Arthur M. Winfield

“ Roaming through the woods caused Songbird to become poetic, and while they rested in the sunshine, and picked some of the nuts that Tom and Sam had cracked, he recited some verses composed on the spur of the moment:
"Hark to the silence all around!
The well-trained ear doth hear no sound
The birds are silent in their nest,
All tired Nature is at rest.
The brook in silence finds its way
From shadows deep to perfect day.
The wind is dead, there is no breeze——"
"To make a fellow cough and sneeze!"
murmured Tom, and gave a loud ker-chew! that set all the girls to laughing. ”

“ I wouldn't have touched the letters, only Filbury asked me to do the favor. If they are not on the table maybe the wind swept them to the floor. Did you look?"
"No."
"Then you had better."
"You might have spoken about them, Flockley," said Dick coldly. "Any other student would have done so."
"Or you could have handed us the letters at lunch," added Sam.
"I am not your hired man!" cried Dudd Flockley. "Next time I'll not touch the letters at all!" And then he dropped back into his chair and pretended to read again.
"If we don't find the letters you'll hear from us again," said Dick. ”

“ Tom was the leader, and it had taken a good half hour's arguing on his part to get Dick and Sam to accompany him.
"You'll make a fool of yourself, and make fools of us, too," was the way Sam expressed himself.
"Most likely they won't want to see us," was Dick's opinion.
"If they don't want to see us, really and truly, I want to know it," answered Tom bluntly. "I don't believe in this dodging around the bush. There is no sense in it." It had angered him to think Nellie had been seen in the company of Flockley and his cronies, and he was for "having it out" without delay. ”

“ Tom was about to speak when a footstep sounded in the hall, and a knock on the door followed. Sam opened the portal, to behold Flockley standing there, hat in hand. The dudish student was as white as the wall, his clothing looked dishevelled, and his shoes were unblacked, a great contrast to the Flockley of old.
"What do you want?" asked Sam abruptly.
"I want—I want——" commenced Flockley brokenly. Then he stepped into the room and confronted Dick. "Oh, Rover!" he cried, "won't you—won't you please, please get Doctor Wallington to let me stay at Brill? Please don't let him send me home! ”

“ The Rovers win!" was the shout that went up, and in the midst of the hubbub Dick and Tom crossed the line, winning by at least six lengths. Koswell and Larkspur were so disgusted that they did not even finish, but stopped rowing and turned away from the float.
"The Rovers win," announced Frank Holden. "A fine race, too," he added. "Let me congratulate you," and he waved his hand pleasantly to Dick and Tom.
"I got a pain in my side, and that made me miss the stroke," said Jerry Koswell lamely. "Some day I'll race them again, and win, too." ”

“ Mr. Stanhope's widow was well known to the Rover boys, and Dick thought that Dora Stanhope, the daughter, was the finest girl in the whole world. There was also another relative, a Mrs. Laning—the late Mr. Stanhope's sister—who was to share in the estate, and she had two daughters, Grace and Nellie, two young ladies who were especial favorites with Sam and Tom.
"Oh, we've got to find that treasure," said Tom, "Think of what it means to the Stanhopes and the Lanings."
"They'll be rich—and they deserve to be," answered his brother Sam. ”

“ Dick looked toward the grandstand, trying to single out Dora. Instead, his eyes met those of Minnie Sanderson, and she waved both her banner and her handkerchief. He answered the salute, and then turned to look where Dora and the Lanings were sitting. Nellie and Grace, as well as Sam, cheered him, but Dora took no notice. But she waved her flag at Tom.
This last action made Dick's heart sink, figuratively speaking, to his shoes. How could a fellow hope to play and win with his girl cutting him like that? ”

“ A light began to break in on the fun-loving Rover's mind. "Do you think I did this?"
"Didn't you?"
"Of course he did!" fumed Professor Sharp. "And now he is willing to laugh over his dastardly work!"
"I didn't do it, sir," said Tom firmly.
"You are certain?" It was the head of the college who asked the question.
"Yes, sir. I never saw that picture before."
"But I have the proof against you!" fairly shouted Abner Sharp. "It is useless for you to deny your guilt." ”

“ On the rear seat was William Philander Tubbs, in company with one of Minnie's friends—a girl the Rovers had met while nutting.
"There's a happy crowd!" cried Tom after they had passed and bowed and smiled.
"No happier than we are," said Dick as he looked meaningly at Dora. ”

“ COLLEGE
CHAPTER I
ON THE TRAIN
"We're making time now, Tom."
"Making time?" repeated Tom Rover as he gazed out of the car window at the telegraph poles flashing past. "I should say we were, Sam! Why, we must be running sixty miles an hour!"
"If we are not we are making pretty close to it," came from a third boy of the party in the parlor car. "I think the engineer is trying to make up some of the time we lost at the last stop."
"That must be it, Dick," said Sam Rover. "Gracious, how we are rocking!" ”

“ I heard from one of the old boys that you were here."
"I am sure I am glad to see you, Dan," said Dick, "and glad to know you are doing well."
"Maybe you'll be a member of the firm some day," added Sam with a smile.
"I don't know about that. I'm willing to work, and the traveling suits me first-rate. They pay me a good salary, too—thirty dollars per week and all expenses."
"Good enough!" cried Dick.
"I came to see you fellows," went on Dan Baxter in a lower voice. "I haven't forgotten what you did for me when I was on my uppers. It was splendid of you. I realize it more every day I live. ”

“ I think father will believe us."
Tom left that night, and established himself at the leading hotel in Ashton.
News travels swiftly, and Koswell and his cohorts took care that the girls at Hope should hear the story about the Rovers and Stanley and their supposed disgraceful doings. Dora, Nellie and Grace could scarcely believe their ears when they heard it.
"This is awful!" murmured Dora, and the tears came to her eyes.
"I don't believe one word of it!" cried Nellie with spirit.
"But Tom has been suspended," said Grace. "And think of poor Sam and Dick!" ”

“ It was full of cobwebs, which brushed their cheeks as they passed along.
"Certainly this was a fine mansion in its day," said Dick, as he threw the rays of the lantern around. "But it is utterly worthless now," he added as he gazed at the fallen ceilings and rotted woodwork.
"I fancy the ghosts are nothing but rats and bats," said Tom. "Come on," he continued. "It's damp enough to give one the rheumatism." ”

“ As Professor Sharp uttered these words he brought to light a German silver case which Tom had picked up in a curiosity shop in New York. The case had his name engraved on it, and contained pencils, crayons, and other things for drawing.
"Where did you get that?" demanded the youth.
"Never mind where I got it. Isn't it yours?"
"Yes."
"Ha! Do you hear that, Doctor Wallington?" cried Abner Sharp in triumph. "He admits the outfit is his!"
"So I see," said the president of Brill, and if anything his face grew a trifle more stern. "Then you admit your guilt, Rover?" he questioned. ”

“ He, like a good many others, was quite pale.
"It was indeed," said a senior who had come up. "The fellows who held the pole up deserve a good deal of credit."
"Dick Rover suggested it," said Songbird. "Good for you, Dick!" he added warmly.
The falling of the flagstaff sobered the whole party of students, yet the freshmen were jubilant over the fact that they had won in the colors contest.
"And we'll wear the colors this term," cried Tom proudly.
"So we will!" called out others in a chorus. "We'll wear 'em good and strong, too!" And they did. ”

“ Tom had his thumb wrenched and Dick had his ankle skinned, but neither gave heed to the hurts. Indeed, they never noticed them until the game was at an end.
And then came Dick's hour of triumph. How he got the ball from the burly Roxley right guard nobody could exactly tell afterward, but get the ball he did, and rounded two rival players before they knew what was up. Then down the field he sped, with his enemies yelling like demons behind him, and his friends on the benches encouraging him to go on. ”

“ With great haste the masked ones picked up the three Rovers and Stanley and dragged them into the kitchen of the old house. Then one after another the unconscious ones were taken down into a dark and musty cellar and placed on some straw.
"Now to fix up the evidence!" cried Koswell. "We must be quick, or it may be too late!" ”

“ At this Frank Holden, the leader of the sophomore class, laughed.
"Too bad, fellows, but they've got you. Term doesn't begin until to-morrow and they can sit where they please until twelve o'clock midnight. After that"—he turned to Dick and Sam—"well, your blood will be on your own heads if you disturb this fence or the benches around the flagstaff." ”

“ Shortly before eleven o'clock a shout was heard on the road, and a number of the students made a rush in that direction. The college coach swung into sight in a cloud of dust. It was fairly overflowing with boys and young men, all yelling and singing and waving their hats and caps. At the sight those on the campus set up a cheer. ”

“ He was growing a little clearer in his mind, and could see that a terrible mistake had been made.
"You'll not knock anybody down, you young villain!" roared Abner Sharp in a rage. "I'll teach you to come here and drink and carouse, and bring disgrace upon the fair name of Brill College! I'll have you dismissed and sent home in disgrace!" ”

“ Then the chauffeur left, and the automobile dashed on its way in the direction of Rushville.
As the Rovers and their chums were out purely for pleasure, they took their time in driving to Rushville, going there by way of Hope Seminary. They thought they might catch sight of Dora and the Lanings, but were disappointed.
"Too bad that they have got to grind away on such a fine day as this," said Dick.
"Well, such is life," returned Sam. "One good thing, schooldays won't last forever." ”

“ But this one runs the same way."
"Dick is a born chauffeur," said Sam. "Wait till you see him let the car out to sixty miles an hour."
"Mercy! I don't want to run as fast as that!" cried Grace.
"We'd all be killed if anything should happen," added Nellie.
"Don't you worry. Dick will crawl along at three miles per," drawled Tom. "The moonlight is too fine to run fast. Besides, Dora is going to sit in front with him."
"I'll make the run in about an hour and a half," said Dick, "and that is fast enough. We don't want to get back too early." ”

“ Holding the lamp so that it would light up the scene ahead, Dick and Tom ran through the grove of trees and then into the thicket of brushwood beyond. They could hear two persons working their way along, and knew they must be the fellows they were after. Once they caught sight of the rascals, but the evildoers lost no time in seeking cover by running for another patch of undergrowth. ”

“ Oh, my!" screamed Flockley, trying to dodge the water. "Larkspur, grab the hose! Knock that rascal down! Why don't somebody do something?"
"Give me that hose, you freshie!" called out Jerry Koswell, who was in the crowd. "Don't you know better than to resist your superiors? I want you to understand——"
"Keep cool, old man, don't get excited," answered Tom brazenly. "Ah, I see you are too warm. Will that serve to keep your temperature down?" And now he turned the hose on Koswell, hitting the fellow directly in the left ear. ”

“ It was all he could say, for he was still too bewildered to make a clear note of what was going on.
"This one seems to be the worst of all," said Abner Sharp, turning to Tom. "He must have drunk more than the others."
"He will have to sleep it off," answered Professor Blackie. "Too bad! Too bad! Why will young men do such things?" And he shook his head sorrowfully.
"I believe what the note said. This has been a regular hangout for the Rovers and their chums," said Professor Sharp severely. "It is high time it was broken up." ”

“ Songbird was introduced to Stanley, Max, and a number of the other students, and soon he felt quite at home.
That evening there was a bit of hazing. Dick and Tom escaped, but Sam, Songbird and Stanley were caught in the lower hallway by a number of the sophomores and carried bodily to the gymnasium, Here they were tossed in blankets and then blindfolded.
"We'll take them to the river," said one of the sophomores. "A bath will do them good."
"Let's give 'em a rubbing down with mud!" cried Jerry Koswell. ”

“ Presently Sam found a hot lamp and Dick located another.
"Who do these machines belong to?" asked Dick.
"There's the list," said the watchman, pointing to a written sheet tacked on the wall. "They are No. 15 and No. 9."
The boys looked at the sheet, and read the names of Walter D. Flood and Andrew W. Crossley, two juniors, whom they knew by sight only.
"They wouldn't play this trick on us," whispered Dick to his brothers. "They must have loaned their bicycles to others."
"Right you are," answered Tom. "We'll have to question them." ”

“ Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?" And he glared maliciously at the Rovers and Stanley Browne.
"Oh, Professor, can you—er—help us?" murmured Stanley. "We—er—are in a lot of trouble."
"So I see," answered Abner Sharp chillily. "Nice doings, I declare! Don't you think so?" he added to the other professor.
"It is too bad," murmured Professor Blackie. "I thought them all rather nice lads."
Dick's head was still dizzy, so he could not catch the import of the professor's words. He continued to work over Tom, who just then opened his eyes.
"Gi—give me a—a drink!" murmured poor Tom. ”

“ It was found that each tire had some glass in it, and the bits were picked out with care. While this was going on Dick suddenly swung the lamp around so that its rays struck through the trees and bushes lining the roadway.
"Look! look!" he cried. "There is somebody watching us!"
"The fellow who is guilty," added Sam.
"Catch him!" came from Tom, and he made a quick rush forward.
"Say, we've got to get out of here," came in a low voice from among the trees. "Run for all you are worth!"
"I told you to get back," said another voice. "Come on this way." ”