I'll say good-bye." 
 
 "Good-bye, Sam, and you stay with Songbird 
 just as long as you please. We can have our 
 sleighride some other time." 
 
 When Sam returned to the Bray farmhouse 
 he found that Spud and the lady of the house 
 had washed Songbird's wound and bound it up. 
 The lady had also brought forth some simple 
 home remedies, and these had been so efficacious
 
 38 
 
 that Songbird was sitting on the couch, propped 
 up by numerous pillows. 
 
 "Did you catch him ?" asked the sufferer eager 
 ly, as Sam entered. 
 
 "I've sent word to the police, Songbird, and 
 sent word for a doctor too. Now you had bet 
 ter take it easy until the doctor comes." 
 
 "But how can I take it easy with .that four 
 thousand dollars missing?" groaned the youth 
 on the couch. "Why, I can't make that amount 
 up, and Mr. Sanderson can't afford to lose it." 
 
 "How does your head feel?" 
 
 "It feels sore all over, and sometimes spins 
 like a top. But I wouldn't care about that if only 
 I could get that money back. Can't you and 
 Spud go after that rascal?" 
 
 "I'm willing if you want us to, Songbird ; but 
 you'll have to promise to stay here until the 
 doctor comes. We don't want you to attempt to 
 do anything while you are in your present con 
 dition." 
 
 "Oh, I'll stay here, don't fear," answered 
 Songbird, grimly. "I just tried to stand up, and 
 I went in a heap, and Spud and the lady had 
 to put me back on this couch." 
 
 "Let's take that horse of yours and go after 
 that fellow, Sam," burst out Spud, eagerly. 
 "That horse is a goer, as we know, and we ought
 
 THE CHASE 39 
 
 to be able to catch that man sooner or later." 
 
 "Providing we can follow his trail, Spud," an 
 swered Sam. "You must remember there are a 
 good many side roads around here, and he can 
 take to any one he pleases." 
 
 "But we might be able to find the footprints 
 of the horse in the snow." 
 
 "Possibly, although I doubt it, with so many 
 other horses using the highway. However, come 
 on, we'll do the best we can." Sam turned again 
 to the sufferer. "Now, Songbird, you keep quiet 
 until the doctor comes, and then you do exactly 
 as he orders." 
 
 "Maybe Mrs. Bray will see to that," ventured 
 Spud. 
 
 "I will if you want me to," responded the 
 woman of the house. "That cut on his head is 
 a nasty one, and if he doesn't take care of him 
 self it may make him real sick." 
 
 In a moment more Sam and Spud were out 
 of the house and into the cutter, which was then 
 headed up the side road where they had found 
 Songbird. Here they stopped for an instant to 
 take another look around, and picked up two 
 more books which had escaped their notice 
 before. 
 
 "Books of poetry, both of 'em," remarked 
 Spud. "Songbird thinks more of a poem than he
 
 40 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 does of a square meal," and he smiled a bit 
 grimly. 
 
 It did not take long to reach the spot where the 
 other cutter had passed them. They went straight 
 on, soon reaching the point where the woodland 
 road joined the main highway. 
 
 "Now, you see, here is where we are going to 
 get mixed up," announced Sam, as they moved 
 in the direction of Brill. "Did the fellow go- 
 straight to Ashton, or did he turn off to one of 
 the other places?" 
 
 "The folks traveling along the road must have 
 seen him," returned Spud. "Let us make some 
 inquiries as we go along." 
 
 This was a good suggestion, and was carried 
 out. They found a farmer who had seen the 
 strange man in the cutter drive toward Ashton, 
 and a little later they met two ladies in a sleigh 
 who declared that the fellow had turned into a 
 side road leading to a hamlet known as Lester's 
 Corners. 
 
 "If he went there, we ought to have a chance 
 to catch him," cried Spud. "This road I know 
 doesn't go beyond the Corners." 
 
 "Yes. But he could take a road from there 
 to Dentonville," answered Sam, "and you know 
 that is quite a railroad station." 
 
 "But if he went to Dentonville and to the rail-
 
 THE CHASE 4 E 
 
 road station, couldn't you telephone to the opera 
 tor there to have him held?" 
 
 "Maybe, Spud, providing there is any tele 
 phone at the Corners." 
 
 Onward they went once more, through some 
 heavy woodland and then over several small hills, 
 finally coming in sight of the Corners, where 
 were located a general store, a blacksmith's shop, 
 a chapel, and about a dozen houses. 
 
 "Did I see a feller in a cutter goin' as fast as 
 he could?" repeated the storekeeper, when ques 
 tioned by Sam. "You just bet I did. Gee whiz ! 
 but he was goin' to beat the band !" 
 
 "And which way did he head ?" questioned the 
 Rover boy, eagerly. 
 
 "Headed right straight for Dentonville." 
 
 "And how long ago was this ?" put in Spud. 
 
 "Oh, about quarter of an hour, I should say. 
 Say ! he nearly skeered old Mrs. Rasley to deth. 
 She was a-crossin' the road comin' to my store 
 when he swung aroun' that corner yonder, and 
 he come within a foot of runnin' over her. She 
 wanted to git Joe Mason, the constable, to ar 
 rest him, but, gee whiz ! there wasn't no arrestin" 
 to it he was out o' sight before you could say 
 Jack Robinson." 
 
 "Have you any telephone connection with 
 Dentonville?" questioned Sam.
 
 42 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Ain't got no telephone here at all. The tele 
 phone fellers promised to put a line through here 
 three years ago, but somehow they hain't got 
 around to doin' it. You see, Squire Buzby owns 
 some of their stock, and he don't think that we 
 ought to " 
 
 "That's all right, Captain," broke in Sam, has 
 tily. "Then if we want to catch that fellow, all 
 we can do is to go after him, eh?" 
 
 "Thet's about the size on it," returned the 
 storekeeper. "Now you see if we had thet tele 
 phone here, we might be able to " 
 
 "That's so, we might. But as the telephone is 
 missing, we'll go after him in our cutter," broke 
 in Sara; and a few seconds later he and Spud 
 were once more on their way. 
 
 The road to Dentonville was not much trav 
 eled, and for a mile and a half they met no one. 
 Then, just as they reached a crossing, they came 
 in sight of an old farmer driving a box-sled filled 
 with milk cans. 
 
 "Did you meet a man driving a horse and cut 
 ter very rapidly?" questioned Sam, after he drew 
 up. "A dark horse with a white breast and white 
 feet/" 
 
 "I jest guess I did!" replied the farmer. "He 
 come pretty close to runnin' into me." 
 
 "Which way was he headed?"
 
 A BLUE-COATED POLICEMAN SHOOK HIS CLUB AT THE BOYS. 
 Th.e Rover Boys on a Tour. P a g e 45.
 
 THE CHASE 
 
 43 
 
 "Headed straight for Dentonvifle." 
 
 "Can you tell me when the next train stops 
 there?" ' 
 
 "The train is due there in about fifteen min 
 utes, and she won't stop more'n long enough to 
 put my milk cans on board. I jest left 'em there, 
 and got these empty ones," explained the far 
 mer, pointing to the cans behind him. 
 
 "Fifteen minutes !" cried Spud. "And how far 
 is it from here?" 
 
 "Nigh on to three miles." 
 
 "Is it a good road?" queried Sam. 
 
 "Pretty fair. It's some washed out on the 
 hills, but the snow has covered the wo'st of the 
 holes. Want to ketch that feller?" 
 
 "We certainly do. That horse and cutter be 
 longs to Mr. Sanderson." 
 
 "By gum I You don't say! Did he steal the 
 turnout?" 
 
 "He certainly did," answered Spud, "and near 
 ly killed a young fellow in the bargain." 
 
 "Then I hope you ketch 'im," answered the 
 farmer, and stood up in his sled to watch Sam 
 and Spud as they sped once more along the high 
 way leading to Dentonville. 
 
 The boys had a long hill ahead, and before the 
 top was gained the horse attached to the cutter 
 was glad enough to settle down to a walk. But
 
 44 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 once the ridge was passed, he did not need much 
 urging, and flew along almost as rapidly as ever. 
 
 "This horse must have been in the stable for 
 quite some time," remarked Spud. "He evident 
 ly enjoys the outing thoroughly." 
 
 "Listen P cried Sam, a little later. "Isn't that 
 the whistle of a locomotive?" 
 
 "It sure is, Sam ! That must be the train com 
 ing into Dentonville !" 
 
 They were passing through a small patch of 
 timber, and directly beyond were the cleared 
 fields and the buildings of a tidy farm. As the 
 boys came out of the woods they looked over 
 the fields in the direction of Dentonville and saw 
 a mixed train, composed of several passenger 
 coaches and a string of freights, entering the 
 station. 
 
 "There she is!" cried Sam. "Oh, if only we 
 can get there before she leaves!" 
 
 He spoke to the horse and did what he could 
 to urge the steed forward at a greater rate of 
 speed than ever. Much to the astonishment of 
 several onlookers, they dashed into the outskirts 
 of Dentonville and then along the main street 
 leading down to the railroad station. 
 
 "Hi! Stop!" roared a voice at them, just as 
 they were crossing one of the side streets, di 
 rectly in front of a s-lergh and two wagons. "Hi I
 
 THE CHASE 45 
 
 Stop, I tell you ! You ain't got no right to drive 
 that fast here in town," and a blue-coated po 
 liceman, one of the four of which the place boast 
 ed, shook his club at the boys and ran out in front 
 of their cutter. 
 
 "Say! officer, you are just the man we want," 
 cried Sam, hurriedly. "Come on with us. We 
 want to have a man arrested down at the depot 
 before he has a chance to get away on the train." 
 
 "What's that? Want a man arrested?" queried 
 the bluecoat. "What has he done?" 
 
 "A whole lot of things," broke in Spud. 
 "Jump in; we haven't any time to explain now 
 < that train may pull out at any moment." 
 
 "That's so; so it might," replied the officer; 
 and then, as Spud made room for him, he sprang 
 into the cutter, sitting on the boy's lap. "But 
 you look out that you don't kill somebody," he 
 added to Sam, who was now using the whip light 
 ly to urge the horse to greater efforts. 
 
 They were still two blocks away from the 
 railroad station when there came a whistle, fol 
 lowed by the clanging of a bell, and then they 
 saw the train moving away. 
 
 "There she goes!" groaned Spud. "But she 
 isn't moving very fast." 
 
 "Maybe we can catch her yet," returned Sam ; 
 and then the race continued as before.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 AT THE RAILROAD STATION" 
 
 "SEE anybody, Sam?" 
 
 "Nobody that looks like that man, Spud, but 
 there is Mr. Sanderson's horse with the cutter." 
 
 "Yes, I spotted those right away. Look how 
 the poor nag is heaving. He must have been 
 driven almost to death." 
 
 "That may be. Although we got here almost 
 as quickly as he did. But he may have been used 
 quite some before this trip," returned Sam; and 
 this surmise was correct. 
 
 The two boys, with the policeman, had done 
 their best to catch the departing train and have 
 it stop, but without avail. When they had reached 
 the depot the last of the cars was well down 
 the line, and soon the train had disappeared 
 around a curve of the roadbed. 
 
 "What's the matter, Ike? What are you 
 after?" queried the freight agent, as he came up 
 to the policeman. 
 
 46
 
 AT THE RAILROAD STATION 47 
 
 "We are after the man who was driving that 
 cutter yonder," explained Sam. "Did you see 
 him a big fellow with a heavy overcoat and 
 with a fur cap pulled down over his fore 
 head?" 
 
 "Why yes, I saw that fellow get aboard," an 
 swered the freight agent. "I was wondering 
 what he was going to do with his horse. He 
 didn't even stop to put a blanket over the animal." 
 
 "That fellow was a thief," explained Sam. "I 
 wonder if we can't have him captured in some 
 way? What is the next station the train will 
 stop at?" 
 
 "Penton." 
 
 "How far is that from here?" 
 
 "About six miles." 
 
 "And after that?" 
 
 "She'll stop at Leadenfield, which is about six 
 miles farther." 
 
 "Then I'll send a telegram to Penton and an 
 other to Leadenfield to have the train searched 
 and the man arrested if he can be spotted," said 
 Sam; and a few minutes later he was in the 
 telegraph office writing out the messages. He de 
 scribed the man as well as he could, but realized 
 that his efforts were rather hopeless. 
 
 "Maybe Songbird could give us a better de 
 scription," he said to his chum; "but as Song-
 
 48 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 bird isn't here, and as we can't get him on the tele 
 phone, we'll have to do the best we can." 
 
 The policeman was, of course, anxious to 
 know some of the details of what had occurred, 
 and when the boys told him that their college 
 chum had been knocked senseless and robbed of 
 four thousand dollars he was greatly surprised. 
 
 "It's too bad you didn't get here before the 
 train started," he observed. "If you had we 
 might have nabbed that rascal and maybe got 
 a reward," and he smiled grimly. 
 
 "We don't want any reward. We simply 
 want to get that four thousand dollars back," 
 returned Sam. "And we would like to put that 
 fellow in prison for the way he treated our col 
 lege chum." 
 
 "What will you do with the horse and cutter?" 
 
 "If there is a livery stable handy, I think I'll 
 put the horse up there," answered Sam. "He 
 is evidently in no condition to be driven farther 
 at present. I'll notify Mr. Sanderson about it." 
 And so it was arranged. 
 
 A little while later, after the two boys had 
 walked around to the police station with the 
 officer and given such particulars as they were 
 able concerning the assault and robbery, Sam 
 and Spud started on the return to the Bray farm 
 house. When they arrived there, they found that
 
 AT THE RAILROAD STATION 49 
 
 Dr. Havens and Dr. Wallington had come in 
 some time before. By the directions of the head 
 of Brill the physician from Ashton had given 
 Songbird a thorough examination and had treat 
 ed him with some medicine from his case. 
 
 "The cut on his head is rather a deep one/' 
 said the doctor to the boys, "but fortunately it 
 is not serious, nor will there be any bad effects 
 from the blow on his chin. He can thank his 
 stars though that the crack on his head did not 
 fracture his skull." 
 
 "We are going to take him back to Brill in a 
 large sleigh," said Dr. Wallington, "and then 
 I think the best he can do will be to go to 
 bed." 
 
 "Oh, I can't do that !" broke in Songbird, who 
 was still on the couch, propped up by pillows. 
 "I've got to get to Mr. Sanderson's and explain 
 how the thing happened." 
 
 "You had better let me do that, Songbird," 
 answered Sam, kindly. "I can drive over there 
 and Spud can go with me. You just let us know 
 exactly how it occurred." This, of course, was 
 after the boys had related the particulars of their , 
 failure to catch the fleeing criminal at Dentdh- 
 ville. 
 
 "It happened so quickly that I hardly realized 
 what was taking place," answered the would-be
 
 50 THE ROVER BOYS ON 'A TOUR 
 
 poet of Brill. "I was driving along from Knox- 
 bry, where I had been to the bank for Mr. San 
 derson, when I came to the spot where I suppose 
 you found me. Just as I reached there a man in 
 a heavy overcoat, and with a thick fur cap pulled 
 over his face so that I could hardly see him. 
 stepped in front of the cutter. 
 
 " 'Say ! can you tell me where these people 
 live?' he asked me, and thrust a sheet of paper 
 towards me. 'I've lost my eye-glasses, and I 
 can't see to read without them.' 
 
 "I took the paper he handed out and started 
 to look at some writing on it which was very 
 indistinct. As I bent over the paper the man 
 swung a club or something in the air and struck 
 me on the head. Then, as I tried to leap up and 
 defend myself, he hit me another blow on the 
 chin. That seemed to knock me clean out of 
 the cutter; and that is all I know about it." 
 
 "Then you don't know where that fellow came 
 from?" queried Spud. 
 
 "No more than that he came from the bushes 
 beside the road." Songbird seemed to meditate 
 for a moment. "Now I come to think of it 
 though, maybe that's the same fellow that 
 watched me go into the bank at Knoxbury and 
 get the money for Mr. Sanderson !" he cried, sud 
 denly.
 
 AT THE RAILROAD STATION 51 
 
 "It was a very unwise move on Mr. Sander 
 son's part to have you get that money for him 
 in cash," observed Dr. Wallington. "I do not 
 understand why he could not have transacted his 
 business with a check, especially if it was cer 
 tified." 
 
 "I don't know much about that part of it," 
 answered Songbird, "excepting he told me that 
 the old man with whom he was doing business 
 was something of a crank and didn't believe in 
 banks or checks, and said he wanted nothing 
 but solid cash. It's a pity now that Mr. Sander 
 son didn't use a check," and Songbird heaved a 
 deep sigh. 
 
 "But what did you just say about a man watch 
 ing you when you went into the bank?" ques 
 tioned Sam. 
 
 "Oh, I noticed that fellow hanging around the 
 building just as I went in," returned Songbird. 
 "He was asking the janitor about the trains out 
 of town, and the reason I noticed him was be 
 cause he had a peculiar stutter and whistle when 
 he talked. He went like this," and Songbird imi 
 tated a man who was stuttering badly, ending in 
 a faint whistle. 
 
 "Great Scott ! A fellow ought to know a man 
 who talked like that anywhere," was Spud's com 
 ment. "Should be able to pick him out in the
 
 52 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 dark," and at this sally even Dr. Wallington 
 smiled faintly. 
 
 "Of course I'm not sure that that man had 
 anything to do with it," went on Songbird. "But 
 he was the only fellow around who seemed to 
 notice me when I got the money. When the 
 bills were passed over to me, there were forty 
 one-hundred-dollar bills. I took them to a little 
 side stand, to place them in a wallet Mr. Sander 
 son had lent me, and then I wrapped the wallet 
 in a piece of paper with a stout string around 
 it. As I did this I noticed the man who stut 
 tered and whistled peering at me hungrily 
 through a side window of the bank." 
 
 "And the fellow wore a heavy overcoat and 
 a fur cap?" questioned Sam. 
 
 "Yes, I am sure of that." 
 
 "Then it is more than likely he was the guilty 
 party," remarked Spud. 
 
 "But hold on a minute !" broke in Sam. "You 
 got the money at Knoxbury, and this attack took 
 place on the road above here, which is at least 
 seven miles from that place. Now, if the man 
 who did the deed was at the bank when you 
 drew the money, how did he get here in time to 
 hold you up?" 
 
 "I don't know about that, Sam; but I didn't 
 leave Knoxbury immediately after getting the
 
 AT THE RAILROAD STATION 53 
 
 money. I had an errand to do for Minnie. She 
 wanted me to pick out a er a necktie for my 
 birthday, and I well, I looked around two or 
 three stores, trying to find something nice to 
 take back to her. I bought two books of poetry, 
 but I don't know where they are now." 
 
 "We found them on the road, and they are 
 out in the cutter," answered Sam. "Spud, you 
 might bring them in and give them to Songbird." 
 
 "The errands kept me in town for about half 
 an hour after I was at the bank," continued the 
 youth who had been attacked. 
 
 "And where had you left Mr. Sanderson's 
 cutter in the meantime ?" 
 
 "Right in front of the bank building, the horse 
 tied to a post." 
 
 "That would give the man time to get another 
 turnout in which to follow you," said Sam. 
 
 "But if he did that, I don't see how he got 
 ahead of you." 
 
 "Well, maybe he didn't, and maybe it was 
 some one else who did the deed," returned Sam. 
 
 "You had better not worry your head too much 
 about this affair, Mr. Powell," said Dr. Havens. 
 "That crack on the head might have been more 
 serious, but at the same time you ought to take 
 care of yourself for a day or two at least." 
 
 "Then you don't think I ought to go to Mr.
 
 54 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Sanderson's?" queried the would-be poet of the 
 college. 
 
 "Not just yet. If you feel stronger you 
 might go there to-morrow, or the day after." 
 
 "Then will you go, Sam, and try to explain 
 matters?" questioned Songbird, eagerly. 
 
 "Of course I'll go, Songbird." 
 
 "And I'll go with him," added Spud. 
 
 A large sleigh had been brought to the farm 
 house by Dr. Wallington, and Songbird was 
 placed in this and made as comfortable as pos 
 sible among the robes and blankets which it 
 contained. Mr. Bray, the owner of the farm, 
 had been up in the timber bringing down some 
 firewood, and now, when he approached, the 
 others saw that he had tied behind his sled an 
 extra horse. 
 
 "Hello! Where did that horse come from?" 
 cried Sam. "Is it yours?" 
 
 "No, 'tain't mine," said Timothy Bray. "I 
 found it up in the woods right near the road 
 yonder," and he pointed with his hand as he 
 spoke. 
 
 "Found that horse in the woods !" cried Spud. 
 "Then that explains it." 
 
 "It sure does," returned Sam. 
 
 "Explains what?" demanded Timothy Bray. 
 "What's goin' on down here anyway?" he con-
 
 AT THE RAILROAD STATION 55 
 
 tinued, looking at his wife and then at the others. 
 
 "Oh, Timothy! an awful thing has happened!" 
 cried Mrs. Bray, and then she and the others 
 gave the farmer a few of the particulars. He 
 listened with mouth wide open, and then looked 
 at the horse which he had found. 
 
 "I guess you are right !" he exclaimed. "That 
 feller got this horse in Knoxbury. It's one that 
 belongs to Hoover, the livery stable man. I 
 know him on account of this brand on his left 
 flank. It's a horse Cy Tamen used to own and 
 swapped for a bay mare." 
 
 "Then I think that explains it," declared Sam. 
 "That rascal saw Songbird get the money, and 
 he at once went to the livery stable and hired 
 the horse and followed Songbird to the spot 
 where the attack was made. More than likely 
 he passed Songbird on the road." 
 
 "That's just what he did!" cried the youth 
 who had been struck down. "I remember now! 
 I was busy composing some poetry when I no 
 ticed a fellow on horseback go past me and dis 
 appear around a turn in the road, and that was 
 just a few minutes before that fellow came up 
 with a sheet of paper, and knocked me sense 
 less." 
 
 "I believe you have made out a pretty clear 
 case," was Dr. Wallington's comment. "Now
 
 56 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 if we can only reach that man who stuttered 
 and whistled, I think we shall have the culprit." 
 
 "We telephoned ahead from Dentonville. If 
 they can only locate him on the train it will be 
 all right," answered Sam. "But you must re 
 member we didn't have very much of a descrip 
 tion to go by." 
 
 "Yes, and that fellow may be fixed to change 
 his appearance a good deal," added Spud. "A 
 man isn't going to get his hands on four thou 
 sand dollars without doing all he possibly can to 
 get away with it, especially when he knows that 
 if he is caught he will be sent to prison." 
 
 "What am I going to do with this horse?" 
 questioned Timothy Bray. 
 
 "You had better keep that animal in your sta 
 ble until the livery man from Knoxbury calls 
 for him," answered Dr. Wallington. 
 
 "He'll have to pay me for doing it," was Mr. 
 Bray's reply. "Every time I go to Knoxbury, 
 Hoover charges me an outrageous price for put 
 ting up at his stable, and now I can get even 
 with him," and he chuckled over the thought.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 IT was just about supper time when Sam, ac 
 companied by Spud, drove into the lane beside 
 the Sanderson farmhouse, which was lit up from 
 end to end. 
 
 Evidently Minnie Sanderson, the pretty daugh 
 ter of the farmer, had been on the watch, for 
 as they approached the house she came out on 
 a side piazza, to meet them. 
 
 "Why, Songbird ! what kept you so long ?" she 
 cried, and then added: "Who's that with you?" 
 
 "It isn't Songbird, Minnie," answered Sam, 
 after he sprang out of the cutter, followed by 
 Spud. "We've got some news for you." 
 
 "Oh, Sam Rover!" exclaimed the girl. "And 
 Will Jackson! Whatever brought you here? 
 Where is Songbird do you know anything 
 about him?" 
 
 "Yes, we do; and that is what brought us 
 here," answered Sam. 
 
 "Oh, Sam! you don't mean that that some- 
 57
 
 58 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 thing has happened to John?" faltered the girl, 
 aiming pale. 
 
 "Yes, something did happen, Minnie, but don't 
 ^e alarmed he isn't hurt very much. Come into 
 ihe house and we'll tell you and your father all 
 about it." 
 
 "Hurt! Oh, are you sure it isn't serious? 
 Now please don't hold anything back." 
 
 "I'll give you my word, Minnie, it isn't seri 
 ous. The doctor said he would be as well as 
 ever in a few days, but he is rather knocked 
 out, and the doctor said he had better not try 
 xo come here. So then he asked Spud and me 
 to come." 
 
 While Sam was speaking he and Spud had led 
 the girl back into the house. She was very much 
 agitated and her manner showed it. 
 
 "But what was it, Sam? Do tell me. Did 
 that horse run away with him? I know John 
 isn't much of a driver, and when he gets to com 
 posing poetry he doesn't notice things and be 
 comes so careless " 
 
 "No, Minnie, it was not that. Where is your 
 father? We'll go to him and then we'll tell you. 
 the whole story." 
 
 "What's this I hear?" came from the dining- 
 room, where Mr. Sanderson rested in a Morris 
 chair, with his sprained ankle perched on a foot-
 
 AT THE SANDERSON HOME 59 
 
 stool. "Where is John? And what about that 
 money he was to get for me?" 
 
 "Good evening, Mr. Sanderson," said Sam, 
 coming; in and shaking hands, followed by Spud. 
 "We've got some bad news for you, but please 
 don't blame Songbird I mean John for I am 
 sure he was not to blame." 
 
 "That's right!" broke in Spud. "WTiat hap 
 pened might have occurred to any of us. I think 
 we ought to be thankful that Songbird that's 
 the name we all call John, you know wasn't 
 killed." 
 
 "Oh, but do tell me what did happen !" pleaded 
 Minnie. 
 
 "And what about my money is that safe?" 
 demanded Mr. Sanderson. 
 
 "No, Mr. Sanderson. I am sorry to say the 
 fellow who attacked Songbird got away with it." 
 
 "Gone! My four thousand dollars gone!" 
 ejaculated the farmer. "Don't tell me that. I 
 can't afford to lose any such amount. Whyf 
 it's the savings of years!" and his face showed 
 his intense anxiety. 
 
 "Oh, so John was attacked! Who did it? I, 
 suppose they must have half killed the poor boy 
 in order to get the money away from him/* 
 wailed Minnie. 
 
 "We might as well tell you the whole story
 
 60 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 'from beginning to end," answered Sam, and then, 
 after he and Spud had taken off their overcoats 
 and gloves, both plunged into all the details of 
 the occurrence as they knew them. 
 
 "And he was hit on the head and on the chin f 
 Oh, how dreadful!" burst out Minnie. "And 
 are you positive, Sam, it was not serious?" 
 
 "That is what Dr. Havens said, and he made 
 z. close examination in the presence of Dr. Wal- 
 lington." 
 
 "He ought to have been more careful," said 
 Mr. Sanderson, bitterly. 
 
 "But. Pa! how could he have been?" inter 
 posed the daughter. 
 
 "Oh, in lots of ways. He might have placed 
 that money inside of his shirt," answered the 
 father. "It don't do to carry four thousand dol 
 lars around just as if it was a a book of 
 poetry or something like that," he added, with a 
 touch of sarcasm. 
 
 "Pa, I think it's real mean of you to talk that 
 way!" flared up Minnie. "John told me that 
 he didn't much like the idea of bringing that 
 four thousand dollars in cash from the bank, 
 but he undertook the errand just to please 
 you." 
 
 "Humph ! Well, I was foolish to send him on 
 the errand. I should have got some man who
 
 AT THE SANDERSON HOME 6l 
 
 knew how to take care of sucfi an amount of 
 cash." 
 
 "Mr. Sanderson, I don't think it's fair for you 
 to blame Songbird," broke in Spud. "He did the 
 best he could, and, of course, he had no idea that 
 he was going to be attacked." 
 
 "It's all well enough for you to talk, young 
 man," broke out the farmer, angrily; "it wasn't 
 your four thousand dollars that was stolen. I 
 wanted that money to pay off the mortgage on 
 this farm. It's due to-morrow, and the reason 
 I wanted cash was because old Grisley insisted 
 on cash and nothing else. He lost a lot of money 
 in the bank years ago, and that soured him, so 
 he wouldn't take a check nohow. Now what I'm 
 going to do if I can't pay that mortgage, I don't 
 know. And me down here with a sprained ankle, 
 too!" he added with increasing bitterness. 
 
 "You'll have to tell Mr. Grisley to wait for 
 his money," said Sam. "When he learns the par 
 ticulars of this affair he ought to be willing to 
 wait." 
 
 "If I could only walk I'd get on the trail of 
 that thief somehow," muttered Mr. Sanderson. 
 "It's a shame I've got to sit here and do nothin' 
 when four thousand dollars of mine is floatin' 
 away, nobody knows where." 
 
 "We have notified the police and sent tele-
 
 62 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 grams ahead, just as I told you," answered Sam. 
 "I don't see what more we can do at present. 
 Songbird was attacked so suddenly that he isn't 
 sure that the fellow who did it is the same fel 
 low he saw around the Knoxbury bank or not. 
 But if he is the same fellow, we have a pretty 
 fair description of him, and sooner or later the 
 authorities may be able to run him down." 
 
 "Oh, I know the police!" snorted the farmer. 
 "They ain't worth a hill of beans." 
 
 "Well, Songbird told me to tell you that if 
 the money is not recovered, he will do all he can 
 to make good the loss," continued Sam. 
 
 "Make good the lose ? Has he got four thou 
 sand dollars?" questioned the farmer, curiously. 
 
 "Oh, no! Songbird isn't as wealthy as all 
 that. He has only his regular allowance. But 
 he said he'd work and earn the money, if he 
 had to." 
 
 "Humph! How is he going to earn it writ 
 ing poetry? They don't pay much for that kind 
 of writing, to my way of thinking." 
 
 "Now, Pa, please don't get so excited," soothed 
 the daughter. "Let us be thankful that John 
 wasn't killed. If he had been, I never would 
 have forgiven you for having sent him on that 
 errand." 
 
 "Oh, now, don't you pitch into me, Minnie!"
 
 AT THE SANDERSON HOME 63 
 
 cried the father. "I've lost my four thousand 
 dollars and that's bad enough. If I can't pay 
 that mortgage, Grisley may foreclose and then 
 you and me will be out of a home." 
 
 "Nothing like that will happen, Mr. Sander- 1 
 son," said Sam. 
 
 "I don't know why." 
 
 "The mortgage is on this farm, isn't it?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Is it the only mortgage you have, if I may 
 ask?" 
 
 "It is." 
 
 "And what do you consider the farm worth?" 
 
 "Well, I was offered eight thousand dollars for 
 it last year, and I refused to sell." 
 
 "Then I think it will be an easy matter to 
 arrange to have the mortgage taken up by some 
 body else. Possibly my father or my uncle will 
 do it." 
 
 "Will they?" demanded Mr. Sanderson, 
 eagerly. "Well, of course, that would be some 
 help, but, at the same time, it wouldn't bring my 
 four thousand dollars back," he added glumly. 
 
 After that Minnie demanded to know more 
 concerning Songbird's condition, and the two 
 youths gave her every possible detail. 
 
 "If I had a telephone here I might send word 
 to Ashton to find out if they had tracked that
 
 64 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 rascal yet," said Mr. Sanderson. "But they asked 
 so much money to put a telephone in over here 
 I didn't have 'em do it." 
 
 "Where is the nearest telephone?" questioned 
 Spud. 
 
 "Nothin' closer nor the railroad station at 
 Busby's Crossing." 
 
 "That's only half a mile away," put in Sam. 
 "We might drive over there now and see if there 
 is anything new." 
 
 "You wait until you have had your supper," 
 interposed Minnie. "It's all ready. I was ex 
 pecting John, you know," and she blushed 
 slightly. 
 
 "But if your father is anxious to get 
 word " began the Rover boy. 
 
 "Oh, I suppose you might as well wait and 
 have somethin' to eat first," said the farmer. 
 "That will give the authorities time to do some- 
 thin', if they are goin' to." 
 
 In the expectation of having Songbird to sup 
 per, Minnie, with the aid of a young hired girl, 
 had provided quite an elaborate meal, to which 
 it is perhaps needless to state the young collegi 
 ans did full justice. Then the youths lost no 
 time in driving off in the cutter to Busby's Cross 
 ing, where they were lucky enough to find the 
 station agent still in charge, although on the
 
 AT THE SANDERSON HOME 6$ 
 
 point of locking up, for no more trains would 
 stop at the Crossing that night. 
 
 The boys first telephoned to the college and to 
 Ashton, and then to Dentonville and the rail 
 road stations up the line. To get the various 
 connections took considerable time, and to get 
 "information that was no information at all," as 
 Spud expressed it, took much longer still. The 
 sum total of it was that no one had been able 
 to trace the man in the heavy overcoat and with 
 the heavy fur cap, and no one had the slightest 
 idea about what had become of that much- 
 wanted individual. 
 
 "It's going to be like looking for the prover 
 bial pin in the haystack," remarked Spud. 
 
 "It's too bad," returned Sam, gloomily. "I 
 did think we'd have some sort of encouraging 
 word to take back to Mr. Sanderson." 
 
 "Say! he's pretty bitter over the loss of that 
 money, isn't he, Sam?" 
 
 "You can't blame him for that. I'd be bit 
 ter too." 
 
 "It looks to me as if he might make Minnie 
 break with Songbird if that money wasn't re 
 covered." 
 
 "Possibly, Spud. Although he ought to know 
 as well as we do that it was not Songbird's 
 fault."
 
 66 
 
 "I'm glad to see Minnie sticks up for our 
 chum, aren't you?" 
 
 "Oh, Minnie's all right and always has been. 
 She thinks just as much of Songbird as he does 
 of her. Once in a while she pokes a little fun 
 at his so-called poetry, but Songbird doesn't 
 mind, so it doesn't matter." 
 
 When the boys returned to the farmhouse 
 Minnie ran out to meet them, and from their 
 manner saw at once that they had no news worth 
 mentioning. They could see that the girl had 
 been crying, and now it was all she could do to 
 keep from bursting into tears again. 
 
 "Oh, Minnie, you ought not to take it so hard," 
 said Sam, kindly. "Of course, to lose four thou 
 sand dollars is a terrible blow, but maybe they'll 
 get the money back some way, or at least a part 
 of it." 
 
 "It isn't the money, Sam," cried the girl, with 
 something like a catch in her voice. "It's the 
 way papa acts. He seems to think it was all 
 John's fault. Oh! I can't bear it! I know I 
 can't!" she suddenly sobbed, and then ran away 
 and up the stairs to her bedroom, closing the door 
 behind her,
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 SAM AND GRACE 
 
 "THIS whole affair is certainly a cough propo 
 sition," remarked Sam, when, abotrc half an hour 
 later, he and Spud were on their way back to 
 Brill. 
 
 The time had been spent in telling Mr. Sander 
 son how they had failed to obtain any satisfac 
 tion over the telephone, and in listening to the 
 farmer's tirade against poor Songbird. 
 
 "Old Sanderson certainly pitched into Song 
 bird," returned Spud. "I declare if anybody 
 called me down that way, I think I'd be apt to 
 get into a regular fight with him." 
 
 "He is very much excited, Spud. I think when 
 he cools down he will see matters in a different 
 light. Just at present the loss of the four thou 
 sand dollars has completely upset him." 
 
 "I suppose he pitched into Minnie even more 
 than he pitched into us." 
 
 "Maybe he did. I must say I am mighty sorry 
 for that poor girl." 
 
 67
 
 68 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "What are you going to tell Songbird ?" 
 
 "I suppose we'll have to tell him the truth, 
 Spud, although we'll have to smooth over Mr. 
 Sanderson's manner as much as we can. There's 
 no use in hurting Songbird's feelings, especially 
 now when he's broken up physically as well as 
 mentally." 
 
 When they reached the college they found 
 that Songbird had insisted upon it that he be 
 1aken to the room he occupied with Sam instead 
 of to the sick ward. He was in bed, but wide 
 awake and anxious to hear all they might have 
 to say. 
 
 "Of course I knew Mr. Sanderson would 
 blame me," he said, after asking a great number 
 of questions. "Four thousand dollars is a heap 
 of money." He knitted his brows for a moment, 
 and then cast an anxious glance at Sam. "How 
 did Minnie really seem to take it ?" he continued. 
 
 "She sided with you, Songbird, when her 
 father talked against you," answered Sam. 
 
 "She did, did she? Good for her!" and Song 
 bird's face lit up for an instant. "She's true 
 blue, that girl is !" 
 
 "Now, the best thing I think you can do is to 
 try to go to sleep and get a good night's rest," 
 went on Sam. "This worrying about what can't 
 be helped won't do you any good."
 
 SAM AND GRACE 69 
 
 "Yes, but, Sam, what am I going to do if that 
 money isn't gotten back? The Sandersons can't 
 afford to lose it, and even if I went to work right 
 away, it would take me a long, long time to earn 
 four thousand dollars." 
 
 "I have been thinking that over, Songbird, and 
 as the money was to be used in paying off a mort 
 gage, I think I can arrange the matter, providing 
 the holder of the present mortgage won't extend 
 the time for it. I think I can get my father or 
 my uncle to take the mortgage." 
 
 "Very good, Sam, so far as it goes. But that 
 wouldn't be getting the money back. If it isn't 
 recovered, I'll feel that I am under a moral obli 
 gation to earn it somehow and give it to Mr. 
 Sanderson." 
 
 "We'll talk about it later. Now you've got 
 to go to sleep," were Sam's concluding words, 
 and after that he refused to say any more. He 
 undressed and threw himself on his bed, and 
 was soon asleep. But poor Songbird turned and 
 twisted, and it is doubtful if his eyes closed until 
 'well along in the early morning hours. 
 
 On the following day Sam had several classes 
 to attend, as well as to work on a theme ; but as 
 soon as these tasks were over he obtained per 
 mission to leave the college to find out, if pos 
 sible, if anything had been done in the matter of
 
 70 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 the robbery. He visited Ashton and had an in 
 terview with the police, and then used the tele 
 phone in several directions. But it was all of 
 no avail; nothing whatever had been seen or 
 heard of the rascal who had made the attack 
 upon Songbird. 
 
 "I'm afraid it will be one of those mysteries 
 which will never be explained," mused the young 
 est Rover boy, as he jumped into the cutter 
 which he was using and drove away from Ash- 
 ton. "It's too bad! Oh! how I'd like to get 
 my hands on that rascal, whoever he may be!" 
 
 It was not until two days later, when Songbird 
 was once more able to be about and had insisted 
 on being driven over to the Sanderson place, 
 that Sam had a chance to go on the sleighride 
 with Grace Laning. He drove over to Hope 
 Seminary about four o'clock in the afternoon, 
 having sent word ahead that he was coming. 
 Grace was waiting for him, and the pair speedily 
 drove away, wistfully watched by a number of 
 the girl students. 
 
 "It's so nice of you to think of me, Sam, when 
 you've got so much to think about on poor Song 
 bird's account," said Grace, as they were speed 
 ing out of the seminary grounds. "How is he?" 
 
 "Oh, he's doing better than we expected, Grace. 
 He insisted on being driven over to the San-
 
 SAM AND GRACE 71 
 
 dersons this afternoon. Stanley took him over, 
 because none of us thought Songbird was strong 
 enough to drive himself." 
 
 "I want you to give me all the particulars of 
 the attack," said the girl, and this the youth did 
 readily. 
 
 "It must have been the man who stuttered and 
 whistled the fellow Songbird saw at the 
 Knoxbury bank," declared the girl, positively. 
 "Wouldn't it pay to get a detective on his track ?" 
 
 "Perhaps so, Grace. I think Songbird is going 
 to mention that to Mr. Sanderson." 
 
 Sam did not want the girl to worry too much 
 over what had occurred and so soon changed the 
 subject. They talked about college and seminary 
 matters, and then about affairs at home, and 
 about matters in New York City. 
 
 "I just got another letter from Nellie to-day," 
 said Grace. "She says that the apartment she 
 and Tom have rented is perfectly lovely every 
 bit as nice as the one occupied by Dick and 
 Dora." 
 
 "I'm glad they like it, Grace. But, believe me, 
 it will be some job for Tom to settle down and 
 be a staid married man ! He was always so full 
 of fun." 
 
 "Why, the idea, Sam Rover! Don't you think 
 a man can be married and still keep full of fun ?"
 
 72 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Well, maybe, if he got such a nice girl as 
 Nellie. Just the same, I'll wager Tom sometimes 
 wishes he was back in good old Brill." 
 
 "Indeed! And do you think you'll wish you 
 were back at Brill if ever you get married?" she 
 asked slyly. 
 
 "Oh, I didn't say anything about that, Grace- 
 I I " 
 
 "Well, it's just about the same thing," and 
 Grace tossed her pretty face a trifle. 
 
 "Oh, now look here, Grace ! You haven't any 
 call to talk that way. I suppose when I get 
 married I'll be just as happy as Dick or Tom. 
 That is, providing I get the right girl," and he 
 gazed at the face beside him very ardently. 
 
 "Sam Rover, you had better watch where you 
 are driving, unless you want to run us into the 
 rocks and bushes," cried the girl, suddenly. For, 
 forgetting the steed for a moment, Sam had al 
 lowed the horse to turn to one side of the some 
 what rough highway. 
 
 "I'll attend to the horse, never fear," he an 
 swered. "I never yet saw the horse that I 
 couldn't manage. But speaking of letters, Grace, 
 I had one from Dick day before yesterday and 
 he made a suggestion that pleased me very 
 much/' 
 
 "What was that?"
 
 SAM AND GRACE 73 
 
 "He suggested that if I graduate from Brill 
 this coming June, as I expect to do, that we make 
 tip a party to occupy two or three automobiles 
 and go off on a regular tour this summer, taking 
 in the Middle West and maybe some other 
 points." 
 
 "Oh, Sam, how grand I Of course he was go 
 ing to take Dora along?" 
 
 "Yes. His idea was that if matters could be 
 arranged at the offices in New York, that he and 
 Dora, as well as Tom and Nellie, would go along 
 and that we would: go too, along with some others 
 say enough to make at least two automobile 
 loads." 
 
 "Oh, I'd love an auto tour like that ! Couldn't 
 we have just the best times ever?" and Grace's 
 pretty eyes sparkled in anticipation. 
 
 "When I got the letter I thought the same, and 
 I also thought we might ask Songbird and Min- 
 nie Dora and Nellie could chaperon her, you 
 know. But now I don't know what we'll do 
 about them. Most likely Songbird wouldn't feel 
 'like going if that money wasn't recovered, and 
 more than likely Mr. Sanderson wouldn't let 
 Minnie go." 
 
 "Oh, dear! I suppose the loss of that money 
 will hang over Songbird like a big cloud for 
 ever," pouted the girl. "It's too badl I don't
 
 74 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 see why Mr. Sanderson couldn't have paid that 
 mortgage with a check." 
 
 "Just exactly what we all say now, Grace. But 
 that doesn't do any good." 
 
 "Are you sure you are going to graduate, 
 Sam?" 
 
 "I certainly hope so. I am going to try my 
 best not only to graduate, Grace, but to get as 
 close to the top of the class as possible. Dick 
 and Tom had to leave before they had a chance 
 to graduate, so I want to make a good showing 
 for the Rover family." 
 
 "It's the same with me, Sam. Nellie left to 
 get married, and so did Cousin Dora, so I've got 
 to do the best I can for our family next June." 
 
 "Then you hope to get through too?" 
 
 "Of course." 
 
 "How are the teachers treating you these days ? 
 Have you had any more trouble with Miss Har 
 row, or the others?" 
 
 "Not the least bit. They are all perfectly love 
 ly, and Miss Harrow is so sorry that she ever 
 thought Nellie had taken that diamond ring." 
 
 "Well, she ought to feel sorry," responded 
 Sam. "It certainly put Nellie to a lot of trouble. 
 Did that gardener who put the diamond ring in 
 the inkwell ever come back to work at the sem 
 inary ?"
 
 SAM AND GRACE 75 
 
 "Andy Royce? Yes, he is working there. I 
 have seen him several times. He is quite a 
 changed man, and I don't think he drinks at all." 
 
 "Well, that's one good job done, Grace. That 
 man's worst enemy was liqttor." 
 
 Sam had arranged that they might remain out 
 until nine o'clock that evening, and so drove 
 Grace over to Knoxbury, where they went to 
 quite a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Here 
 they met several young men and girls they knew, 
 and all had a most delightful time during the 
 repast. 
 
 When Sam went outside to get his horse and 
 cutter, which had been placed in a livery stable 
 near by, he was surprised to encounter the very 
 man he had mentioned but a short while before, 
 Andy Royce, the gardener who had once been 
 discharged from Hope Seminary for not attend 
 ing properly to his duties and who, through the 
 intercession of the Rovers and the Lanings, had 
 been reinstated in his position. 
 
 "Good evening, Mr. Rover," said Andy Royce, 
 respectfully, as he touched the cap he wore. 
 
 "Hello, Royce! WTiat are you doing here?** 
 asked the youth. 
 
 "Oh, I just drove over to Knoxbury to get 
 some things for the seminary," replied Royce; 
 and then stepping closer he added in a lower tone :
 
 76 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "I saw you going into Meeker's restaurant a 
 while ago and I stayed here to see you when 
 you came out. I'd like to talk to you a bit." 
 
 "All right. What have you to say?" returned 
 Sam, briskly. "I haven't got much time to 
 waste." 
 
 "I wanted to ask you about the young fellow 
 who was knocked down and robbed the other 
 afternoon," went on Andy Royce, as the two 
 walked away, out of the hearing of the others 
 in the livery stable. "Somebody told me that the 
 fellow who was robbed said a man did it who 
 stuttered and whistled." 
 
 "Well, we rather think that man did it, but 
 we are not certain," answered Sam. He glanced 
 sharply at the gardener. "Do you know anything 
 of that fellow?" 
 
 "I think I do, Mr. Rover. You see it's this 
 way : Several years ago I used to live out West, 
 in Denver and Colorado Springs, and I used to 
 know a man out there who went by the name of 
 Blackie Crowden. He used to stutter fearfully 
 and had a funny little whistle with it." 
 
 "Out in Denver, you say ? That's a long way 
 from here." 
 
 "I know it is, sir, but after I left I heard that 
 this Blackie Crowden had come to Center Haven, 
 and that's only twenty miles from here. And
 
 SAM AND GRACE 77 
 
 that ain't all," continued Andy Royce, earnestly. 
 "I was in this town about a week ago and I 
 am almost certain I saw this same Blackie Crow- 
 den on the street. I tried to reach him so as to 
 speak to him, but he got away from me in a 
 crowd that had come up to see a runaway." 
 
 "This is interesting," returned Sam. "Tell me 
 how this Blackie Crowden looks," he went on. 
 And then as Andy Royce described the individ 
 ual he added slowly: "That seems to tally with 
 the description Songbird gave of the fellow who 
 looked at him through the bank window when 
 he was placing the money away. More than 
 likely that fellow was that same Blackie Crow- 
 den." 
 
 "Well, if it was Blackie Crowden, why don't 
 you have him locked up?" queried the gardener. 
 
 "Perhaps I will, providing he is still in Center 
 Haven," answered Sam.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT BLACKIE CROWDEN 
 
 WHEN Sam returned to Brill late that evening, 
 after having spent a most delightful time with 
 Grace, he found that Songbird had returned from 
 the Sandersons' homestead some time before. 
 The would-be poet of the college was working 
 hard over some of his lessons, and it was plainly 
 to be seen that he was in anything but a good 
 humor. 
 
 "Sanderson treated me like a dog like a regu 
 lar dog!" he burst out, in reply to Sam's ques 
 tion. "Why ! to hear him talk you would almost 
 think I was in league with the fellow who at 
 tacked me !" 
 
 "It's too bad, Songbird ; but you shouldn't take 
 it so much to heart. Remember, Mr. Sanderson 
 is a very hard-working man and one who has 
 probably never allowed another fellow to get the 
 best of him in any kind of a deal. The amount 
 that was lost represents probably the savings of 
 a good many years, and to lose it so suddenly 
 
 78
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT BLACKIE CROWDEN 79 
 
 and in such an underhanded way has completely 
 upset him. When he has had time to think it 
 over calmly he'll probably see that you were not 
 to blame." 
 
 "I don't think so he's not that kind of man, 
 Sam. He was very bitter and he told Minnie 
 that she wasn't to see me any more. Minnie 
 was dreadfully upset, of course, and she rushed 
 off to her room, so I didn't have any chance to 
 say good-bye to her." 
 
 "As bad as that, eh? Well, you can write her 
 a letter anyway." 
 
 "So I can; but maybe her father will see to 
 it that she never gets it," responded the smitten 
 youth, gloomily. 
 
 "I've got a little news that may prove encour 
 aging," pursued Sam after a slight pause; and 
 then he related the particulars of his meeting 
 with Andy Royce, and what the Hope gardener 
 had said regarding Blackie Crowden. 
 
 "Say! that's great!" burst out the would-be 
 poet. "If I could see this Crowden I'd know at 
 once if he was the man who watched me when 
 I was at the Knoxbury bank, and if it was it 
 would certainly pay to put the authorities on his 
 trail." 
 
 "I was thinking the same, Songbird. I won 
 der if we couldn't get permission from Dr. Wai-
 
 8o THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 lington to drive over to Center Haven to-morrow 
 and find out what we can about this Blackie 
 Crowden ?** 
 
 w Oh, he'll have to give us permission at least 
 hell have to let me go," returned Songbird. "I 
 can't settle down to any lessons until something 
 is done, one way or another. Here I am, trying 
 to study, and I hardly know a word of what 
 I'm reading." 
 
 "Let us go to the doctor at once if he is still 
 up and ask him," said Sam. 
 
 Permission to leave the college was readily 
 granted by Dr. Wallington, who, however, cau 
 tioned Songbird about overexerting himself 
 while he was still suffering from the attack that 
 had been made upon him. 
 
 "I'll depend upon you, Rover, to look after 
 him," said the head of Brill, kindly. "And let 
 me add, I wish you every success in your search 
 for the offender. I certainly would like to see 
 you get Mr. Sanderson's money back." 
 
 The two young collegians had breakfast as 
 early as possible, and by eight o'clock were on 
 their way to Center Haven in the automobile 
 belonging to the Rovers, and which had now 
 been left in Sam's care. Heavy chains had been 
 put on the wheels so that the automobile made 
 its way over the snowy roads without much v/ou-
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT BLACKIE CROWDEN 8l 
 
 ble. Of course in some spots where the frozen 
 highway was uneven, the boys got some pretty 
 hard bumps, but this they did not mind, their 
 one thought being to get to Center Haven as 
 soon as possible and learn all they could concern 
 ing Blackie Crowden and his doings. 
 
 Center Haven was a town about the size of 
 Knoxbury, and among other things boasted of a 
 large hotel which was generally well patronized 
 during the summer months. Andy Royce had 
 said that Crowden had been seen at this hotel 
 and probably had some sort of position there. 
 When the boys arrived there they found that the 
 main building of the hotel was completely closed. 
 The only portion that was open was a small 
 wing with an equally small dining room used 
 for the accommodations of the few transients 
 who came to Center Haven during the winter 
 months. 
 
 "'We came here to find a man named Blackie 
 Crowden," said Sam to the proprietor of the 
 hotel, who came forward to meet them when 
 they entered. "Can you tell me anything about 
 him?" 
 
 "You won't find him here," returned the hotel 
 man, brusquely. "I discharged him two weeks 
 ago." 
 
 "Discharged him?" queried Songbird, and his
 
 82 
 
 tone showed his disappointment. "Any trouble 
 with him?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, lots of trouble. Are you friends of 
 his?" 
 
 "We certainly are not," answered Sam. "But 
 we'd like to find out something about him." 
 
 "I'm giad you are not friends of his," contin 
 ued the hotelkeeper. "I feel very sore over that 
 man. I took him in and gave him a good job, 
 and paid him a good deal more than he was 
 worth. But he wouldn't work in fact he was 
 the laziest man I ever saw and so I had to dis 
 charge him. I paid him all that was coming to 
 him, and when he got out he was mean enough 
 to sneak off with some of my clothing, and also 
 a pair of my gloves and my rubbers. If I could 
 lay my hands on him, I'd be strongly tempted 
 to hand him over to the police." 
 
 "Did he take an overcoat of yours and a fur 
 cap?" demanded Songbird, quickly. 
 
 "He certainty did. A heavy, dark-gray over 
 coat and one of these fur caps that you can pull 
 down over your ears and over the back of the 
 head." 
 
 "He must have been the same fellow," re 
 marked Sam. "And the fact that he robbed this 
 man here goes to prove what sort of rascal he 
 really is."
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT BLACKIE CROWDEN 83 
 
 "Did he steal anything from you people?" 
 asked the hotelkeeper, curiously. 
 
 "I think he did," answered Songbird. "Did 
 you hear anything of the attack that took place 
 a few days ago on the road near Ashton, in 
 which a young fellow was robbed of four thou 
 sand dollars in cash?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, I heard about that from the police 
 captain here." 
 
 "Well, I am the fellow who was robbed," con 
 tinued Songbird. "And I'm strongly inclined to 
 think now that it was this Blackie Crowden who 
 was guilty in fact I am almost certain of it. 
 When I was at the Knoxbury bank getting the 
 money and putting it away in my pocket I saw 
 a man watching through a window of the bank. 
 He had on a dark-gray overcoat and a fur cap 
 pulled far down over his face. Then, later on, 
 just after I was attacked, my friend here with 
 a chum of ours came driving along and saw this 
 same man with the heavy overcoat and the fur 
 cap drive off with the horse and cutter that I 
 had had and he was the same fellow who had 
 knocked me senseless." 
 
 "Is that so ! Well, I think you've hit the nail 
 on the head, and if you catch this Blackie Crow- 
 den you'll have the right fellow. Anybody who 
 would run off with my things as he did after he
 
 84 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 had been treated as well as I treated him wouldn't 
 be above committing such a crime. But the 
 question is, where did he go? Have you any 
 idea?" 
 
 "We know he got on the train at Dentonville," 
 said Sam. "That's as far as we've been able 
 to trace him so far. But now that we know that 
 this criminal is Blackie Crowden, maybe the au 
 thorities will be able to run him down sooner or 
 later." 
 
 "This Crowden was very friendly with one or 
 two of the men around the stables," went on the 
 hotelkeeper. "Maybe you can find out something 
 about him from them." 
 
 "A good idea !" answered Songbird. "We'll see 
 what they have to say." 
 
 The hotel man took the two youths to the 
 stables, and there they talked with several men 
 present who had known Crowden. From these 
 they learned that the man had been very much 
 dissatisfied with the work assigned to him, and 
 had frequently spoken about the good times to 
 be had in such large cities as New York, Chicago 
 and Denver. 
 
 "He said he thought he would go back to New 
 York first," said one of the stable men, "and then 
 he thought he would go on to Chicago and after 
 that visit some of his old places and cronies in
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT 'BLACKIE CROWDEN 85 
 
 Denver. But, of course, where he really did go 
 to I haven't the least idea." 
 
 "What you say is something of a clue any 
 way," returned Sam. "Now if we only had a 
 photograph of this Crowden, it might help the 
 police a great deal." 
 
 "We've got a picture of him," said one of the 
 men present. "It was taken by one of the visi 
 tors at the hotel this fall. He came out here to 
 take a picture of some of the horses and we 
 helped him, so all of us got into the picture, 
 Crowden with the rest. I'll get it," he added, 
 and disappeared in the direction of his sleeping 
 quarters. 
 
 The photograph was a fairly large one, show 
 ing three men and as many horses. The man in 
 the center was Blackie Crowden, and the stable 
 man and the hotelkeeper declared that it was an 
 excellent photograph of that individual 
 
 "Will you let us have this photograph?" asked 
 Songbird. "I would like to have that picture of 
 Crowden enlarged, and then you can have it 
 back." 
 
 "Sure you can have it," answered the stable 
 man. "As that fellow is a thief,' you might as 
 well tear that picture up afterward, because I 
 don't want to be in no photograph with a crim 
 inal," and he grinned sheepishly.
 
 36 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "All right then, I won't take the trouble to 
 return it," answered Songbird. "Suppose you 
 accept this dollar for it," and he passed over a 
 banknote, which the stable man took with thanks. 
 A little later the two youths started on the return 
 to Ashton. 
 
 "Well, that's one step nearer the solution of 
 this mystery," announced Sam. "Now I think 
 we had better stop at Knoxbury and find out 
 about that horse which belonged to Hoover, the 
 livery stable man." 
 
 They reached the banking town about noon, 
 and went directly to the livery stable. As they 
 did so a man in a cutter drove in, leading a horse 
 behind him. 
 
 "There is the horse now!" cried Sam. *He 
 must have just gotten the animal back from 
 Mr. Bray." 
 
 "Are you Mr. Hoover?" questioned Songbird 
 of the man in the cutter, as he came to a halt 
 near them. 
 
 "That's my handle, young man. What can 
 I do for you?" 
 
 "I would like to know something about that 
 horse, and who hired him from you;" and then 
 he introduced himself and Sam. 
 
 "I don't know who got the animal," answered 
 Mr. Hoover. "I was away at the time, and a
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT BLACKIE CROW DEN 87^ 
 
 stable boy let him out. He declares the fellow 
 said he was a friend of mine, and that it would 
 be all right." 
 
 "And was the fellow dressed in a heavy, gray 
 overcoat and a heavy fur cap?" asked Sam. 
 
 "Yes, that was the description the stable boy 
 gave. When he found I didn't know anything 
 about the man he was scared to death, because 
 I told him that if the horse didn't come back 
 I'd make him pay for the animal." 
 
 "Then that's all we want to know, Mr. 
 Hoover," answered Songbird. "I'm pretty sure 
 now I know who it was that knocked me down 
 and robbed me." 
 
 "He was a rascal, all right," answered the liv 
 ery stable man. "I had to pay old Bray four 
 dollars to get my own horse back," he added, 
 sulkily. 
 
 As the long ride in the open air had made 
 them hungry, the two youths went to the res 
 taurant in Knoxbury for dinner. Then the auto 
 mobile was turned once more in the direction 
 of Ashton. 
 
 "I'll have that photograph enlarged by Cling- 
 er," said Songbird, referring to a photographer 
 in the town who did a great deal of work for the 
 Brill and Hope students. "Then I'll have copies 
 sent to the various police stations, even to New
 
 88 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 York, Chicago and Denver, along with a descrip 
 tion of Blackie Crowden." 
 
 "That's the talk, Songbird. Oh, I am sure 
 we'll get on his trail sooner or later," said Sam. 
 But though he spoke light-heartedly for his 
 chum's benefit, he knew that to trace the crim 
 inal would be by no means easy. With the four 
 thousand dollars in his possession, Blackie Crow- 
 den would probably make every effort to keep 
 from being discovered. 
 
 As they sped along the road, Songbird could 
 not help becoming poetical, and despite his blue- 
 ness he managed to concoct the following dog 
 gerel : 
 
 "The engine hums advance the spark, 
 Turn on the throttle what a lark! 
 Away we go like a flash of light 
 Over the hill and out of sight." 
 
 "Not so bad, Songbird," was Sam's comment. 
 "That's right keep it up and maybe you'll feel 
 better." But that was the only verse to be got 
 ten out of the would-be poet for the present. 
 
 Arriving at Ashton, they went immediately to 
 the photographer's shop and told him what was 
 wanted, and he agreed to re-photograph the pic 
 ture of Crowden and then enlarge the same and 
 make as many copies as Songbird desired. 
 
 "I'll do it this afternoon," said Mr. Ginger,
 
 SOMETHING ABOUT BLACKIE CROWDEN 89 
 
 "and you can have a dozen or more copies by 
 to-morrow morning. I'll make the head of the 
 fellow about as large as a half dollar, and that 
 ought to make a picture for any policeman or 
 'detective to go by;" and so it was arranged. 
 
 While the youths were at the photographer's 
 an express train had come into Ashton and now 
 quite a few people were coming away from the 
 railroad station. As the boys walked towards the 
 automobile, Songbird suddenly uttered a cry. 
 
 "Look, Sam! Look who's here!" 
 
 "Why, it's Tom! My brother, Tom!" ex 
 claimed Sam, as he rushed forward. "What in 
 the world brought him here to-day?" 

 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 IN WHICH TOM ARRIVES 
 
 TOM ROVER, tall and broad-shouldered, looked 
 the picture of health as he came toward his 
 younger brother and Songbird. He smiled broad 
 ly as he shook hands with them. 
 
 "Why, Tom! What brings you here?" re 
 marked Sam. "You didn't write about coming 
 on." 
 
 "Oh, I thought I'd just drop in and surprise 
 you," returned Tom. "You know I can't quite 
 get used to being away from Brill," he contin 
 ued, with a grin. 
 
 "Want to get back to your studies, I suppose," 
 was his brother's dry comment. "Well, come 
 ahead; you can help me on a theme I am writ 
 ing on 'Civilization in Ancient Central America.' ' 
 
 "Wow! that sounds as interesting as a Greek 
 dictionary!" cried Tom. "Thank goodness! I 
 don't have to worry my head about themes any 
 more. But just the same, Sam, don't make any 
 mistake. I am as busy these days as I ever was 
 
 00
 
 IN WHICH TOM ARRIVES pt 
 
 in my life, trying to help Dick and dad to put 
 our new organization on its feet/' 
 
 "And how is that getting along?" 
 
 "Fine. We incorporated this week and hare 
 our papers, and now I am the secretary of The 
 Rover Company, " and Tom strutted around with 
 his thumbs under his arms. "Some class to me, 
 eh?" 
 
 "And what is Dick?" questioned Songbird, cu 
 riously. 
 
 "Oh, Dick is treasurer," answered Tom. "Dad, 
 of course, is president, but he expects to hold 
 that position only until Sam comes in. Then 
 Dick is to become president; myself, treasurer; 
 and Sam, secretary." 
 
 "Say! that's all right," responded the young 
 est Rover, his face showing his satisfaction. 
 
 "That is, provided you want to come in, Sam. 
 Dad doesn't want you to give up your idea of 
 becoming a lawyer unless you want to." 
 
 "Oh, I might become a lawyer and remain 
 secretary of the company too," was the answer. 
 "One thing is snre, if you and Dick are going 
 to remain in that company you'll have to take 
 me in." 
 
 "Well, what's the news ?" went on Tom. "Had 
 any fun lately? How is Grace?" and he looked 
 rather sharply at his brother.
 
 92 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Oh, Grace is all right," answered Sam. He 
 hesitated a moment. "I suppose you didn't 
 get the letter I sent to you and Dick yesterday 
 the letter about Songbird here?" 
 
 "Why no. I left the office night before last." 
 
 "Songbird is in trouble, Tom," returned the 
 brother. "Are you going up to the college ? If 
 you are you can go with us in the automobile 
 and we'll tell you all about it on the way." 
 
 "Yes. I'll go up, and I might as well take my 
 grip with me, for maybe I'll stay over until to 
 morrow if they have room for me," and thus 
 speaking Tom turned back to the railroad sta 
 tion to get his dresssuit case. The three youths 
 were soon on their way to Brill, and as Sam 
 manipulated the car he and Songbird gave the 
 new arrival the details concerning the attack. 
 Tom, of course, listened with deep interest. 
 
 "That's a rank shame, Songbird !" he cried, at 
 the conclusion of the narrative. "I know just 
 how you feel. If I could get my hands on that 
 Blackie Crowden, I think I'd put him in the hos 
 pital first and in prison afterward." 
 
 "I told Songbird not to worry as far as the 
 money was concerned," went on Sam. "If that 
 old fellow who holds the mortgage won't wait 
 for his money, I told Songbird that I thought we 
 could get our folks to advance the cash."
 
 IN WHICH TOM ARRIVES 93 
 
 "Sure thing!" responded Tom, promptly. 
 "You give me the details and I'll see about the 
 money when I go back." 
 
 "Mr. Sanderson said he would know about 
 it early next week," answered Songbird. "He ex 
 pects a visit from old Grisley and Belright Fogg." 
 
 "My gracious! You didn't tell me anything 
 about Fogg being connected with this," burst out 
 Sam. 
 
 "I forgot all about it," answered Songbird. 
 "It seems that as soon as old Grisley heard 
 the money was stolen and that it wasn't likely 
 the mortgage would be paid, he hired Belright 
 Fogg to take the matter up for him. He is an 
 old man and very excitable, and he somehow 
 got the notion that Mr. Sanderson would try to 
 swindle him in some way. So he got Belright 
 Fogg in the case, though as a general thing he 
 has no more use for lawyers than he has for 
 banks." 
 
 "Well, he's very foolish to put his case in the 
 hands of such a fellow as Belright Fogg. Tom, 
 I guess you'll remember the trouble we had with 
 that fellow." 
 
 "I sure do, Sam!" 
 
 "And Sam had more trouble with him," cried 
 Songbird. "Don't forget how you hit him in 
 the head with a snowball."
 
 94 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "That's right. In the excitement of the at 
 tack on you, Songbird, I forgot all about that/' 
 answered the youngest Rover. "I suppose he is 
 laying back to bring that up against me." 
 
 They soon reached the grounds surrounding 
 Brill, and Tom looked at the college buildings 
 with interest. 
 
 "Looks almost like home to me," he said some 
 what wistfully. "My, but I had some good times 
 here ! I wish I had been on deck for that snow 
 balling contest." 
 
 "Sam was the hero of that occasion, accord 
 ing to all accounts," answered Songbird. "He 
 captured the banners of the freshies and sophs, 
 you know." 
 
 As the automobile rolled into the grounds a 
 number of students recognized Tom and waved 
 friendly greetings to him. Leaping out, he was 
 soon surrounded by a number of his old chums, 
 all of whom wanted to know where he had been 
 keeping himself and how long he was going to 
 stay with them. 
 
 "Can't stay longer than to-morrow noon," he 
 announced. "You know I'm a business man 
 now," and he puffed up and grinned in a man 
 ner that made all of the others smile. 
 
 "You just came in time, Tom," cried Spud. 
 "Your old friend, William Philander Tubbs, who
 
 IN WHICH TOM ARRIVES 95 
 
 has been away on business to Boston, got back 
 here this morning." 
 
 "What! My old friend Tubby here? I'll be 
 glad to shake his flipper," announced Tom, and 
 grinned more than ever as he recalled the prac 
 tical jokes that had been played at different times 
 on the dudish student who had been mentioned. 
 
 Of course the students present wanted to know 
 what had been learned by Sam and Songbird on 
 the trip to Center Haven, and many were the 
 speculations regarding Blackie Crowden. 
 
 "The authorities ought to be able to catch that 
 fellow now that you have his photograph and a 
 good description of him," remarked Stanley. "It 
 would be a good idea to send that description 
 and photograph broadcast." 
 
 The boys reported to Dr. Wallington, and Tom 
 went with them. The head of Brill was glad to 
 see his former student, and readily consented to 
 allow Tom to remain with the others that night, 
 an extra cot being put into room No. 25 for that 
 purpose. 
 
 "Are those the banners you captured, Sam?" 
 questioned Tom, when the boys entered the room, 
 and as he spoke he pointed to two banners which 
 were nailed up on the wall. 
 
 "Yes, Tom, those are the ones we captured," 
 was the reply of the youngest Rover, with con-
 
 96 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 siderable pride. "The freshies and sophs wanted 
 them back the worst way, but I told them there 
 was nothing doing, that I intended to keep them 
 at least until I graduated. They sent a commit 
 tee to me to get the banners, and I can tell you 
 that committee was pretty sore when they went 
 away without getting them." 
 
 "You watch out that they don't take those ban 
 ners on the sly, Sam." 
 
 "Oh, Songbird and I are looking out for them. 
 Didn't you notice we had the door locked? We 
 always lock up now, and no one has a key but 
 the janitor, and we have cautioned him not to 
 let any one in here without our permission." 
 
 "I'll tell you what I'd like to do to-night," said 
 Tom. "I'd like to smuggle something to eat into 
 this room and give some of our crowd a spread, 
 just for the fun of it." 
 
 "All right, I'm willing, Tom," answered his 
 brother. "Of course you'll have to keep rather 
 quiet about it, because I don't want to get into 
 the bad graces of any of the monitors or of Dr. 
 Wellington. I want to graduate next June with 
 the highest possible honors." 
 
 It was arranged that while Songbird and Sam 
 studied some necessary lessons, Tom was to re 
 turn to Ashton in the automobile and bring back 
 a number of things which would be needed for
 
 IN WHICH TOM ARRIVES 97 
 
 the proposed spread. Tom took Spud and Stan 
 ley with him. Out on the campus the three came 
 face to face with William Philander Tubbs. 
 
 "Hello, Tubblets, old boy!" cried Tom cor 
 dially, as he caught William Philander by the 
 hasd. "How are you making it these days?" 
 
 "I er er How do you do, Rover?" 
 
 stammered the dudish student. "Why, I am 
 er am quite well, thank you. I thought you 
 had left college?" 
 
 "Oh, I couldn't leave it for good, you know, 
 Tubby, my dear. They wouldn't be able to get 
 along without me." 
 
 "Why ah why ah somebody told me you 
 were going into business in New York." 
 
 "That's right, Tubbette." 
 
 "Oh, Rover! please don't call me by those 
 horrid nicknames any longer," pleaded William 
 Philander. "You promised me long ago you 
 wouldn't do it." 
 
 "Only a slip of my memory, my dear Philan 
 der Williams. I really " 
 
 "No, no ! Not Philander Williams. My name 
 is William Philander." 
 
 "That's right! so it is. It's always been 
 Philander William No, I mean Willander Phil- 
 iams no, that isn't it either. My gracious, 
 Tubblets, old boy! what have you done with the
 
 98 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 front handles of your cognomen, anyway? You 
 twist me all sideways trying to remember it." 
 
 "Really, how odd! My name is William Phi- 
 ' lander Tubbs. That's easy enough." 
 I "If I had it engraved in script type on a visit 
 ing card and looked at it daily, maybe I would 
 be able to remember it," answered Tom, mourn 
 fully. "You know my head was never very good 
 for history or anything like that However, 
 now that I know that your name is Philander 
 Tubblets Williams, don't you think you'd like 
 to ride down to Ashton with us ? We are going 
 to have a little spread to-night, and I want you 
 to help me pick out the spaghetti, sauerkraut, 
 sweet potato pie, Limburger cheese, and other 
 delicacies." 
 
 "Oh, by Jove! do you really mean you are 
 going to have those things for a spread ?" gasped 
 William Philander. 
 
 "That is, if they are just the things you like," 
 'returned Tom, innocently. "Of course, Stanley 
 here suggested that we have some fried eel sand 
 wiches and some worm pudding. But I don't 
 know about such rich living as that." 
 
 "Eel sandwiches! Worm pudding!" groaned 
 William Philander, aghast. "I never heard of 
 such things I Why don't you get er er some 
 cream puffs and chocolate eclares and er and
 
 IN WHICH TOM ARRIVES 99 
 
 er and mint kisses and things like that, you 
 know?" 
 
 "Not solid enough, my dear Willie boy. The 
 boys love substantials. You know that as well 
 as I do. Of course we might add a few little 
 delicacies like turnips and onions, just for side 
 dishes, you know." 
 
 "I I really think you had better excuse me, 
 Rover!" exclaimed William Philander, backing 
 away. "I am not feeling extra good, and I don't 
 think I want to go to any spread to-night," and 
 William Philander bowed and backed still far 
 ther. 
 
 "Oh, all right, Philly Willy," responded Tom, 
 dolefully. "Of course if you don't want to par 
 ticipate you don't have to, but you'll break our 
 hearts if you stay away. Now you just come to 
 room twenty-five to-night and we'll give you the 
 finest red herring and mush ice cream you ever 
 ckewed in your life," and then he and his chums 
 hurried away in the automobile, leaving William 
 Philander Tubbs gazing after him in deep per 
 plexity.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 THE FEAST 
 
 WHEN Tom came back accompanied by Stan 
 ley and Spud, all had their arms full of the things 
 purchased in Ashton. 
 
 "And this is only the half of it," announced 
 the fun-loving Rover to his brother, in answer to 
 a query. "We've got to go back and get the rest 
 out of the automobile." 
 
 "We'll bring that stuff up," said Stanley. "You 
 stay here with your brother. Come on, Song 
 bird, I see you are doing nothing, so you might 
 as well give us a lift," and off the three boys 
 trooped to bring up the rest of the things pur 
 chased for the feast. 
 
 "I'm mighty glad you are going to give this, 
 Tom, on Songbird's account," announced Sam, 
 when he and his brother were left to themselves. 
 "Songbird is about as blue as indigo. You see, 
 it isn't only the money it's Minnie. Her father 
 won't let him call on her any more." 
 
 "Tough luck, sure enough," responded Tom. 
 100
 
 THE FEAST IOI 
 
 'Well, let us do all we can to-night to make 
 Songbird forget his troubles." Tom took a walk 
 up and down the room, halting in front of a pic 
 ture of Grace which was in a silver frame on a 
 chiffonier. "Pretty good picture, Sam," he ob 
 served. 
 
 "Yes, it is." 
 
 "Did you say that you had been out with 
 Grace lately?" 
 
 "Oh, yes. We had a fine sleighride only the 
 other day." 
 
 "She's made quite a friend of a Miss Ada Wal- 
 tham at the seminary, a rich girl, hasn't she ?" 
 
 "She has mentioned Miss Waltham to me. I 
 didn't know that they were particularly friend 
 ly," answered Sam. "You know this Miss Wal 
 tham is very rich." 
 
 "So I heard, Sam. She is worth about a quar* 
 ter of a million dollars, so somebody said. But 
 she has a brother, Chester, who is worth even 
 more. An uncle died and left nearly his entire 
 estate to the brother." 
 
 "Is that so? Lucky young fellow! But I 
 don't see how that interests me, Tom," and Sam 
 looked at his brother inquiringly. "You act as 
 if you had something on your mind." 
 
 "So I have, Sam; and that is one of the rea 
 sons I came here to-day," announced Tom. "I'll
 
 102 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 tell you about it in the morning," he added has 
 tily, as a tramping was heard in the hallway; 
 and the next moment the door burst open and 
 in came Stanley, Songbird, Spud and one or two 
 others, all loaded down with bundles and pack-; 
 ages. 
 
 "Make way for the parcels post and the ex 
 press company !" proclaimed Spud, as he dropped 
 several packages on one of the cots. "Say, Tom, 
 you must have bought out half of Ashton." 
 
 "Only three-eighths, Spud," answered the fun- 
 loving Rover, gaily. "You see I knew what an 
 awful appetite you had, and as I had an extra 
 twenty-five cent piece in my jeans I thought I'd 
 try to satisfy that appetite just once." 
 
 "Twenty-five cents ! Wow !" commented Stan 
 ley. "I'll wager this spread costs you a good 
 many dollars." 
 
 Word had been passed around to a number of 
 Tom's old friends, and they were all requested 
 to be on hand by ten o'clock. 
 
 "Tubbs says he begs to be excused," an 
 nounced Paul Orben when he came in. "He says 
 he has got some studying he must do." 
 
 "Nonsense! He's afraid we'll treat him to 
 some sauerkraut pie and some pickled pastry," 
 returned Tom. "I don't want him to stay away 
 and miss a good time. What room is he in?"
 
 THE FEAST 103 
 
 "Number eighteen." 
 
 'Then come along, some of you, and we'll 
 bring him here," announced the fun-loving Ro 
 ver, and marched off, followed by Spud and Bob. 
 In the meanwhile, Sam, Songbird and Stanley 
 brought the things from the closet and began to 
 prepare for the feast 
 
 Tom and his friends found William Philander 
 busy folding and putting away half a dozen gor 
 geous neckties. He was rather startled at their 
 sudden entrance, and did his best to hide the ar 
 ticles. 
 
 "Hello! I thought you were boning away 
 on trigonometry or mental science," was Tom's 
 comment. "Say, old boy, that's a gorgeous neck 
 tie," he added as he picked up a creation in 
 lavender and yellow. "Did you buy this to wear 
 at the horse show, or at a meeting of mothers' 
 helpers ?" 
 
 "Oh, my dear Rover, please don't muss that 
 up!" pleaded William Philander, snatching the 
 necktie from Tom's hands. "That is one that 
 was er made er a a present to me." 
 
 "Oh, I see. Thaf s the one that blind young 
 lady gave to you. I admire her taste in picking 
 it out." 
 
 "Blind lady? I er have no blind lady 
 friend," returned William Philander.
 
 104 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Oh, yes, I remember now, Tubby, she was 
 deaf not blind. It's a wonder she didn't pick 
 out something a little louder." 
 
 "Oh, Rover, I really believe you are poking 
 fun at that necktie," returned the dudish stu 
 dent. 
 
 "We came to get you to come to the feast, 
 Willie," announced Spud. "We don't want you 
 to miss it." 
 
 "We wouldn't have you miss it for a peck of 
 shelled popcorn," put in Bob. 
 
 "Yes, but really, I've got some studying to do, 
 and " 
 
 "You can study after the feast is over, my dear 
 boy," broke in Tom, as he caught William Phi 
 lander by the arm. "You'll be surprised how 
 much quicker you can learn on a full stomach 
 than on one that is half vacant. Come on!" 
 
 "Yes, but I " 
 
 "We haven't any time to spare, Tubblets. You 
 are going to the feast, so you might as well make 
 the best of it. Come on, fellows, help him along. 
 He's so bashful he can't walk," and thus urged, 
 Spud took William Philander's other arm while 
 Bob caught him by the collar and in the back, 
 and thus the three of them forced the dudish 
 collegian out of his room and along the hall 
 way to Number 25.
 
 THE FEAST 105 
 
 By this time something like fifteen students 
 had gathered in the room, and the advent of Tom 
 and his chums with the somewhat frightened 
 (William Philander was greeted with a roar of 
 approval. The dudish student was marched in 
 and made to take a seat on a board which had 
 been placed on two chairs. On the board sat 
 several students, and William Philander was 
 placed on one end. 
 
 "Now, then, everybody make himself at home," 
 announced Tom, as soon as a look around had 
 convinced him that his brother and the others 
 had everything in readiness for the feast. "I be 
 lieve you'll find everything here except tooth 
 picks, and for those we'll have to chop up one 
 of Sam's baseball bats later on." 
 
 "Not much! You're not going to touch any 
 of my bats," announced the younger brother, 
 firmly. 
 
 "Sam wants to keep them to help bat another 
 victory for Brill this spring," put in Spud. "My ! 
 but that was one great game we had last sea 
 son." 
 
 "So it was," put in another student. "And 
 don't forget that Tom helped to win that game 
 as well as Sam." 
 
 While this chatter was going on various good 
 things in the way of salads and sandwiches had
 
 106 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 been passed around, and these were followed by 
 cake and glasses of root beer, ginger ale and 
 grape juice. 
 
 "Why, this is perfectly lovely," lisped Wil 
 liam Philander Tubbs, as he sat on the end of 
 the board-seat, his lap covered with a paper nap 
 kin on which rested a large plate of chicken salad 
 and some sandwiches. In one hand he held an 
 extra large glass of grape juice. 
 
 "Everybody ready!" announced Stanley, with 
 a wink at several of the boys. "Here is where 
 we drink to the health of Tom Rover!" 
 
 "Tom Rover!" was the exclamation, and at 
 a certain sign all the boys seated on the board 
 except William Philander leaped to their feet. 
 
 The result was as might have been expected. 
 The dudish pupil had been resting on the end 
 of the board, which overlapped the chair, and 
 with the weight of the others removed, the board 
 suddenly tipped upward and down went William 
 Philander in a heap, the chicken salad jouncing 
 forward over his shirt front and the glass of 
 grape juice in his hand being dashed full into 
 his face. 
 
 "Hi ! Hi ! What er did er you do that 
 for?" he spluttered, as he sat on the floor, com- 
 pktely dazed. "Say! why didn't you tell me 
 you were going to get up?" and then he started
 
 THE BOARD SUDDENLY TIPPED AND DOWN WENT WILLIAM 
 
 n PHILANDER. Page \W. 
 
 The Rover Boys on a Tour.
 
 THE FEAST 107 
 
 to wipe the grape juice from his eyes and nose. 
 
 "Hello! Salad's going down!" cried one stu 
 dent gaily. 
 
 ''Say, Tubbs, there is no use of throwing such 
 nice food as that away even if you don't want 
 it," chimed in another. 
 
 "Don't you know enough to stand up when a 
 toast is to be drunk ?"" queried a third. 
 
 "I I didn't quite understand," stammered 
 William Philander, and then with an effort he 
 extracted himself from the mess on his lap and 
 slowly arose to his feet. "My gracious ! I believe 
 I have utterly ruined this vest and trousers!" 
 he added mournfully, as he gazed down at the 
 light gray suit he wore. 
 
 "Oh, a little gasoline will fix that up all right," 
 said Spud. "Don't let a little thing like that in 
 terfere with your pleasure, Tubbs. Come on 
 here's another glass of grape juice. No use of 
 crying over spilt milk I mean juice," corrected 
 the youth. 
 
 "Tom Rover! Everybody up!" came the call, 
 and then amid a subdued murmuring of good 
 luck the boys stood around Tom and drank his 
 health. 
 
 "Thank you, fellows, very much," answered 
 Tom, and there was just a suspicion of huski- 
 ness in his voice.
 
 108 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Speech! Speech! Give us a speech!" came 
 from several. 
 
 "Speech? Great guns ! I never made a speech 
 in my life," announced Tom, and now for the 
 first time he looked a bit confused. 
 
 "Oh, you've got to say something, Tom," cried 
 Stanley. 
 
 "What shall I talk about earthquakes in In 
 dia, or the spots on Tubbs' pants ?" queried Tom, 
 with a grin. 
 
 "Never mind what you talk about so long as 
 you say something," came from Bob. 
 
 "All right then here goes !" announced Tom 
 after a little pause. "Catch this before it's too 
 late. I'm glad to be here, otherwise I wouldn't 
 be here. I'm glad you are here, otherwise you 
 wouldn't be here. I think Brill College is the 
 best college any fellow could ever go to, if that 
 hadn't been so I'd never have gone to Brill. 
 I'm sorry I couldn't stay here to graduate, but 
 I've left the honor to Sam here, and I trust he'll 
 get through and make a record for the whole 
 family. Boys, I thank you from the bottom of 
 my heart. And here's wishing you all success 
 at graduation and success through life," and thus 
 concluding his little speech, Tom took a gen 
 erous drink of ginger ale, while the others ap 
 plauded vigorousry.
 
 THE FEAST 109 
 
 "Very good !" cried Sam, but then added quick 
 ly : "For gracious sake ! don't make too much 
 noise or you'll have one of the monitors here and 
 we'll get some black marks." 
 
 "That's right, fellows," announced Stanley. 
 "After this we'll have to be as noisy as a mouse 
 in a cheese factory." 
 
 "Now that I have been called on to make a 
 speech," announced Tom, after quietness had been 
 restored, "I am going to call on Songbird for 
 one of his choice bits of poetry." 
 
 "Oh, now, Tom! please don't do that," plead 
 ed the would-be poet of Brill. "You know I'm 
 in no humor for writing poetry now." 
 
 "All the more reason why you should write 
 some," announced Sam. "Come on now. You 
 must have something tucked away in your system 
 I mean something brand new." 
 
 "Well er I've got something new, but I 
 hardly think it is appropriate for this occasion," 
 answered Songbird slowly. 
 
 "Never mind; give it to us no matter what it 
 is," cried one of the students. 
 
 "Let her nutter!" 
 
 "Poetry for mine !" 
 
 "Let her flow, Songbird !" 
 
 "That's right. Turn on the poetry spigot,
 
 HO THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Songbird ;" and thus urged the would-be poet of 
 Brill began : 
 
 "The world is black and I fed blue, 
 I do not know what I'm to do, 
 That fellow hit me in the head 
 And left me in the road for dead 
 I go around from hour to hour 
 And I am feeling mighty sour. 
 I am consumed with helpless woe " 
 
 "Because I lost that heard-earned dough," 
 
 completed Tom, rather suddenly, and this abrupt 
 ending caused a general laugh.
 
 TOM FREES HIS MIND 
 
 THE party in Number 25 did not break up 
 until some time after midnight, and all present 
 declared that they had had the time of their 
 lives. Only one interruption had come, made 
 by a good-natured monitor who had begged them 
 to make less noise, and this fellow, well known 
 to Tom, had been bought off with several sand 
 wiches and a bottle of ginger ale. 
 
 "And how do you fellows feel this morning?" 
 asked Tom, who was the first to get up after a 
 sound sleep. 
 
 "Oh, I'm first rate/' announced his younger 
 brother. "I thought I'd dream, with so much 
 chicken salad and sandwiches and cake in me, 
 but I slept like a log" 
 
 "I didn't sleep extra well/' came slowly from 
 Songbird. "But I don't think it was the feast 
 kept me awake." 
 
 Tom walked over to where the would-be poet 
 of Brill sat on the edge of a cot and dropped 
 down beside him. 
 
 in
 
 112 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Songbird, you take the loss of that money 
 too much to heart," he said kindly. "Of course 
 we all know it was a great loss. Yet it won't 
 do to grieve over it too much. And besides, there 
 is hope that some day the authorities will catch 
 that Blackie Crowden and get at least part of the 
 money back." 
 
 "It isn't the money alone, Tom; it is the way 
 Mr. Sanderson has treated me. And besides that, 
 I'm worried over that mortgage. I'd like to 
 know just what old Grisley and his lawyer are 
 going to do." 
 
 "I'll tell you what I'll do, Songbird. If you 
 wish me to, I'll call on Mr. Sanderson and tell 
 him what we are willing to do, so that he can 
 rest easy about paying the mortgage off if he 
 has to." 
 
 "I wish you would go, Tom and put in a 
 good word for me, too," cried Songbird, eagerly. 
 
 "Oh, I'll do that, never fear. I'll go this 
 morning before I start back to New York;" and 
 thus it was arranged. 
 
 "You said that you had something to tell me, 
 Tom," remarked Sam, as the three were going 
 downstairs to breakfast. "What was it?" 
 
 "Oh, it may not amount to much, Sam. I'll 
 tdl you about it as soon as we can get by our 
 selves," answered Tom.
 
 TOM FREES HIS MIND 113 
 
 The morning meal was quickly disposed of, 
 and then Tom and Sam returned to Number 25, 
 the former to repack his dress-suit case before 
 leaving for the Sandersons' place and for New 
 York. 
 
 "I don't exactly know how to get at this, 
 Sam," began his brother, slowly, when the pair 
 were in the bedroom and the door had been 
 closed. "It is about Grace and the Wal- 
 thams." 
 
 "About Grace ?" and Sam showed his increased 
 interest. "What about her ?" 
 
 "Well, as I mentioned last night, this Ada 
 Waltham is very rich, and she has a brother, 
 Chester, who is older than she is and much rich 
 er. In fact, I've heard it said that he is a young 
 millionaire." 
 
 "Well ?" queried Sam, as his brother paused. 
 
 "Oh, I really don't know how to get at this, 
 Sam," burst out Tom, and his face showed his 
 worry. "Maybe there is nothing in it at all ; but 
 just the same I thought I had better bring it 
 to you at once. I knew you would rather have 
 it come from me than from some outsider." 
 
 "But what in the world are you talking about, 
 Tom?" 
 
 "I'm talking about the attentions this Chester 
 Waltham is bestowing upon Grace. It seems
 
 114 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 that his sister, Ada, introduced him to Grace a 
 couple of months ago, and since that time I've 
 heard that he has been up to Hope several times, 
 ostensibly to call on his sister, but really to see 
 Grace. I understand he has taken both of them 
 out riding several times." 
 
 "Taken Grace out riding!" cried Sam, and 
 his face flushed suddenly. "Are you sure of this? 
 Grace never mentioned it to me." 
 
 "I think it's the truth, Sam. You see, ever 
 since Nellie left Hope she has kept correspond 
 ing with several of the girls there, and one of 
 these girls knows Ada Waftham quite well, and 
 she mentioned the fact of the sister and Grace 
 going out with Chester. She said that she quite 
 envied Grace being invited to ride out with a 
 young millionaire. Then Nellie spoke to Dora 
 about it, and Dora said she had heard practically 
 the same thing from anothe*" one of the sem 
 inary students. Now I don't like to butt in, Sam, 
 but at the same time I thought you ought to 
 know just how things were going." 
 
 "I don't understand it at all," returned the 
 younger brother, and for the moment he looked 
 rather helpless. "If Grace received an invitation 
 to go out with this Chester Waltham, I am quite 
 sure she would mention it to me." 
 
 "Perhaps she merely went as a companion of
 
 TOM FREES HIS MIND 115' 
 
 Ada's," suggested Tom, "and she might have 
 thought it wasn't necessary to mention it." 
 
 "Have you heard anything more than that, 
 Tom?" 
 
 "Not much, except that in one of the letters 
 this girl said that she would envy Grace all the 
 nice flowers and boxes of candy she might expect 
 from such a wealthy young man as Waltham. 
 Now, as I said before, Sam, it's none of my 
 business, but I just couldn't help coming out here 
 to put a flea in your ear. We Nellie and I 
 know just how you feel about Grace, and both 
 of us would like nothingi better than to have you 
 double up with her after you graduate." 
 
 "Thank you, Tom; it's fine for you to talk 
 that way, and it's fine to have Nellie on my side. 
 But I don't understand this at all. If Grace has 
 been going out with this Chester Waltham, why 
 hasn't she said something to me about it? She 
 has spoken to me about Ada a number of times, 
 but I never heard this Chester mentioned once." 
 
 "Well, I can't tell you any more than I have 
 told you," returned Tom. "If I were you, I'd 
 see Grace and find out just what this fellow has 
 been doing. You know a fellow who is worth 
 a million dollars is some catch for any girl." 
 
 "Yes, I know. It's a good deal more than 
 I'll be able to offer Grace."
 
 Il6 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "True, but money isn't everything in this life, 
 Sam. I didn't look for money when I married 
 Nellie, and I don't think she cared a rap how 
 much I was worth." 
 
 "That's the way it ought to be done " 
 
 "I always supposed that you and Grace had 
 some sort of an understanding between you," 
 went on Tom, after rather an awkward pause. 
 "Of course, Sam, you haven't got to say a word 
 about it if you don't want to," he added hastily. 
 
 "We did have some sort of an understanding, 
 Tom. But you know how it was with you and 
 Nellie Mrs. Laning wouldn't think of your be 
 coming publicly engaged until after you had left 
 college. She has told Grace that she will have 
 to wait. So she is free to do as she chooses." 
 
 There was but little more that could be said on 
 the subject, and so Tom turned to pack his suit 
 case while Sam got ready to attend one of his 
 classes. The youngest Rover heaved a heavy 
 sigh, which showed that he was more disturbed 
 than he cared to admit. 
 
 A little while later Tom had said good-bye to 
 his brother and to his numerous friends at Brill 
 and was on his way in a hired turnout to the 
 Sanderson homestead, which he had promised, 
 to visit before leaving on the train at Ashton 
 for New York City. Tom went on his errand
 
 TOM FREES HIS MIND 117 
 
 alone, none of the others being able to get away 
 from the college that morning. 
 
 The Sandersons had heard nothing about his 
 arrival at Brill and, consequently, were much sur 
 prised when he drove up. Minnie greeted him 
 with a warm smile, and even Mr. Sanderson, 
 considering his great loss, was quite cordial. 
 
 "Ain't comin' back to complete your eddica-* 
 tion, are you, Mr. Rover?" questioned the farm 
 er, with a slight show of humor. 
 
 "No, Mr. Sanderson. I'm through with Brill 
 so far as studying goes," answered the youth. "I 
 just took a run-out to see how Sam and the 
 others were getting along. They told me all 
 about your loss, and I'm mighty sorry that the 
 thing happened. Poor Songbird is all broke up 
 over it." 
 
 "Humph ! I reckon he ain't half as much broke 
 up as I am," retorted the farmer. "This has 
 placed me in a fine pickle." 
 
 "Now, Pa, please don't get excited again," 
 pleaded Minnie, whose face showed that she had 
 suffered as much, or more, as had her parent. 
 
 "Ain't no use to get excited now. The money 
 is gone, and I suppose that is the last of it. What 
 I'm worryin' about is how I'm goin' to settle 
 about that mortgage. Grisley at first said he 
 would put it off, but yesterday he sent word
 
 Il8 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 he was comin' here today with his lawyer to 
 settle things." 
 
 "And here they come now!" interrupted Min 
 nie, as she glanced out of a window. The others 
 looked and saw two men drive up the lane in a 
 cutter. They were old Henry Grisley, the man 
 who held the mortgage on the farm, and Belright 
 Fogg. The girl went to the door to let the visi 
 tors in. Old Henry Grisley paid scant attention 
 to Tom when the two were introduced to each 
 other. The lawyer looked at the visitor in some 
 astonishment. 
 
 "Huh! I didn't expect to see you here, Mr. 
 Rover," said Belright Fogg, coolly. "Are you 
 mixed up in this unfortunate affair?" 
 
 "I may be before we get through," answered 
 Tom. 
 
 "You weren't the young man who lost the 
 money ?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "I've got an account to settle with your 
 brother," went on Belright Fogg, rather mali 
 ciously. "He took great pleasure the other day 
 in hitting me in the head with a snowball, almost 
 knocking me senseless. I've had to have my head 
 treated by a doctor, and more than likely I'll sue 
 him for damages." 
 
 "I reckon you'll do what you can to make it
 
 TOM FREES HIS MIND 119 
 
 hot for him," returned Tom. "It's your way, 
 Mr. Fogg. But just let me give you a word of 
 advice you take care that you don't get your 
 fingers burnt." 
 
 "Ha! Is that a threat?" 
 
 "Oh, no. It is only a word of advice. Please 
 to remember that we know all about you, and 
 we won't stand any nonsense from you. If my 
 brother really hurt you, he'll be willing to do 
 the fair thing; but if you think you can gouge 
 him in any way, you've got another guess com- 
 ing." 
 
 "Looky!" came in a shrill voice from old 
 Henry Grisley. "I thought we come here fer my 
 money on that er mortgage," and from under 
 a pair of heavy gray eyebrows he looked search- 
 ingly into the faces of Mr. Sanderson and the 
 lawyer. 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Grisley, that's what we came for," 
 returned Belright Fogg, "and the sooner we 
 come to business perhaps the better." 
 
 "As I've told you before, the money is gone 
 stolen," said Mr. Sanderson. "I can't pay at 
 least not now, and I'd like an extension of 
 time." 
 
 "Mr. Grisley isn't inclined to grant any ex 
 tension," said Belright Fogg, somewhat pompous 
 ly. "The mortgage is too big for this place
 
 120 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 anyway, and he feels that he ought to have his 
 money." 
 
 "And if Mr. Sanderson can't pay, what then?" 
 questioned Tom, before the farmer could speak. 
 
 'Why, we'll have to foreclose and sell the 
 place," answered the lawyer, quickly. 
 
 "That's it ! That's it !" came shrilly from old 
 Henry Grisley. "I want my money every cent 
 of it. If I don't git it, I'm goin' to take the 
 farm," he added in tones which were almost tri 
 umphant. 
 
 "But see here " began Mr. Sanderson. 
 
 "Oh, Pa, don't let them sell the farm!" burst 
 out Minnie, and as she spoke the tears started 
 to her eyes. 
 
 "You won't sell the farm, Mr. Grisley," said 
 Tom, coolly. 
 
 "Why not, if the money isn't paid?" cried 
 the old man. 
 
 "The money will be paid every cent of it," 
 answered Tom.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 OLD GRISLEY COMES TO TERMS 
 
 ALL in the room looked at Tom in some sur 
 prise because of the plain way in which he had 
 spoken. 
 
 "Mr. Rover, you are sure of what you are 
 saying?" questioned Mr. Sanderson, quickly, in 
 a low voice. 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Sanderson, we'll take care of this 
 mortgage. Don't you worry a bit about it." 
 
 "Did you say you would pay off this mort 
 gage ?" demanded Belright Fogg, glaring at Tom. 
 
 "I didn't say I'd pay it off personally. But my 
 folks will take care of it." 
 
 "The money is due now has been due for 
 several days." 
 
 "Yes, sir, that's right!" came shrilly from 
 Henry Grisley. "And I want you to know that 
 I want the full amount with interest up to the 
 day when it is paid. I ain't goin' to lose nothin* 
 not a cent." 
 
 "Mr. Grisley, I have an offer to make to 
 
 121
 
 122 
 
 you," went on Tom iddressing himself dirt*ct- 
 ly to the old man ana utterly ignoring Belright 
 Fogg. "You don't know me, but let me say 
 that my father and my uncle are worth a good 
 deal of money. I am in business in New York 
 with my father, and our concern has a great 
 deal of money to invest. Now, if you will agree 
 to hold this mortgage for thirty days, I will 
 guarantee to have it paid in full at that time 
 with every cent of interest. And in addition 
 to that I will pay you twenty-five dollars for 
 your trouble and for your lawyer's fees." 
 
 "Hat What do you think I am? What do 
 you think I work for?" demanded Belright 
 Fogg, with a scowl. "My fee will be more than 
 twenty-five dollars in this case." 
 
 "What? What?" shrilled Henry Grisley, 
 turning his beadlike eyes on the lawyer. "Twen 
 ty-five dollars ? Not much f I'll give ye ten dol 
 lars and not a cent more." 
 
 "That's the way to talk, Mr. Grisley. You 
 give him ten dollars and you keep the fifteen 
 dollars for your own trouble," cried Tom. "So 
 far as I can see he hasn't done anything for you 
 excepting to come here to see Mr. Sanderson, 
 and certainly such a trip as this isn't worth more 
 than ten dollars." 
 
 "My services are worth a good deal more!"
 
 OLD GRISLEY COMES TO TERMS 123 
 
 exclaimed Belright Fogg. And thereupon ensued 
 a war of words between him and Henry Gris- 
 ley which lasted the best part of a quarter of 
 an hour. The lawyer saw the case slipping away 
 from him, and at last in deep disgust he said he 
 would have no more to do with the affair. 
 
 -'Don't want ye to ! Don't want ye to !" piped 
 out Henry Grisley. "Lawyers are a useless ex 
 pense anyway. I'll settle this case myself, and 
 for what you've done I won't pay more'n ten 
 dollars, jest remember it!" and he shook a long, 
 bony finger in Belright Fogg's face. 
 
 "I won't be insulted in this manner!" cried 
 the lawyer, and then in a dudgeon he stormed 
 from the, house, leaped into the cutter, and drove 
 away. 
 
 "A good riddance to him," murmured Mr. 
 Sanderson. But then he added hastily: "Was 
 that your horse, Grisley?" 
 
 "No, it wasn't," was the answer. "And how 
 I'm to git home now, I don't know," added the 
 old man, helplessly. 
 
 "Where do you live?" questioned Tom. 
 
 "The other side of Ashton, on the Millbury 
 road." 
 
 "All right, then, I'll take you there when I 
 go down to the depot," answered Tom. "That 
 is, if you want to ride with me,"
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "I want to know jest how we stand on this 
 mortgage question first," announced Henry 
 Grisley. "I want your offer down in black and 
 white." 
 
 "You shall have it, and the others can be wit 
 nesses to it," answered Tom, and in the course 
 of the next quarter of an hour a paper was 
 drawn up and duly signed by which Tom agreed 
 that the mortgage should be taken over by the 
 Rovers within the next thirty days, with all 
 back interest paid, and that Henry Grisley should 
 be paid a bonus of twenty-five dollars for his 
 trouble and for his lawyer's fees. To bind the 
 bargain Tom handed the old man a ten-dollar 
 bill on account, which Henry Grisley stowed 
 away in a leather wallet with great satisfaction, 
 
 "Oh, Tom! it's just splendid of you to help 
 us out in this manner!" said Minnie, after the 
 transaction had been concluded and while old 
 Grisley and Mr. Sanderson were talking to 
 gether. 
 
 "I'm glad to be of service to you," answered 
 ,the youth. "I only hope for your sake, and for 
 the sake of Songbird, that the money that was 
 stolen is recovered. Songbird is going to get 
 on the trail of that rascal if it is possible to 
 do so." 
 
 "I hope they do locate that fellow, Tom. If
 
 OLD GRISLEY COMES TO TERMS 125 
 
 they don't I'm afraid pa will never forgive poor 
 John." 
 
 "Oh, don't say that, Minnie. 'Never' is such 
 a long word it should not have been put in the 
 dictionary," and Tom smiled grimly. 
 
 Now that he felt fairly certain that he was to 
 get his money, Henry Grisley was in much bet 
 ter humor. 
 
 "I suppose I might as well have left that mort 
 gage as it was," he mumbled. "It was payin* 
 pretty good interest." 
 
 "Well, that was for you to decide, Grisley," 
 returned Mr. Sanderson. "Personally I don't 
 see how you are going to make any better in 
 vestment in these times." 
 
 "Well, I've got thirty days in which to make 
 up my mind, ain't I ?" queried the old man. "If 
 I don't want to close out the mortgage I ain't 
 got to, have I?" 
 
 "Certainly you've got to sell out, now that you 
 have bargained to do so," put in Tom. "You 
 can't expect us to pull our money out of another 
 investment to put it into this one and then not 
 get it." 
 
 "Hum! I didn't think o' that," mused old 
 Grisley. He thought hard for a moment, purs 
 ing up his lips and twisting his beadlike eyes 
 first one way and then another. "Suppostn* I
 
 126 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 was to say right now that I'd keep the mortgage ? 
 What would you do about it?" 
 
 "Do you really mean it, Grisley?" asked Mr. 
 ,' Sanderson, anxiously. 
 
 "Depends on what this young man says, San 
 derson. One thing is sure; I ain't goin' to give 
 up that ten dollars he give me and Fogg is got 
 to be paid somehow." 
 
 "Look here ! if you want to keep the mortgage 
 just say so," declared Tom. "It's a good mort 
 gage and pays good interest. You can't invest 
 your money around here to any better advan 
 tage." 
 
 "All right, then, I'll keep the mortgage," an* 
 nounced Henry Grisley. "But understand, 
 young man, I'm to keep that ten dollars you give 
 me too," he added shrewdly. 
 
 "Well, I don't see " began Tom, when 
 
 Mr. Sanderson interrupted him. 
 
 "All right, Grisley, you keep the ten- dollars, 
 and you settle with Fogg," announced the far 
 mer. "And it's understood that you are to make 
 jout the mortgage for at least one year longer." 
 
 "Can't ye give me more'n the ten dollars?" 
 asked Henry Grisley. "Mebbe I might have to 
 pay Fogg more'n that." 
 
 "Don't you pay him a cent more," said Tom. 
 "His services aren't worth it."
 
 OLD GRISLEY COMES TO TERMS 127 
 
 "I won't pay him nothin' if I can git out of 
 it," responded the old man, shrewdly. "If I 
 keep the mortgage, then what has he done for 
 me? Nothin'. Mebbe I'll give him half of the 
 ten dollars. I've had jest as much trouble as 
 he has." 
 
 Following this discussion the paper formerly 
 drawn up was destroyed and a note written out 
 and signed by Henry Grisley, in which the old 
 man agreed to renew the mortgage for one year 
 from the date on which it had been due. 
 
 "To tell ye the truth, I wouldn't have both 
 ered about this," explained old Grisley, in a 
 burst of confidence; "but, you see, Fogg knew 
 the mortgage was due and he come to me and 
 asked me what I was goin' to do about it. And 
 then when word come that your money had 
 been stolen, he told me that I'd better foreclose 
 or otherwise I might git next to nothin'." 
 
 "The underhanded rascal!" was Mr. Sander 
 son's comment. 
 
 "That's just what he is," answered Tom. 
 "You know we had a lot of trouble with him 
 last year and evidently we are not done wit! 
 him yet," he added, as he thought of what Bel- 
 right Fogg had said concerning the snowball 
 thrown by Sam. 
 
 Tom wanted to say a good word for Song-
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 bird, and the opportunity came when, a few min 
 utes later, and before their departure, Minnie 
 invited them to partake of some cake and hot 
 coffee. While Grisley sat down in the dining- 
 room, the youth talked to the farmer. 
 
 "Now, Mr. Sanderson, I have done what I 
 could for you," he said, coming at once to the 
 point; "and now I want to say a word or two 
 about poor Songbird. He feels awfully bad 
 over this matter, and he thinks that you are 
 doing him an injustice. And let me say I think 
 so too," and Tom looked the farmer squarely 
 in the eyes as he spoke. 
 
 "Yes, I know, Rover, but " 
 
 "Now, Mr. Sanderson, supposing you had 
 been in Songbird's place and had been knocked 
 down and nearly killed; what would you say if 
 you were treated as you are treating him? 
 Wouldn't you be apt to think that it was a pretty 
 mean piece of business?" 
 
 At these plain words the farmer flushed and 
 for the instant some angry words came to his 
 lips. But then he checked himself and turned 
 his eyes away. 
 
 "Maybe you are right, and maybe I was a 
 bit hasty with the lad," he said hesitatingly. 
 "But you see I was all worked up. It took me 
 a good many years to save that four thousand
 
 OLD GRISLEY COMES TO TERMS 129 
 
 dollars, and now that I am getting old it won't 
 be no easy matter for me to save that amount 
 over again." 
 
 "You won't have to save it over again, Mr. 
 Sanderson. Songbird insists upon it that just 
 as soon as he gets to work he's going to pay you 
 back dollar for dollar." 
 
 "Did he tell you that?" 
 
 "He did. And he told the others the same 
 thing. He'll make that loss up to you if it 
 takes him ten years to do it. I've known him 
 for a good many years now. We went to Put 
 nam Hall Military Academy together before we 
 came to Brill and I know he is a fellow who 
 always keeps his word. He's one of the best 
 friends we Rover boys have. He's a little bit 
 off on the subject of poetry, but otherwise he's 
 just as smart and sensible and true-blue as they 
 make 'em," went on Tom, enthusiastically. "And 
 not only that, he comes from a very nice fam 
 ily. They are not rich, but neither are they 
 poor, and they are good people to know and be 
 connected with," and Tom looked at the farmer 
 knowingly. 
 
 "I see, Rover." Mr. Sanderson drew a deep 
 breath, and then looked through the doorway to 
 where Minnie was pouring out the coffee. "If 
 I was too hasty I I am sorry."
 
 130 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "And you will let Songbird come here and 
 call on your daughter?" 
 
 "I I suppose so, if Minnie wants him to 
 come." 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Sanderson. I am sure you 
 won't regret your kindness," said Tom, and in 
 sisted upon grasping the farmer's hand and shak 
 ing it warmly. Then he went in to have some 
 cake and coffee before taking his departure with 
 old Grisley. 
 
 "So you are going back to New York, are 
 you, Tom?" said the girl while he was being 
 served. 
 
 "Yes, I am going to take the train this after 
 noon," he answered, and then continued : "I've 
 got a loose button here on my coat, Minnie. Will 
 you fasten it before I go?" 
 
 "Sure I will," she returned, and a few min 
 utes later led the way to a corner of the sitting- 
 room, where was located a sewing basket. 
 
 "I wasn't worrying much about losing the but 
 ton, Minnie," he whispered. "I wanted to tell 
 you about Songbird. I have just spoken to your 
 father about him, and he says he can come to 
 see you the same as he used to." 
 
 "Oh, Tom! did he really say that?" and Min 
 nie's eyes brightened greatly. 
 
 "Yes, he did. And as soon as I get to Ashton
 
 OLD GRISLEY COMES TO TERMS 131 
 
 I am going to send Songbird a telephone mes 
 sage to that effect," returned Tom. 
 
 ''Oh, Tom! will you?" and she looked at him 
 pleadingly. 
 
 "Surest thing you know, Minnie. And be 
 lieve me, Songbird, when he gets that news, will 
 be the happiest fellow in Brill." 
 
 "I don't think he'll be any happier than I'll 
 be," answered the girl; and then of a sudden 
 blushed deeply and finished sewing on the but 
 ton without another word. 
 
 Ten minutes later Tom bade the Sandersons 
 good-bye, and, accompanied by Henry Grisley, 
 drove away in the direction of Ashton. Old 
 Grisley was left at his home, and then Tom 
 took himself to the depot, where, from a tele 
 phone booth, he sent a message to Songbird 
 telling the would-be poet of Brill how it had 
 come about that Grisley had agreed to renew 
 the mortgage for one year, and how Mr. San 
 derson had said that Songbird could renew his 
 calls upon Minnie if he so desired. 
 
 "Tom, you're a wonder!" said Songbird over 
 the telephone, "you're a wonder, that's all I can 
 say!" 
 
 "Never mind what I am," returned the fun- 
 loving Rover, kindly; "you just see if you can 
 get on the trail of that fellow who stole the
 
 132 
 
 four thousand dollars, and at the same time you 
 get busy and make up for lost time with Min 
 nie. Good-bye!" and then he hung up the re 
 ceiver, and a few minutes later was on board 
 the train bound for the metropolis.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 SAM ON THE ROAD 
 
 ~f HE next few days were very busy ones for 
 Sam because he had a number of important 
 classes to attend, and he was hard at work finish 
 ing his theme on "Civilization in Ancient Cen 
 tral America." It was impossible to call on 
 Grace, and so he did nothing to find o#t the 
 truth about Chester Waltham because he did 
 not wish to ask the girl about this over the tele 
 phone, nor did he see his way clear to expressing 
 his thoughts on paper. 
 
 Sunday came and went, and Monday morning 
 brought a letter to the youngest Rover which 
 he read with much interest. It was from Bel- 
 right Fogg, a long-winded and formal commu 
 nication, in which the lawyer stated that he had 
 been under medical treatment because of being 
 hit in the head by a snowball thrown by Sam, 
 and he demanded fifty dollars damages. If the 
 same was not paid immediately, he stated that 
 he would begin suit. 
 
 J33
 
 134 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Anything wrong, Sam?" questioned Song 
 bird, who was present while Sam was reading 
 the letter. "You look pretty serious." 
 
 "Read it for yourself, Songbird," was the 
 reply, and Sam passed the communication over.. 
 
 "Well, of all the gall!" burst out the would-be' 
 poet of Brill. "Fifty dollars! Of course you 
 won't pay any such bill as this ?" 
 
 "Not so you can notice it," returned Sam, 
 sharply. "If he had sent me a bill for five dol 
 lars or less I might have let him have the money 
 just to shut him up. But fifty dollars! Why, 
 it's preposterous!" 
 
 "What do you propose to do?" 
 
 "I won't do anything just yet I want time 
 to think it over and to talk it over with some of 
 the others and, maybe, with Dr. Wallington." 
 
 When they heard of this demand for money 
 from the rascally lawyer, Stanley and Spud were 
 as angry as the others. 
 
 "I don't believe he's entitled to a cent," came 
 from Stanley. "We were having that snowball 
 ing contest on the college grounds, and while 
 the highway runs through that end of the 
 grounds, I believe Fogg passed through there at 
 his own peril, as a lawyer might put it. If I 
 were you, Sam, I'd put the whole case up to Dr. 
 Wallington, and I'd remind the doctor of your
 
 SAM ON THE ROAD 135 
 
 former trouble with Fogg, and let him know 
 just what sort of an underhanded rascal he is." 
 
 "All right, Stanley, I'll do it," answered Sam. 
 "I'll go to the doctor immediately after classes 
 this afternoon. Will you go along?" 
 
 "Of course, if you want me to." 
 
 Four o'clock found them at the door of the 
 doctor's study. He looked at them rather curi 
 ously as they entered. 
 
 "Well, young men, what can I do for you?" 
 he questioned pleasantly. 
 
 "I've got into some trouble over that sow- 
 balling contest," answered Sam; and, sitting 
 down, he gave the head of Brill the particulars 
 of the occurrence, and then produced the letter 
 received from Belright Fogg. 
 
 "Hum!" mused the worthy doctor, as he 
 knitted his eyebrows. He must have been pretty 
 badly hurt." 
 
 "I don't think he was hurt at all, Doctor," 
 interrupted Stanley. "I was present, and so 
 were a number of the other students. Mr. Fogg 
 had his hat knocked off, and that was about alL 
 He wasn't stunned or anything like that. He 
 talked to Sam just as rationally as I am talking 
 to you, and all those standing around heard him. 
 Of course, he was very angry, not only because 
 he had been hit but because the fellow who had
 
 136 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 thrown the snowball was Sam Rover. He, of 
 course, remembered how the Rovers foiled his 
 plot to do them out of what was coming to them 
 when their flying machine was wrecked on the 
 railroad, and also how they got the best of Fogg 
 and a company of brokers in New York City." 
 
 "Yes, yes, I remember about the wrecked fly 
 ing machine," returned Dr. Wallington. "I 
 know nothing about this affair in New York." 
 
 "Well, it was a very serious matter, and Fogg 
 came pretty close to going to prison," answered 
 Sam, and gave a few details, as already related 
 in the volume entitled "The Rover Boys in New 
 York." 
 
 "Very interesting, Rover, very interesting in 
 deed," murmured the head of Brill. "But even 
 that did not excuse your hitting this man in 
 the head with a snowball and hurting him." 
 
 "There is another point I would like to men 
 tion," said Stanley. "We were having the con 
 test on the college grounds, and Mr. Fogg was 
 struck on the roadway where it runs through our 
 grounds." 
 
 "Ah! I see. That might make a difference. 
 The highway is more or kss of a public one, it 
 is true, but it has never been turned over to the 
 county authorities, so it really forms a part 
 of our grounds still. But of one thing I wish
 
 SAM ON THE ROAD 137 
 
 to be sure, Rover did you aim at Mr. Fogg, or 
 was the snowballing unintentional ?" 
 
 "I didn't see him at all," answered Sam. 
 "Some of the fellows rushed behind the bushes 
 and I simply let drive along with a number of 
 others. Then Fogg appeared and claimed that 
 I had hit him in the head. I rather think he 
 tells the truth, although I am not positive." 
 
 "In that case he would have to prove that 
 you were guilty. Besides that, if it came to a 
 matter of law, he would have to prove actual 
 damages, and I do not see how he could claim 
 fifty dollars if he was not hurt more than you 
 say. If you wish, you can leave the whole mat 
 ter in my hands and I will have it investigated." 
 
 "Thank you very much, Doctor Wallington," 
 returned Sam, warmly. "This lifts a load off 
 my mind. Of course I will pay whatever you 
 settle on;" and so the matter was allowed to 
 rest. 
 
 A thaw had set in and the snow began to dis 
 appear rapidly from the roads and fields around 
 Brill. There was a good deal of slush, which 
 rendered some of the highways almost impassa 
 ble, so that it was not until a week later that 
 Sam had an opportunity to visit Hope. In the 
 meantime, however, he had sent a nice little note 
 to Grace in which no mention was made of the
 
 138 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Walthams. He had looked for an answer but 
 none had come. 
 
 "Where bound, Sam?" questioned Songbird, 
 when he saw his roommate getting ready to use 
 his automobile. 
 
 "I'm going for a run to Hope. Do you want to 
 come along?" and Sam's eye had a twinkle in it. 
 
 "You might run me around to the Sanderson 
 place. It won't take long in the auto," returned 
 the would-be poet. "If I can get there, I won't 
 mind walking back this evening. I've been want 
 ing to go for a long while, but the roads have 
 been so poor I couldn't make it." 
 
 "All right, Songbird, come ahead," was Sam's 
 answer; and a little later found the pair on the 
 road. 
 
 It did not take long to reach the Sanderson 
 farm, and as they entered the lane Sam tooted 
 his horn loudly. 
 
 "I've brought you a visitor, Minnie !" cried the 
 Rover boy, as he brought the machine to a stand 
 still. "Here is somebody I know you won't 
 want to see, but I'm going to leave him here 
 nevertheless," and he grinned broadly. 
 
 "Oh, John!" burst out the farmer's daughter, 
 and blushed deeply. She came forward and 
 shook hands with both youths. "I am -more 
 than glad to see you."
 
 SAM ON THE ROAD 139 
 
 "I am on my way to Hope, so I won't come in," 
 went on .Sam. "How is everything, Minnie?" 
 
 "Oh, about as usual," answered the girl, and 
 then went on: "Of course you know all about 
 what Tom did for us? It was splendid!" 
 
 "You haven't heard anything more regarding 
 the money?" 
 
 "Not a thing, Sam. I thought maybe you had 
 something to tell," and the girl turned from Sam 
 to Songbird. 
 
 "We have sent out the photographs and the 
 description of Blackie Crowden," answered the 
 latter. "They are going to the police in all the 
 large cities, so if Crowden turns up at all he'll 
 be arrested sooner or later." 
 
 After a few more words Sam left the San 
 derson place and headed directly for Hope. 
 
 Although he would not admit it even to him 
 self, the youngest Rover was a good deal wor 
 ried. What Tom had told him concerning Grace 
 and the Walthams had been continually in his 
 mind, and time and again he had wondered how 
 he should broach the subject to Grace and what' 
 the answer of the girl would be. 
 
 "Of course she's got a right to go out with 
 whom she pleases," he told himself. "But still 
 I thought well I thought it was all fixed be 
 tween us, that's all."
 
 140 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Sam was so occupied with his thoughts that 
 he paid scant attention to the running of the 
 automobile. As a consequence he went over a 
 ammber of sharp stones, and a minute later there 
 came a loud report from the rear of the machine. 
 
 "A blowout! Confound the luck!" he ex 
 claimed, as he brought the automobile to a stand 
 still. "And just when I was in a hurry to get 
 to Hope!" 
 
 There was nothing else to do, so, stripping 
 himself of his overcoat and donning a jumper, 
 Sam got out, taking with him some of the tools 
 from under the automobile seat. It was a tire 
 on one of the rear wheels which had blown 
 out, and this wheel he now jacked up for the 
 purpose of putting on a new shoe and inner tube. 
 As luck would have it, the tire that had been 
 cut fit very tightly, so that it was all the Rover 
 boy could do to get it off the rim. He tugged 
 and twisted, perspiring freely, but it was some 
 time before he could even get the injured shoe 
 started. 
 
 "If I can't get it off, what ever am I to do?" 
 he mused. "I must be at least half a mile from 
 even a telephone, and the nearest garage is at 
 Ashton. At this rate I'll never get to Hope." 
 
 He continued to work over the tire, at last 
 doing his best to pound it off with a bit of iron
 
 SAM ON THE ROAD 141 
 
 and a hammer. Then he gave a final wrench, 
 which brought the tire off so suddenly that Sam 
 was sent flat on his back in the dirt and slush 
 of the road. It was an occurrence to try any 
 body's patience, and Sam arose in anything but 
 a happy frame of mind. His back was covered 
 with mud, and a good deal of the slushy water 
 had penetrated to his skin. 
 
 "Ugh! of all the rank luck!" he muttered, as 
 he shook himself. "If I ever get this wheel 
 mended I'll be a fine sight to present myself at 
 a fashionable ladies' seminary. Why in the 
 world didn't I look where I was driving, instead 
 of rushing right over such a prime collection 
 of rough stones?" 
 
 But finding fault with himself did not mend 
 matters, and so, casting the cut tire aside, Sam 
 unstrapped one of the extra shoes he carried 
 and got out another inner tube. 
 
 As if everything was to go wrong that after 
 noon, the new shoe proved to be as small as 
 that which had been taken off, and as a conse 
 quence Sam had to work like a Trojan for the 
 best part of half an hour before he finally got 
 it into place. 
 
 "And now I've got to pump it up by hand," he 
 observed to himself, grimly, as he remembered 
 that the power pump which had been installed
 
 142 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 on the engine was out of order and could not 
 be used. Then he brought out the hand pump 
 and set to work to fill the new tire with air. 
 
 Sam had the tire about three-quarters pumped 
 up and was working away as vigorously as his 
 somewhat exhausted condition would permit 
 when he heard a honking of an automobile horn, 
 and the next moment a machine came in sight 
 around a turn of the highway. The car was a 
 large and powerful one of foreign make, and 
 was driven by a young man stylishly dressed, 
 in a full suit of furs, and wearing automobile 
 goggles. Behind him were two young ladies, also 
 wearing furs, and with veils covering their faces. 
 
 "Tough luck!" sang out the young man at 
 the wheel of the passing car, and he waved one 
 hand pleasantly towards Sam. 
 
 The youth had been bending over the hand 
 pump, but now, as the other automobile swept 
 by, he straightened up suddenly and stared with 
 open eyes after the vanishing turnout. He had 
 not recognized the young man who was run 
 ning the machine, but he had recognized the two 
 young ladies in the tonneau of the car. 
 I "Ada Waltham! And that was Grace with 
 her!" he murmured. "And if that's so, it must 
 have been Chester Waltham who was running the 
 car!"
 
 CHAPTER XIV! 
 
 DAYS OF WAITING 
 
 As SAM gazed after the vanishing automobile 
 a pang of bitterness swept through his heart. He 
 remembered all that his brother had told him 
 concerning Chester Waltham, and he also re 
 membered that Grace had never mentioned the 
 young millionaire. 
 
 "And she knew I was coming over to Hope 
 just as soon as the roads made it safe and pleas 
 ant for automobiling," he murmured to himself. 
 
 Neither of the young ladies in the tonneau of 
 the car had looked back, so it was more than 
 likely they had not recognized him as he was 
 bending over the hand pump, inflating the new 
 tire. 
 
 "But maybe she saw me after all and did not 
 want to let on," he thought dismally. "Maybe 
 she thought I wouldn't recognize her." 
 
 What to do next was a problem for the young 
 collegian. If Grace was not at the seminary he 
 had no desire to call there. He continued to 
 143
 
 144 THE R OVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 work over the tire, and soon it was properly 
 inflated, and he put away the tools he had used. 
 His face was a study, for he was doing some 
 hard thinking. 
 
 "Well, I'll go to Hope anyway, and if she 
 isn't there I'll leave my card, so she'll know 
 I called. Then Fll see what she has to say about 
 matters," he told himself; and setting his teeth 
 somewhat grimly he started up the automobile 
 and continued his trip. 
 
 At the door of the seminary he was met by a 
 maid, who brought him the information that 
 Miss Laning was out. Then several girls who 
 knew Sam came up, and one of them explained 
 that Grace had gone automobiling. 
 
 "She went with Ada Waltham and her brother, 
 Chester," explained the girl student. "You see, 
 Chester has a brand new foreign car a beauty 
 and he was very anxious to give his sister and 
 Grace a ride. We thought he might have asked 
 some of us to go along, but he didn't," and the 
 girl pouted slightly. 
 
 "You don't suppose they were going 1 to stop at 
 Brill?" questioned Sam, struck by a sudden 
 thought. 
 
 "I don't think so, Mr. Rover. Ada said some 
 thing about riding to Columbia and having din 
 ner there this evening. That, you know, is <juite
 
 DAYS OF WAITING 145 
 
 a distance, and the road doesn't run past your 
 college." 
 
 "Then I suppose they won't be back till late?" 
 
 "They had permission to stay out until ten 
 o'clock," put in another of the girls who werei 
 present 
 
 "Oh! I see." As the girls were looking at 
 him rather sharply, Sam felt his face begin to 
 burn. "Well, I hope they have a good time," 
 he added somewhat hastily. "Good-evening," 
 and then turned and walked quickly towards his 
 automobile; and in a minute more was on his 
 way back to Brill. 
 
 "I'll wager Grace Laning has got herself into 
 hot water," was the comment of one of the girls, 
 as they watched Sam's departure. "I don't be 
 lieve he likes it one bit that she went off with 
 the Walthams." 
 
 "Humph! You can't expect a girl to hang 
 back when she is asked to take a ride in a brand 
 new automobile, and with such millionaires as 
 Chester Waltham and his sister," broke in an 
 other girl. "I just wish I had the chance," she 
 added rather enviously. 
 
 In the meantime, Sam was driving along the 
 country road in rather a reckless fashion. His 
 mind was in a turmoil, and to think clearly just 
 then seemed to be out of the question.
 
 146 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Of course she has a right to go out and dine 
 with the Walthams if she wants to," he told 
 
 himself. "But at the same time " And 
 
 then there came up in his mind a hundred rea 
 sons why Grace should have refused the invi 
 tation and waited for him to call upon her. 
 
 "Hello! you are back early," remarked Spud, 
 when Sam appeared at Brill. "I thought you 
 were going to make an evening of it." 
 
 "I had some bad luck on the road," replied 
 Sam, rather sheepishly. "I had a blowout, and 
 in trying to get the tire off I slipped and went 
 flat on my back in the mud and slush," he con 
 tinued. 
 
 "Is that so? Well, that's too bad, Sam. So 
 you came home to get cleaned up, eh ? I thought 
 your girl thought so much of you that she 
 wouldn't care if you called even when you were 
 mussed up," and at this little joke Spud passed 
 on, much to the Rover boy's relief. 
 
 The only occupant of Number 25 who seemed 
 to be happy that night was Songbird, who came 
 in whistling gaily. 
 
 "Had a fine time with Minnie," he declared 
 "best time I ever had in my life. I tell you, Sam, 
 she's a wonderful girl." 
 
 "So she is, Songbird." 
 
 "Of course, you don't think she's half as won-
 
 DAYS OF WAITING 147 
 
 derful as Grace," went on the would-be poet of 
 Brill; "but, then, that's to be expected." 
 
 "How did Mr. Sanderson treat you?" broke 
 in Sam, hastily, to shift the subject. 
 
 "Oh, he treated me better than he did before." 
 Songbird's face sobered for a minute. "To be 
 sure he feels dreadfully sore over the loss of 
 that four thousand dollars. But I assured him 
 that I and the authorities were doing all in our 
 power to get the money back, and I also as 
 sured him that if it wasn't recovered I expected 
 to pay it back just as soon as I could earn it. 
 Of course he thinks I am talking through my 
 hat about earning such a big amount, but just 
 the same I am going to do it just as soon as I 
 graduate from Brill. I'd go to work to-morrow 
 instead of staying here if It wasn't that I had 
 promised my folks that I would graduate from 
 Brill, and as near the top of my class as I could 
 get. If I left now, my mother would be heart 
 broken." 
 
 "Of course your folks know about the loss, 
 .Songbird?" 
 
 "Yes. I wrote them the whole particulars 
 just as soon as I could, and I've let them know 
 what we are doing now." 
 
 "Do they blame you for the loss?" 
 
 "My father thinks I might have been a little
 
 148 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 more careful, but my mother says she thinks 
 it is Mr. Sanderson's fault that he let me get 
 such an amount of money in cash and carry it 
 on such a lonely road. But dad is all right, and 
 in his last letter he said he could let Mr. San 
 derson have a thousand dollars if that would 
 help matters out." 
 
 "Had Mr. Sanderson heard any more from 
 old Grisley, or Belright Fogg?" 
 
 "Yes. He saw Grisley and the old man said 
 the lawyer was boiling mad because he had 
 agreed to let the mortgage run for another year. 
 Fogg wouldn't accept the five dollars that old 
 Grisley offered him for his trouble, so then Gris 
 ley would give him nothing; and there the mat 
 ter stands." 
 
 "He'll get something out of Grisley if he pos 
 sibly can. My opinion is, since Fogg lost his 
 job with the railroad company, and made such 
 a fizzle of his doings in New York City, he is 
 in bad shape financially and eager to get his 
 hands on some money in any old way possible." 
 
 "Have you settled the snowball affair with 
 him yet?" 
 
 "No. I'm going to see Dr. Wellington about 
 it to-morrow," answered Sam. 
 
 The Rover boy had rather expected some sort 
 of a communication from Grace the next day,
 
 DAYS OF WAITING 149 
 
 and he was keenly disappointed when no letter 
 came and when she failed to call him up on the 
 telephone. Several times he felt on the point 
 of calling her up, but each time set his teeth 
 hard and put it off. 
 
 "It's up to her to say something not me," 
 he told himself. "She must know how I feel 
 over the affair." 
 
 When Sam called upon Dr. Wallington, the 
 head of Brill met him with rather an amused 
 smile. 
 
 "I suppose you want to see me in regard to 
 that daim of Mr. Fogg's," he said. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Well, I have had one of the professors call 
 on the lawyer and bind him down to just ex 
 actly what happened and how badly he was hurt. 
 It seems that he did not go to any doctor at all, 
 although he did see a friend of his, a Doctor 
 Slamper, on the street." 
 
 "Doctor Slamper!" cried Sam. "Oh, I re 
 member him. He's the fellow who came here 
 with Mr. Fogg at the time we put in our claim 
 for damages on account of the wrecked biplane." 
 
 "Ah, indeed! I remember," and Dr. Walling 
 ton nodded knowingly. 
 
 "And what does Mr. Fogg want us to do?" 
 questioned Sam.
 
 150 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "At first, as you know, he wanted fifty dollars. 
 Then he came down to twenty-five, and at last 
 to fifteen. Then we brought to his attention 
 the fact that the snowballing contest had taken 
 place on the college grounds, and that it was his 
 own fault that he had become mixed up in the 
 affair. This brought on quite an argument, but 
 in the end Mr. Fogg agreed to accept six dol 
 lars, which he said would pay for three con 
 sultations with Dr. Slamper at two dollars per 
 consultation," and the good doctor smiled rather 
 grimly. 
 
 "And did you pay the six dollars, Doctor?'* 
 
 "Not yet, Rover. I expected, however, to 
 send him a check for that amount to-morrow, 
 provided you are satisfied." 
 
 "I think I'll have to be, Dr. Wallington. I 
 suppose it's rather a cheap way out of the diffi 
 culty, although as a matter of fact I don't be 
 lieve he is entitled to a cent." 
 
 "You may be right, Rover. But six dollars, 
 I take it, is not so very large a price to pay for 
 so much fun I mean, of course, the fun of the 
 snowballing contest in which, so they tell me, 
 you were the one to capture the banners of the 
 opposition." 
 
 "You're right, sir. And I'm satisfied, and 
 you can place the amount on my bill," answered
 
 DAYS OF WAITING 151 
 
 Sam; and then he bowed himself out of the doc 
 tor's office. 
 
 Another day passed, and still there came no 
 word to Sam from Hope. He was very much 
 worried, but did his best not to show it. 
 
 "Call for all baseball candidates at the gym 
 to-morrow afternoon!" announced Bob, during 
 the lunch hour. 
 
 "I don't think I want to go in for baseball 
 this spring," returned Sam. 
 
 "I heard something of that from some of 
 the other fellows, Sam," interrupted Bob. "It 
 won't do. We need you and we are bound to 
 have you." 
 
 The roads were now drying up rapidly, and 
 that afternoon Spud asked Sam if he did not 
 want to walk to Ashton. 
 
 "I've got a few things I want to get at the 
 stores," said Spud. "Come along, the hike on 
 the road will do you good." 
 
 "All right, Spud, I'll go along, for I am tired 
 of writing themes and studying," answered Sam. 
 But it was not his theme and his lessons that 
 worried the boy. Thinking about Grace, and 
 waiting continually for some sort of word from 
 her, had given him not only a heart ache but 
 a headache as well. 
 
 When the boys arrived at Ashton '.hey sep-
 
 152 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 arated for a short while, Spud to get fitted with 
 a new pair of shoes while Sam went to another 
 place in quest of a new cap. The Rover boy 
 had just made his purchase, and was leaving 
 the store to rejoin Spud when he heard some 
 one call his name, and looking around saw Andy 
 Royce approaching. 
 
 "I just thought I'd ask you if you had heard 
 anything about that Blackie Crowden yet," re 
 marked the gardener from Hope, as he ap 
 proached. 
 
 "Not yet, Royce. But they have sent out a 
 good description of him, along with copies of 
 his photograph, so the authorities think they will 
 get him sooner or later." 
 
 "I've heard something that maybe you would 
 like to know," went on Andy Royce. "I've heard 
 that Crowden was over at Leadenfield, to a small 
 roadhouse kept by a man named Bissette, a 
 Frenchman." 
 
 "When was this?" demanded Sam, with in 
 terest. 
 
 "Either the day of the assault or the day 
 after. Bissette didn't seem to know exactly. I 
 happened to be there buying some potatoes for 
 the seminary you see Bissette is a kind of agent 
 for some farmers of that neighborhood. I men 
 tioned the robbery to him and spoke about the
 
 DAYS OF WAITING 153 
 
 suspicion about Crowden, and he was very much 
 surprised. He said Crowden was there for a 
 couple of hours using the telephone, and then 
 he left the place when somebody drove up in 
 a cutter." 
 
 "Do you mean that Crowden went off with 
 the other person in the cutter?" 
 
 "Bissette thinks so, although he ain't sure, 
 because as soon as Crowden went out, Bissette 
 turned to do some work inside and forgot all 
 about him." 
 
 "Did Bissette have any idea who the man in 
 the cutter was?" 
 
 "He wasn't sure about that either, but he kind 
 of thought it was a lawyer who used to work 
 for the railroad company a man named Fogg/'
 
 BASEBALL TALK 
 
 "FOGG!" cried Sam, in astonishment. "Do 
 you mean Belright Fogg?" 
 
 "That's the man the fellow who used to do 
 the legal work for the railroad here." 
 
 "Was this Bissette sure it was Fogg?" 
 
 "No, he wasn't sure, because he didn't pay 
 very much attention. But he said if it wasn't 
 this Fogg, it was some one who looked very 
 much like him," answered Andy Royce. 
 
 This was all he could tell Sam of importance, 
 and the Rover boy went off, to rejoin his chum 
 in a very thoughtful mood. 
 
 "That's rather a queer state of affairs," was 
 Spud's comment, when told of the matter. "If 
 Fogg met this Blackie Crowden, what do you 
 suppose it was for?" 
 
 "I haven't the least idea, Spud." 
 
 "Do you think he was mixed up in this rob 
 bery?" 
 
 "No, I can't say that. The assault was com-
 
 BASEBALL TALK 155 
 
 mitted by one man, and so far they haven't 
 been able to find any accomplices." 
 
 When Sam returned to Brill he at once sought 
 out Songbird and told him of what he had heard. 
 The would-be poet of Brill was even more sur 
 prised than Spud had been. 
 
 "I wouldn't put it above Belright Fogg to 
 be in with a rascal like Blackie Crowden," was 
 Songbird's comment. "He did his best against 
 you in that flying machine affair and in that af 
 fair in New York City." 
 
 "I've got an idea," said Sam, after a slight 
 pause. "I sm tc pay him six dollars' damages 
 for hitting him in the head with that snowball. 
 Doctor Wallington was going to send him a 
 check. I've got a good notion to ask the doctor 
 to let me pay the bill and get Fogg's receipt for 
 it. That will give me a chance to pump him 
 about this matter." 
 
 "Do it, Sam! And I'll go along," burst ont 
 his chum, quickly. "If this Belright Fogg knows 
 Blackie Crowden I want to know it." 
 
 Permission was readily granted by the head 
 of Brill to Sam to pay the bill, and that evening 1 
 the Rover boy and Songbird took the former's 
 automobile and rode over to where Belright 
 Fogg boarded, on the outskirts of Ashton. They 
 found the lawyer just preparing to go out, and
 
 156 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 he showed that he was very much surprised to 
 see them. 
 
 "I suppose you are here to pay that bill you 
 owe me," he said stiffly to Sam. 
 
 "I am, Mr. Fogg," was the answer. "I believe 
 you agreed to accept six dollars. If you will 
 make out a receipt for the amount I will give 
 you Doctor Wellington's check." 
 
 "Humph! isn't the check receipt enough?" de 
 manded the lawyer. 
 
 "Perhaps. But I would prefer to have a re 
 ceipt showing exactly what the money is being 
 paid for," answered Sam. "As a lawyer you 
 must know it is best to have these things 
 straight." 
 
 "Oh, very well. Come in and I'll write out 
 your receipt for you," announced Belright Fogg, 
 coldly, and ushered the pair into a sitting-room. 
 
 Sam had asked Songbird to say nothing about 
 Blackie Crowden until the matter of the snow 
 ball injury was settled. A receipt for the money 
 was quickly penned by Belright Fogg. 
 
 "There, I presume that will be satisfactory," 
 he said, as he showed it to Sam. 
 
 "That's all right, Mr. Fogg," was the answer. 
 "And here is your check." Sam paused for a 
 moment while the lawyer looked the check over. 
 "By the way, Mr. Fogg, I understand you were
 
 BASEBALL TALK 157 
 
 in Leadenfield a few days ago at the tavrn 
 kept by Bissette." 
 
 "What's that ?" shot out the lawyer, somewhat 
 startled. 
 
 "I said that I understood that you were in 
 Leadenfield a few days ago at the tavern kept 
 by Bissette." 
 
 "And that you met a man there named Blackie 
 Crowden," broke in Songbird, quickly. 
 
 "I I was in Leadenfield some days ago on 
 business," answered Belright Fogg, hesitatingly, 
 "but I wasn't at the Bissette place, or anywhere 
 near it." 
 
 "But you met a man named Blackie Crow- 
 den?" queried Sam. 
 
 The lawyer glared at the Rover boy and also 
 at Songbird. 
 
 "Blackie Crowden? I don't know such an 
 individual at least, not by name." 
 
 "He is a fellow who used to work in Hoover's 
 livery stable in Center Haven a man who stut 
 ters greatly." 
 
 "Don't know the fellow," was the prompt re 
 sponse. 
 
 "You mean to say you didn't meet Blackie 
 Crowden at Bissette's?" cried Songbird. 
 
 "Look here, young man, what are you driving 1 
 at ?" stormed Belright Fogg, in a sudden temper.
 
 158 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "You've no right to question me in this manner. 
 What is it all about?" 
 
 "We have it on good authority that you met 
 this man, Blackie Crowden, outside of Bissette's 
 place," answered Sam, stoutly. 
 
 "Who is this man you mention?" 
 
 "Being a lawyer and interested in public af 
 fairs, you ought to know that, Mr. Fogg," an 
 swered Songbird. "He is the man who, we 
 think, knocked me down and robbed me of Mr. 
 Sanderson's four thousand dollars." 
 
 "Ah! I I remember now. And so you are 
 trying to connect me up with that rascal, are 
 you? What do you mean by that?" 
 
 "Never mind what we mean," declared the 
 would-be poet of Brill, stoutly. "I want to get 
 at the facts in this matter. If you say you didn't 
 meet Crowden, all right, we'll let it go at that. 
 But there are others who say you did meet 
 him." 
 
 "It's false absolutely false !" roared Fogg, but 
 as he spoke his face paled greatly. "I I don't 
 ,know this fellow, Crowden never met him in, 
 my life. This is all a put-up job on your part 
 to make trouble for me," and he glared savagely 
 at both Songbird and Sam. 
 
 "It's no put-up job, Mr. Fogg. We intend to 
 get at the bottom of this sooner or later," an-
 
 BASEBALL TALK 159 
 
 swered Sam, as calmly as he could. "Come on, 
 Songbird." 
 
 "See here ! you're not going to leave this house 
 until I know just what you are driving at," 
 roared the lawyer. "I won't have you besmirch 
 ing my fair name!" 
 
 "Your fair name!" returned Sam, sarcasti 
 cally. "There is no necessity for you to talk that 
 way, Mr. Fogg. I know you thoroughly. It" 
 you want to rake up the past you can do it, but 
 I advise you not to do so." 
 
 "I I " began the lawyer, and then 
 
 stopped, not knowing how to proceed. 
 
 "We might as well go," broke in Songbird. 
 "But perhaps, Mr. Fogg, you haven't heard the 
 end of this," added the would-be poet of Brill; 
 and though the lawyer continued to storm and 
 argue, the two chums left the house and were 
 soon on the return to Brill. 
 
 "I'm afraid we didn't gain anything by that 
 move," was Sam's comment, as they rode along. 
 "He'll be on his guard now, and that will make 
 it harder than ever to connect him with this 
 affair provided he really is mixed up in it." 
 
 "He acted pretty startled when we put it up 
 to him," returned Songbird. He heaved a deep 
 sigh. "Well, maybe some day this matter will 
 be cleared up, but it doesn't look like it now."
 
 160 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Several days passed, and Sam stuck to his les 
 sons as hard as ever. Once or twice he thought 
 of calling up Grace at Hope or of writing her 
 a note, but each time he put it off, why, he could 
 not exactly explain even to himself. But then 
 came a rift in the clouds and the sun shone as 
 brightly as ever. A note came from Grace, which 
 he read with much satisfaction. A part of the 
 communication ran as follows: 
 
 "I was thinking all manner of mean things 
 about you because you did not answer my note 
 of last week, when what do you think? The 
 note came back to me, brought in by one of the 
 smaller girls here, Jessie Brown. Jessie was 
 going to town that day, and I gave her the note 
 to post and she put it in the pocket of her coat, 
 along with several other letters, so she says. Well, 
 the pocket had a hole in it, and, as you might 
 know, my own particular letter had to slip 
 through that hole into the lining of the coat. 
 The rest of the letters were mailed, but my let 
 ter remained in the lining until this morning, 
 when Jessie came to me with tears in her eyes 
 to tell of what had happened. I felt pretty angry 
 over it, but glad to know that you were not 
 guilty of having received the note and then not 
 answering it.
 
 BASEBALL TALK l6l 
 
 "In the note I told you how sorry I was to 
 find that you had called here while I was away. 
 You see, Ada Waltham's brother, Chester, came 
 on in his new automobile a big foreign affair, 
 very splendid. He wanted to give Ada a ride, 
 and invited me to go along, so I went, and we 
 had a very nice time. Chester is an expert 
 auto driver, and the way we flew along over the 
 roads was certainly marvelous. He insisted upon 
 it that we dine with him. And, oh, Sam I such 
 a spread as it was! 
 
 "You know he is a millionaire in his own right 
 (Ada has a great lot of money too). We cer 
 tainly had one grand time, and I shall never 
 forget it. He got a beautiful bouquet for the 
 table, and also bouquets for Ada and me to take 
 home, along with boxes of the most beautiful 
 chocolates I ever ate. But just the same, I am 
 awfully sorry I wasn't at the seminary when 
 you called, and I don't understand why you 
 haven't been up since, or why you didn't tele 
 phone to me. 
 
 "One of the girls here says they are orgaatzing 1 
 the Brill baseball nine for the coming season, 
 and that they want you to play as you cfid last 
 year. If you do join the nine, I hope you have 
 the same success or more. And you can rest 
 assured that I will be on the grandstand to offer
 
 162 THE ROVER BOYS ON 'A TOUR 
 
 yon all the encouragement possible. I hope that 
 Dick and Tom come on to see the game and 
 bring Dora and Nellie along, and then we can 
 ihave the nicest kind of a jolly party. Ada Wal- 
 tham, as you may know, loves baseball games 
 too, and she says that she is going to have Ches 
 ter here at that time to take her over to Brill, 
 unless somebody else turns up to accompany 
 her." 
 
 "All right, as far as it goes," mused Sam, on 
 reading this note. "But I wish Chester Waltham 
 would stay away. Of course I can't blame Grace 
 for liking a ride in a big, foreign car and being 
 invited out to such a first-class spread as she 
 mentions, but, just the same, I wish she wouldn't 
 go with him." 
 
 However, the communication brightened his 
 thoughts considerably, and it was only a little 
 while later when he talked to the girl over the 
 telephone and made an arrangement for a ride 
 in the automobile on the following Saturday 
 afternoon, Songbird and Minnie to accompany 
 them. 
 
 The four went off to Center Haven, where 
 iSam spread himself on a dinner which was cer 
 tainly all that could be desired. Grace was in 
 one of her most winning moods, and when the
 
 BASEBALL TALK 163 
 
 young couple parted the cloud that had hovered 
 over them seemed to be completely dispelled. 
 
 As winter waned and the grass on the cam 
 pus took on a greener hue, baseball matters came 
 once more to the fore at Brill. Bob Grimes, 
 who played at shortstop, was again the captain 
 of the team, and it was generally understood 
 that Spud Jackson would again occupy the posi 
 tion of catcher. 
 
 "We're going to miss Tom Rover a good deal 
 this year," said Bob to some of the others. Dur 
 ing the year past Tom had been the candidate 
 for head twirler against both Bill Harney and 
 Dare Phelps and had shown that he was the 
 superior of both of the others. 
 
 "Well, you haven't got Tom Rover, so you've 
 got to make the best of it," answered Stanley. 
 "Phelps has been doing pretty well, I understand, 
 so you might as well give him a chance." 
 
 "Yes, I thought I'd do that," answered the 
 team captain. "Harney isn't in it at all, and 
 doesn't want even to try. I'll give Phelps a 
 chance and also Jack Dudley." Dudley was a 
 sophomore whose swift pitching had become the 
 general talk of the college. He, however, was 
 rather erratic, and liable to go to pieces in a 
 crisis. 
 
 As my old readers know, Sam had joined the
 
 164 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 team the year before only after considerable 
 coaxing, and then merely as a substitute. Dur 
 ing the middle of the great game he had been 
 assigned to left field in place of a player who 
 had twisted his foot. In that position he had 
 caught a fly in a thoroughly marvelous manner, 
 and he had also managed, when at the bat, to 
 bring in a home run. 
 
 "We've simply got to have you on the team, 
 Sam," said the captain, a little later, when he 
 caught the Rover boy in one of the corridors. 
 "Your hanging back this year is rather hurting 
 our chances of winning." 
 
 "But, Bob, I want to pay attention to my les 
 sons," pleaded Sam. "I can't afford to get be 
 hind." 
 
 "You'll not get behind," was the answer. 
 "Aren't we all striving to graduate? You ought 
 to be willing to do as much as Spud and myself." 
 
 "All right, then, Bob, if you are going to put 
 it that way," was the answer, and thereupon Sam 
 allowed his name to go on the list of prospective 
 players and at once began training. 
 
 After that matters moved along swiftly. The 
 committee from Brill met with the committee 
 from Roxley and arrangements were perfected 
 for the coming game. As the contest had taken 
 place the year previous at Roxley, it was, of
 
 BASEBALL TALK 165 
 
 course, decided that the game this year should 
 be played at Brill. Then men were set at work 
 to place the diamond in the best possible shape 
 for the contest, and the grandstand was repaired, 
 and a new set of bleachers put up to accommo 
 date a larger crowd than ever. 
 
 "This is a baseball year," announced Bob 
 Grimes, "so we can expect a big rush of visi 
 tors." The nine had already won three games of 
 minor importance. 
 
 "They tell me Roxley has got the best team 
 it ever put in the field," announced Stanley one 
 day, after he had been over to the other insti 
 tution. "They've got three dandy pitchers, and 
 two outfielders who are crackerjacks at batting. 
 One of their men told me that they expected 
 to walk all over us." 
 
 "Well, we'll see about that," returned Bob 
 Grimes. "We've got a good team of our own, 
 and I know every one of us will try to play his 
 head off to win."
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME 
 
 THE day for the great baseball game between 
 Brill and Roxley dawned clear and bright. Sam 
 had received word that both of his brothers 
 with their wives would be on, reaching Ashton 
 early in the morning. He drove down to the 
 depot in his automobile to meet the newcomers. 
 
 When the train rolled into the station Dick 
 Rover, as tall and handsome as ever, was the 
 first to alight, quickly followed by his wife, 
 Dora. Then came Tom and Nellie. 
 
 "Hello, Sam, my boy!" exclaimed Dick, as he 
 strode up and shook hands, quickly followed by 
 his wife. "How are you these days? But it is 
 needless to ask, for you look the picture of 
 health." 
 
 "Oh, I'm feeling fine," answered Sam, smiling 
 broadly. 
 
 "Ready to play winning baseball, I presume," 
 came from Dora, as she gave him a warm smile. 
 
 "Surest thing you know, Dora," he answered. 
 "Oh, we've got to win from Roxley to-day!" 
 166
 
 THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME 167 
 
 "Yes, but you haven't got me to pitch for 
 you to-day, Sam," broke in Tom, as he came up 
 and shook hands. "Who is going to do the 
 'twirling for Brill?" 
 
 "They are going to try Dare Phelps first, and 
 if he can't make it, they will try Jack Dudley, 
 one of the sophs." 
 
 "Oh, yes, I remember Dudley when he was 
 a freshman," answered Tom. "Pretty clever fel 
 low, too." 
 
 "How is it you didn't bring Grace with yon, 
 Sam?" questioned Nellie, as she took his hand. 
 
 "I'm to take you two girls up to Hope after 
 I leave Tom and Dick at Brill," explained th* 
 youngest Rover. "Then we are to get all of yon 
 girls directly after lunch. Grace wanted it tha* 
 way." 
 
 "My! but this is a touch of old times," re 
 marked Dick, as he climbed into the automobile- 
 "Let me take the wheel, Sam." 
 
 "Certainly, if you want to," was the quick 
 reply, and a few minutes later, with the oldest 
 Rover running the machine, the whole party sef 
 off for Brill. 
 
 "How are matters going in New York, Dick ?'* 
 questioned Sam, while they rode along. 
 
 "We are doing quite well, Sam. Of course, 
 we are having a little difficulty in certab &
 
 168 THE 'ROVER BOYS ON. 'A TOUR 
 
 rections, but that is to be expected. You must 
 remember in Wall Street the rivalries are very 
 keen. I suppose some of our competitors would 
 like to put us out of business." 
 
 "What about that tour Tom mentioned?" 
 
 "I think we can make it, Sam. I'll know more 
 about it a little later. There is no hurry, you 
 know, because you've got to graduate first," and 
 Dick smiled knowingly at his brother. 
 
 Songbird and some of the other collegians 
 were waiting to welcome Dick and Tom, and as 
 soon as they had left the automobile Sam con 
 tinued on the way to Hope. 
 
 "Oh ! I'm so glad to see you !" cried Grace, as 
 she rushed out and kissed her sister and her 
 cousin. "Come right in. We are going to have 
 a special lunch in your honor. Sam, I'm sorry 
 I can't invite you, but you know what the rules 
 are." 
 
 "Never mind. Tom will be on hand at one- 
 thirty promptly," answered the youth. "I hope 
 you'll all be ready, for we can't delay, you 
 know." 
 
 "We'll be ready, don't fear," answered Grace. 
 
 When Sam returned to Brill he found a crowd 
 of the seniors surrounding his brothers, telling 
 them of the many things that had happened in 
 and around the college since they had left.
 
 THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME 169 
 
 "It's a jolly shame we can't have you in the 
 box to-day, Tom," said Bob Grimes. "I'm afraid 
 we'll need you sorely," he added rather anxiously, 
 j "Why don't you put William Philander Tubbs 
 in?" suggested Tom, with a grin. "Don't you 
 remember what a famous ball player he was?" 
 And then there was a general laugh, at the recol 
 lection of a joke that had once been played on 
 the dudish college student. 
 
 The air was filled with talk of the coming 
 game, and but scant attention was paid to the 
 lunch provided for the collegians and their 
 guests. As soon as the meal was over, Tom took 
 the Rover's automobile and started for Hope to 
 bring Grace and the others. When he arrived 
 there he found his wife, Dora and Grace talk 
 ing to Ada Waltham and her brother Chester, 
 to whom he was introduced. 
 
 "We are going over to the game," announced 
 Chester Waltham. "Ada and I are going to take 
 half a dozen of the young ladies." 
 
 "Fine!" returned Tom. "The more the mer- 
 , rier! Don't forget to tell the girls to whoop 
 (her up for Brill." 
 
 "I think the most of them will do that," said 
 Ada Waltham ; "although one or two of them are 
 Roxley sympathizers." 
 
 "Well, Brill can't have everything its own
 
 170 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 way," answered Tom. A few minutes later he 
 was on the return with Grace, Nellie and Dora. 
 
 When he arrived he found Sam awaiting 
 them, and all walked down to the grandstand, 
 where seats had been provided for the party., 
 Grace and the others had just been made com 
 fortable when Chester Waltham arrived with his 
 sister and a number of others. The young mil 
 lionaire came forward with a broad smile and 
 was quickly introduced, and he lost no time in 
 seating his sister next to Grace, while he sat di 
 rectly behind the pair, with all the other girls 
 he had brought close by. This arrangement 
 did not altogether suit Sam, and he hurried off 
 to the dressing-room to get into his baseball uni 
 form in rather a doubtful frame of mind. 
 
 A little later there was a grand shouting at 
 the entrance to the field, and into sight came a 
 large automobile truck containing a drum and 
 fife corps and carrying a large Roxley banner. 
 The truck was followed by a dozen or more au 
 tomobiles containing the Roxley team and their 
 fellow-students. The students had tin horns and 
 wooden rattles. 
 
 "Zip! Hurrah! Roxley!" was the cry, and 
 then followed a great noise from the horns and' 
 rattles. 
 
 "Brill ! Brill ! Brill !" was the counter cry, and
 
 THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME 171 
 
 then the furious din was taken up by the other 
 side. 
 
 After that the grandstand filled up rapidly 
 and so did the bleachers, until there was not an 
 available seat remaining. In the meanwhile, a 
 parking place for automobiles and carriages at 
 the far end of the field was also well patronized. 
 
 "Some crowd, and no mistake!" was Stan 
 ley's comment, as he looked at the masses of hu 
 manity waving flags and banners and tooting 
 their horns and using various other devices for 
 making noise. "This is by far the biggest crowd 
 we have ever had." 
 
 "Roxley has sent word all around that they 
 are going to bury us this year," returned another 
 student standing by. "They claim they have a 
 team that can't be beaten." 
 
 Down in the dressing-room Bob was giving 
 some final instructions to his men. 
 
 "I want you to play from the word 'go/ " he 
 said. "Sometimes a game is lost or won in the 
 first inning. Don't let them get any kind of a 
 lead if you can possibly help it." 
 
 It had been decided almost at the last min 
 ute that instead of covering left field Sam should 
 cover third base. There was a big cheer for 
 the Roxley team when it made its appearance 
 on the field, and another cheer when the Brill
 
 1 72 THE ROVER BOYS ON 'A TOUR 
 
 nine showed itself. Then came the toss-up, and 
 it was decided that Brill should go to the bat 
 first. 
 
 The first man to the bat was a tall fellow who 
 'played center field, and as he came f orward many 
 of the Brill sympathizers cheered him lustily. 
 
 "Now show 'em what you can doT 
 
 "Knock it over the back fence !" 
 
 The ball came in and the batter swung for it 
 and missed it. 
 
 "Strike one!" 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Muggs !" 
 
 Again the ball came in, and this time there was 
 a foul tip. 
 
 "Foul! Strike two!" 
 
 Following this second strike came two balls, 
 over which the Brill contingent cheered. Then 
 came a swift inshoot, which the batter missed by 
 the fraction of an inch. 
 
 "Strike three! Batter out!" sang out the um 
 pire. 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Muggs!" came the 
 yell from the Roxley cohorts, and there followed 
 a din of horns and rattles. 
 
 The second man up for Brill managed to get 
 to first, but the next one went out on a pop fly, 
 and then the man on first was caught trying to 
 steal to second.
 
 THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME 173 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Roxley! Keep it 
 tip!" And as a goose egg was put up for Brill 
 on the score board the opponents cheered as wiki- 
 ly as ever. 
 
 But if Roxley had hoped to score in that first 
 inning, her expectations were doomed to disap 
 pointment. The first man up went out on a pop 
 fly, the second on a foul, and although the third 
 managed to reach second base on what should 
 have really been a one-base hit, the fourth man 
 up knocked an easy one to first which ended their 
 hopes. 
 
 It was not until the second inning that Sam 
 came to the bat. There were two men out when 
 he grasped the ashen stick and took his stand be 
 side the home plate. He had a strike and two 
 balls called* on him, and then sent a clean hit 
 between first and second bases. 
 
 "Run, Sam, run!" yelled Dick. 
 
 "Leg it, old man, leg it !" added Tom, and the 
 youngest Rover certainly did speed for first, ar 
 riving there just a second before the ball. 
 
 "Oh, if only he can get in!" cried Grace, clap 
 ping her hands. 
 
 "It's a long way around to home plate," put 
 in Chester Waltham. "He's got to have help to 
 do it" 
 
 A moment later the next man to the bat
 
 174 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 knocked an easy fly to second and that ended the 
 chances for Sam's scoring, and another goose 
 egg went up for Brill on the score board. 
 
 In the end of the second inning Roxley was 
 fortunate enough to open the play with a neat 
 drive which brought the batter to second. Then 
 came another one-base hit, and amid a wild yell 
 ing the runner from second slid in over the home 
 plate. 
 
 "Hurrah I Hurrah! A run for Roxley!" 
 
 "That's the way to do it ! Keep it up ! Snow 
 Brill under!" 
 
 Bob Grimes walked up to Dare Phelps, who 
 was occupying the pitcher's box. 
 
 "Take it easy, Dare," he pleaded. "Don't let 
 'em rattle you." 
 
 "They are not going to rattle me," responded 
 Dare Phelps, and pitched the next batter out in 
 one-two-three order. In the meantime, however, 
 the man on first managed to steal second. A 
 moment later he tried to reach third. The 
 pitcher threw the ball to Sam, who leaped up 
 into the air and caught it, coming down on 
 the runner while he was still a foot from the 
 bag. 
 
 "Runner out !" cried the umpire, and Roxley's 
 player arose rather crestfallen and limped off to 
 the benches.
 
 THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME 175 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Sam. Nab 'em every 
 time!" cried Tom. 
 
 When the inning was ended Roxley had only 
 the one run to its credit. 
 
 Brill came to the bat for the third time with 
 a sort of do-or-die look on the faces of the play 
 ers. It was plucky little Spud who started a bat-, 
 ting streak, getting safely to first and followed 
 by another player who managed to reach second, 
 landing Spud on third. Then came two outs. 
 Before the inning was ended, however, two runs 
 were placed on the board to the credit of Brill. 
 
 "Two to one in favor of Brill!" cried one of 
 the students. 
 
 "Just wait, this inning isn't over yet!" cried 
 one of the Roxley sympathizers. Then Roxley 
 went to the bat, and because of a bad fumble 
 on the part of the Brill second baseman, they 
 managed to secure another run. 
 
 "Two to two !" was the cry, as the figures went 
 up on the big score board. 
 
 "Anybody's game, so far," said Dick Rover, 
 soberly, "but I do hope Brill wins." 
 
 "And so do I," answered his brother Tom.
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 IN the fourth inning Brill did its best to get 
 in another run. There were two one-base hits 
 made, but these were followed by a strike-out 
 and two pop flies, so the hits availed nothing. 
 
 "Such playing as that isn't helping us any," 
 was Dick's remark in a low tone to Tom. 
 
 "Well, those first two men up managed to find 
 the ball," returned Tom, hopefully. 
 
 But if Brill had not fared well in that inning, 
 Roxley did no better, so far as bringing in runs 
 were concerned. But the Roxley batters found 
 Phelps quite easily, pounding out numerous fouls, 
 
 "The score is two to two," remarked Chester 
 Waltham, when the Brill team came up to the 
 bat in the fifth inning. In this, with one man 
 out, Sam managed to send a neat drive directly 
 past the Roxley shortstop. He gained first with 
 ease, and then, taking a desperate chance, slid 
 safely to second. 
 
 "Good work, Rover ! Keep it up !" came from 
 one of his chums. 
 
 J76
 
 HOW THE GAME ENDED 177 
 
 "That won't do him any good. They can't 
 bring it in," called out a Roxley sympathizer, 
 and he proved to be a true prophet, for the in 
 ning came to an end with no additional runs, 
 Sam getting no chance to advance beyond the 
 second bag. 
 
 "Now, then, Phelps, keep cool," admonished 
 Bob, when hi the second half of the fifth inning 
 the Brill pitcher passed the first batter on balls. 
 
 "All right, I'll do my best," answered Dare 
 Phelps. "But I must confess my arm is begin 
 ning to hurt me," he added, 
 
 "Do you want to drop out?" questioned the 
 captain, quickly. 
 
 "Oh, no, not until they hit me more than they 
 have," responded the Brill pitcher, grimly. 
 
 There followed one out, but after that came 
 some free hitting which brought in two runs. 
 
 "Hurrah! Hurrah!" shouted the Roxley stu 
 dents. 
 
 "Two to four in favor of Roxley ! That's the 
 way to do it! Snow 'em under!" 
 
 "Steady, Phelps, steady," warned the Brill 
 captain. But it was of no avail, and the onlyr 
 way Brill could bring that inning to a finish was 
 by the clever work of two of the fielders in cap 
 turing two flies which looked as if they might be 
 home runs.
 
 178 THE ROVER BOYS ON 'A TOUR 
 
 When the board showed the score of 2 to 4 
 Roxley went wild once more, while the followers 
 of Brill looked correspondingly glum. 
 
 "Maybe you had better give Jack Dudley a 
 chance," suggested Bob to Dare Phelps, when 
 the two walked into the benches. 
 
 "Oh, let me try it just once more !" pleaded the 
 pitcher. "Anybody might have let in those two 
 runs." 
 
 "All right, Phelps, I'll give you one more 
 chance," answered Bob, somewhat sharply. "You 
 know we don't want this game to go to Roxley 
 if we can possibly help it." 
 
 In the sixth inning Brill scored another goose 
 egg. Then Roxley came once more to the bat, 
 and on the first ball pitched by Phelps scored a 
 home run, amid a yelling and cheering that could 
 be heard for a great distance. 
 
 "Whoop! That's the way to do it! Five to 
 two in favor of Roxley!" 
 
 "Keep it up, boys! Snow 'em under! Snow 
 'em under!" And then the Roxley crowd began 
 a song, the refrain of which was : "We're here 
 to-day to bury them !" 
 
 The cheering was still at its height when Bob 
 motioned to Jack Dudley, who had been warm 
 ing up in a corner of the field, to come forward 
 and take Dare Phelps' place. There was a cheer
 
 HOW THE GAME ENDED 179 
 
 from Brill for the new pitcher, while Phelps re 
 tired rather crestfallen. 
 
 "Now, then, Dudley, put 'em out in one-two- 
 three order!" was the cry. 
 
 "We've killed off one pitcher ; now kill off the 
 next!" came the cry from the Roxleyites. 
 
 "Take it easy, Dudley," warned Bob. "Give 
 'em your inshoot and that new fadeaway." 
 
 "I'll give 'em all that is in me," returned Jack 
 Dudley, with a determined look on his lean, and 
 somewhat angular, face. 
 
 The first man up got two balls and two strikes. 
 Then came a foul tip, followed by another strike. 
 
 "Strike three ! Batter out !" called the umpire. 
 
 "Hurrah ! That's the way to do it, Dudley !" 
 
 The next man managed to get to first, but theu 
 came two more outs, and the sixth inning cams' 
 to a close with the score still standing, Brill 2 
 Roxley 5. 
 
 "That's some lead," remarked Chester Wal- 
 thatn. "Brill has got to get busy pretty quickly 
 if it expects to win this game." 
 
 "Oh, we'll get there, don't you worry," an 
 swered Tom, quickly, and then he shouted : "Go 
 to it, fellows; go to it! Lambast the life out of 
 that leather 1" and at this cry there was a general 
 laugh. 
 
 The seventh inning proved a blank for both
 
 180 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 teams. Brill, however, managed to reach sec 
 ond, while Roxley was pitched out in one-two- 
 three order by Dudley. 
 
 "Well, Dudley held them down that time," re 
 marked Dick Rover. "I hope he manages to 
 keep the good work up." 
 
 "Yes, but a pitcher can't win a ball game 
 alone," answered Chester Waltham. "You've got 
 to have some good batters." 
 
 "Go to it, Brill ! Go to it ! This is your lucky 
 inning!" yelled Tom, enthusiastically. "Get busy, 
 everybody !" 
 
 In the eighth inning the first man up for Brill 
 went out on a pop fly. But then came a fine 
 hit that took the next player safely to second 
 Then Sam walked to the plate. 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Brill !" 
 
 "Now, Rover, hit it for all you are worth !" 
 
 It must be confessed that Sam felt a trrfte 
 nervous, so anxious was he to make some sort 
 of a showing. He swung his ashen stick at the 
 first ball pitched. 
 
 "Strike one!" came from the umpire. 
 
 'Take your time, Sam!" yelled Tom. "Make 
 him give it to you where you want it!" 
 
 Whether Sam heard the cry or not it would be 
 hard to say, but he let the next ball go by, and 
 then repeated this action.
 
 HOW THE GAME ENDED 181 
 
 "Ball two!" called the umpire. 
 
 "Oh, say! That was all right!" grumbled the 
 Roxley catcher. "What do you want?" 
 
 "Too far out," returned the umpire sharply, 
 and then added: "Play ball!" 
 
 The next one was a straight drive, and Sam 
 swung at it with all the strength and skill he 
 possessed. 
 
 Crack ! The ashen stick hit the leather, and the 
 sphere went sailing far down into center field. 
 
 "Go it, Rover, go it !" 
 
 "Come on in, Orben!" 
 
 Paul Orben, who had been the player to reach 
 second, was already streaking up to third, and by 
 the time Sam reached first Paul was legging it 
 for the home plate. 
 
 "Throw that ball up here! Throw that ball 
 up!" yelled the second baseman to the center 
 fielder, who was still chasing after the bouncing 
 leather. 
 
 Then amid a cloud of dust Paul slid in over 
 the home plate while Sam, having reached sec 
 ond, was legging it rapidly for third. Up came 
 the ball from the field to second, and then to 
 third, but before it got there the youngest Rover 
 was safely clutching the bag. 
 
 "Whoop! Hurrah! That's the way to do it! 
 One run in and another on the way."
 
 182 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Keep it up, Brill! You've struck your win- 
 ning streak !" 
 
 "Oh, dear! I do hope Sam can bring that 
 run in !" came from Grace. 
 
 "It might have been a home run if he had 
 only run a little faster," remarked Chester Wal- 
 tham. 
 
 "Faster!" retorted Tom, quickly. "Why, he 
 legged it like greased lightning! Most players 
 would have gotten only two bags out of that 
 hit." 
 
 Following this batting came another out, but 
 then the next man up managed to reach first, 
 and amid a wild cheering on the part of the Brill- 
 ites, and a loud tooting of horns, Sam rushed 
 over the home plate. 
 
 "Hurrah! Hurrah! Another run!" 
 
 "That makes the score four to five !" 
 
 "Keep up the good work, Brill !" 
 
 But that was the end of the run getting for 
 the time being. Then Roxley came to the bat, 
 and amid the most intense feeling Jack Dudley 
 managed to pitch out three men in succession 
 and the score went up on the board : Brill 4 
 Roxley 5. 
 
 "Now, fellows, this is our last chance," said 
 Bob, as the team came in for the ninth inning. 
 "Remember, one run will tie the score and two
 
 HOW THE GAME ENDED 183 
 
 runs may win the game. Now every man up 
 on the job." 
 
 The first batter for Brill in the ninth inning 
 was plainly nervous. He let two good balls go 
 by and thereby had two strikes called on him. 
 Then he made a wild pass at the next ball, knock 
 ing a short foul which the first baseman for Rox- 
 ley gathered in by a sensational running leap. 
 
 "One man gone ! One man gone !" chanted the 
 Roxley followers. "Now, then, get the other 
 two." 
 
 "Take your time, boys, take your time/' cried 
 Bob. "Make them give you just what you want." 
 
 This advice was heeded, and as a result the 
 next man got to first and on another one-base 
 hit managed to reach third. Then came a one- 
 bag drive that brought in a run and took the 
 man on first to second. 
 
 "Hurrah ! Hurrah ! That ties the score !" 
 
 "Keep it up, Brill! Bring in all the runs you 
 can!" 
 
 Following the bringing in of the tying run, 
 there came some field play between the pitcher 
 and the basemen, and as a result the man who 
 had reached first was called out trying to steal 
 second. In the mean time the other runner tried 
 to steal home, but had to stay on third. 
 
 "Be careful, boys, be careful," pleaded Bob,
 
 184 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 and then a few seconds later came another base 
 hit which brought in another run. 
 
 "Good! Good! That's the way to do it, 
 Brill!" 
 
 "That makes the score six to five in favor of 
 Brill!" 
 
 "Bring in half a dozen more while you are 
 at it!" 
 
 "Hold them down. Don't let them get another 
 run," pleaded the captain of Roxley's nine to his 
 men. 
 
 "We're going to make a dozen more," an 
 nounced Tom Rover, gaily. But this was not to 
 be, and a few minutes later the inning came to 
 an end with the score standing: Brill 6 Rox- 
 
 feys- 
 
 "Now, then, Roxley, one run to tie the score 
 and two to win the game!" was the cry from 
 the visitors. 
 
 "Lam out a couple of homers!" 
 "Show 'em where the back fence is!" 
 In that ninth inning Roxley came to the bat 
 with a "do-or-die" look. 
 
 "Now watch yourself, Dudley," whispered Bob 
 to the pitcher. "Don't let them rattle you." 
 
 "They are not going to rattle me," answered 
 Dudley. Yet it was plainly to be seen that the 
 sophomore was nervous, and that the strain of
 
 HOW THE GAME ENDED 185 
 
 the situation was beginning to tell upon him. 
 Nevertheless, amid a wild cheering on the part of 
 Brill, he struck out the first man up. 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Brill !" 
 
 "It's all over but the shouting!" shrieked one 
 Brill sympathizer. 
 
 "Not much! Here is where we make half a 
 dozen runs!" yelled a Roxleyite. 
 
 The next batter up was a notoriously hard hit 
 ter. Dudley was afraid to give him something 
 easy, and as a consequence the pitcher had four 
 balls called on him and the batter went to first. 
 Then came a drive to center field which took 
 the man on first to second, while the batter 
 reached first with ease. 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Roxley ! Now you've 
 got 'em going!" 
 
 With only one man out and two men on bases, 
 Jack Dudley was more nervous than ever. Yet 
 Bob did not have the heart to take him out of 
 the box, and, besides, he had no pitcher on hand 
 who was any better. 
 
 "Hold 'em down, Dudley! Hold 'em down!" 
 pleaded the captain. "Don't feed 'em any ea-sy 
 ones," And the pitcher nodded grimly, being too 
 nervous to even answer. 
 
 A ball was called and then a strike. Then 
 Dudley fed the batter a straight one. Crack!
 
 186 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 The ashen stick met the sphere and seat it along 
 just inside the third base line. 
 
 "Run! Everybody run!" was the yell from 
 the Roxley contingent, and while the batter 
 dropped his stick and sped toward first, the maa 
 on that bag legged it for second and the man 
 on second rushed madly toward third. 
 
 For one brief instant it looked as if one, and 
 possibly two, runs would be scored. But then, 
 Sam, playing a little off third, made a wild leap 
 into the air and pulled down the ball. Next, like 
 a flash, he tagged the man sliding in toward the 
 third bag. 
 
 "Batter out ! Runner out !" announced the um. 
 pire. 
 
 "Hurrah! Hurrah! Brill wins the game!" 
 
 "Say! that was a dandy catch by Rover, 
 wasn't it ?" 
 
 "Yes. And how neatly he put that runner out, 
 too!" 
 
 And then as the score, Brill 6 Roxley 5, was 
 placed on the big board a wild yelling, tooting of 
 horns, and sounding of rattles rent the air. Once 
 more Brill had vanquished its old opponent. 
 
 And everybody said that Sam Rover was the 
 hero of the occasion.
 
 SAM MADE A WILD LEAP INTO THE AIR AND PULLED DOWN 
 THE BALL. Page 186. 
 
 The Rover Boys on a Tour.
 
 GOOD-BYE TO BRILL, 
 
 THE celebration at Brill that evening was one 
 long to be remembered. Bonfires blazed along 
 the river front, and the st tidents marched around 
 them, and around the campus and the colkge 
 buildings, singing songs and having a good time 
 generally. 
 
 The others had insisted that the Rovers take 
 part in these festivities, and so the boys had taken 
 the girls to Hope, where Dora and Nellie were 
 to remain until the next day. 
 
 "I must say I am mighty glad I came/' said 
 Dick to his brothers, as he surveyed the shouting 
 and marching students. "This certainly takes me 
 back to the days whsn I was here." 
 
 "I'm going in for some fun," announced Tom, 
 and was soon in the midst of the activities. The 
 students played jokes on William Philander 
 Tubbs, old Filbuvy, and on a number of others, 
 and the fun-loving Rover helped them all he 
 could. An attempt was also made to get the 
 187
 
 188 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 captured banners of the freshmen and sopho 
 mores from Sam's room, but this failed. 
 
 "The boys are rather noisy to-night," said one 
 of the professors to Dr. Wallington. 
 
 "I agree with you, sir," returned the head of 
 Brill, "but then they have something to be noisy 
 about. Their victory was certainly well earned," 
 and the doctor smiled indulgently. 
 
 Many had come forward to congratulate Sam 
 on his fine work in putting through a double play 
 unassisted in the last inning. 
 
 "It saved the day for Brill," announced Stan 
 ley, and many agreed with him. 
 
 The great game had taken place on Saturday 
 afternoon, so, as the next day was Sunday, Sam 
 could do as he pleased. The Rovers had an early 
 breakfast, and then lost no time in riding over 
 to the seminary, where they found the others 
 waiting for them. 
 
 "Oh, Sam, your playing was simply wonder 
 ful!" declared Grace, as she beamed on him. 
 "How you ever caught that fly in the last inning- 
 is beyond me." 
 
 "Yes, and what do you think ?" put in Grace's 
 sister. "Mr. Waltham said he thought it was 
 quite an ordinary play that any good, all-around 
 player could have done what Sam did !" 
 
 "Maybe he was a bit jealous of Sam," was
 
 GOOD-BYE TO BRILL 189 
 
 Dora's comment, and as she spoke she looked 
 rather keenly at Grace, who, of a sudden, blushed 
 deeply. 
 
 "I suppose Waltham brought his sister and 
 those girls back here last evening," said Sam. 
 
 "Oh, yes," answered Nellie, "and they insisted 
 that we join them in a little treat. Mr. Waltham 
 drove down to Ashton for some ice cream, fancy 
 crackers and candy, and we had quite a spread 
 under the trees. It certainly was very nice of 
 him to do it." 
 
 "I suppose he's got so much money he doesn't 
 know what to do with it," was Dick's comment. 
 
 "He was asking me about that tour that we 
 propose taking this summer," said Dora. "He 
 added that he and his sister and maybe others 
 were going to take a tour in his new car, but 
 he hadn't decided on where they were going, and 
 he thought it might be rather jolly if he joined 
 our touring party." 
 
 "Humph! I don't see " began Sam, and 
 
 then broke off suddenly. 
 
 "It would be lovely to have Ada along," said 
 Grace. "She is a splendid girl, and we've be 
 come quite chummy since Nellie and Dora went 
 away." 
 
 "Well, we haven't any time to settle about 
 that tour just now," announced Dick. "Our tram
 
 190 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 leaves in a couple of hours and you girls have 
 got to pack up before we start for the Ashton 
 depot." 
 
 The mention of Chester Waltham, along with 
 the fact that he might join them on their pro 
 posed automobile tour, put rather a damper on 
 Sam's feelings. He acted very soberly, and his 
 remarks to Grace were not half as cordial as 
 they usually were. Evidently Sam's "nose was 
 out of joint," although he was not willing to 
 admit it, even to himself. 
 
 All drove down to the Ashton depot, and there 
 Sam and Grace said good-bye to the others, who 
 were going on to the home farm at Valley Brook 
 and then to New York City. 'On the return to 
 the seminary Sam had hoped to have a long talk 
 and an understanding with Grace, but unfortu 
 nately two girls turned up who wished to get 
 back to Hope, and there was nothing for the 
 Rover boy to do but to invite them to ride along, 
 so that the confidential talk between them had 
 to be abandoned. 
 
 After the great ball game matters quieted 
 down at Brill. All of the seniors were hard at 
 work getting ready for the final examinations, 
 which would start on the week following. 
 
 "If you make as good a showing in the ex 
 aminations as you made on the ball field, you
 
 GOOD-BYE TO BRILL 191 
 
 sure will prove a winner," declared Bob to Sam 
 one day. 
 
 "Well, I'm going to do my level best, Bob," 
 was the reply. "You see, neither Dick nor Tom 
 had a chance to graduate, so I've got to make 
 a showing for the entire family." 
 
 During those days nothing further had been 
 heard regarding Black ie Crowden or the missing 
 money. Sam and Songbird had met Belright 
 Fogg once on the streets of Ashton, but the law 
 yer had marched past without deigning to speak 
 to them. 
 
 "He's a foxy customer," was the comment of 
 the would-be poet of Brill. "If he had anything 
 to do with Blackie Crowden, he'll try his level 
 best to keep it to himself." 
 
 At last the examinations began. They were to 
 continue for the best part of two weeks, and 
 during that time Sam cut out all sports and con 
 fined himself to his studies with greater diligence 
 than ever. He had several important papers to 
 hand in, and he worked over these early and late, 
 rewriting and polishing until there seemed to be 
 absolutely nothing more that could be done. 
 Songbird also was busy, for in addition to his 
 studies and themes he had been asked by the 
 class to write a poem in honor of the coming 
 occasion.
 
 I 9 2 THE ROVER BOYS ON 'A TOUR 
 
 "I only wish I could write something that 
 would bring in some cash," remarked the wouid- 
 *je poet one afternoon. 
 
 Although he had not apprised Sam of that 
 fact, Songbird had copied off several of his 
 best poems and sent them to various publishers, 
 hoping that they might prove acceptable and 
 bring in some money which he might turn over 
 to Mr. Sanderson as an evidence of what he 
 hoped to do in the future. So far, however, he 
 had not heard from any of the poems but one, 
 which had been promptly returned. 
 
 At last came the day when the examinations 
 ended. All the themes written by the students 
 had been handed in, and Sam found himself free 
 to do as he pleased. He at once sought Grace 
 by means of the telephone, hoping to get her 
 to take an automobile ride with him. 
 
 "I am sorry," she answered over the wire, 
 "but I have still another examination to take and 
 a theme to finish, so 1 don't dare to think of go 
 ing out." 
 
 "How have you made out so far ?" questioned 
 the youth. 
 
 "I don't know, Sam. Sometimes I think I 
 have done very well, and then again I am afraid 
 that I missed a great many things. How did you 
 make out?"
 
 GOOD-BYE TO BRILL 193 
 
 "Oh, I think I'll pass, but how high up I don't 
 know. I am hoping for great things, but I may 
 be mistaken." And there the conversation had 
 to come to an abrupt end, for a professor came 
 in to use the Brill telephone. 
 
 It must be confessed that Sam slept rather un 
 easily on the night before the morning on which 
 the announcement concerning each student's 
 standing was to be made. 
 
 "I'm scared to death," came from Spud. "I 
 missed a whole lot of questions." 
 
 "So did I," put in Paul. "And I boned hard 
 too," he added dismally. 
 
 Finally came the announcement. Out of a class 
 of sixty-five seniors, sixty-two had passed. 
 Sam's name was at the head of the list with a 
 percentage of ninety-seven; Songbird came 
 fourth with a percentage of ninety-three; Spud 
 had ninety-one, and Stanley the same; while 
 Paul, William Philander Tubbs and a number of 
 others were listed at from eighty to eighty-eight 
 per cent. 
 
 f "Sam, allow me to congratulate you!" cried 
 Songbird, as he came up to wring his friend's 
 hand, "You certainly made a splendid show 
 ing." 
 
 "You made a pretty good showing yourself," 
 answered Sam, his face beaming.
 
 194 THE ROVER BOYS ON 'A TOUR 
 
 "Your folks will be mighty glad to hear of 
 this," went on the would-be poet of Brill. "Why 
 don't you telegraph to them?" 
 
 "Just what I'm going to do," answered the 
 Rover boy. "And I'm going to telephone to 
 Hope, too," he added. 
 
 "That's the talk. I wish I could telephone 
 over to the Sandersons." 
 
 "Never mind, Songbird, I'll drive you over 
 there when I drive to the seminary," replied Sam. 
 
 The days to follow were delightful ones for 
 Sam. True to his promise, he took Songbird 
 over to the Sanderson homestead and then vis 
 ited Grace. The girl had passed third from 
 the top of her class and was correspondingly 
 delighted. 
 
 "We had such dreadfully hard questions I 
 thought I should never get through," she con 
 fessed to the youth when they were alone. "And 
 you came out on top, Sam. Oh, it's wonderful 
 ' simply wonderful!" and she caught both his 
 hands. 
 
 1 "Well, I'm glad glad for myself and glad 
 for you, Grace," he answered, and looked her 
 'full in the eyes. She looked at him in return 
 and blushed prettily. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Rover, allow me to congratulate 
 you," came from somebody near by, and Ada
 
 GOOD-BYE TO BRILL 195 
 
 Waltham came tripping up. "Grace told me all 
 about your wonderful showing." 
 
 "Ada made a splendid showing herself/' an 
 swered Grace, before Sam could speak. 
 
 "I was one point behind Grace," answered 
 the rich girl, "and that certainly was wonderful 
 for me. I never was very keen about studying 
 in fact, I didn't want to go to college, only I 
 had to do it if I wanted to inherit the money that 
 my uncle left me." 
 
 "Oh, Sam! and to think our days of studying 
 are over at last!" burst out Grace. "I can 
 scarcely believe it." 
 
 "I can't believe it myself, Grace," he answered. 
 "It seems to me I've been going to school all 
 my life. Just think of the years and years I 
 put in at Putnam Hall Military Academy before 
 I came to Brill !" 
 
 "Yes, and to think of the years I put in at 
 the Cedarville school before I came to Hope," 
 returned Grace. "Now it is all over I feel quite 
 old," and she laughed merrily. 
 
 As was the usual custom, it had been decided 
 that graduation exercises at Hope should take 
 place two days before those at Brill, which would 
 give ample opportunity for those desiring to do 
 so to attend both functions. 
 
 "My folks are all coming to the graduations,"
 
 J9 6 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 announced Grace, a day or two after the con 
 versation just recorded. 
 
 "Yes, and my folks will all be on hand," an 
 swered Sam. "Even Uncle Randolph and Aunt 
 Martha are coming. Dear, old Aunt Martha!" 
 he said. "She has been a regular mother to us 
 boys ever since I can remember. I'm awfully 
 glad she will be present, and I'll be mighty glad 
 to have Uncle Randolph too, not to say anything 
 about dear, old dad." 
 
 After that there seemed to be so much to do 
 and so many things to think about that time sped 
 with amazing swiftness. The Rovers and the 
 Lanings had engaged rooms at the leading hotel 
 in Ashton, and arrived on the day previous to 
 the graduation exercises at Hope. 
 
 "Tell you what, education is a great thing!" 
 remarked Mr. John Laning when speaking of 
 the matter to Mr. Rover. "I didn't have much 
 of a chance at it when I was a boy I had to go 
 out and scrap for a living but I'm mighty glad 
 that I had the means to give the girls the learn 
 ing they've got." 
 
 "You're right it is a great thing," answered 
 Mr. Anderson Rover. "I am only sorry now 
 that Dick and Tom didn't have the chance to 
 graduate as well as Sam. But, you know, I was 
 very sick and somebody had to look after our
 
 GOOD-BYE TO BRILL 197 
 
 business affairs. And what those boys have done 
 for me is simply wonderful!" 
 
 "The greatest boys that ever lived," announced 
 Randolph Rover. "They used to bother the life 
 out of me with their fun and noise, but now 
 that they have settled down and made men of 
 themselves I forgive them for all the annoy 
 ances." 
 
 Sam's father had brought for him as a gradua 
 tion present a very fine diamond scarf pin, while 
 his uncle and aunt presented him with a hand 
 somely engraved cardcase and Dick and the 
 others brought him a ring set with a ruby. 
 Grace's folks and the others had also brought 
 several gifts of value for the girl, and to these 
 Sam added a bracelet and the finest bouquet of 
 flowers he could obtain in Ashton. 
 
 The graduation exercises at Hope were exceed 
 ingly pretty. All the girls were dressed in white, 
 and they formed a beautiful picture as they stood 
 in a long line to receive their diplomas. The on 
 lookers clapped vigorously, but no one with more 
 fervor than did Sam when Grace received her 
 roll. The exercises were followed by a reception 
 that evening at which the fair girl graduates 
 shone as they never had before. 
 
 "And now for the big event at Brill!" said 
 Dick, when on the way back to Ashton that even-
 
 198 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 ing. "Sam, aren't you a bit sorry to leave the 
 old college?" 
 
 "I certainly am, Dick. At the same time, 
 now that you and Tom have buckled down to 
 business, I feel that I ought to be doing like 
 wise." 
 
 <f Yes, but all of you young folks are going on 
 that tour first," announced the boys' father. "I 
 think you have earned it, and I want you to have 
 it. I'll supply all the funds necessary, and I'll 
 see to it that everything goes right at the office 
 while you are away." 
 
 Never had Brill been so crowded as it was at 
 those graduation exercises. Every seat in the col 
 lege hall was occupied, and every doorway and 
 open window held its group of eager onlookers. 
 The Rover family had seats almost in the center 
 of the auditorium, and all of the Lanings were 
 with them. 
 
 "Oh, it's grand I just grand !" murmured Aunt 
 Martha, as she saw Sam and the rest of the 
 senior class gathering. "Oh! how proud I am 
 of that boy!" and the tears coursed freely down 
 her cheeks. 
 
 The valedictory address had been written by 
 Sam and was delivered by the class orator, Stan 
 ley. This was followed by a class poem written 
 by Songbird and delivered by a student named
 
 GOOD-BYE TO BRILL 199 
 
 Wells. Sam's valedictory was received with loud 
 clapping of hands. 
 
 "A well written paper very well written, in 
 deed/' was Dr. Wellington's comment, and a 
 great number of visitors agreed with him. Song 
 bird had worked hard over his class poem, which 
 contained many allusions to local matters, and 
 was received with many smiles and expressions 
 of good humor. 
 
 "Songbird is certainly becoming something of 
 a poet," was Dick's comment. "If he keeps on, 
 some day he'll become the simon-pure article." 
 
 At last it was over, and Sam, with his sheep 
 skin rolled up and tied with a ribbon, joined his 
 folks. His father was the first to congratulate 
 him, and then came old Aunt Martha, who wept 
 freely as she embraced him. 
 
 "I'm proud of you, Sam, proud of you!" she 
 said, in a voice trembling with emotion. "What 
 a pity your own mother couldn't be here to see 
 you! But the good Lord willed it otherwise, 
 so we must be content." 
 
 "Sam, you've certainly done the family proud 
 this day," announced his oldest brother. "To 
 graduate at the top of the class is going some." 
 
 "Well, I've got to do something for the Rover 
 name," said the happy youth, modestly. 
 
 There was another reception that night, and
 
 200 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 again the bonfires blazed along the bank of the 
 river. The undergraduates "cut loose" as usual, 
 but those who were to leave Brill forever were a 
 trifle sober. 
 
 "It's been a fine old college to go to," was 
 Dick's comment. 
 
 "You're right there, Dick," came from Tom. 
 "A fine place, indeed!" 
 
 "The best in the world !" answered Sam. He 
 drew a deep breath. "No matter where I go in 
 this old world of ours, I'll never forget my 
 days at Brill."
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 GETTING READY FOR THE TOUR 
 
 "AND now for the grand tour !" 
 
 "That's the talk, Sam ! We ought to have the 
 best time ever," returned his brother Tom. 
 
 "Just to think of such an outing makes me feel 
 five years younger," came from Dick Rover. "I 
 like work as well as any one, but a fellow has 
 got to break away once in a while." 
 
 "And to think we are going away out to Colo 
 rado Springs and Pike's Peak!" burst out Dora. 
 
 "And all the way in our automobiles!" added 
 Nellie. "I hope we don't have any breakdowns." 
 
 "So it's decided that we are to start Monday 
 morning, is it ?" asked Dick's wife. 
 
 "Yes, Dora, provided it is clear," answered 
 Sam. "Of course there is no use of our starting 
 our trip in a storm. We'll probably get enough 
 ! rain while we are on the way." 
 
 "Look here, Sam, don't be a wet blanket!" 
 cried Tom, catching his younger brother by the 
 shoulder and whirling him around. "This trip 
 
 201
 
 202 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 is going to be perfectly clear from end to end. 
 I've ordered nothing but sunshine and moon 
 light," and at this remark there was a general 
 laugh. 
 
 The young folks were assembled on the lawn 
 in front of the old Rover homestead at Valley 
 Brook. About two weeks had passed since Grace 
 and Sam had graduated, and during that time 
 the various arrangements for taking the tour to 
 the West had been completed by the Rover boys. 
 In the meantime, Fourth of July had been spent 
 in Cedarville, at the Laning homestead, where 
 all had had a glorious time. 
 
 "I'm awfully sorry that Songbird and Minnie 
 can't go with us on this trip," remarked Dick, 
 "but I know exactly how poor Songbird 
 feels." 
 
 "Yes, he told me he felt he had to go to work," 
 returned Sam. "He wants to do his best to earn 
 that four thousand dollars." 
 
 "That's some job for a fellow just out of col 
 lege to undertake," was Tom's comment. "What 
 is he going to do for a living?" 
 
 "He has had a place offered to him by his uncle. 
 He is to start at fifteen dollars a week, and he 
 says his uncle will advance him as soon as he 
 learns something about the business." 
 
 "They haven't heard any more about that
 
 GETTING READY FOR THE TOUR 203 
 
 Blackie Crowden or the missing money?" ques 
 tioned Nellie. 
 
 "Not a word. And it looks to me now as if 
 they never would hear anything." 
 
 "More, than likely that fellow has got out of 
 the country," was Dick's comment. "Especially 
 if he has learned that the police are after him." 
 
 "Oh, you can't tell about that," broke in Tom. 
 "He may be hiding within a mile or two of where 
 the crime was committed." 
 
 It had been decided that the touring party 
 should take two automobiles that belonging to 
 the Rovers and a new machine which was the 
 property of Mrs. Stanhope, Dora's widowed 
 mother. The party was to consist of Dick and 
 Tom and their wives, Sam and Grace and Mrs. 
 Stanhope and Mrs. Laning. Uncle Randolph 
 and Aunt Martha had also been invited to go 
 along, but both had declined, stating that they 
 preferred to remain on the farm. 
 
 "I have some important scientific data on farm 
 ing to gather," had been Randolph Rover's ex 
 planation, "and, besides that, I must oversee the 
 building of that new addition to the house;" for 
 since the marriage of Dick and Tom it had been de 
 cided to build a large wing on the old homestead, 
 so that the young folks might be accommodated 
 here whenever they cared to make a visit.
 
 204 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Aleck Pop, the faithful old colored servant of 
 the Rovers, was still at the farm, as was Jack 
 Ness, the man of all work, and both did all they 
 could to aid the boys and girls to get ready for 
 the tour. 
 
 "It's most won'erful how you young gen'lemen 
 has done growed up," was Aleck Pop's comment. 
 "It don't seem no time at all sence you all was 
 boys at Putnam Hall," and he grinned broadly, 
 showing a mouthful of ivories. 
 
 "And to think two of 'em are married now 
 and settled down!" added Jack Ness. "I can't 
 hardly believe it. First thing you know we'll have 
 a lot of young Rovers runnin' around this farm." 
 
 "Well, if they is any young Robers aroun' yere, 
 I's gwine to serve 'em jest like I served the 
 others," answered Aleck Pop, and then went off, 
 nodding his head vigorously to himself. 
 
 The only drawback to the proposed tour, so 
 far as Sam was concerned, was the fact that 
 Chester Waltham and his sister Ada were going 
 to accompany them as far as Colorado Springs. 
 Then the Walthams proposed to continue to the 
 Pacific Coast, while the Rovers were to return to 
 the East. 
 
 "Are those two people going in a big" touring 
 car all by themselves?" questioned Sam v when 
 he heard of this arrangement.
 
 GETTING READY FOR THE TOUR 205 
 
 "They are not going to take the touring car, 
 Sam," answered Grace. "Ada wrote me that her 
 brother had purchased a new runabout a very 
 speedy and comfortable car and they are going 
 to use that instead." 
 
 "Humph! I don't see why they had to stick 
 themselves in with our crowd," grumbled the 
 yotmgest Rover. "Why didn't they take the trip 
 by themselves?" 
 
 "Well, maybe I am to blame for that," an 
 swered Grace. "I told Ada all about our proposed 
 trip, and said I was sorry that she couldn't go 
 with us. You must remember she treated me 
 very nicely while we were at the seminary, espe 
 cially after Dora and Nellie left." 
 
 "Oh, I don't object to Ada," answered Sam. 
 "Just the same, I think it would be nicer if we 
 could go off by ourselves. Chester Waltham 
 and his sister don't seem to fit in with us exactly." 
 
 "Well, I think Chester Waltham is a very nice 
 young man, and certainly he has given me some 
 splendid rides," answered Grace, and then walked 
 off to join the others, leaving Sam to do some 
 thinking which was not altogether agreeable. 
 
 The start was to be made from the farm, and 
 the Walthams had written that they would be on 
 hand early, stopping for the night at the hotel 
 in Cornville, some miles away.
 
 206 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 On the Friday before the Monday set for the 
 start, all three of the Rover boys went down to 
 New York City, to the offices of the newly 
 formed Rover Company in Wall Street. They 
 'found their father in charge, and also several as 
 sistants, and everything seemed to be in good run 
 ning order. Dick and Tom went over a number of 
 business matters with their parent, and Mr. Rover 
 declared that he could get along very well with 
 out the boys for at least a month or six weeks. 
 
 After the visit to the offices Dick and Tom 
 took Sam up to their apartments on Riverside 
 Drive, where they packed a number of things 
 wanted by themselves and Dora and Nellie. 
 
 "Certainly a beautiful location," remarked 
 Sam, as he walked to one of the front windows, 
 to gaze out on the Hudson River. 
 
 "It certainly is a fine place, Sam," answered 
 Tom, "and Nellie and I enjoy it just as much 
 as Dick and Dora do." Tom looked at his 
 younger brother questioningly. "I suppose now 
 that you have graduated, Sam, you and Grace 
 will be joining us here some day ?" 
 ' "I don't know about that, Tom." Sam's face 
 
 flushed painfully. "You see I I " and then 
 
 he broke off, unable to proceed. 
 
 "You don't mean there is anything wrong be 
 tween you and Grace, do you?" demanded the 
 
 <
 
 GETTING READY FOR THE TOUR 207 
 
 brother, coming closer. Dick had gone to an 
 other room and so was out of hearing. 
 
 "I can't say that anything is wrong exactly, 
 Tom," returned Sam, hesitatingly. "You see, 
 I I " 
 
 "Is it that Chester Waltham?" demanded the 
 other, quickly. 
 
 Sam nodded. "Of course I can't blame him, 
 and I can't blame Grace, for the matter of that. 
 It isn't every girl who gets the chance to marry 
 a young millionaire." 
 
 "What ! Has he proposed to her?" cried Tom. 
 
 "Oh, no, I don't think that, Tom. But he has 
 been very friendly." 
 
 "Well, I wouldn't stand for it, Sam. I think 
 Grace ought to marry you, and I would tell her 
 so and have it settled." 
 
 "That's all well enough to say, Tom. But just 
 the same I haven't any right to stand in her light. 
 I haven't got any such money to offer her as this 
 millionaire " 
 
 "Rot f You've got enough money to make any 
 girl comfortable, and that is all that is necessary. 
 You go on in and win!" and Tom clapped his 
 younger brother on the shoulder encouragingly. 
 Then Dick entered, along with a maid left to 
 take care of the apartments, and the talk came 
 to an end.
 
 208 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 While the boys were doing this, the girls had 
 gone to Cedarville, and there assisted Mrs. Stan 
 hope and Mrs. Laning in getting ready for the 
 tour. Dora's mother had a hired chauffeur to 
 run her car, and this man was to bring the party 
 to Valley Brook in the Stanhope machine. 
 
 "I am very glad you are going, Mother," said 
 Dora to her parent. "I am sure this trip will 
 do you a world of good." For Mrs. Stanhope 
 was not in the best of health and sometimes grew 
 quite nervous when left too long to herself. 
 
 "It will be a wonderful trip, no doubt," an 
 swered the mother, "and I am sure I shall enjoy 
 it greatly, especially with all you young folks 
 along to brighten matters up." 
 
 "It will certainly be a wonderful tour for me," 
 declared Mrs. Laning, who had always been more 
 or less of a home body. "Gracious! Why, I 
 can remember when I used to think a trip of ten 
 or twenty miles on the steam cars was wonder 
 ful. Now just to think of our going hundreds 
 and hundreds of miles in an automobile!" 
 
 "The most wonderful part of it to me is that 
 we can afford to have you take such a trip as 
 that, Mother," chuckled John Laning. "Sakes 
 alive! when I was a young man the height of 
 my ambition was to own about fifty acres free 
 and clear, along with a couple of horses and half
 
 GETTING READY FOR THE TOUR 209 
 
 a dozen cows. And now look at us here we 
 own over three hundred acres, got over fifty head 
 of cattle, over two thousand chickens, and the 
 finest orchards in this part of the state. I tell 
 you we've got a lot to be thankful for," he added 
 with great satisfaction. 
 
 "But I'll miss you, John, while I'm away," 
 said his faithful wife. 
 
 "Don't you worry about me, Mother. I'd just 
 as lief stay here and see all them big crops 
 a-comin' in," announced the farmer. "That's fun 
 enough for me. You go ahead with the young 
 people and enjoy yourself. You've been in har 
 ness long enough and you deserve it." 
 
 Mr. Laning had had his ears wide open during 
 the visit of his daughters and Dora, and before 
 his wife and the others left for Valley Brook he 
 called Mrs. Laning aside. 
 
 "What's this I hear about Grace going out 
 with a young millionaire named Waltham?" he 
 asked, curiously. 
 
 "I can't tell you much more than what you've 
 already heard, John," she answered. 
 
 "I thought Grace had her eyes set on Sam 
 Rover," went on the husband, looking sharply at 
 his wife. 
 
 "That is what I thought myself. But it seems 
 this young millionaire has been calling on his
 
 210 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 sister at Hope, and he's been taking his sister 
 and Grace out in his automobile and acting very 
 nicely about it. Grace seems to be quite taken 
 with him." 
 
 "Huh ! A young millionaire, eh ? Maybe he's 
 only amusing himself with her. You had better 
 caution her about him." 
 
 "No, John, I don't think that would do any 
 good. In fact, it might do a great deal of harm," 
 declared the wife. "Grace is old enough to know 
 what she is doing." 
 
 "Yes, but if she has made some promises to 
 Sam Rover " 
 
 "I am not sure that she has made any prom 
 ises. Sam has been very attentive to her, but 
 just because Tom married Nellie is no reason 
 why Grace should marry Sam." 
 
 "Oh, I know that. But, somehow, I thought 
 they had it all settled between 'em, and I cer 
 tainly like Sam. He's a nice, clean-cut boy." 
 
 "Yes. I like Sam, too." Mrs. Laning heaved a 
 deep sigh. "But, just the same, we had better not 
 interfere. You know how it was when we got 
 married," and she looked fondly at her husband. 
 
 "You bet I do !" he returned, and then put his 
 arm over her shoulder and kissed her gently. 
 "Well, let us hope it all comes out for the best," 
 he added, and walked off to go to work.
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 A MOMENT OF PERIL 
 
 "THIS is the life!" 
 
 "That's right, Tom. This kind of touring suits 
 me to death," returned Sam Rover. 
 
 "Tom, how many miles an hour are you mak 
 ing?" broke in his wife. "Remember what you 
 promised me that you would keep within the 
 limit of the law." 
 
 "And that is just what I am doing, Nellie," 
 he answered. "But it's mighty hard to do it, 
 believe me, when you are at the wheel of such a 
 fine auto as this. Why, I could send her ahead 
 twice as fast if I wanted to!" 
 
 "Don't you dare !" burst out Grace, who sat in 
 the tonneau beside her sister. "If you do I'll 
 make you let Sam drive." 
 
 "He's got to let me drive anyway after din 
 ner," said the youngest Rover boy. "That's the 
 arrangement." 
 
 It was the second day of the tour, and Valley 
 Brook Farm, and in fact the whole central por- 
 211
 
 212 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 tion of New York State, had been left far be 
 hind. The weather had turned out perfect, and 
 so far they had encountered very little in the 
 way of bad roads. Once they had had to make 
 a detour of two miles on account of a new bridge 
 being built, but otherwise they had forged 
 straight ahead. 
 
 Tom and his wife, with Grace and Sam. oc 
 cupied the first automobile, the remaining space 
 in the roomy tonneau being taken up by various 
 suitcases and other baggage. Behind this car 
 came the one driven by Dick Rover. Beside him 
 was his wife, with Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Lan- 
 ing behind them. Some distance to the rear was 
 the third machine, a brand-new runabout, con 
 taining Chester Waltham and his sister Ada. 
 Waltham had at first wished to take the lead, 
 but had then dropped behind, stating he did not 
 wish to get the others to follow him on any 
 wrong road. 
 
 "You go ahead," he had said to the Rovers. 
 "Then if you go wrong you will have only your 
 selves to blame." 
 
 "Well, we don't know any more about these 
 roads than you do, Waltham," Dick had replied. 
 "We are simply going by the guide book and the 
 signs." 
 
 "I hate to use up my brains studying an auto-
 
 A MOMENT OF PERIL 213 
 
 mobile guide," Chester Waltham had returned 
 with a yawn "When I am on an outing I like to 
 take it just as easy as I possibly can." 
 
 "It's a wonder you didn't bring a paid chauf 
 feur along," had been Sam's comment. 
 
 "I thought something of doing that, but my 
 sister objected. She said if she was to go along 
 I must run the car. You see, she wants me to 
 risk my neck as well as her own," and the young 
 millionaire had smiled grimly. 
 
 They had been running for several miles over 
 a road that was comparatively straight. On either 
 side were tidy farms, with occasional farm 
 houses and barns. Now, however, the road be 
 came winding, and they soon passed into a patch 
 of timber. 
 
 "Four miles to the next town," announced 
 Sam, as they rolled past a signboard. He looked 
 at his watch. "Quarter after eleven. Do you 
 think we had better stop there for dinner, Tom?" 
 
 "No, we are going on to Fernwood, six miles 
 farther," was the reply. "They say the hotel 
 there is much better. And, believe me, when you 
 get away from the big cities the best hotel you 
 can find in a town is none too good." 
 
 It had been rather warm on the open road, 
 and all those in the automobiles welcotned the 
 shade of the woods.
 
 214 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "It's a pity we didn't bring our lunch along," 
 said Dora to Dick, as they moved along at a 
 slower rate of speed. "We could have had a 
 good time picnicking along here." 
 
 "Yes, we'll have to dine out in the woods 
 sometimes on this trip," put in Mrs. Laning. "I 
 like that sort of thing much better than taking 
 all our meals in hotels or restaurants." 
 
 The first automobile had reached a spring by 
 the roadside, and here Tom came to a halt, pres 
 ently followed by the others. Collapsible cups 
 were handy, and all were ready for a drink 
 of the pure, cool water which the spring af 
 forded. 
 
 "Fine! isn't it?" exclaimed Dick, after the 
 ladies had been served and he had had a cupful 
 himself. 
 
 "You're right," answered Tom. "A good deal 
 better than that bottled water we have down in 
 the New York offices." 
 
 "But it can't beat the water on the farm," said 
 Sam. "I must say no matter where I go the 
 water doesn't taste quite as good as that at Val 
 ley Brook." 
 
 "Oh, that's only sentiment, Sam !" cried Grace. 
 "Now, I think the water at Cedarville is just 
 lovely." 
 
 "I think you are taking a little chance in
 
 A MOMENT OF PERIL 215 
 
 drinking from a spring like this," was Chester 
 Waltham's comment. "It may be pure, and then 
 again it may be full of all sorts of germs." 
 
 "Sure! it may be full of tadpoles and bull 
 frogs, too," added Tom, gaily. "But you've got 
 to take some chances in this life, as the fly said 
 when he flew down into the molasses jug and 
 got stuck there," and at this little joke there was 
 a general smile. 
 
 Beyond the spring the road went uphill for a 
 long distance, and then took a turn to the south 
 ward, past more farms and over a bridge span 
 ning a tiny stream. Then they came to a small 
 town, looking dry, dusty and almost deserted in 
 the midday, summer sun. 
 
 "I am glad we didn't arrange to stop here," 
 was Nellie's comment, as she glanced around. 
 
 The sleepy little town was soon left behind, 
 and once again they found themselves passing 
 over a series of hills, dotted here and there with 
 farms and patches of woodland. Then they came 
 to a place which was very uneven and filled with 
 rocks. 
 
 "Got to be careful here unless we want to get 
 a puncture," announced Tom, and at once re 
 duced speed. 
 
 They were running on another winding ro^d 
 which seemed to bear off to the northward. H^"e
 
 216 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 there was something of a cliff, with great, rocky 
 boulders standing out in bold relief. 
 
 Suddenly, as Tom reached a bend, he saw a 
 man coming towards them. He was an Italian, 
 and carried a small red flag in one hand. 
 
 "Back! You-a git-a back!" cried the man, 
 waving his red flag at them. "Bias' ! Bias' ! 
 You git-a back!" 
 
 The grade was downward and the man had 
 appeared so suddenly that before Tom could 
 bring the first automobile to a standstill he had 
 gotten at least a hundred feet beyond the Italian, 
 while the second car, run by Dick, was by the 
 man's side. 
 
 "What's the trouble here?" demanded Dick. 
 
 "You git-a back ! You git-a back !" exclaimed 
 the Italian, frantically. "Bias' go off! You git-a 
 back!" 
 
 "Hi, Tom, come back here!" yelled Dick. 
 "This fellow says there is a blast going off." 
 
 Tom was already trying to heed the warning. 
 He had stopped so suddenly, however, that he 
 had stalled his engine and now he had to take 
 time in which to use the electric starter. In 
 the meanwhile, the Italian workman ran still 
 farther back, to warn Chester Waltham and any 
 body else who might be coming along the 
 road.
 
 A MOMENT OF PERIL 217 
 
 "Oh, Tom ! can you turn around ?" questioned 
 his wife anxiously. 
 
 "Maybe you had better run the car backward," 
 suggested Sam. He had noted the narrowness 
 of the roadway and knew it would be no easy 
 matter to turn around in such limited space. 
 Besides that, there was a deep gully on one 
 side, so that they would run the risk of over 
 turning. 
 
 "Yes, I'll back if Dick will only give me 
 room," muttered Tom, as he pressed the lever 
 of the self-starter. Then after the power was 
 once more generated he threw in the reverse gear 
 and allowed the car to back up. 
 
 "That's the way to do it, Tom," yelled Dick. 
 "Come on, I'll get out of the way," and he, too, 
 began to back until he was close on to the Wal- 
 tham runabout. 
 
 "Look out! Don't bump into me!" yelled 
 Chester Waltham, who for the moment seemed 
 to be completely bewildered by what was taking 
 place. "What's the matter anyway?" he demand 
 ed of the Italian. 
 
 "Oh, Chester, there must be some danger!" 
 shrieked his sister. "Say! they are both backing 
 up. Maybe you had better back up too." 
 
 "All right, if that's what they want," answered 
 the young millionaire, and then in his hurry tried
 
 2i8 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 to reverse so quickly that he, too, stalled his 
 engine. 
 
 "Backup! Back up !" called out Dick. "We've 
 got to get out of here! There is some sort of. 
 blasting going on ahead!" 
 
 "Oh, Dick, be careful!" cried Mrs. Stanhope, 
 and sprang up in the tonneau of the car in alarm, 
 quickly followed by Mrs. Laning. 
 
 "You will run into Mr. Waltham, sure!" 
 wailed the latter. 
 
 "Don't smash into me ! Don't smash into me !" 
 yelled the young millionaire in sudden terror. 
 "If you bump into me you'll send me into the 
 ditch!" 
 
 By this time Dick's car was less than three 
 feet away from the runabout, while Tom's ma 
 chine was still some distance farther up the 
 road. 
 
 Boom! There was a distant explosion, not 
 very loud; and following this came a clatter as 
 of stones falling on the rocks. None of the 
 stones, however, fell anywhere near the three 
 machines. 
 
 "Oh!" cried Grace. 
 
 "Is that all there is to it?" queried Nellie, 
 anxiously. 
 
 "I don't know," returned Tom. He had now 
 brought his automobile once more to a standstill.
 
 A MOMENT OF PERIL 219' 
 
 All in the three machines waited for a moment. 
 Then they gazed enquiringly at the Italian who 
 stood behind them. 
 
 "Say, is that all the blasting there is?" de 
 manded Chester Waltham. 
 
 "Dat's heem," responded the foreigner. "He 
 go off all right, boss. You go," and he waved 
 the stick of his flag for them to proceed. 
 
 "Some scare and all for nothing," muttered 
 Tom. "The way he carried on you would think 
 they were going to shake down half of yonder 
 cliff." 
 
 "Oh, Tom, they don't dare to take chances," 
 returned Nellie. "Why, if we had gone on we 
 might have been showered with those stones we 
 heard falling." 
 
 "You fellows want to be careful how you 
 back up," grumbled Chester Waltham. "You 
 came pretty close to smashing into me." 
 
 "Well, you should have backed up yourself 
 when you heard us yell," retorted Dick, sharply. 
 "We didn't know how bad that blast was going 
 to be." 
 
 Tom had already started forward, and in a 1 
 moment more Dick and Chester Waltham fol 
 lowed. But hardly had they done this when the 
 Italian on the road suddenly let out another yell. 
 
 "Boss ! Boss ! You-a stop !" he cried. "You-a
 
 220 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 stop queek ! De two-a bias' ! You-a stop !" and 
 he danced up and down in added alarm. 
 
 Those who had gone on paid no attention to 
 him, and an instant later passed around a corner 
 of the cliff. As they did this they saw a man 
 on the open hillside waving his arm and shouting 
 something they could not understand. 
 
 "Tom, something is wrong " began Sam, 
 
 when, of a sudden, his words were swallowed up 
 in a fierce roar and rumble that seemed to shake 
 the very ground beneath them. They saw a flash 
 of fire in an opening of the cliff, and the next 
 instant a burst of flames and smoke was followed 
 by a rain of rocks all around them !
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 NEWS OF BLACKIE CROWDEN 
 
 IT was a moment of extreme peril, and what 
 made it seem worse was the fact that the Rovers 
 and the others could do nothing to save them 
 selves. Rocks, small stones and dirt flew all 
 around them, striking with loud noises the hoods 
 and other metal parts of the automobiles, and 
 even landing in the tonneaus of the larger cars. 
 
 "Hold up the robes! Protect yourselves with 
 the robes!" yelled Dick, but before the ladies 
 could heed his words the rain of rocks, small 
 stones and dirt had come to an end. 
 
 "Great Caesar! that's a fine happening!" 
 groaned Tom, who had been hit on the shoulder 
 by a fair-sized stone. He looked quickly at those 
 in the car with him. "Any of you hurt?" 
 
 "I got hit in the head with something," re 
 turned Sam. "But it didn't hurt very much. 
 How about you?" and he looked at Grace and at 
 Tom's wife. 
 
 "I I don't think I am hurt any," faltered 
 
 221
 
 222 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Grace, as she looked at some stones and dirt on 
 the robe over her lap. 
 
 "I'm all right," answered Tom's wife. "But, 
 oh dear ! something I think it must have been a 
 big stone flew directly past my face!" 
 1 "I hope the others got off as well as we did," 
 remarked Tom. "Let us go and see," and, suit 
 ing the action to the word, he left the machine, 
 followed by his brother. 
 
 The second car had a dent in the hood made 
 by a stone as big as Tom's fist. All those in the 
 automobile had been hit by some smaller stones 
 and also covered with loose dirt, but no one had 
 been seriously injured, although Mrs. Laning de 
 clared that some of the dirt had entered her left 
 ear and also her eye. 
 
 "Let me look at that eye," cried Mrs. Stan 
 hope, as soon as she had recovered from the 
 shock of the second blast. And then she went 
 to work on the optic, and presently Mrs. Laning 
 declared that the eye was as well as ever. 
 
 As Chester Waltham and his sister had been 
 /farther back on the road, around the turn of 
 the cliff, they had not felt the effects of the sec 
 ond explosion excepting a slight shower of dirt 
 which had covered the front of the runabout. 
 But the young millionaire and his sister were 
 greatly excited, and the former got out of his
 
 NEWS OF BLACKIE CROWDEN 223 
 
 machine to run up to the Italian with the red 
 flag and shake his fist in the man's face. 
 
 "You you rascal!" he spluttered. "What do 
 you mean by sending us into such peril as this? 
 You ought to be put into prison !" 
 
 "I-a, I-a forget heem," faltered the foreign 
 er helplessly. "I tink only one bias'. I forget 
 two bias'," and he looked very downhearted. 
 
 But this time the man who had been up on 
 the hillside came running to the scene of the 
 mishap, followed by several of the workmen. 
 
 "Anybody hurt?" sang out the man, who was 
 an American in charge of the blasting gang. 
 
 "Nothing very serious," answered Dick. "But 
 it might have been," he added sharply. "You 
 fellows ought to be more careful." 
 
 "I told Tony to keep everybody back for two 
 blasts," answered the man. "Why didn't you 
 stay back until you heard the second blast?" 
 
 "He told us to go on," answered Tom. 
 
 "I make mistake," cried the Italian. "You 
 forgive, boss," and he looked pleadingly at Dick 
 and the others. 
 
 "Well, you don't want to make any more mis 
 takes like that," returned Dick. "If we had got 
 ten a little closer somebody might have been 
 killed." 
 
 "That's the second time you have failed to
 
 224 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 obey orders, Tony," said the gang master, stern 
 ly. "You go on up to the shanty and get your 
 time and clear out. I won't have such a care 
 less man as you around." 
 
 At these words the Italian looked much crest 
 fallen. He began to jabber away in a mixture 
 of English and his own tongue, both to his boss 
 and to our friends. But the boss would not listen 
 to him, and ordered him away, and then he de 
 parted, looking decidedly sullen. 
 
 "I can't do anything with some of these fel 
 lows," explained the man in charge of the blast 
 ing. "I tell them just what to do, and some 
 times they mind me and sometimes they don't. 
 I'm very sorry this thing happened, but I'm 
 thankful at the same time that you got through 
 as well as you did," and he smiled a little. 
 
 "You're not half as thankful as we are," put 
 in Sam, dryly. 
 
 "I hope there is no damage done to your cars, 
 but if there is I'm willing to pay for it," went 
 on the man. 
 
 "A few dents, but I guess that is all," an 
 swered Dick, after a look at both the car he was 
 driving and the one run by his brother. "We'll 
 let those go, for we are on a tour and have no 
 time to waste here." 
 
 "All right, sir, just as you say. But here is
 
 NEWS OF BLACKIE CROWDEN 22$ 
 
 my card ; I don't want to sneak out of anything 
 for which I'm responsible," continued the man. 
 "If you find anything wrong later on you let me 
 know and I'll fix it up with you." 
 
 "We ought to sue this fellow for damages!" 
 cried Chester Waltham, wrathfully. "It's an 
 outrage to treat us like this." 
 
 "Were you hurt in any way?" asked the man, 
 quietly. 
 
 "We got a lot of dirt and stones on the run 
 about," growled Waltham. 
 
 "Oh, Chester! don't quarrel over the matter," 
 entreated his sister, in a low tone. "The man 
 didn't want to do it." 
 
 "Oh, these follows are too fresh," grumbled 
 the young millionaire. "The authorities ought 
 to take them in hand," and then he reentered his 
 runabout, looking in anything but a happy mood. 
 
 "Do you think we can go ahead on this road 
 now?" asked Dick, after a few more words had 
 passed between the Rovers and the man who had 
 the blasting in charge. 
 
 "I think so," was the reply. "Just wait a few 
 minutes and I'll have my gang of men clear a 
 way for you." He was evidently a fair and 
 square individual who wanted to do the right 
 thing in every particular, and the Rovers could 
 not help but like him.
 
 226 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "It was all that Italian's fault," remarked Snm 
 to Tom, while they were waiting for the road to 
 be cleared of the largest of the rocks. "If he 
 had kept us back as he was ordered to do there 
 would have been no trouble." 
 
 "He looked mighty mad when he went off," 
 was Tom's answer. "If that fellow in charge 
 here doesn't look out, that chap may put up 
 some job on him." 
 
 Inside of ten minutes the man in charge of 
 the blasting told them they could go ahead, and 
 so on they went as before, with Tom again in 
 the lead. As they passed by they saw numerous 
 places along the face of the cliff where other 
 blasting had taken place. The man had ex 
 plained that the work was being done by the con 
 tractors in order to widen the road in that 
 vicinity. 
 
 About a mile and a half beyond the cliff, nest 
 ling in the midst of a number of pretty farms, 
 they came to the town of Fernwood, the place 
 at which they were to stop for their midday meal. 
 They had the name of the leading hotel on their 
 list, and found the hostelry a fairly large and 
 comfortable one. 
 
 "I think we'll want a good washing up after 
 that experience," remarked Dick, when the auto 
 mobiles had been placed in the hotel garage.
 
 NEWS OF BLACKIE CROW DEN 227 
 
 "My! but that was a narrow escape!" and he 
 shuddered at the recollection. 
 
 "You fellows were mighty easy with that 
 man," observed Chester Waltham. "He ought 
 to have been made to suffer for his carelessness." 
 
 "Well, if you want to sue him, Waltham, 
 you go ahead and do it," said Dick somewhat 
 sharply. He was beginning to like the young 
 millionaire less and less the more he came in 
 contact with him. 
 
 A table had been reserved for the entire party, 
 and soon the well-cooked meal put even Chester 
 Waltham in better humor. Now that the danger 
 from the blast was a thing of the past, they 
 could afford to smile over the somewhat thrilling 
 experience. 
 
 "Maybe after this it would be a good idea to 
 ride with the tops up." said Tom. "Only we'd 
 have to make them stone proof as well as rain 
 proof," and at this remark there was a general 
 smile. 
 
 "Remember, Tom, I'm to be at the wheel this 
 afternoon," announced Sam, who thus far had 
 not had much chance to do any steering on the 
 trip. 
 
 "All right, little boy, you for the pilot act!" 
 returned his fun-loving brother, gaily. "But re 
 member what the girls told you no speeding.
 
 228 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 The law in this state is four and one-eighth miles 
 an hour, except on turning corners, where it 
 is two and one-sixteenth miles," and at this little 
 joke there was a titter from the girls. 
 
 As it was so warm during the middle of the' 
 day, it had been decided that they should not 
 proceed on their tour until about three o'clock. 
 This gave the ladies a chance to rest themselves, 
 something which was particularly satisfying to 
 Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning. 
 
 "I think I'll take a look around the town," 
 said Tom, after the ladies had gone to one of 
 the upper rooms. "Will you go along?" and 
 he looked enquiringly at his brothers and Ches 
 ter Waltham. 
 
 "I am going to write a letter to dad," answered 
 Dick. 
 
 "I think I'll write a letter myself and enjoy 
 a smoke," came from the young millionaire. 
 
 "I'm with you, Tom," returned his younger 
 brother. "Let's go out and see if we can't cap 
 ture a nice box of chocolates for the girls." 
 
 Tom and Sam were soon on the way. The 
 main street of Fernwood contained less than four 
 blocks of stores, and there was a cross street 
 with half a dozen other establishments. But the 
 place was a railroad center and, consequently, 
 was of quite some importance.
 
 NEWS OF BLACK1E CROW DEN 229 
 
 Having walked up and down the main street, 
 and procured a box of chocolates and a few 
 other things, the two Rovers wandered off in 
 the direction of the railroad station. A train had 
 just come in, and they watched the passengers 
 alight and then others get aboard. They were 
 particularly interested in the discomfiture of a 
 fat traveling salesman who came puffing up on 
 the platform, a suitcase in each hand, just in 
 time to see the train depart. The fat man was 
 very angry, but this availed him nothing. 
 
 "It's a shame! a shame!" howled the traveling 
 salesman, as he threw his suitcases down in dis 
 gust. "I know that train left at least two min 
 utes ahead of time," he stormed to the station 
 master. 
 
 "You're wrong there, mister," was the ready 
 answer. "She was a minute late." 
 
 "Nonsense! Nonsense!" stormed the disap 
 pointed individual. "I tell you she left ahead of 
 time. I ought to sue the railroad company for 
 this," and he shook his head savagely. 
 
 "Gosh! we are up against people who want 
 to sue everybody," was Sam's remark. "That 
 fellow ought to join Chester Waltham, and then 
 they could hire one lawyer to do the whole busi 
 ness." 
 
 "I might have been here five minutes ago if
 
 230 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 I hadn't been a fool," stormed the fat salesman t 
 as he looked for comfort at the two Rovers. 
 "That comes from trying to be accommodating. 
 I was headed for this place when down there 
 at the Ludding House I met a fellow who wanted 
 to know how to get to Stockbridge. He stut 
 tered so that it took me about five minutes to 
 find out what he wanted." 
 
 "Stuttered, did he?" questioned Tom, cu 
 riously. 
 
 "He sure did f He had an awful stutter with 
 a funny little whistle in between. I wish I hadn't 
 waited to listen to him. I might have had that 
 train, confound it!" went on the fat salesman, 
 pulling down his face. 
 
 "Did you say that fellow stuttered and 
 whistled?" broke in Sam eagerly. 
 
 "He certainly did." 
 
 "Will you tell me what kind of a looking man 
 he was?" 
 
 "Sure !" answered the salesman, and then start 
 ed to give as good a description of the individual 
 as his recollection would permit. . 
 
 "It must have been Blackie Crowden!" cried' 
 the youngest Rover, before the man had finished. 
 
 "I don't know what his name was," said the 
 salesman. 
 
 "We want to catch that man the worst way/'
 
 NEWS OF BLACKIE CROWDEN 231 
 
 went on Sam. "Have you any idea where we 
 can find him?" 
 
 "He asked me the way to Stockbridge, so I 
 suppose he was going there," was the reply. 
 
 "Where is Stockbridge?" 
 
 "It's down on the road past the Ludding 
 House. It's about five miles from here." 
 
 "Do you suppose the man was going to walk 
 it?" 
 
 "I don't know about that. You must remem 
 ber I was in a hurry to catch the train. Hang 
 the luck! I wish I hadn't stopped to talk to 
 that man," went on the fat salesman. 
 
 "And I'm very glad that you did stop to talk 
 to him," returned Sam. He looked at his brother. 
 "Come on, Tom, let us see if we can find Blackie 
 Crowden."
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 ON THE TRAIL 
 
 THE Ludding House was on the side street 
 of the town, about three blocks from the hotel 
 at which our friends were stopping. When the 
 two Rovers arrived there they found the din 
 ing-room had just closed and only two men and 
 an elderly woman were in sight. 
 
 "We are looking for a man who was around 
 here I think his name was Blackie Crowden," 
 said Sam. "He is a man who stutters very 
 badly." 
 
 "Oh, yes, I remember that fellow," returned 
 one of the men who worked around the hotel, 
 "He was here for lunch." 
 
 "Can you tell me where he is now ?" 
 
 "No, I cannot" 
 
 "That man who stuttered so terribly said 
 something about going to Stockbridge," put in 
 the woman. "Perhaps he was going there." 
 
 "On foot?" 
 
 "I don't think so. Most likely he took the 
 stage. That left about ten minutes ago." 
 232
 
 ON THE TRAIL 233 
 
 "Was the man alone?" asked Tom. 
 
 "I think he was, although I am not sure. He 
 came in during the lunch hour and after that I 
 saw him talking to a salesman who had been 
 staying here a man who just went off on the 
 train." 
 
 "You mean a man who went off to catch the 
 train," grinned Tom. "He didn't get it, and he's 
 as mad as a hornet on that account." 
 
 The two Rovers asked several more questions 
 and found out that the stage which left Fern- 
 wood twice a day passed through Stockbridge 
 on its way to Riverview, six miles farther on. 
 
 "They used to use horses," explained the hotel 
 man, "but last year Jerry Lagger got himself an 
 auto, so he makes the run pretty quick these 
 days." 
 
 "Come on, Sam, let's get one of our autos and 
 follow that stage," cried Tom, and set off on a 
 run for the other hotel, quickly followed by his 
 brother. They burst in on Dick just as the lat 
 ter was posting the letter which he had written 
 to their father. 
 
 "Say! that would be great if it was Blackie 
 Crowden and we could capture him," cried Dick, 
 on hearing what they had to say. "You get the 
 auto ready while I tell the others where we are 
 going."
 
 234 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "It's a pity Stockbridge and Riverview are 
 not on our regular tour," was Sam's comment. 
 
 "Oh, it's just as well," answered Tom. "We 
 may have lots of trouble with this fellow Crow- 
 den, and it will be just as well if the girls and 
 the ladies are not in it." 
 
 One of the touring cars was quickly run to 
 the front &i the hotel, and a moment later Dick, 
 who had rushed upstairs to explain matters to 
 the others, came out and joined his brothers. 
 Tom was at the wheel, and he lost no time in 
 speeding up the car, and on they went along 
 *he dusty road in the direction of Stock- 
 bridge. 
 
 "I do hope they catch that fellow and get 
 back Mr. Sanderson's money," was Grace's com 
 ment, as she watched the departure of the tour 
 ing car out of one of the upper windows of 
 the hotel. 
 
 "What's it all about?" asked Ada Waltham, 
 who had not been present when Dick had burst 
 in on the others. She was quickly told and then 
 asked : "Why didn't they take my brother along 
 with them?" 
 
 "I don't know, I am sure, Ada/' answered 
 Grace. "Perhaps he wasn't around." 
 
 "He was down in the writing-room with 
 Dick."
 
 ON THE TRAIL 235 
 
 "Well, I am sure I don't know why he isn't 
 with them," was the reply. 
 
 "I don't think they are treating Chester just 
 right," retorted the rich girl, rather abruptly, 
 and then left the room with her nose tilted high 
 in the air. 
 
 "What a way to act!" murmured Nellie. 
 
 "I am afraid that sooner or later we will have 
 some sort of rupture with the Walthams," was 
 Dora's comment. She gave a little sigh. "Too 
 bad ! I should hate to have anything happen to 
 spoil this tour." 
 
 "Well, I don't think the boys treat Chester 
 Waltham just right," returned Grace, somewhat 
 coldly. "They treat him as if he were a stranger 
 an outsider," and then she, too, left the room, 
 leaving her sister and Dora to gaze at each other 
 questioningly. 
 
 Along the dusty road sped the touring car, 
 Tom running as rapidly as safety would permit. 
 Soon Fernwood was left far behind and they 
 began to ascend a slight hill. 
 
 Presently they came to a crossroad, and here 
 they had to stop to study a much- faded sign 
 board, so as to decide which was the proper road 
 to take. Even then, as they continued their way, 
 they were all a little doubtful. 
 
 "That signboard was so twisted it didn't point
 
 236 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 right down this road," was Sam's comment. "It 
 would be just like some boys to twist it out of 
 shape just for the fun of sending folks on the 
 wrong road." 
 
 "Well, I played a joke like that myself, once,* 
 confessed Tom. 
 
 "Then if we are on the wrong road on account 
 of some boys' tricks, Tom, you'll simply be get 
 ting paid back for what you did," returned his 
 older brother. 
 
 Half a mile more was covered, and then the 
 road grew rapidly worse. Tom had slowed 
 down, and was just on the point of stopping 
 when a low hissing sound reached the ears of all. 
 
 "Good-night!" was Tom's comment. 
 
 "What is it, Tom, a puncture?" queried Sam. 
 
 "Oh, no, it's only a gas well trying to find its 
 way to the surface of the ground," was the dr)- 
 comment. "Everybody out and to work !" 
 
 They leaped to the ground and soon saw that 
 Sam's conjecture was correct. A sharp stone 
 had cut into one of the front shoes, making a 
 hole about as large in diameter as a slate pencil. 
 
 "Might know a thing like this would happen 
 just when we were in a hurry," grumbled Dick. 
 
 "Never mind, now is our time to make a rec 
 ord," came cheerfully from Sam. He glanced 
 at his watch. "Four minutes after two. Come
 
 ON THE TRAIL 237 
 
 on, let us see how quickly we can get that new 
 iire on." 
 
 All threw off their coats and caps and set to 
 wcrk in the shade of some trees. While one 
 jacked up the car, another worked to get off the 
 damaged shoe and inner tube. In the mean 
 while, the third got ready another shoe with an 
 inr*er tube, and thus working hand in hand the 
 three got the new tire in place and pumped up 
 in less than ten minutes. 
 
 While Dick and Sam were putting away the 
 tools, Tom walked a bit ahead on the road. He 
 looked around a turn, and then came back much 
 crestfallen. 
 
 "Well, I'm paid back for monkeying with 
 those road-signs years ago," he announced. "The 
 fellows who fixed that sign some distance be 
 hind us have got one on me. This is nothing 
 but a woods road, and ends in the timber right 
 around the bend." 
 
 "Which means that we have got to turn back 
 and take the other road," put in Sam, quickly. 
 
 "That's it! Some fun turning around here," 
 was Dick's comment. "It's about as narrow as it 
 was on that road where they were doing the 
 blasting." 
 
 "Oh, I guess I can make it," answered Tom; 
 and then all got in the car once again.
 
 238 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 By going ahead and backing half a dozen 
 times, Tom at last managed to get the touring 
 car headed the other way. Then he put on 
 speed once more and they raced off to where 
 they had made the false turn. 
 
 But all this had taken time and as a conse 
 quence, although they ran along the other high 
 way at a speed of nearly forty miles an hour, 
 they saw nothing of the auto-stage which had 
 gone on ahead. 
 
 "I guess this is Stockbridge," was Dick's 
 comment, a little later, as they came in sight of a 
 straggling village. Several buggies and farm 
 wagons were in sight and likewise a couple of 
 cheap automobiles, but nothing that looked like 
 a stage. 
 
 "Has the auto-stage from Fernwood got in 
 yet?" questioned Sam of a storekeeper who sat 
 in a tilted chair under the wooden awning of his 
 establishment. 
 
 "Yes, it got in some time ago," was the 
 drawled-out reply of the storekeeper. 
 
 "Then has it gone on to Riverview?" queried 
 Dick. 
 1 "Reckon it has, stranger." 
 
 "Do you know if any passengers got off here?" 
 asked Tom. 
 
 "Old Mrs. Harrison got off."
 
 ON THE TRAIL 239 
 
 "Anybody else?" 
 
 "I didn't see anybody else, but then I wasn't 
 watchin' very closely," explained the storekeeper. 
 
 The only other persons in sight besides the 
 storekeeper were two children, too small to be 1 
 questioned about the stage passengers. The 
 Rovers looked at each other questioningly. 
 
 "Might as well go right through and follow 
 that stage," said Dick. "If he is on board, there 
 is no use of letting him get away. If he isn't, 
 we can come back here and look for him." 
 
 The others deemed this good advice, and in 
 a moment more they left Stockbridge at a rate 
 of speed which made the storekeeper leap up 
 from his comfortable chair to gaze after them 
 in amazement. 
 
 "Some of them speeders," he murmured to 
 himself. "If they don't look out they'll be took 
 in for breakin' the law." 
 
 For a mile or more the road outside of Stock- 
 bridge was fairly good. Beyond, it grew poorer 
 and poorer, and Tom had to reduce speed once 
 more for fear of another puncture, or a blow 
 out. As they sped along the highway all the 
 youths kept a sharp lookout for Blackie Crow- 
 den, but no one came in sight who answered in 
 the least to the description of that individual. 
 
 "I'm sure I'd know him if I saw him," said
 
 240 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Sam, who had studied a copy of the man's pho 
 tograph. 
 
 "So would I," answered Tom. "He's got a 
 face that is somewhat unusual ;" and to this Dick 
 agreed. 
 
 On and on they went, the road now being 
 little more than a country lane. Here the dust 
 was about six inches deep, and a big cloud floated 
 behind the machine. 
 
 "Almost looks as if we were on the wrong 
 road again," observed Dick. But hardly had he 
 spoken when they came out to another cross 
 road. Here a signboard pointed to the left, and 
 the highway was as good as any they had yet 
 traveled. 
 
 "Only one mile more!" cried Sam. 
 
 "It won't take long to cover that," answered 
 Tom, and then turned on the power, and in less 
 than two minutes more they were approaching 
 the center of Riverview, a fair-sized town lo 
 cated on the stream which gave it its name. 
 
 "There is the auto-stage, drawn up in front 
 of the hotel," announced Sam. 
 
 "Yes. And it's empty," answered Dick. 
 
 The driver of the auto-stage was at the town 
 pump getting a drink of water. He looked at 
 the three Rovers curiously as they confronted 
 him.
 
 ON THE TRAIL 241 
 
 "Did I have a passenger that stuttered?" he 
 repeated in answer to their question. "I sure 
 did have such a fellow. Why, he stuttered wo'se 
 than any man I ever heard. And he whistled 
 too. Awful funny. Why, I had all I could do 
 to keep from laughin' in his face." 
 
 "We want to find that man very much and 
 right away," announced Dick. "Will you let us 
 know where you let him off?" 
 
 "That's a funny thing, mister," announced the 
 auto-stage driver. "You see, after we left Stock- 
 bridge I didn't have nobody in but that man. He 
 paid me the fare to this place before I started. 
 Then when we was about half-way here I looked 
 around in the back of the stage and, by gum! 
 he was gone." 
 
 "Gone !" came from the three Rovers. 
 
 "Yes, sir, he was gone. I looked back and 
 there he stood on the side of the road. As soon 
 as he saw that I saw him, he waved his hand 
 to me and disappeared."
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 THE three Rovers listened in astonishment to 
 what the auto-stage driver had to say concern 
 ing the sudden disappearance of Blackie Crow- 
 den. 
 
 "Then he must have jumped from the stage 
 while you were running," remarked Dick. 
 
 "That's just what he did do, mister. And 
 he took some chances, too, believe me, for I 
 wasn't runnin' at less than twenty miles an hour." 
 
 "Did he have any baggage with him?" ques 
 tioned Tom. 
 
 "He had a small handbag, that's all." 
 
 "Would you remember the place where he 
 jumped off?" came from Sam, eagerly. 
 
 "Yes, it was on the road back of here just 
 before you turn into this highway." 
 
 "You mean the road that was so thick with 
 dust?" remarked Tom. 
 
 "That's the place. He jumped off at a spot 
 where the bushes are pretty thick, and there 
 242
 
 BACK AT ASHTON 
 
 243 
 
 are three trees standin' close together just back 
 of the bushes." 
 
 "I think I know that place," said Dick. "There 
 is a small white cottage on the hillside just be 
 hind it." 
 
 "You've struck it," answered the stage driver. 
 "I reckon as how he was goin' to call on some 
 body at the cottage. But why he didn't ask me 
 to stop is a mystery. Why ! he might have broken 
 a leg gettin' off that way." 
 
 "That man is a criminal, and he did it to throw 
 you off his track," announced Sam. "Do you 
 know what I think?" he continued to his 
 brothers. "I think Blackie Crowden must have 
 gotten on to the fact that we were at Fernwood, 
 and made up his mind to clear out as soon as 
 possible. Then he got afraid that we might ques 
 tion folks, including this stage driver, and so 
 jumped from the auto-stage to throw us off his 
 trail, provided we should follow the stage." 
 
 "I guess you have struck the nail on the head, 
 Sam," answered his oldest brother. "But come 
 on, let us see if we can find some trace of him." 
 And in less than a minute more they had turned 
 their machine around and were heading for the 
 spot mentioned to them by the stage driver. 
 
 It was only a short run, and soon they halted 
 beside the bushes hedging in three tall trees.
 
 244 THE R OVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Eagerly they looked around in all directions, but 
 not a soul was in sight. 
 
 "I'm going up to the farmhouse," announced 
 Sam. 
 
 "And I'll go with you," added Dick. "Tom, 
 you stay down here and take a look around. 
 If you see anything of him blow the auto horn 
 three times." 
 
 At the farmhouse the two Rovers found them 
 selves confronted by an elderly man and his wife, 
 who looked at them rather curiously. 
 
 "No, there hasn't been anybody around here 
 so far as I know," announced the farmer. "We 
 haven't had a visitor for several days." 
 
 "I was out to the well about five minutes ago," 
 put in his wife, "and if anybody had come up 
 to the house or the barn I'd have seen him." 
 
 "The fellow we are after is a criminal," ex 
 plained Dick, "so if you don't mind we'll take a 
 look around for him." 
 
 "A criminal!" cried the farmer. "Say, that's 
 bad! Certainly look around all you please, and 
 I hope if he is anywhere near you'll catch him. 
 I'd go around with you myself, only I can't 
 very well on account of this rheumatism of 
 mine." 
 
 The two Rovers walked around the cottage 
 and the out-buildings but found not the least
 
 BACK AT ASHTON 245 
 
 trace of Blackie Crowden. Then, rather crest 
 fallen, they returned to the automobile. 
 
 "Perhaps there's some mistake and it wasn't 
 Crowden at all," was Sam's comment. 
 
 "Well, it was a man who stuttered, anyway, 
 and the general description fitted Crowden," an 
 swered his brother. 
 
 When they reached the automobile, they found 
 Tom gazing curiously at a piece of newspaper 
 which he had picked up from the ground. It 
 was rather crumpled, as if it had been used for 
 wrapping purposes. 
 
 "See anything of him, Tom?" asked Dick. 
 
 "No," was the answer. "But look here. Do 
 cither of you recognize this print?" He held 
 out the paper, which was the lower half of a 
 newspaper page. Part of this was devoted to 
 reading matter and the rest to advertisements. 
 
 "Why, sure! I know that paper," cried Dick. 
 "See that advertisement of The Russel Depart 
 ment Store and that advertisement of Betts' Shoe 
 Store? That's a part of the Knoxbury Weekly 
 Leader." 
 
 "That's just what it is!" ejaculated Sam. 
 "Where did you get that paper, Tom?" 
 
 "Found it right here beside the bushes. It 
 looks as if it had been used to wrap something 
 in."
 
 246 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Then that proves two things," announced 
 Dick, flatly. "One is that the man who stutters 
 was really Blackie Crowden, for who else could 
 have been here with something wrapped in a 
 Knoxbury newspaper? And the other thing is 
 that he did as the stage driver said left that 
 stage somewhere near here." 
 
 "Right you are, Dick," returned his youngest 
 brother, "but that doesn't answer the question 
 where is he now?" 
 
 "I think he got on to the fact that we were 
 in Fernwood, and that it was his business to get 
 out just as quickly as he could," said Tom. "And 
 if that is true it is more than likely that he is 
 a good distance away from here by now and 
 keeping to side roads where he thinks he will 
 not be followed." 
 
 "But what brought him to Fernwood in the 
 first place?" questioned Sam. 
 
 "Give it up. Of course, he may have friends 
 or relatives here. But I don't know how we are 
 going to find out the truth about that, and what 
 good will it do us if we do?" 
 
 A half hour was spent in that vicinity, the boys 
 tramping up and down the road and through the 
 fields and woods looking for some trace of the 
 missing man. Then they returned to Fernwood. 
 
 "I'm going down to the post-office to post our
 
 BACK AT ASHTON 247 
 
 letters," announced Dick. "I'll see if the post 
 master knows anything about Crowden." 
 
 The postmaster of Fern wood was a young man 
 and glad enough to give what information he 
 could when he heard what Dick had to say. 
 
 "Yes, that man was here several times," he 
 remarked. "He seemed very anxious to get some 
 letters, and he posted several letters himself, al 
 though whom they were addressed to I don't 
 know." 
 
 "You haven't any idea where he was stop- 
 ping?" 
 
 "Not the slightest." And this was all the post 
 master could tell them. 
 
 "No use of our staying here any longer," an 
 nounced Tom, when the boys had rejoined the 
 others at the hotel. "I guess Crowden just came 
 to this out-of-the-way place to get and send mail." 
 
 "Don't you think he'll come back, thinking 
 there'll be some letters for him?" questioned his 
 wife. 
 
 "We'll take care of that," was the reply. 
 "We'll notify the local authorities and also the 
 postmaster, so if Crowden turns up again he'll 
 be arrested at once;" and this matter was at 
 tended to before they left the town. 
 
 Chester Waltham grumbled somewhat because 
 the Rovers had not taken him along on th trip
 
 248 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 to Riverview, but the three brothers paid little 
 attention to this, although Sam showed that he 
 was rather anxious because of the way in which 
 Grace stood up for the brother of her seminary 
 chum. 
 
 It had been planned that the tour from Valley 
 Brook to the west should be taken through Ash- 
 ton, so one morning a few days later found the 
 whole party in the old college town. 
 
 "Too bad that Brill and Hope are both closed 
 for the season," remarked Dora. "We might 
 have met some of our old friends." 
 
 "Well, it doesn't make much difference to 
 me," grinned back Sam. "It seems like only yes 
 terday since I graduated." 
 
 "I am glad my school days are over," an 
 nounced Ada Waltham. "I never did care for 
 studying." 
 
 Before proceeding farther, the Rovers had de 
 cided to call on the Sandersons, so they went 
 away from the hotel at Ashton, leaving the Wal- 
 thams behind. A letter had been sent ahead to 
 Minnie, so she was not much surprised at their 
 arrival. Her appearance, however, shocked them 
 greatly. From looking round and ruddy her 
 face had taken on a pale and careworn look. 
 
 "We are having all sorts of bad luck this year,'* 
 she said, in answer to an inquiry of Dora, and
 
 BACK AT ASHTON 249 
 
 while the boys had gone off to find Mr. Sander 
 son, who was at the barn. "First came the loss 
 of that money. Then father was taken sick, 
 and now he tells me that the crops this year 
 are not going to be nearly as good as usual." 
 
 "That is certainly too bad, Minnie," said Dora, 
 sympathetically. "I wish we could do something 
 to help you." She paused for a moment. "I 
 suppose you hear from Songbird occasion 
 ally?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, he writes to me regularly. He is 
 hard at work, and last week he sent father a 
 check for one hundred dollars. This, of course, 
 is a good deal of money for the poor fellow to 
 scrape together, but it isn't much towards four 
 thousand dollars." 
 
 "It certainly is too bad about the crops not 
 being good," said Nellie, who, being the daughter 
 of a farmer, knew exactly what such a calamity 
 means to the average man who depends on the 
 soil for his living. 
 
 "Father wouldn't mind it so much if it was 
 not for this interest on the mortgage. You see 
 he had expected to pay the whole amount off 
 and that, of course, would stop the interest. Now 
 he has to pay the usual amount, two hundred 
 and forty dollars a year, which, you see, is twenty 
 dollars a month. It worries him a good deal."
 
 250 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Did you say Songbird sent him a hundred 
 dollars?" questioned Grace, curiously. 
 
 "Yes. It was money he had earned and some 
 that his folks had given him. I am glad to say 
 father didn't think much of accepting it at first," 
 added Minnie, her face brightening a little. "But 
 poor John urged it, so that at last he took it and 
 sent it over to the bank." 
 
 "Then I suppose Songbird and your father are 
 on fairly good terms now," remarked Dora. 
 
 "No, I am sorry to say that is not true, Dora. 
 At first father seemed to get over it, but lately 
 he has been as bitter as ever. You see, his sick 
 ness, and the bad crops, and the interest money 
 to be paid on the mortgage, worry him a great 
 deal, and he takes it all out on poor John. He 
 sticks to it that John should have been more care 
 ful while he was carrying such a large amount." 
 Minnie turned her face away and two tears stole 
 down her cheeks. "It's a shame an awful, 
 burning shame! But what in the world am I 
 to do?" 
 
 "It surely is too bad, Minnie," said Dora, kind 
 ly, placing her arm around the girl's waist, while 
 Nellie and Grace looked on sympathetically. "If 
 we could help you at all we would do it. We 
 have some news of Blackie Crowden, and the 
 others have gone out to tell your father about
 
 BACK AT ASHTON 251 
 
 it," and then she related what had occurred dur 
 ing the stop at Fernwood. 
 
 "Oh! if only they could find that fellow and 
 get back the money !" sobbed Minnie. "But may 
 be the most of it has been spent," she added, 
 dolefully. 
 
 "Oh, let us hope not!" cried Nellie. "He 
 couldn't spend any such amount as that in so 
 short a time." 
 
 "He might if he drank and gambled it away," 
 put in her sister. "Oh, wouldn't it be too bad 
 if they did catch this Blackie Crowden and then 
 found that he had squandered all that money!"
 
 AT THE FESTIVAL 
 
 WHILE Dora and her cousins were talking to 
 Minnie the others had sought out Mr. Sander 
 son, who was down in the barn superintending 
 the stowing away of some grain. The farmer 
 listened with interest to what they had to tell 
 him about Blackie Crowden, but shook his head 
 dolefully. 
 
 "I'm pretty well satisfied that they'll never 
 get that money back for me now," he announced. 
 "A fellow of that character would use up cash 
 about as fast as he could lay hands on it." 
 
 "Well, let us live in hopes," returned Dick, 
 not knowing what else to say. 
 
 The farmer asked them about their tour, and 
 said he trusted that they would have a good 
 time. Then Sam ventured to mention Songbird. 
 
 "Better not talk to me about that young man," 
 declared Mr. Sanderson, drawing down the cor 
 ners of his mouth. "He may mean well enough, 
 but he's not my kind, and I've told Minnie she 
 252
 
 AT THE FESTIVAL 253 
 
 had better stop having him call and also stop 
 writing to him." 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Sanderson! I think you are doing 
 our chum an injustice," cried Sam. "It wasn't 
 his fault that he was robbed of that four thou 
 sand dollars." 
 
 "Humph! That's as how you look at it," 
 grumbled the farmer. "I've said what I think, 
 and I'll stick to it." And nothing that the Rovers 
 could say would alter his decision in this matter. 
 
 "Oh, I'm so sorry for Minnie I really don't 
 know how to express myself," were Dora's 
 words, when the party were once more on the 
 way to the Ashton hotel. "If her father com 
 pels her to give up Songbird it will just about 
 break her heart." 
 
 "I don't believe she's the one to give up Song 
 bird," answered Sam. "She isn't that kind of 
 girl," and he looked at Grace. But her eyes at 
 that moment were turned in another direction. 
 He followed the look and saw that she was gaz 
 ing at Chester Waltham, who, with his sister, 
 had driven their car to meet the others. 
 
 "There is one thing about this whole matter 
 that worries me," said Dick, "and that is that 
 when they catch this Blackie Crowden and I 
 think they'll land on the fellow sooner or later 
 most of the money may be gone. There will be
 
 254 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 some satisfaction in placing such a rascal behind 
 the bars, but that won't give Mr. Sanderson his 
 cash back nor lift that mortgage." 
 
 "We've just got news and we thought we 
 would let you know about it," cried Ada Wal- 
 'tham, as the runabout came to a standstill close 
 to the other automobiles. "There is to be a grand 
 festival at Larkinburg this evening, and if it 
 is not necessary to stay in Ashton to-night we 
 might as well go to that place and attend the 
 festival. I received a letter at the Ashton post- 
 office from two girls who used to go to Hope, 
 and they are to be at the affair, and they write 
 that it will be well worth attending." 
 
 "Oh, yes, let us go to Larkinburg by all 
 means!" cried Grace. "I know the two girls 
 Jennie Cross and Mabel Stanford. The festival 
 will certainly be well worth while if they say so." 
 
 "Let me see how many miles is it to Larkin 
 burg?" questioned Tom. 
 
 "Only sixty, so we can make the run with 
 ease if we start directly after lunch," answered 
 Chester Waltham. 
 
 The matter was talked over for a few min- 
 'utes, and as a result it was decided to go ahead 
 and make the town mentioned in ample time to 
 attend the festival. 
 
 "They are going to have a concert and some
 
 AT THE FESTIVAL 255 
 
 outdoor tableaux, with refreshments," said 
 Grace. "Ada was telling me all about it." 
 
 "Well, that will be much better than staying 
 in Ashton doing nothing," returned Dora. "And, 
 besides, we must be getting along on our trip. 
 Dick says we are really a day behind in our 
 schedule." 
 
 During the stop at the Ashton hotel for lunch, 
 Chester Waltham had been very attentive to 
 Grace and had asked her if she did not wish to 
 change places with his sister on the run to Lar- 
 kinburg; but she had declined, offering some 
 excuse which was far from satisfactory to the 
 young millionaire. 
 
 "I thought you were going to put in part of 
 this tour with me," he had said, rather reproach 
 fully. "Besides, if you will come in with me it 
 will give Ada a chance to visit with the others." 
 
 "Well, I'll ride with you some time," Grace 
 had answered. "I want Ada to have as good a 
 time as any of us." 
 
 The long hours spent on the road had proved 
 rather tiring to Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning, 
 and when Larkinburg was reached they were glad 
 enough to rest in a comfortable room which 
 Dick engaged for them. 
 
 "You young folks can go to the festival," said 
 Mrs. Stanhope, with a smile. "We are going
 
 256 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 to stay here and go to bed early;" and so it was 
 arranged^ 
 
 The festival was held in a large grove border 
 ing a beautiful stream and located some distance 
 from the center of the town. As soon as our 
 friends had arrived they had called up the two 
 former students of Hope, and it had been de 
 cided that these girls, along with their escorts, 
 should join the others and all should attend the 
 festival together. 
 
 "We can easily pack the whole crowd in our 
 three cars," announced Dick. 
 
 "I can't carry any extra people in my run 
 about," complained Chester Waltham. "Of 
 course, one of the fellows might stand on the 
 running board, but " 
 
 "We'll take them, don't worry," answered 
 Sam. "We've got some vacant seats, you know, 
 and four extra won't count." 
 
 The girls from Hope were a jolly pair and so 
 were the two young men who accompanied them. 
 All got in the Rovers' machines, and away they 
 went, followed closely by the Waltham runabout. 
 A parking space had been set aside, and there 
 our friends found themselves surrounded by ma 
 chines of all sorts, and a jolly, laughing crowd 
 numbering several thousands of people. 
 
 "Oh, how pretty!" burst from Grace's lips, as
 
 AT THE FESTIVAL 257 
 
 they strolled toward the place where the concert 
 and the tableaux were to be given. 
 
 A stage had been constructed among some 
 trees and bushes with a background of the river, 
 and here scores of lamps and lanterns twinkled 
 forth. The seats were placed along a sloping 
 bank, and soon the whole crowd was gathered 
 to listen to the opening number of the con 
 cert. 
 
 As soon as the machines were parked Ches 
 ter Waltham, almost ignoring his sister, had 
 devoted his attention to Grace, doing this while 
 Sam was busy talking over some matters with 
 his brothers. Waltham had walked over to the 
 seats with Grace beside him, and now he saw 
 to it that she was placed where he could talk to 
 her with ease. This, of course, did not particu 
 larly suit Sam, but he was helpless in the matter 
 and so made the best of it. 
 
 The concert was a fine one and the tableaux, 
 which were interspersed between the various 
 musical numbers, were intensely interesting. 
 
 "Certainly well worth attending," was Tom's 
 comment, when that portion of the festival came 
 to an end amid a loud clapping of hands. 
 
 "And now for some refreshments," announced 
 Dick. "Come on, let us hurry or the tables may 
 all be filled," for some long tables decorated with
 
 258 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 lanterns had been set under the trees at one side 
 of the grove. 
 
 "My! but it is rather chilly here," was Grace's 
 comment, when they were moving toward the 
 tables. "I feel positively cold." 
 
 "Didn't you bring your jacket?" questioned 
 Sam. 
 
 "Yes, but I left it in the auto." 
 
 "I'll go and get it," he returned, and ran off 
 to procure the garment. He found that more 
 machines had come in, and it was some little 
 while before he could locate their automobile 
 and pick out the jacket. 
 
 In the meanwhile, Chester Waltham, leaving 
 his sister with the other girls from Hope, had 
 gone on with Grace and seated her at one of the 
 tables, with the others of the party opposite. 
 There was but one vacant seat left next to Grace, 
 and this the young millionaire appropriated. 
 
 "I don't know what Sam will do when he gets 
 here," remarked Grace, anxiously. 
 
 "Oh, I guess he'll find a seat somewhere," an 
 swered Chester Waltham, coolly. 
 
 The youngest Rover was rather surprised on 
 getting back to find every seat filled and the 
 young millionaire sitting beside the girl who was 
 so dear to his heart, but he made no comment. 
 He helped Grace don the jacket, and then stood
 
 AT THE FESTIVAL 259 
 
 back until there was a vacant seat at a table some 
 distance away. 
 
 "I think it was rather mean of Chester Wal- 
 tham to appropriate that seat," whispered Nellie 
 to Dora while they were being served. 
 
 "I think so myself, Nellie," was the low re 
 ply. 
 
 At last the festival came to an end, and all 
 those in the crowd prepared to go home. 
 
 "I hope you enjoyed your refreshments," said 
 Sam, rather coolly, as he came up to Grace's 
 side. 
 
 "Why, yes, I enjoyed them very much/' an 
 swered the girl. She looked at him rather point 
 edly. "Didn't you think the sandwiches and 
 cake and other things were very nice?" 
 
 "Nice enough," he grumbled. "Come on, let 
 us get back to the hotel, I'm as tired as a dog," 
 and he started to walk away, leaving the others 
 to follow him. 
 
 His words and the manner in which they were 
 spoken rather nettled Grace, and she walked 
 toward the automobiles in silence, with the others 
 in front and behind her. But Chester Waltham 
 remained at her side, and as they approached 
 the machines he caught her by the arm. 
 
 "Say, Grace, come on and take a ride with 
 me," he half whispered. "It's a beautiful night.
 
 260 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Come on, you don't want to go back to the hotel 
 yet." 
 
 "But what about Ada?" she questioned. 
 
 "Oh, she can take your place in one of the 
 other autos, can't she?" 
 
 "I I suppose so," faltered Grace. She 
 hardly knew how to go on. She did not wish 
 particularly to take a ride with Waltham, and, 
 at the same time, she was hurt over the way 
 Sam had spoken to her. 
 
 "See here, Sis," cried the young millionaire, 
 "I am going to take Miss Laning back in my 
 runabout. She says you can take her place with 
 the Rovers." 
 
 "Oh, all right, Chester," answered the sister, 
 "Hope you have a nice time of it," she added 
 to Grace. 
 
 There was a large crowd down among the 
 automobiles, and our friends had all they could 
 do in the semi-darkness to get their machines out 
 on the road in safety. 
 
 "Where is Grace?" demanded Sam, as some 
 of the others came up to him. He had just 
 turned on the lights of both cars. 
 
 "She is going to ride back with Chester," 
 answered Ada Waltham. "You'll have to let me 
 ride back with you," and she laughed lightly. 
 
 "Oh, all right. Come ahead," returned the
 
 AT THE FESTIVAL 261 
 
 youngest Rover. He spoke as lightly as he could. 
 He did not wish to let the others know his true 
 feelings. There was a strange bitterness in his 
 heart, and for the moment he wished that ht 
 had never come on this tour.
 
 CHAPTER XXV 
 
 A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE 
 
 Ar>A WALTHAM did all she could to make 
 herself agreeable to Sam and the others, but 
 the youngest Rover was in no mood for rail 
 lery, and on the way back to Larkinburg had 
 but little to say. 
 
 Chester Waltham had lost no time in assisting 
 Grace into his runabout and in getting his car 
 out of the congestion in the parking space. Then 
 he put on speed, and soon the pair were whirled 
 away out of the sight of the others. 
 
 "It's a dandy night for a ride," was Tom's 
 remark. There was some moonshine, and the 
 stars glittered clear in the heavens overhead. 
 
 "That is true, Tom," answered his wife, "but 
 don't you think we had better get back to the ho 
 tel and go to bed? I heard Dick say something 
 about a long day of it to-morrow." 
 
 "Oh, yes, Nellie, we'll get back. It wouldn't 
 be' fair to go off and leave mother and Mrs. Stan 
 hope alone." 
 
 262
 
 A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE 263 
 
 When they reached the hotel at Larkinburg 
 the Rovers expected to find the Waltham run 
 about in the garage, and they were consequently 
 somewhat surprised when they saw no sign of 
 the machine. 
 
 "We certainly couldn't have passed them on 
 the road," observed Dick. He turned to his 
 youngest brother. "You didn't see them, did 
 you?" 
 
 "No. They went on ahead," answered Sam, 
 shortly; and his manner of speech showed that 
 he was thoroughly out of sorts. 
 
 Having placed the touring cars in the care of 
 the" garage keeper, the Rovers joined the others 
 on the piazza of the hotel. Then Dora slipped 
 upstairs to see if her mother and Mrs. Laning 
 were all right. She found both of them sleep 
 ing soundly, and did not disturb them. 
 
 Sam could not content himself with sitting 
 down, and so lounged around in one place and 
 another, and finally said he would go inside and 
 write a letter to the folks at home. He was still 
 writing when Tom came in to join him. 
 
 "Sam, did Chester Waltham say anything 
 about where he was going to take Grace ?" asked 
 Tom, as he sat down beside his brother. 
 
 "No, he didn't say a word to me," was the 
 short reply, and Sam went on writing.
 
 264 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Did Grace say anything?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 Tom said nothing for a moment, drumming 
 his fingers on the writing table. At last he heaved 
 something of a sigh. 
 
 "Seems to me if they were going on a long 
 ride they might have said something to us about 
 it," he observed. "Nellie is rather worried." 
 
 "Oh, I guess they've got a right to take a 
 ride if they want to," came rather crossly from 
 Sam. He finished his letter with a flourish, 
 folded it, and rammed it into an envelope which 
 he quickly addressed. 
 
 "Oh, of course, but " Tom did not finish, 
 
 and as Sam, after stamping his letter, arose, he 
 did the same. "I wonder if we had better stay 
 up for them." 
 
 "I think I'll go to bed." 
 
 "Sam!" and Tom looked sharply at his 
 younger brother. 
 
 "Well, what's the use of staying up?" 
 
 "A whole lot of use, Sam Rover, and you 
 know it. If I were you I wouldn't let Chester 
 Waltham ride over me." 
 
 "Who says I am letting him ride over me?" 
 retorted Sam; and now his manner showed that 
 he was quite angry. 
 
 "I say so," answered Tom, bluntly. "If you
 
 A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE 26$ 
 
 "have got half the sand in you that I always 
 thought you had, you wouldn't stand for it. All 
 of us know how matters were going on between 
 you and Grace. Now to let this fellow step in, 
 even if he is a young millionaire, is downright 
 foolish. If you really care for Grace it's up to 
 you to go in and take her." 
 
 "Yes, but suppose that she cares for Waltham 
 and his money more than she cares for me?" 
 asked Sam, hesitatingly. 
 
 "Do you think Grace is the kind of a girl to 
 be caught by money, Sam ?" and now, as the two 
 were in a deserted part of the hallway, Tom 
 took his brother by both arms and held him 
 firmly. 
 
 "N no, I I can't say that exactly," faltered 
 Sam. "But just the same, why does she favor 
 him at all?" 
 
 "Maybe it's because you haven't been as out 
 spoken as you ought to be. It's one thing for 
 a girl to know what you think of her, but just 
 the same the average girl wants you to tell her 
 so in plain words. Now, it may not be any of 
 my business, but you know that I w r ant you to 
 be happy, and that I am unusually interested be 
 cause of Nellie. It seems to me if I were you 
 I'd go to Grace the first chance I had and have 
 a clear understanding."
 
 266 THE ROVER BOYS ON 'A TOUR 
 
 "I I can't go to her now. She's out with 
 Waltham," stammered Sam. 
 
 "Then hang around until they get back and 
 see to it that you have a chance to talk with 
 her before she goes to her room," returned Tom ; 
 and then, as some other people came up, the 
 conversation had to come to an end. 
 
 A half hour passed and Ada Waltham excused 
 herself. "Chester and Grace must be having 
 a fine ride," she observed on retiring, "otherwise 
 they would have returned by this time." 
 
 "Maybe they had a breakdown," observed 
 Dick. "I've been told that some of the roads 
 around here are far from good." 
 
 "Oh, don't say that !" cried the girl. "Chester 
 hates to have to make any repairs when he is 
 alone. Time and again he has run to a garage 
 on a flat tire rather than put another one on 
 himself." 
 
 Another half hour dragged by, and now Dora 
 turned to whisper to Dick. 
 
 "Don't you think we had better retire?" she 
 asked. "I never supposed Grace was going to 
 slay out as late as this." 
 
 "No, we'll stay up," he answered. "Nellie 
 has told Tom that she isn't going to bed until 
 her sister gets back, so it won't do for us to 
 leave them here on the piazza, alone."
 
 A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE 267 
 
 "Mr. Rover ! Telephone call for Mr. Rover !" 
 came the announcement from a bellboy, as he 
 appeared upon the piazza.. 
 
 "Which Mr. Rover?" demanded Sam, eagerly. 
 
 "The party said any of 'em would do," an 
 swered the bellboy. 
 
 "I'll go," said Sam, eagerly, before either of 
 his brothers or their wives could speak. 
 
 "All right, Sam. I'll follow in case you want 
 me or any of the others," answered Tom. 
 
 The telephone booths were located in the lobby 
 of the hotel, and Sam was quickly shown to one 
 of them. While he talked Tom stood by, but 
 caught only a few words of what was said. 
 
 "Hello!" 
 
 "Oh, is this you, Sam ?" came over the wire in 
 Grace's voice. "I'm so glad ! I have been trying 
 to get somebody for the last ten minutes but 
 they couldn't give me the hotel connection." 
 
 "Where are you ?" questioned the youth. "Has 
 anything happened?" for the tone of the girl's 
 voice indicated that she was very much agi 
 tated. 
 
 "Oh, Sam! I want you or some of the others 
 to come and get me," cried Grace. "The run 
 about has broken down, and I don't think Mr. 
 Waltham can fix it. And we are miles and mHes 
 away from Larkinburg !"
 
 268 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "A breakdown, eh ? Why, sure, I'll come and 
 get you, Grace. Where are you?" 
 
 "I am at a farmhouse on the road between 
 Dennville and Corbytown the Akerson place. 
 If you come, take the road to Dennville and then 
 drive toward Corbytown. We'll hang a lantern 
 on the stepping block, so you will know where 
 to stop." 
 
 "All right, Grace, I'll be there just as soon as 
 I can make it," answered Sam ; and then he add 
 ed quickly: "You weren't hurt when the break 
 down happened, were you?" 
 
 "Not very much, although I was a good deal 
 shaken up. Mr. Waltham had his face and his 
 hand scraped by the broken wind-shield." 
 
 "Well, you take good care of yourself, and 
 I'll start right away," returned the youngest Ro 
 ver, and after a few words more hung up the 
 receiver. 
 
 It did not take Sam long to acquaint the others 
 with what had occurred, and then he ran down 
 to the hotel garage to get out one of the touring 
 cars. 
 
 "Don't you think I had better go along?" 
 asked Tom. "Chester Waltham may be in a fix 
 and need assistance. And, besides, they may both 
 be more hurt than Grace said." 
 
 "Yes, I guess you'd better come," answered
 
 A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE 269 
 
 his brother. And soon, having received direc 
 tions from the garage keeper as to how to get 
 to Dennville, the pair were on the way. 
 
 "How did Grace seem to be when you spoke 
 to her?" questioned Tom, as Sam ran the car 
 as rapidly as the semi-darkness of the night per 
 mitted. 
 
 "She seemed to be all unstrung," was Sam's 
 thoughtful reply. 
 
 "Then the accident may have been worse than 
 she admitted, Sam." 
 
 "I hope not, but we'll soon see." And then, as 
 a straight stretch of fairly good road appeared 
 before them, Sam turned on the power and the 
 touring car sped onward faster than ever. 
 
 Inside of half an hour they reached Denn 
 ville, a sleepy little town, located in the midst of 
 a number of hills. All the houses were dark 
 and the stores closed up, and not a soul was 
 in sight. They ran into the tiny public square 
 and there found several signboards. 
 
 "Here we are !" cried Sam. "Corbytown four 
 miles this way," and he pointed with his hand. 
 
 "We'll look at the other signboards first to 
 see whether there is another road," answered his 
 brother. But there was only the one, and so 
 Sam turned the touring car into this, and they 
 sped forward once more, but now at a reduced
 
 270 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 rate of speed, for the road was decidedly hilly 
 and far from good. 
 
 "What possessed Waltham to take such a road 
 as this," remarked Tom, after they had passed 
 a particularly bad spot. 
 
 "Don't ask me !" was the reply. "It's no won 
 der he had a breakdown if he took this road on 
 high speed." 
 
 They were going up a long hill. At the top 
 a large and well-kept farm spread out, and, be 
 yond, the hill dropped away on a road that was 
 worse than ever. 
 
 "Hello f there's a light!" cried Tom, as they 
 approached the house belonging to the farm. 
 
 "I see it," answered his brother ; and in a few 
 seconds more they ran up to the horse-block and 
 brought the touring car to a standstill, Sam, at 
 the same time, sounding the horn. 
 
 But the summons was unnecessary, for their 
 approach had been eagerly looked for by Grace, 
 and hardly had the machine come to a standstill 
 when she flew out of the farmhouse to meet 
 them. 
 
 "Oh, I'm so glad you've come!" she burst out. 
 "If you hadn't, I don't know what I should have 
 done!" She was somewhat hysterical and on 
 the verge of tears. 
 
 "Are you sure that you're not hurt, Grace?"
 
 A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE 271 
 
 asked Sam, quickly; and as he spoke he caught 
 her by one hand and placed an arm on her shoul 
 der. 
 
 "I I don't think I am hurt, Sam," she fal 
 tered, and then looked rather tearfully into his 
 face. "But it was an awful experience awful !" 
 and then as he drew a little closer she suddenly 
 burst into a fit of weeping and rested her head 
 on his shoulder.
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 / 
 
 SAM FREES HIS MIND 
 
 IN spite of his fun-loving disposition, Tom 
 Rover was a very wise young man, so as soon 
 as he saw Grace resting on his brother's shoul 
 der he promptly turned away, to interview the 
 farmer and his wife who lived in the farmhouse 
 and who had answered the girl's knock on their 
 door. 
 
 "I can't tell much about the accident," said 
 Mr. Akerson. "Me and my wife were just goin' 
 to bed when the young lady knocked on the door 
 and begged us to take her in, and then asked if 
 we had a telephone. She said she had been in 
 an automobile breakdown, but she didn't give us 
 many particulars, except to say that she thought 
 the front axle of the machine was broken." 
 
 "Well, a broken axle is bad enough," was 
 Tom's prompt comment. "They are lucky that 
 no necks were broken." 
 
 "The poor girl was dreadfully shook up," put 
 in Mrs. Akerson. "She just went on somethin' 
 272
 
 SAM FREES HIS MIND 273 
 
 terrible. I had all I could do to quiet her at 
 first." 
 
 "Didn't the young man come here with her?" 
 questioned Tom. 
 
 "No. She said she had left him down on 
 the road with the machine. She said he was all 
 worked up over the accident." 
 
 "I should think he would be," returned Tom, 
 and said no more on the subject. Yet he thought 
 it very strange that Chester Waltham had not 
 accompanied Grace to the farmhouse and thus 
 made certain that help was summoned. 
 
 Tom and his brother had entered the sitting- 
 room of the farmhouse. Next to it was a lit-up 
 dining-room and to this Sam and Grace had 
 w r alked, the latter between her sobs telling of 
 what had happened. 
 
 "Oh, Sam, it was dreadful!" cried Grace. 
 "Mr. Waltham was so reckless. I couldn't un 
 derstand him at all. When I said I would ride 
 with him I supposed we were going right back 
 to the hotel. But on the way he said it was too 
 fine a night to go in yet, and begged me to go 
 a little farther, and so finally I consented. Then' 
 he drove the car on and on, ever so many miles, 
 until we reached Dennville." 
 
 "But if you didn't want to go that far, Grace, 
 why didn't you tell him?"
 
 274 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "I did several times. But he wouldn't listen 
 to me. Of course, I didn't want to act rude, 
 and when I told him to turn back he only laughed 
 at me. Then, when we got to Dennville, and I 
 told him that I positively would not go any far 
 ther, he said, 'Oh, yes, you will. We are going 
 to have a good, long ride. I am going to make 
 you pay up in full for not riding with me 
 before.' " 
 
 "The mean fellow!" murmured Sam. "I'd 
 like to punch him for that." 
 
 "Oh, but, Sam! that wasn't the worst of it," 
 went on the girl; and now she blushed painfully 
 and hung her head. "Then he started up on this 
 side road and he ran the car as fast as ever. 
 I was dreadfully scared, but he only laughed and 
 told me to enjoy myself, and when the car 
 bumped over some stones, and I was thrown 
 against him, he put his arm around me and 
 and he did his best to kiss me!" 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "But I didn't allow it. I pushed him away, 
 and when he laughed at me I told him that if 
 he tried it again I would box his ears. Then, 
 just after we had passed this place, he reached 
 over and caught hold of me and tried to pull me 
 toward him. Then I boxed him, just as I had 
 said I would. That made him furious, and he
 
 SAM FREES HIS MIND 275 
 
 put on a burst of speed, and the next minute 
 there was a terrible bump and a crash, and both 
 of us were almost thrown out of the car. The 
 wind-shield was broken and also, I think, the 
 front axle, and he was scratched in several places. 
 Oh, it was awful!" And again Grace hid her 
 face on Sam's shoulder. 
 
 "Well, it served him right if he got hurt and 
 if his runabout was ruined," was the youth's 
 comment. He drew Grace closer to him than 
 ever. "Then you didn't really care for him?" 
 he whispered. 
 
 "Oh, Sam, Sam ! how can you ask such a ques 
 tion?" she murmured. 
 
 "Because I didn't know. I thought You 
 
 see, he he is a millionaire, and " 
 
 "Why, Sam Rover I do you think that money 
 would make any difference to me ?" and now she 
 raised her face to look him full in the eyes. 
 
 "I am mighty glad to know it hasn't made any 
 difference," he returned quickly; and then caught 
 and held her tight once more. 
 
 "I suppose you young men are goin' back to 
 help the fellow with his busted machine," re 
 marked Mr. Akerson to Tom. 
 
 "I I suppose so," returned Tom, slowly, and 
 then looked toward Sam and Grace. 
 
 "Oh, I don't want to go back !" cried the girl,
 
 276 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 quickly. "I want to return to the hotel in Lar- 
 kinburg." 
 
 "All right, I'll take you back, Grace," an 
 swered Sam. "If you say so, we'll leave Wal- 
 tham right where he is." 
 
 "I think it would be the right thing to do, 
 Sam, under ordinary circumstances," was the re 
 ply. "But then we mustn't forget about Ada. 
 She will be greatly worried if I come back 
 and let her know that we left her brother out 
 here on the open road with a broken ma 
 chine." 
 
 "I'll tell you what we'll do, Grace. You stay 
 here and Tom and I will go down and see what 
 Waltham has got to say for himself." He turned 
 to the people of the house. "She can stay here 
 a little longer, can't she? We'll make it all 
 right with you." 
 
 "Certainly she can stay," answered Mr. Aker- 
 son. "And there won't be anything to pay out 
 side of the telephone toll, and that's only twenty 
 cents." 
 
 "Please don't stay too long," implored Grace, 
 as the two Rovers hurried away. 
 
 "Not a minute longer than is necessary," re 
 turned Sam. 
 
 On the way down the hill to where the acci 
 dent had occurred Sam gave his brother the par-
 
 SAM FREES HIS MIND 277 
 
 ticulars of the affair, not mincing matters so 
 far as it concerned Chester Waltham. 
 
 "I was thinking that that was about the way 
 it would turn out," was Tom's dry comment. 
 "With so much money, Waltham thinks he can 
 'do about as he pleases. I reckon now, Sam, you 
 are sorry you didn't talk to Grace before." 
 
 "I sure am, Tom!" was the reply, and Sam's 
 tones showed what a weight had been taken from 
 his heart. "I'm going to fix it up with Grace 
 before another twenty-four hours pass." 
 
 "That's the way to talk, boy! Go to it! I 
 wish you every success!" and Tom clapped his 
 brother on the shoulder affectionately. 
 
 Even though all the lights were out, it did not 
 take the two Rovers long to locate the disabled 
 runabout, which rested among some stones on the 
 side of the highway. As Grace had stated, the 
 wind-shield was a mass of smashed glass, and 
 the front axle had broken close to the left 
 wheel. 
 
 "They can certainly be thankful they didn't 
 break their necks," was Tom's comment, as he 
 walked around the wreck. 
 
 "Waltham doesn't seem to be anywhere around 
 here," returned Sam. "Wonder where he went 
 to?" 
 
 'Both looked up and down the highway, and
 
 278 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 presently saw a figure approaching from down 
 the road. It proved to be Chester Waltham. 
 He was capless and walked with a limp. 
 
 "Hello! Who are you?" challenged the young 
 millionaire, and then as he drew closer he added : 
 "Oh, the Rovers, eh? Did Grace get you on the 
 'phone?" 
 
 "She did," answered Sam, and then added 
 sharply : "You've made a nice mess of it here, 
 haven't you?" 
 
 "Say, I don't want any such talk from you," 
 blustered the rich young man. Evidently he 
 was in far from a good humor. 
 
 "I'll say what I please, Waltham, without ask 
 ing your permission," continued the youngest Ro 
 ver. "You had no right to bring Miss Laning 
 away out here against her wishes. It was a con 
 temptible thing to do." 
 
 "You talk as if you were my master," retorted 
 Chester Waltham. "This isn't any of your af 
 fair and you keep out of it." 
 
 "We are perfectly willing to keep out of it 
 if you say so, Waltham," broke in Tom. "We 
 came down here merely to see if we could help 
 you in any way. But I see your front axle is 
 broken, and you will have to get the garage peo 
 ple to help you out with that." 
 
 "Where's Grace?" asked the young million-
 
 SAM FREES HIS MIND 279 
 
 aire. The subject of the broken-down runabout 
 did not seem to interest him. 
 
 "She is up at the farmhouse on the hill," an 
 swered Tom. 
 
 "And we are going to take her back to the 
 Larkinburg hotel in our auto," added Sam. 
 
 "Oh, all right, then, go ahead and do it." 
 
 "Do you want to ride with us ?" questioned 
 Tom. 
 
 "I don't know that I do. I'll stay here and 
 take care of my runabout. If you'll tell my sister 
 that I'm all right, that is all I want." 
 
 "Very well, just as you say," answered Tom. 
 He took his brother by the. arm. "Come on, 
 Sam, there is no use of wasting time here." 
 
 "I'll be with you in a minute, Tom," was the 
 younger brother's reply. "You go on ahead, I 
 want to say just a few words more to Waltham." 
 
 "No use of your getting into a fight, Sam," 
 returned Tom in a low voice. 
 
 "There won't be any fight unless he starts it." 
 
 Tom walked slowly up the road, and Sam 
 turned back to where Chester Waltham had set 
 tled himself on the mud-guard of the broken- 
 down runabout. 
 
 "See here, Waltham, I want to say a few 
 words more to you," began Sam, and his tone 
 ^i voice was such that the young millionaire
 
 2 8o THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 leaped at once to his feet. "I want to warn you 
 about how you treat Miss Laning in the future." 
 
 "To warn me!" repeated Chester Waltham, 
 not knowing what else to say. 
 
 "Exactly! Up at the farmhouse she told me 
 all of what took place between you. She was 
 all unstrung and quite hysterical. Now this won't 
 do at all, and I want you to know it. After this 
 if you are going to travel with us you've got to 
 act the gentleman and treat her like a lady." 
 
 "Humph!" 
 
 "No 'humph' about it. I mean just what I 
 say. If you don't behave yourself and don't 
 treat her like a lady I'll I'll " 
 
 "Well, what will you do?" sneered Chester 
 Waltham. 
 
 "I'll tell you what I'll do," and now Sam shook 
 his finger in the young millionaire's face. "I'll 
 give you the soundest thrashing you ever had 
 in your life!" 
 
 "Ah! do you mean to threaten me?" 
 
 "I certainly do." 
 
 "When it comes to a thrashing, maybe two 
 can play at that game," observed the young mil 
 lionaire ; but it was plainly to be seen that Sam's 
 decided stand had disconcerted him. 
 
 "All right, Waltham, I'll be ready for you. 
 But remember what I said. We came out here
 
 SAM FREES HIS MIND 281 
 
 to have a good time, and I am not going to al 
 low you to spoil it for Miss Laning or for any 
 body else." 
 
 "Humph! you make me tired," sneered the 
 rich young man. "Go on, I don't want to be 
 bothered with you any longer. The whole bunch 
 of you is too namby-pamby for me. I think my 
 sister and I could have a much better time if 
 we weren't with you." 
 
 "As far as you personally are concerned, you 
 can't leave us any too quickly to suit me," re 
 turned Sam. 
 
 "Is that so? Well, I guess you can call it off 
 then so far as my sister and I are concerned. 
 But if you think, Rover, that you have seen the 
 last of this affair you are mistaken," went on 
 the young millionaire, pointedly. "You think you 
 are going to run things to suit yourself, don't 
 you? Well, I'll put a spoke in your wheel a 
 spoke that you never dreamed of! You just 
 wait and see !" and then Chester Waltham turned 
 back and sat down once more on his wrecked 
 runabout, leaving Sam to walk up the road to 
 rejoin Tom in a very thoughtful mood.
 
 CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 A TELEGRAM FROM NEW YORK. 
 
 IT was not until the small hours of the morn 
 ing that the two Rovers and Grace returned to 
 the hotel in Larkinburg. They found Dick and 
 his wife and Nellie anxiously awaiting their re 
 turn. 
 
 "Oh! I am so glad that you weren't hurt," 
 cried Nellie, as she embraced her sister. "I was 
 so worried," and she hugged her again and again. 
 
 ''You can rest assured, Nellie, that I'll never go 
 out with Chester Waltham again ! Never !" cried 
 Grace. "Come on, I am going to my room. 
 Good-night, everybody," she called back, and in 
 another moment had retired from their view, fol 
 lowed by her sister. 
 
 "Why, Sam ! what does it mean ?" cried Dora, 
 as she looked on in bewilderment. 
 
 "It means that Chester Waltham ought to have 
 had a good thrashing," declared the youngest* 
 Rover; and then he and Tom told of what had 
 occurred. 
 
 "I guess it will be a good job done if we part 
 282
 
 A TELEGRAM FROM NEW YORK 283 
 
 company with the Walthams," remarked Dick, 
 after the subject had been discussed for some 
 time. "He is not of our class, even if he has 
 money." 
 
 "I feel rather sorry for his sister," added 
 Dora. "Although once in a while she shows the 
 same haughtiness of manner that Chester dis 
 plays. It's too bad, too, for they might be really 
 nice company." 
 
 With so much excitement going on, it was 
 small wonder that the Rover party did not come 
 downstairs that morning until quite late. Sam 
 was the first to show himself, he being anxious 
 to know how Grace had fared. 
 
 "Here is a letter for your brother, Mr. Ro 
 ver," said the clerk at the desk, when Sam ap 
 proached him. "It was left here by that Mr. 
 Waltham." 
 
 "Hand it over," returned the youth, and then 
 added : "Did Mr. Waltham bring his wrecked 
 runabout to the garage here?" 
 
 "No, sir, he just came here, got his sister, paid 
 his bill, and went off." 
 
 "Oh, I see." Sam could not help but show' 
 his surprise. "I'll take this letter to my brother," 
 he added, and hurried off. 
 
 The communication was a short one, yet the 
 Rovers and the others read it with interest. In
 
 284 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 it Chester Waltham said that in consideration of 
 the way he had been treated by some members 
 of the party he considered it advisable for his 
 sister and himself to continue their tour sep 
 arately. He added that he trusted Miss Laning 
 did not feel any ill effects because of the break 
 down on the road. 
 
 "And just to think that Ada went off without 
 saying good-bye !" cried Grace, when she saw the 
 letter. "I didn't think she would be quite so 
 mean as that." 
 
 "Probably she took her brother's part. She 
 usually did," returned her sister. "Well, I think 
 we are well rid of them." 
 
 "So do I," put in Tom. "Personally I don't 
 care if we never see them again." 
 
 "He said he was going to put a spoke in our 
 wheel," mused Sam. "I wonder if he'll dare 
 to do anything to harm us?" 
 
 "Oh, it's likely he was talking through his 
 hat," returned Dick ; but for once the oldest Ro 
 ver was mistaken. 
 
 Now that our friends were by themselves there 
 seemed to be a general air of relief. The only 
 one of the party who was rather quiet was Grace, 
 but Sam did everything he could to make it pleas 
 ant for her, and before nightfall she was as jolly 
 as ever.
 
 A TELEGRAM FROM NEW YORK 285 
 
 The run during that day was through a par 
 ticularly beautiful section of the country, and 
 about one o'clock they stopped in a grove and 
 partook of a lunch which had been put up for 
 them at the Larkinburg hotel. Then they moved 
 forward once again, with Dick and Tom at the 
 steering wheels of the cars. 
 
 "Still seventy-three miles to go if we want 
 to make Etoria to-day," announced Dick, after 
 consulting the guide book. "I'm afraid that will 
 be quite a ride for you ladies," he added, turning 
 to Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning. 
 
 "Oh, yes, let us go on to Etoria by all means," 
 pleaded Sam. 
 
 "Any particular reason for going to that city ?' r 
 asked Tom, quickly. 
 
 "Yes, I've got a reason, but I'm not going 
 to tell you," returned his younger brother. And 
 then, as both Dick and Tom looked at him ques^ 
 tioningly, he blushed and turned away. 
 
 "Oh, go ahead. I think I can stand it," sak* 
 Mrs. Stanhope, with a smile. 
 
 "I am getting used to traveling," declared 
 Mrs. Laning. "It's much more comfortable thar. 
 I at first supposed it would be." 
 
 Nightfall found them still ten miles from Eto 
 ria and Dick asked the others if they wished to 
 stop anywhere along the way for supper. All
 
 286 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 declared, however, that they would rather keep 
 on until the city was reached. 
 
 "They tell me that they have got a dandy ho 
 tel there something new," said Sam. "We 
 ought to get first-class accommodations there." 
 
 Etoria was a city of some fifty thousand in 
 habitants, with a long main street brightly light 
 ed up. The new hotel was opposite a beautiful 
 public park, an ideal location. Sam seemed to 
 be in unusual haste to finish his supper, and im 
 mediately it was over he asked Grace if she would 
 not take a walk with him. 
 
 "We are going to do up the town, so don't 
 worry if we get back a little late," he told Mrs. 
 Laning, and then whispered something in her ear 
 which made her smile and gaze at him fondly. 
 
 They pursued their way along the main street 
 of the town, and while doing so the youngest Ro 
 ver kept his eyes on the various shops that were 
 passed. At last they came to a large jewelry 
 establishment and here he brought the girl to a 
 halt. 
 
 "It's open!" he cried. "That's what I call 
 luck! I was afraid they would all be closed." 
 
 Grace looked at the store, and at the display 
 of jewelry in the window, and then looked at 
 Sam. 
 
 "I guess you know what it's going to be,
 
 A TELEGRAM FROM NEW YORK 287 
 
 Grace," he said rather tenderly, and looked her 
 full in the eyes. "I want you to have just as 
 good a one as Dora or Nellie." 
 
 "Oh, Sam! I I don't understand," she stam 
 mered. 
 
 "It's an engagement ring. We are going in 
 here and see what sort of rings this man has 
 got. It looks like a reliable place." 
 
 "Oh, Sam!" and now, blushing deeply, Grace 
 clung to his arm. "An engagement ring?" 
 
 "Sure! You ought to have had it long ago, 
 then maybe we wouldn't have had any trouble." 
 
 "There wasn't any trouble, Sam at least, I 
 didn't make any trouble," she repeated; and 
 then, as he caught her arm and dragged her into 
 the shop, she murmured : "Oh, I I feel so funny 
 to go into a store for a thing like that! Don't 
 you think I had better wait outside?" 
 
 "You can if you want to, after the jeweler has 
 measured your finger, Grace. But what's the 
 use of being so backward? As soon as we get 
 back home you are going to be Mrs. Sam Rover, 
 so you might as well get used to such things first 
 as last." 
 
 Fortunately for the young couple it was a very 
 elderly man quite fatherly in appearance who 
 came to wait on them. 
 
 "A diamond ring?" he queried. "Why, cer-
 
 288 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 tainly, I'll be pleased to show everything we 
 have ;" and then he measured Grace's finger, and 
 brought forth several trays of glittering gems. 
 
 Grace would have been satisfied with almost 
 any of the rings, but Sam was rather critical and 
 insisted upon obtaining a beautiful blue-white 
 diamond which was almost the counterpart of the 
 stone Dick had bestowed upon Dora. 
 
 "Now you've got to promise to have this en 
 graved by eight o'clock to-morrow morning," 
 said the youngest Rover to the jeweler. "We 
 are on an automobile tour and we can't wait 
 any longer than that." And thereupon the shop 
 keeper promised that the order should be duly 
 filled. 
 
 "Oh, Sam, how extravagant you are!" mur 
 mured Grace, when the pair were returning to 
 the hotel. "Why, that ring cost a dreadful lot 
 of money." Her eyes were shining like stars. 
 
 "It isn't a bit too good for such a girl as you," 
 he declared stoutly, and then gave her hand a 
 squeeze that meant a great deal. 
 
 When they left Etoria the next morning Sam 
 had the engagement ring tucked safely away in 
 his pocket. He had confided in Dick, and the 
 oldest Rover managed it so that that noon they 
 stopped at a large country hotel and obtained the 
 use of a private dining-room. This, Sam had
 
 A TELEGRAM FROM NEW YORK 289 
 
 decorated with flowers, and just before the meal 
 commenced he slipped the engagement ring upon 
 Grace's finger. 
 
 "Oh, Sam ! Oh, Grace !" shrieked Nellie when 
 she saw the sparkling circlet on her sister's 
 ringer. 
 
 "Oh! so that's what's going on, is it?" cried 
 Dora, joyfully. "Grace, allow me to congratu 
 late you," and then she kissed the girl and imme 
 diately afterward kissed Sam. Numerous other 
 kisses and handshakes followed, and for the time 
 being Sam and Grace were the happiest young 
 people in the world. 
 
 "Let us send telegrams home, announcing the 
 affair," suggested the youngest Rover, after the 
 meal was at an end. "I know dad, as well as 
 Aunt Martha and Uncle Randolph, will be glad 
 to hear of it." 
 
 The telegrams were quickly prepared and sent 
 off. In the messages Sam notified those at home 
 where the touring party would be for the next 
 ten days. 
 
 After that several days slipped by quickly. 
 The tourists had covered a good many miles 
 and were now approaching the Mississippi 
 River. The weather had been ideal, and not a 
 single puncture or blowout had come to cause 
 them trouble. Sam and Grace were much to-
 
 290 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 gather, and, as the youngest Rover declared, 
 "were having the time of their lives." 
 
 "It's queer I don't get more word from New 
 York," remarked Dick one evening, when they 
 had reached a city which I shall call Pemberton. 
 "Dad acknowledged that telegram of Sam's, but 
 he didn't say a word about that Lansing deal or 
 anything about the Bruno bonds." 
 
 "Well, let us hope that no news is good news," 
 returned Tom. "Anyway, I'm not going to 
 worry until I know there is something to worry 
 about." 
 
 That evening came word from Valley Brook, 
 stating that everything was going along well at 
 the farm and that Mr. Anderson Rover was con 
 fining himself closely to business in New York. 
 
 The Mississippi was crossed, and then the tour 
 ists headed in the direction of Colorado Springs. 
 It was their intention to make the Springs the 
 turning point of the trip, with a side trip by the 
 cog railway to Pike's Peak. They would return 
 by the way of Denver. Some days later found 
 them in Topeka, where they had decided to rest 
 up for a day or two. During that time only one 
 short telegram had come from Mr. Anderson 
 Rover, stating that the Bruno bonds had been 
 sold at a fair profit, but that the Lansing deal was 
 still uncertain.
 
 A TELEGRAM FROM NEW YORK 291 
 
 "We stand to win or lose quite a lot of money 
 on that Lansing deal," Dick explained to Sam. 
 "It's rather a peculiar affair. The whole thing 
 is being engineered by a Wall Street syndicate." 
 
 On the morning of the second day in Topeka, 
 when Sam and Grace and some of the others 
 had gone shopping, Dick heard one of the bell 
 boys call his name. 
 
 "Telegram," he said to Tom. "I hope this is 
 from dad and that it contains good news." 
 
 The telegram proved to be what is known as 
 a Night Letter, and its contents caused the two 
 Rovers much astonishment. The communica 
 tion ran as follows: 
 
 "Have been following up the Lansing deal 
 closely. Affairs are getting rather clouded and I 
 am afraid we may lose out. A new opposition 
 has appeared, a combination headed by your for 
 mer friend, Waltham. He is still in the West 
 but his agents are working against us. He has 
 also bought controlling interest in the Haver- 
 ford deal. Evidently means to hit us as hard as 
 possible. Will know more in a day or two and 
 will let you know at once of any change in affairs. 
 
 "ANDERSON ROVER."
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 
 
 "I SEE it !" cried Tom. "That's the spoke Ches 
 ter Wahham told Sam he would put in our 
 wheel." 
 
 "I gueiiS you are right," returned his older 
 brother. "Evidently Waltham is a meaner fellow 
 than I tool; him to be. Just because Grace would 
 not put up with his ungentlemanly attentions he 
 evidently is going to do what he can to make 
 trouble for us." 
 
 "I don't understand what dad means by the 
 Haverford deal," went on Tom, as he studied the 
 telegram. "I thought that deal was closed long 
 ago." 
 
 "They thought of closing it, Tom, but at the 
 last moment something went wrong and the men 
 who were going into the matter withdrew. That 
 put a large part of the burden on our shoulders. 
 We have at least forty thousand dollars invested 
 in it. Now, if Waltham has bought a controlling 
 interest, as dad says, he will be able to swing it 
 292
 
 CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 293 
 
 any way he pleases, just as he may be able to 
 swing the Lansing deal, too." 
 
 "How much money have we got locked up in 
 that? The last I heard it was only about eight 
 thousand dollars." 
 
 "When I left, dad said he expected to put in 
 another twelve thousand, which would make a 
 total of twenty thousand dollars, Tom." 
 
 "Phew! Then that makes a grand total of 
 sixty thousand dollars in the two deals. Ches 
 ter Waltham must have a lot of loose money, if 
 he can jump into deals as big as those are at a 
 moment's notice." 
 
 "Oh, a young millionaire like Waltham can get 
 hold of cash whenever he wants it," answered 
 Dick. He ran his hand through his hair thought 
 fully. "This looks bad to me. Perhaps I had 
 better take a train back to New York without 
 delay." 
 
 "Oh, if you did that it would spoil the trip for 
 Dora," protested his brother. 
 
 "It's better to spoil the trip than to let Chester 
 Waltham get the better of us." 
 
 "Why not send a telegram asking if it will do 
 any good for you to come home?" questioned 
 Tom. And after a little discussion Dick decided 
 to do this, and the telegram was sent without 
 delay. A few hours later word came back that
 
 294 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 if Dick was needed his father would send for him. 
 
 The stay in Topeka was extended to the best 
 part of a week, for that night a furious rainstorm 
 set in which lasted two days. The downpour was 
 unusually heavy, and as a consequence many of 
 the outlying roads became well-nigh impassable. 
 
 During- the last day of the storm Sam received 
 a long letter from Songbird in which the would- 
 be poet told of how he was working to make his 
 way in the world and also earn some money that 
 he might pay back the amount lost by Mr. Sander 
 son. He added that so far the authorities had 
 been unable to find any further trace of Blackie 
 Crowden. 
 
 "It's too bad!" was Sam's comment, after he 
 had read this communication. "Poor Songbird! 
 I suppose he feels as bad as ever over the loss of 
 that money." 
 
 At last the sun once more broke through the 
 clouds and the journey of the tourists was re 
 sumed. Close to the city the roads were in fairly 
 good condition, but farther out they soon found 
 evidences of the tremendous downpour of the 
 days before. Deep gullies had been cut here 
 and there, and occasionally they came across 
 washed-out trees and brushwood. 
 
 "We'll have to take it a bit slowly, especially 
 after dark," remarked Dick.
 
 CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 295 
 
 When they passed over some of the rivers they 
 found the rushing waters reached almost to the 
 flooring of the bridges ; and on the second day 
 out they found one bridge swept completely away, 
 so that they had to make a detour of many miles 
 to gain another crossing. 
 
 "What a tremendous loss to some of these 
 farmers," remarked Mrs. Laning, as they rolled 
 past numerous cornfields where the stalks had 
 been swept down and covered with mud. "I am 
 glad to say we never had anything like this at 
 Cedarville." 
 
 "And we never had anything like it at Valley 
 Brook either," returned Pkk. "This is the 
 worst washout I ever saw." 
 
 At noon they stopped at a small town for din 
 ner and there they heard numerous reports con 
 cerning the storm. In one place it had taken away 
 a barn and a cowshed and in another it had 
 undermined the foundations of several houses. 
 
 "The water up to Hickyville was thre^ feet 
 deep in the street," said one man at the hotel. 
 "The folks had to rescue people by boats and 
 rafts. One man had four cows drowned, and up 
 at Ganey Point a man lost all his pigs and two 
 horses." 
 
 The party had scarcely left that town when it 
 began to rain again. The downpour, however,
 
 296 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 was for a time so light that they did not think it 
 worth while to stop or to turn back. 
 
 "We'll put the tops up," said Tom, "and maybe 
 in a little while the clouds will blow away." 
 
 But Tom's hopes were doomed to disappoint 
 ment. The downpour was comparatively light for 
 about an hour, but then, just as they were passing 
 through a patch of timber, it suddenly came on 
 with great fury. 
 
 "Great Scott!" burst out Sam, as a gust of 
 wind drove the rain under the automobile tops. 
 "We'll have to put down the side curtains." 
 
 "Right you are !" answered Dick ; and then the 
 machines were halted and all the curtains were 
 lowered and fastened. But even this did not 
 protect them entirely, for the wind drove the rain 
 in between the numerous cracks of the covering. 
 
 "How many miles to the next stopping place ?" 
 queried Nellie. 
 
 "About thirty," answered Tom. "That is, if 
 we go as far as we calculated to when we left this 
 morning." 
 
 "Oh, I don't see how we are going to make 
 thirty miles more in such a storm as this !" cried 
 her sister. 
 
 "We'll be lucky to make any kind of stopping 
 place," announced Dick, grimly, "Just listen to 
 that!"
 
 CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 297 
 
 There was a wild roaring of wind outside, and 
 then came a flash of lightning followed by a deaf 
 ening clap of thunder. 
 
 "Oh! Oh!" came in a shriek from the girls; 
 and involuntarily they placed their hands to their 
 ears. 
 
 "Richard, do you think it is safe to stay under 
 the trees in such a storm as this?" questioned 
 Mrs. Stanhope, fearfully. 
 
 Before Dick could reply to this question there 
 came more lightning and thunder, and then a 
 crash in the woods as a big tree was laid low. 
 
 "Oh, dear! Listen!" cried Nellie. "Suppose 
 one of the trees should come down on the autos !" 
 
 "That is what I was afraid of," added her 
 mother. "I think we had better get out of here." 
 
 "All right, if you say so," answered Dick. "I 
 was only thinking about the awful wind. It's 
 going to hit us pretty hard when we get out on 
 the open road." 
 
 The automobiles had drawn up side by side, so 
 that those in one machine could convert with 
 those in the other. Now Dick started up one 
 of the touring cars and was followed a minute 
 later by Tom, at the wheel of the other auto 
 mobile. 
 
 Once in the open air, those in the machines real 
 ized how furiously the wind was blowing and
 
 298 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 how heavily the rain was descending. The auto 
 mobiles fairly shook and shivered in the blasts, 
 and despite their efforts to keep themselves dry 
 all those in the automobiles were speedily 
 drenched. The downpour was so heavy that the 
 landscape on all sides was completely blotted out. 
 
 "Oh, Dick! what in the world shall we do?" 
 gasped Dora, and it was plainly to be seen that 
 she was badly frightened. 
 
 "I'd turn in somewhere if I only knew where," 
 answered her husband, trying his best to peer 
 through the rain-spattered wind-shield. "I don't 
 see anything like a house anywhere around, do 
 you?" 
 
 "No, I can't see a thing." 
 
 Dick was running along cautiously, and now, 
 of a sudden, he put on the brakes. Just ahead of 
 him had appeared a flood of water, and how deep 
 it was there was no telling. 
 
 "Listen !" cried Mrs. Stanhope, when the auto 
 mobile had come to a standstill. "Did I hear 
 somebody calling?" 
 
 Scarcely had she spoken when there came an 
 other vivid flash of lightning followed by more 
 thunder, and then a downpour heavier than ever. 
 As the lightning flashed out Dick was surprised 
 to see a girl splashing through the water on the 
 road and running toward them.
 
 CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 299 
 
 "Look ! Look !" he ejaculated. "Unless I am 
 mistaken it's Ada Waltham!" 
 
 "It is ! It is !" exclaimed Dora. "What in the 
 world is she doing out alone in such a downpour 
 as this!" 
 
 As the girl on the road came closer to the tour 
 ing car Dick threw up one of the curtains, opened 
 the door, and sprang out to meet her. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Rover!" gasped Ada Waltham, "is 
 it really you ? How fortunate ! Won't you please 
 help me?" 
 
 "What's wrong?" he demanded quickly. 
 
 "Chester! He's lost!" 
 
 "Lost! Where ?" 
 
 "He tried to cross the river yonder in the 
 storm, and the bridge broke and let the automobile 
 down. I managed to save myself and jumped 
 ashore, but he was carried off by the torrent." 
 The rich girl clasped her hands nervously. "Oh, 
 please save him, Mr. Rover! Please do!" 
 
 By this time the second automobile had come 
 up, and Dick waved to Tom to stop. Seeing that 
 something was wrong, Tom quickly alighted, 
 followed by Sam. 
 
 "What's wrong?" came from both of the new 
 arrivals, as they gazed at Ada Waltham in aston 
 ishment. 
 
 "Miss Waltham says her brother is lost that
 
 300 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 he has been carried off in the flood of yonder 
 river," answered Dick. 
 
 "Oh, please hurry !" burst out the girl eagerly. 
 "Please hurry, or it will be too late ! I don't think 
 Chester can swim." 
 
 "All right, we'll tell the others where we are 
 going and then we'll do what we can," answered 
 Dick. "But if that flood is very strong we may 
 have " 
 
 Dick was unable to finish his speech. Just then 
 there came more lightning followed by a deafen 
 ing crash of thunder. Then the very heavens 
 seemed to open, to let down a torrent of water 
 which seemed to fairly engulf them. 
 
 "Oh! Oh! Oh!" came from the women and 
 the girls. "Oh! what a terrible storm!" 
 
 "It is a cloudburst ! That's what it is !" gasped 
 Sam. 
 
 "You're right !" ejaculated Tom. "Look ! See 
 how the water in the river is rising ! It's a cloud 
 burst and a flood!" 
 
 Tom was right there had been a cloudburst, 
 but fortunately not directly over the heads of our 
 friends, otherwise they might have perished in 
 the terrible downpour which immediately fol 
 lowed. The catastrophe had occurred at a point 
 about a mile farther up the river, and now the 
 waters from this flood were coming down with
 
 CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 301 
 
 great swiftness and rising higher and higher every 
 instant. 
 
 "We've got to get out of here," was Sam's 
 comment. Already they were standing in water 
 up to their ankles. "We've got to find higher 
 ground." 
 
 "Oh, Sam! Sam! please don't let my brother 
 drown !" pleaded Ada Waltham, catching him by 
 the arm. 
 
 "We'll do what we can to save him, Ada, but 
 we've got to save ourselves first," he answered. 
 
 "See! there is a little hill ahead," came from 
 Dick, as he did his best to look through the rain, 
 which was coming down as heavily as ever. "Let 
 us run to the top of the rise, then we'll be in less 
 danger from the flood if the river gets much 
 higher." He turned to the distracted girl, 
 "Come, you had better go with us, then we will 
 see what we can do for your brother." 
 
 "Oh, Dick! Dick! If you don't hurry we'll 
 be swept away, sure !" cried Dora, and then made 
 room so that Ada might get in beside her. 
 
 In a moment more the three Rovers had re- 
 entered the touring cars, and then the machines 
 were sent forward through the water, which was 
 now nearly a foot deep on the roadway. 
 
 "Oh! I never saw such a storm in my life," 
 was Mrs. Laning's comment.
 
 302 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "If only we get out of this alive!" breathed 
 Mrs. Stanhope. Being naturally a very nervous 
 woman, she was on the verge of a collapse. 
 
 Running with care through the swirling water 
 that covered the roadway, they at length reached 
 a rise of ground several feet above the flood. 
 Here they stopped at the highest point they 
 could gain, bringing the machines side by side. 
 
 When the storm had started in earnest the 
 three Rovers had donned their raincoats. Now, 
 with rain caps pulled well down over their heads, 
 they once more alighted. 
 
 "If you can show us where your auto went 
 into the river we'll see if we can locate your 
 brother," announced Dick to Ada Waltham. 
 "Maybe he got out and is walking somewhere 
 around here," he added, by way of encourage 
 ment. 
 
 "Oh, dear! I'm so nervous I can scarcely 
 stand !" gasped the girl, and when she reached the 
 Aground they had to support her. 
 
 Splashing along through the water that cov 
 ered the roadway, they slowly progressed until 
 they gained a point where the youths felt it would 
 be impossible for Ada Waltham to go any farther. 
 
 "There is what is left of the bridge over yon 
 der," cried the girl, pointing with her hand. 
 
 The Rovers looked in that direction and saw
 
 CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD 303 
 
 a few sticks of timber sticking out of the swirling 
 waters, which were running down stream as turb- 
 ulently as ever. 
 
 "I don't think there is any use of looking for 
 Chester around that bridge," was Tom's remark. 
 "Most likely he was carried down stream how 
 far there is no telling. I think the best thing we 
 can do is to take a look farther down." 
 
 "That is just my opinion," returned his older 
 brother. "I think you had better return to the 
 autos. It won't do any good for you to remain 
 out in this storm," he continued to the girl. 
 
 When the party got back to the cars they found 
 a farmer and his grown son standing by the 
 machines. 
 
 "I was just telling the ladies you had better 
 run your automobiles up to my place," said the 
 farmer. "It's about ten or fifteen feet higher 
 than this, and, consequently, just so much safer. 
 Besides, the ladies can come into the house." 
 
 "We want to find this young lady's brother. 
 He was swept off the bridge yonder," returned 
 Dick. 
 
 "So the ladies were telling me," returned James 
 Barlow. "You come up to the house, and I'll go 
 out with you. We've got a big rowboat that may 
 come in handy. Say! ain't this some storm? 
 Worst let-down I've ever seen in these parts."
 
 CHAPTER XXIX 
 
 THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER 
 
 IT did not take long to run the automobiles 
 down the road and up a side lane leading to the 
 farmer's house. Here the ladies got out, and 
 then the machines were placed in a barn. 
 
 "You will do all you can to find my brother?" 
 wailed Ada Waltham, anxiously. 
 
 "Yes, we'll do our level best," answered Dick ; 
 and Tom and Sam said practically the same. 
 
 The Rovers consulted with Mr. Barlow and his 
 son, James, and all five walked down as close to 
 the edge of the river as the effects of the cloud 
 burst would allow. They saw bushes, trees, and 
 parts of buildings coming down the swiftly- 
 flowing stream, the waters of which were now 
 thick with mud. 
 
 "Here is my rowboat," announced the farmer, 
 pointing to where the craft was tied fast to a 
 large tree. "You can use it if you want to, but 
 it looks to me like rather a hopeless matter to try 
 to do anything while the river is raging like th-is. 
 304
 
 THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER 305 
 
 You had better wait until it calms down a little." 
 
 "The trouble of it is, it may then be too late," 
 answered Tom. He looked at his brothers. "I 
 think we can manage it," he added. 
 
 The matter was discussed for fully a quarter 
 of an hour, and during that time the storm seemed 
 to let up a little. The first awful effects of the 
 cloudburst were passing, and the water was go 
 ing down slowly but surely. 
 
 "We'll try it," announced Dick, at last. "If 
 we can't manage the rowboat we'll come ashore 
 farther down the stream." 
 
 The craft was a substantial one, and there were 
 two pairs of oars, and to these James Barlow 
 added a sweep to be used as a rudder. Then 
 the three Rovers embarked, Tom and Sam to do 
 the rowing and the other brother to guide the 
 craft. It was hard, dangerous work, as they 
 realized as soon as they struck the current of 
 the swollen stream. They were sent along pell- 
 mell, and it was all they could do to keep them 
 selves from crashing into one object or another on 
 the way. 
 
 "Look out, or you'll get upset!" yelled James 
 Barlow to them, and then his voice was drowned 
 out in the rushing and roaring of the elements 
 around them. 
 
 A half hour passed which to the Rovers
 
 3 o6 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 just then seemed almost an age. During that time 
 the three kept their eyes wide open for a possible 
 sight of Chester Waltham or anybody else who 
 might have been carried away by the flood. 
 
 "There is somebody!" suddenly called out 
 Dick. "A man caught in a tree!" 
 
 "Is it Waltham?" demanded Tom, quickly. 
 
 "I can't make out. He is crouched in a heap 
 on some limbs and is waving frantically for us." 
 
 Not without additional peril did the Rovers 
 turn the rowboat across the river, for the tree in 
 which the man was crouching was on the shore 
 opposite to that from which they had embarked. 
 
 "Hello! there are two fellows in the treel" 
 announced Tom, as they drew closer. 
 
 The second man crouched behind the trunk, so 
 that they had not at first been able to see him. 
 
 "Help! Help!" came from the fellow who 
 had been waving so frantically to them. And 
 now, as they drew still closer, they saw that the 
 individual was Chester Waltham. The young 
 millionaire was capless and coatless, and his face 
 and hands were much scratched. 
 
 "We're in luck, that's sure," was Tom's com 
 ment, in a low voice. 
 
 "And I'm glad on his sister's account," added 
 Sam, 
 
 "When we bring the boat up beside the tree you
 
 THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER 307 
 
 lower yourself into it, Waltham," directed Dick. 
 "But be careful how you do it or we'll upset, 
 The current here is very swift." 
 
 "Yes, yes, I'll be careful," answered the young 1 
 millionaire in a voice which trembled so that he. 
 could scarcely speak. He was, of course, much 
 surprised to discover that it was the Rovers who 
 had come to his assistance. 
 
 He was so exhausted that to get out of the tree 
 in safety was all but impossible, and finally Dick 
 had to assist him while Tom and Sam did all 
 they could to hold the rowboat in position. 
 
 "It's fine of you to come for me !" panted Ches 
 ter Waltham, when he found himself safe in the 
 rowboat. Di-did my si-sister get you, or what?" 
 
 "Yes, she escaped and told us of your plight," 
 answered Dick, briefly. 
 
 "Good for Ada! Now get me safe on shore 
 once more and I'll pay you handsomely for your 
 trouble." 
 
 "You won't have to pay us a cent, Waltham," 
 was Sam's quick reply. "Just sit still so that the 
 boat doesn't go over." 
 
 "Can I help you in any way?" 
 
 "No. Sit still, that's all," came from Tom, 
 sharply. The idea of having Waltham speak of 
 paying them at such a time disgusted him. 
 
 In the meantime the second fellow in the tree
 
 308 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 had moved down a limb or two with the idea of 
 following Waltham into the rowboat. But now, 
 as he looked at the three Rovers, he suddenly 
 drew back. 
 
 "Hi there ! don't you want to come with us ?" 
 cried Dick, considerably astonished over the man's 
 actions. 
 
 To this the individual in the tree made no reply. 
 He kept behind the trunk and finally waved a 
 hand as if to motion them away. 
 
 "Say! is that fellow crazy?" questioned Sam. 
 
 "He must be," was Tom's comment. He turned 
 to Chester Waltham. "Do you know him!" 
 
 "No, he's a stranger to me. I tried to speak 
 to him, but he was so scared and cold from the 
 ducking he got he did nothing but chatter, so I 
 couldn't understand him." 
 
 "See here, it's foolish to stay up there," called 
 out Dick. "Come on down and we'll take you 
 ashore." 
 
 "D-do-don't want to g-g-go," came the stut- 
 tered-out reply. "G-go-wheep !" came in a funny 
 little whistle. "G-g-go a-away!" 
 
 "Well, of all the scared fellows " com 
 menced Tom. 
 
 "Great Scott ! I wonder if that fellow can be 
 Blackie Crowden!" ejaculated Sam. 
 
 "G-g-go a-wa-way!" stuttered the man in the
 
 THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER 
 
 309 
 
 tree, and then tried to say something more, but 
 the words only ended in a strange little whistle. 
 
 "Sam, do you really think it can be the fellow 
 who robbed Songbird?" demanded Dick. "What 
 would he be doing away out here ?" 
 
 "Why, Blackie Crowden came from Denvef 
 or Colorado Springs," announced the youngest 
 Rover. "Remember, we are not so many mile? 
 away from those places." He raised his voice. 
 "You come down out of there, Crowden. We 
 know you and we want you." 
 
 At this command the man in the tree seemed 
 much disturbed. He tried to speak, but because 
 of his natural stutter and his terror of the situa 
 tion through which he was passing, his effort was 
 a failure. 
 
 "If you don't come down, we'll haul you 
 down," ordered Dick, finally, and then, after a 
 little more urging, the fellow finally consented to 
 come out of the tree, and dropped into the row- 
 boat. 
 
 "Blackie Crowden, as sure as fate !" murmured 
 Sam, as soon as he got a good look at the fellow's 
 features. "Well, if this isn't luck!" 
 
 "Evidently you know this fellow," came from 
 Chester Waltham, curiously. 
 
 "We sure do !" declared Sam. "He's the man 
 who knocked our college chum, John Powell,
 
 3 io THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 down on the road near Ashton and robbed him 
 of four thousand dollars." 
 
 "I di-didn't r-r-rob any bo-body," stuttered 
 Blackie Crowden. "It's all a mi-mis-mis-mista-ta- 
 take !" and he ended with his usual queer whistle. 
 
 "We'll see about that later, Crowden," put in 
 Dick, sternly. "Now you sit perfectly still or 
 else maybe you'll go overboard and be drowned." 
 
 It would be difficult to describe the joy with 
 which Ada Waltham greeted her brother on his 
 safe return. She flew into his arms and, as wet 
 as he was, hugged him over and over again. 
 
 "Oh! I was so afraid you'd be drowned, 
 Chester!" and then she added quickly: "How 
 grand it was for the Rovers to go to your as 
 sistance !" 
 
 "It certainly was very fine of them to do it," 
 returned the young millionaire. And now it must 
 be admitted that he seemed very much disturbed 
 in mind. "I'm going to pay them back, you see 
 if I don't," he added, after a thoughtful pause. 
 
 Blackie Crowden had done his best to make 
 them believe that he was not guilty of the attack 
 upon Songbird, but the Rovers would not listen 
 to this, and put him through such a grilling that 
 finally he broke down and confessed all. 
 
 "I wouldn't have done the deed at all if it 
 hadn't been that I was worried over another mat-
 
 THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER 
 
 ter," he said amid much stuttering 1 and whistling. 
 "I ain't a bad man naturally, even though I do 
 drink and gamble a little. If it hadn't been for 
 a lawyer named Belright Fogg I would never have 
 robbed the young man." 
 
 "Belright Fogg!" came from the Rovers. 
 
 "What has that shyster lawyer to do with it ?" 
 added Sam. 
 
 "Do you know he is a shyster lawyer?" 
 
 "We sure do !" added Tom, promptly. 
 
 "Then you will understand me when I tell you 
 how it was. Some time ago I was mixed up in a 
 land transaction. It is a long story, and all I 
 need to tell you is that Belright Fogg was in it, 
 too. I did some things that I oughtn't to, and 
 that gave Fogg a hold on me. Finally he claimed 
 that I owed him three hundred dollars, and he 
 said if I didn't pay up he would make it hot for 
 me and maybe land me in jail. That got me 
 scared and I said I'd get the money somehow. 
 
 "Then by accident I saw Powell get the money 
 from the bank, and I followed him on horseback, 
 passed him, and took the cash, as you know. 
 As soon as the deed was done I was sorry for it, 
 but then it was too late," stuttered Blackie Crow- 
 den, and hung his head. 
 
 "And did you go to Belright Fogg and give 
 him the three hundred dollars?" queried Sam.
 
 3 I2 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 "Yes. I met him in Leadenfield, at a road 
 house kept by a Frenchman named Bissette." 
 
 "Then I was right after all!" cried Sam. "I 
 accused Fogg of meeting you, but he denied it." 
 
 "Well, he got the three hundred all right 
 enough," stuttered Crowden. 
 
 "And how was it you tried to keep out of our 
 sight in that flood ?" asked Sam curiously. "Did 
 you know us?" 
 
 "I knew you saw you follow me to the depot 
 at Dentonville. You thought I got on that train. 
 But I didn't I took a night freight." 
 
 "I see. That is why the authorities didn't spot 
 you." 
 
 "That's it. But you were asking about Fogg," 
 continued Blackie Crowden, speculatively. 
 
 "And did he know you had stolen the money?" 
 demanded Dick, sharply. 
 
 "I'm pretty sure he did, although he didn't 
 ask any questions. He knew about the robbery, 
 and he knew well enough that I didn't have any 
 three hundred dollars of my own to give him." 
 
 "What did you do with the rest of the money, 
 Crowden? I hope you didn't spend it?" ques 
 tioned Sam, anxiously. 
 
 "Spend it!" came in a bitter stutter from the 
 criminal. "I didn't get any chance to spend it. 
 All I had was two hundred dollars!"
 
 THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER 313 
 
 "Then what became of the other thirty-five 
 hundred?" questioned Tom. 
 
 "It's in a room at the Ashton hotel, unless some 
 body found it and stole it." 
 
 "At the Ashton hotel !" cried Sam. 
 
 "That's it. You see, after I met Fogg I 
 stopped at Ashton for one night and put up at 
 the old hotel on the Cheesley turnpike. I hid 
 the money in an out-of-the-way corner of a 
 clothes closet, because I didn't want to carry it 
 on my person. Then, when I was on the street, 
 I heard that you were on my trail, and I got 
 scared and I was afraid to go back to the hotel 
 to get it." 
 
 "Can you remember what room it was?" 
 queried Tom. 
 
 "Yes, it was a back room number twenty- 
 two. I put the money in a hole in the wall back 
 of an upper shelf." 
 
 "We had better notify the authorities at Ash 
 ton of this," said Tom to his brothers. 
 
 "Let us telegraph to Songbird and tell him to 
 go to Ashton," suggested Sam. "If the money 
 is there, Songbird ought to have the fun of get 
 ting it and returning it to Mr. Sanderson." 
 
 "All right, kt's do it !" cried Dick ; and so the 
 matter was arranged.
 
 CHAPTER XXX 
 
 MRS. SAM ROVER CONCLUSION 
 
 "WELL, that's good news and I'm mighty glad 
 to hear it." 
 
 It was Dick who spoke, three days after the 
 incidents recorded in the last chapter. Our 
 friends had been staying at the farmhouse of Mr. 
 Barlow. Blackie Crowden had been turned over 
 to the local authorities, the oldest Rover making 
 the charge against him. Crowden had pleaded 
 for mercy, but the boys, while sympathizing with 
 him, had thought it best to let the law take its 
 course. Chester Waltham and his sister had also 
 remained at the farmhouse, which fortunately 
 was a large one, so that the whole party was not 
 particularly crowded for room. 
 
 The rescue of the young millionaire from the 
 river had worked wonders, and he was now heart 
 ily ashamed of himself, not only for the way he 
 had treated Grace but also on account of the in 
 structions he had sent to his agents in Wall Street. 
 
 "You can rest assured, Mr. Rover, that my 
 314
 
 MRS. SAM ROVER CONCLUSION 315 
 
 opposition to your plans in New York will be 
 withdrawn," he said to Dick. "I am going to 
 telegraph to my agents as soon as I get a chance. 
 And I want you and your brothers to understand 
 that I appreciate thoroughly your goodness in 
 coming to my rescue. It was a splendid thing to 
 do. I am not going to insult you by offering you 
 any reward all I can say is that I thank you 
 from the bottom of my heart." And that evening 
 Chester Waltham and his sister had taken their 
 departure, stating that the accident at the bridge 
 had ended their idea of touring farther, and that 
 they were going to take the first train they could 
 get for the East. 
 
 The thing that Dick called "good news" was 
 a long "Night Letter" sent over the wires by 
 Songbird. The former poet of Brill had received 
 their message concerning Blackie Crowden, and 
 also Belright Fogg, and had at once hurried to 
 Ashton and to the; hotel on the Cheesley turn 
 pike. There, in foom twenty-two, as mentioned 
 by Crowden, he had found the package contain 
 ing the thirty-five hundred dollars. Next he had 
 called on Belright Fogg and had scared the shy 
 ster lawyer so completely that Fogg had returned 
 the three hundred dollars received from Crowden 
 with scarcely a protest. Then the happy youth 
 had driven over to the Sanderson place. The
 
 316 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Sandersons had been surprised to see him and 
 amazed to learn that he had recovered so large a 
 portion of the stolen money. 
 
 "As I had already paid Mr. Sanderson one hun 
 dred dollars," wrote Songbird, "it made a total 
 of thirty-nine hundred returned to him, and he 
 told me that I need not bother about the other 
 hundred. But I paid it just the same, for I had 
 just been fortunate enough to sell six of my 
 poems two to a magazine and four to a weekly 
 paper 'for one hundred and sixty dollars. 
 
 "Of course we had a grand time, and Mr. 
 Sanderson has forgiven everything 1 . He and 
 Minnie think you are mighty smart fellows, and 
 I agree with them. Minnie and I have fixed mat 
 ters all up between us, and we are the happiest 
 couple you ever saw. I don't know how to thank 
 you enough for what you have done for me, and 
 all I can add is, God bless you, every one !" 
 
 "Good old Songbird!" murmured Sam, as he 
 read the communication a second time. "I'll 
 wager he feels a hundred per cent, better than 
 he did." 
 
 "And to think he sold six of his poems !" com 
 mented Tom. "I shouldn't wonder if he thinks 
 more of that than he does of getting the money 
 back," he added, somewhat drily.
 
 MRS. SAM ROVER CONCLUSION 337 
 
 On the following day came another telegram, 
 this time from Mr. Rover, stating that the oppo 
 sition of the Waltham interests in Wall Street 
 had been suddenly withdrawn. But he added 
 that business matters in the metropolis were be 
 coming more and more arduous for him, and he 
 asked when Dick expected to get back. 
 
 "I'm afraid it's getting too much for dear, old 
 dad," was Dick's comment, on perusing this mes 
 sage. "I think the best thing I can do is to get 
 back and help him." 
 
 "Well, if you go back, I think I'll go back my 
 self," said Tom. "Anyway, this tour seems to 
 have come to a standstill, with so much rain." 
 
 "I'm willing to go back if you fellows say so," 
 put in Sam. 
 
 "I'll wager he and Grace want to get ready for 
 their wedding," remarked Tom, slily. 
 
 "That's just what we do," returned Sam, 
 boldly. "We're going to be married early this 
 fall, aren't we, Grace?" and he gazed fondly at 
 the girl, who nodded, and then turned away to 
 hide her blushes. 
 
 But the tour did not come to an end as quickly 
 as might have been expected. On the day fol 
 lowing it was such fair weather that they left the 
 Barlow farm and started once more on their trip 
 westward. Colorado Springs was soon gained,
 
 318 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 and, passing on to Manitou, they left the automo 
 biles, and took the cog railway to the summit of 
 Pike's Peak. Then, on the day following, they 
 motored up to Denver. 
 
 "We can ship our automobiles home by 
 freight," said Dick, "and by returning by train 
 we can be back in New York in no time." 
 
 A week later found the entire party once 
 more in the East. While Dick and Tom settled 
 down to help their father at the offices in Wall 
 Street, the others returned to Valley Brook and 
 to Cedarville, to prepare for the coming wed 
 ding. 
 
 "And where is it to be, Sam ?" questioned Tom, 
 when the brothers were on the point of parting. 
 
 "Oh, it can only be in one place," was Sam's 
 answer. 
 
 "And I guess I know where that is," returned 
 Tom, with a grin. 
 
 Both Dick and Tom had been married in the 
 Cedarville Union Church, a little stone edifice 
 covered with ivy, which was located not a great 
 distance from the homes of the Lanings and the 
 Stanhopes, and also Putnam Hall. As before, it 
 was a question if the numerous guests who were 
 expected to the ceremony would be able to get 
 into the building. But both Grace and Sam said 
 they would have to make the best of it.
 
 MRS. SAM ROVER CONCLUSION 319 
 
 As soon as the wedding invitations were issued, 
 the presents began to come in, and they were fully 
 as numerous and as costly as had been the gifts 
 bestowed upon Dora and upon Nellie. From Mr. 
 Rover came, as was to be expected, a bankbook 
 containing an amount written therein which was 
 the duplicate of that he had bestowed upon Dick 
 and Dora and likewise upon Tom and Nellie. 
 
 "You can always depend on dad," was Sam's 
 comment, his voice choking a little. "The best 
 dad anybody ever had!" 
 
 "Indeed you are right !" answered the bride-to- 
 be. "And I'm going to love him just as if he 
 were my own father." 
 
 Sam's own present to his bride was a gold 
 wrist-watch set in diamonds and pearls a beau 
 tiful affair over which the happy girl went wild 
 with delight. 
 
 At last came the eventful day, full of golden 
 sunshine. All of the Rovers had arrived in 
 Cedarville and were quartered at the hotel. Many 
 other guests were at the Stanhope homestead and 
 at the Laning farm, and still others former 
 cadets had come back not only to attend the 
 wedding but also to take another look at dear old 
 Putnam Hall. 
 
 Among the old guard who had thus presented 
 themselves were Fred Garrison, Larry Colby,
 
 320 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 Bart Conners and Harry Blossom. Among those 
 who had attended Brill were Stanley Browne, 
 Spud Jackson, Bob Grimes and, of course, Song 
 bird. 
 
 "I'm engaged to Minnie," whispered the latter 
 to the Rovers at the first opportunity. "We are 
 going to be married just as soon as my income 
 will permit. And what do you think ? I've sold 
 four more poems got eighty dollars for them," 
 and his face beamed as they had never seen it 
 shine before. 
 
 "I congratulate you, Songbird," returned Sam, 
 heartily. "I certainly hope you get to be the 
 best-known poet in the United States." 
 
 "Oh, I don't know about that. I am going 
 to buckle down to business. My uncle thinks I 
 am doing wonderfully well, and he says if I keep 
 on he is going to give me a substantial increase 
 in salary after the first of the year. I'm going 
 to write verses just as a side issue." 
 
 As at the other weddings, the ceremony was 
 set for high noon. Soon the guests began to ar 
 rive, and before long the old church was crowded 
 to its capacity, with many standing up in the 
 aisles and in the rear and even at the side win 
 dows, which were wide open. 
 
 Captain Putnam, in full uniform and looking 
 a little grayer than ever, was there, and with him,
 
 MRS. SAM ROVER CONCLUSION 321 
 
 George Strong, his head assistant, with whom 
 Sam had always been very friendly. There were 
 also numerous girls there who had formerly at 
 tended Hope Seminary, and of these one was a 
 flower girl and two were bridesmaids. 
 
 Sam's best man was his old Putnam Hall chum, 
 Fred Garrison, while among the ushers were 
 Songbird, Stanley, Spud, Bob, and some others 
 of his former classmates. 
 
 Presently the organ pealed out and the minister 
 appeared, followed a moment later by Sam. Then 
 up the aisle came Grace on the arm of Mr. Lan- 
 ing, and daintily attired in white with a flowing 
 veil beset with orange blossoms. 
 
 "Oh, how pretty she looks!" said more than 
 one ; and they spoke the truth, for Grace certainly 
 made a beautiful bride. 
 
 The ceremony was a brief but solemn one, and 
 then, as the organ pealed out joyously, the happy 
 pair walked forth from the church, to enter an 
 automobile which whirled them off to the Laning 
 homestead. To that place they were followed by 
 a great number of invited guests. An elaborate 
 wedding dinner had been prepared, and an or 
 chestra from the city had been hired, and all sat 
 down to a feast of good things with music. 
 
 "We'll have to give them a send-off 'same as 
 they gave me," said Tom to his brother Dick,
 
 322 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 while the festivities were at their height. "They'll 
 be getting ready to go away soon." 
 
 "Sure! we'll give them a send-off," returned 
 the oldest brother. "Come on, let us get busy." 
 
 Down at the barns an automobile was in readi 
 ness to take Sam and his bride away on their 
 wedding trip. This car Dick and Tom and a 
 number of others lost no time in decorating with 
 white streamers and a placard which read: We 
 are on our wedding trip. Congratulate us. 
 
 "Aren't you going to stay to have a dance?" 
 questioned Nellie of her sister, a little later. 
 
 "Of course," answered Grace ; and shortly after 
 that she and Sam tripped around to the tuneful 
 measures of a two-step. All of the young folks 
 present joined in, the older folks looking on with 
 much satisfaction. 
 
 "I can hardly believe it," declared old Aunt 
 Martha, as she took off her spectacles to wipe her 
 eyes. "Why, it don't seem no time since Sam was 
 just a baby !" 
 
 The dancing continued for some time but then, 
 of a sudden, came a cry from Dora : 
 
 "Where are Sam and Grace ? I don't see them 
 anywhere." 
 
 "They are gone ! They have given us the slip !" 
 
 "No, they've gone upstairs. Wait here, and 
 we'll give them a shower."
 
 MRS. SAM ROVER CONCLUSION 323 
 
 The young folks gathered in the hallway and 
 out on the piazza, and a few minutes later Sam 
 and Grace appeared, both ready for their tour. 
 Then came a grand shower of rice and confetti, 
 mingled with two or three old shoes, and in the 
 midst of this the happy, laughing young couple 
 escaped to the automobile which was now drawn 
 up before the door. The chauffeur was ready for 
 the start, and in an instant more the machine 
 shot down the lane and out into the roadway. 
 
 "Good-bye ! Good-bye and good luck to you !" 
 was the cry. 
 
 "Good-bye, everybody!" came back from the 
 touring car, and Sam and Grace stood up to wave 
 their hands to those left behind. Then the tour 
 ing car disappeared around a turn of the road, 
 and they were gone. 
 
 And now let me add a few words more and 
 thus bring to a close this long series of adventures 
 in which the three Rover boys, Dick, Tom, and 
 Sam, have played such an important part. 
 
 A number of years have passed and many 
 changes of importance have occurred. Mr. An 
 derson Rover has retired from active participa 
 tion in The Rover Company, and Dick is now the 
 president, with Tom secretary and Sam treas 
 urer. The concern is doing remarkably well and
 
 324 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 all of the Rovers are reported to be wealthy. The 
 father has returned to the farm at Valley Brook, 
 where he lives in peace and comfort with Uncle 
 Randolph and Aunt Martha, who, despite their 
 years, are still in the best of health. 
 
 A year after Sam's marriage to Grace, Song 
 bird Powell married Minnie Sanderson. The 
 would-be poet has made quite a business man of 
 himself and, what perhaps is of even greater 
 pleasure to himself, has had many of his poems 
 accepted by our leading periodicals. 
 
 When Sam was first married he went to live in 
 an apartment close to those occupied by Dick and 
 Tom, but two years later the three brothers had 
 a chance to buy a beautiful plot of ground on 
 Riverside Drive, facing the noble Hudson River, 
 and on this they built three beautiful houses ad 
 joining one another. 
 
 "I guess we are in New York to stay," was the 
 way the oldest brother had expressed himself, 
 "and if that is so we may as well make ourselves 
 as comfortable here as possible." 
 
 Before the young folks moved into the new 
 homes Dick and Dora were blessed with a little 1 
 son, who later on was named John after Mr. 
 John Laning. Little Jack, as he was always called 
 by the others, was a wonderfully bright and clever 
 lad and a great source of comfort to his parents.
 
 MRS. SAM ROVER CONCLUSION 325 
 
 Later still the young couple had a daughter, whom 
 they named Martha after Dick's aunt. 
 
 Tom and Nellie had twin boys that were 
 speedily christened Andy after Mr. Anderson 
 Rover, and Randy after Tom's Uncle Randolph. 
 Then Sam came along with a daughter, who was 
 called Mary after Mrs. Laning and with a son, 
 whom he called Fred after his old school chum, 
 Fred Garrison. 
 
 The young Rover boys had a great many 
 qualities similar to those displayed by their fa 
 thers. Little Jack was as strong and sturdy as 
 Dick had ever been, and young Fred had many 
 of the peculiarities of Sam, while Andy and 
 Randy, the twins, were the equal of tlieir father, 
 Tom, for creating fun. 
 
 "I don't know what we're ever going to do 
 with those kids," remarked Tom, one day, after 
 Andy and Randy had played a big joke on Jack 
 and Fred. "Some day they'll pull the house 
 down over our ears." 
 
 "Well, Andy and Randy are simply chips of the 
 old block," laughed Dick Rover. "I suppose we'll 
 all have to do as our folks did with us send the 
 lads off to some strict boarding school." 
 
 "If I ever do send them off, I know where it 
 will be," answered Tom Rover. "Our old Put 
 nam Hall chum, Larry Colby, has opened a first-
 
 326 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 class military academy which he calls Colby Hall. 
 If I ever send them away I think I'll send them 
 to Larry." 
 
 "That wouldn't be a half bad idea," put in Sam 
 Rover. "Larry was always a first-class fellow 
 and I don't doubt but what he is running a first- 
 class school." 
 
 "Well, those boys are too young yet to leave 
 home," was Dick Rover's comment. "If they are 
 to go to boarding school that must come later." 
 
 A few years after that Jack, Andy and Randy, 
 and Fred were sent to Colby Hall, and it is possi 
 ble that some day I may tell you of what hap 
 pened there to this younger generation of Rovers. 
 
 Dick, Tom, and Sam were happy, and with 
 good reason. They had the best of wives, and 
 children that they dearly loved, and though they 
 worked hard they were surrounded with every 
 comfort. Every summer, and at Christmas time, 
 they left New York either for Valley Brook or 
 for Cedarville, there to receive the warmest of 
 welcomes. Life looked rosy to all of them, and 
 here we will leave them and say good-bye. 
 
 THE END
 
 Would you like to know what 
 became of the good friends you 
 have made in this book? 
 
 Would you like to read other 
 stories continuing their adventures 
 and experiences, or other books 
 quite as entertaining by the same 
 author ? 
 
 On the reverse side of the wrap 
 per which comes with this book, 
 you will find a wonderful list of 
 stories which you can buy at the 
 same store where you got this book. 
 
 Don't throw away the Wrapper 
 
 Use it as a handy catalog of the books 
 you want some day to have. ^But in 
 case you do mislay it, write to the 
 "Publishers for a complete catalog.
 
 THE FAMOUS ROVER BOYS 
 SERIES 
 
 By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD 
 
 (EDWARD STRATEMEYER) 
 Beautiful Wrappers fn Full Color 
 
 No stories for boys ever published 
 have attained the tremendous popu 
 larity of this famous series. Since the 
 publication of the first volume, The 
 Rover Boys at School, some years ago, 
 over three million copies of these 
 books have been sold. They are well 
 written stories dealing with the Rover 
 boys in a great many different kinds 
 of activities and adventures. Each 
 volume holds something of interest to 
 every adventure loving boy. 
 
 A complete list of titles is printed 
 on the opposite page.
 
 FAMOUS ROVER BOYS SERIES 
 
 BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD 
 
 (Edward Stratemeyer) 
 OVER THREE MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THIS SERIES. 
 
 Uniform Style of Binding. Colored Wrappers. 
 Every Volume Complete in Itself. 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS 
 
 THE ROVER EOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A TOUR 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALL 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLAND 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVAS 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNT 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS IN THE LAND OF LUCK 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG HORN RANCH 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS AT BIG BEAR LAKE 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS SHIPWRECKED 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS ON SUNSET TRAIL 
 
 THE ROVER BOYS WINNING A FORTUNE 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
 
 WESTERN STORIES FOR BOYS 
 
 By JAMES CODY FERRIS 
 
 Individual Colored Wrappers and Illustration* by 
 
 WALTER S. ROGERS 
 Each Volume Complete in Itself. 
 
 Thrilling tales of the great west, told primarily for 
 boys but which will be read by all who love mystery, 
 rapid action, and adventures in the great open spaces. 
 
 The Manly Boys, Roy and Teddy, are the sons of 
 an old ranchman, the owner of many thousands of 
 heads of cattle. The lads know how to ride, how to 
 shoot, and how to take care of themselves under any 
 and all circumstances. 
 
 The cowboys of the X Bar X Ranch are real cow 
 boys, on the job when required but full of fun and 
 daring a bunch any reader will be delighted to know. 
 
 THE X BAR X BOYS ON THE RANCH 
 THE X BAR X BOYS IN THUNDER CANYON 
 THE X BAR X BOYS ON WHIRLPOOL RIVER 
 THE X BAR X BOYS ON BIG BISON TRAIL 
 THE X BAR X BOYS AT THE ROUND-UP 
 THE X BAR X BOYS AT NUGGET CAMP 
 THE X BAR X BOYS AT RUSTLER'S GAP 
 THE X BAR X BOYS AT GRIZZLY PASS 
 THE X BAR X BOYS LOST IN THE ROCKIES 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
 
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