Edward Stratemeyer

“ Then the fun became general and lasted long after the meal was over.
It was moonlight outside and presently all went to the broad veranda of the hotel. Tom naturally paired off with Nellie and Sam with Grace, and Dick and Dora wisely kept out of the way.
"We had our day, now let them have theirs," said Dick, to his bride.
"By all means, Dick," returned Dora, with a smile that made him pinch her arm. "But listen, dear," she added, in a whisper. "Did you—did you notice Tom?"
"Yes."
"He tries to keep up, but he isn't himself at all." ”

“ A person wanders off and forgets who he is, or where he came from, and all that! Supposing Tom went to Alaska and that happened to him! Why, we might never be able to find him!" And the tears began to course down Nellie's cheeks.
"We'll find him," answered Sam, sturdily. "Why, we've got to do it!"
"But Alaska is so big, Sam! And think of going out to those mining camps, and out in that snow and ice! Oh, I can't stand it!" And Nellie's tears started afresh.
"We'll have to catch him before he has a chance to leave St. Paul or Seattle," returned the youth. ”

“ I want you to forgive him, and I want you and Spud and Songbird to help Sam watch him."
"Why, do you think he'll do something desperate?" asked Stanley, curiously.
"I don't know what to think. If a fellow is out of his head he is liable to do almost anything. I want him watched, and what is more, I'd like you fellows to keep this to yourselves. I don't want the whole college to know it."
"You can trust me to keep mum," said Spud, promptly.
"I shan't say a word," added Songbird. "I think too much of Tom. Why, he is one of the finest fellows in the world when he is all right!" ”

“ Despite the fact that they were caught in a furious snowstorm, and that there was no telling how long the downfall would last, Sam and Dick felt very happy as they crouched by the campfire in the shelter of the cliff. They had found their brother, and he did not seem to be seriously hurt by the long tumble he had taken.
"I guess we had better let him rest quietly, Sam," whispered Dick, as both bent over the sufferer. "It will probably do him more good than anything." ”

“ For months to come everything would be frozen up as hard as a rock.
"I'd give a good deal to be back in Dawson," remarked Dick, while munching a scant breakfast. He and Sam had decided to make the food on hand last as long as possible.
"So would I. But I don't see ourselves getting there in this fall of snow—and with more snow in the air."
"I don't see what we're going to do with Tom, if he can't walk. We can't carry him."
"We can make a drag—a sort of sled, Sam—and haul him on that."
"So we can! How queer I didn't think of it! Why, it will be just the thing!" ”

“ He passed it over. "There's Lion Head, and over yonder is the Split Rocks. I think I'm about due to find a fortune," and he drew himself up to his full height.
"Well, we are not going to stop you," answered Dick. "All we came after was our brother. But it's a pity to leave you here all alone."
"Oh, I won't mind that. I've often been alone in the mountains. Fact is, I rather like it. When a feller is alone he can do just as he pleases."
"That is true," answered Dick, with a faint smile.
"I know some other miners up here," went on Ike Furner. ”

“ And then, the other day, Tom sent her the queerest letter, full of all sorts of the wildest kind of nonsense—about going to the North Pole and bringing the pole back with him, and about sending her a pair of slippers, to wear in place of gloves, and asking her to send him a red and blue handkerchief, to keep his head from aching. ”

“ Evidently he was fast becoming the Tom of old. His running away from Brill, and his trip to Alaska, were but a horrible, uncertain nightmare to him. He did not want to remember those days, and they were best forgotten.
"And how do you feel, Dad?" asked Dick, as soon as he could get the chance.
"Better than in many a day," returned Anderson Rover.
"And what is the news from New York?"
"Everything is going along well. We have those brokers just where we want them."
"Good! That is what I like to hear," and Dick's face showed his satisfaction. ”

“ And then another general laugh went up.
"We hardly have any fun any more at Hope," said Nellie. "It's just lessons and lectures from morning to night, and the instructors are that sharp! Yesterday I missed a question in ancient history and I was nearly scared to death."
"Humph! ancient history is enough to scare anybody to death. What's the use of studying ancient history when there is so much history still to come of which we know absolutely nothing?" and Tom looked around with the air of a profound professor.
"Here is where we once came over in the Dartaway," said Dick, a little later. ”

“ The voyage down the mighty Yukon to Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean was a long and tedious one to Dick and Sam. For several days the steamer had a hard time of it, crushing her way through the ice, which was rapidly forming. In a few days more navigation would be completely closed, so far as that portion of our globe was concerned.
"We got out just in time," said Dick to Sam, when the Yukon was at last left behind and they saw ahead of them the blue waters of Bering Sea.
The trip on the ocean seemed to do Tom a world of good. ”

“ Snow and ice were on all sides—the latter glistening brightly in the sunshine. It was a wonderful transformation from the green and brown that had decked the landscape before winter had set in so suddenly.
"I'd hate to be out in this alone," remarked the big brother. "A fellow could get lost without half trying."
"Dick, what do you think of Tom?" went on Sam, in a lower tone.
"He's in a bad way again, Sam," was the reply. "Poor fellow! If only we had him where we could place him under the care of some good doctor, some specialist. That is what he needs." ”

“ On went the boys, deeper and deeper into the woods, chatting gaily and occasionally singing snatches of college songs. Sam kept close to his brother and he was glad to note that Tom was acting quite like his old self.
"What he needs is plenty of fresh air and rest from studying," thought the younger Rover. "Hang it all, it was a mistake for Tom to get down to the grind so soon. He ought to have taken a trip out West, or to Europe, or somewhere."
Presently the students came out on the bank of the stream and there, in the sunshine, they rested on a fallen tree and some rocks. ”

“ It's a fine chance for you, Tubby," concluded Tom, and then walked away, followed by his chums.
"Tom, what is the game?" demanded Sam, when they were out of hearing.
"We'll go down to the drug store Saturday afternoon and see," was the reply.
"Are Carr and Beckwith the moving picture men?"
"Yes, and they want a young man to play usher, and do a lot of other things—one who can sing preferred," and the fun-loving Tom grinned broadly.
"Oh, Tom, and you would send William Philander there!" cried Songbird. "Such a dude as he is! He'll never forgive you!" ”

“ Grace's own eyes were moist, and Sam had all he could do to keep from breaking down likewise.
"Oh, he is gone, I am sure of it!" cried Nellie. "He is not himself at all! For all we know he may have thrown himself into the river! Oh, what shall we do? What can we do?" and she wrung her hands.
"Don't take it so hard, Nellie, it may not be so bad after all," said her sister, soothingly. "Tom may be back to Brill by this time."
For several minutes the matter was talked over. Then Mr. Sanderson appeared, ready to return to Ashton for his daughter. ”

“ It was now snowing so furiously that progress was difficult.
"We'll be snowed in, that's certain," remarked Sam, as they moved about, swinging their torches to the right and left.
"I don't care—if only we find Tom, and he isn't seriously hurt," returned his brother.
"But it's no fool of a thing, to be snow-bound in Alaska, Dick! I've heard of miners being starved to death—not being able to get anywhere for food!" ”

“ One man who was on the train told me he had met a young fellow who said he was bound for Alaska to find some nuggets of gold. He wanted to know about the ships that sailed for Sitka and Juneau, and the man told him what he knew. He said the young fellow went off in the direction of the shipping offices."
"Oh, Dick! we must get after him at once!" cried Sam.
"That's it, Sam." Dick turned to Jim Hendricks. "Will you show us where they are? We can go in a taxicab."
"I've got our auto outside—we can go in that, and you may as well bring your baggage along," continued the Seattle young man. ”

“ Just take it easy and rest yourself," went on Dick, soothingly.
"Are you sure no bones are broken?" asked Sam, anxiously.
"I don't remember anything about a tumble," said Tom, slowly. "I—I—thought I was in our room at Brill, old number twenty-five. And it wasn't winter either. Say, I can't understand all this. Are we out in the woods back of Brill? Hadn't we better get back? See how it's snowing."
"We won't go back to-night, Tom," answered Dick. "You just take my advice and lie down and keep quiet. If you are hungry you can have something to eat." ”

“ This done, a shelter close to the cliff was selected. Here they cut down some brushwood with a hatchet Sam had brought along, and formed a barrier to keep out the wind and snow. Then another campfire was built and Tom was brought over and placed on the blanket, in a warm and cozy corner.
"Oh, my head!" he muttered, over and over again. Of a sudden he sat up as if in bewilderment. "Where am I?" he cried. "Is it time to get up? Say, Sam, I wonder if I've got time to write that theme I didn't do last night. Songbird said he would give me a few pointers, but I reckon he forgot all about it. ”

“ I'll never forgive you, Tom Rover, never!" And William Philander stalked away, still clutching the poster in his hand.
"Poor William Philander!" murmured Sam. "It was rather a rough joke, Tom."
"Oh, it will do him good," was the answer. "He's too uppish to live."
"Yes, he wants some of the conceit knocked out of him," added Stanley. "But come on, if we are going for a walk, let us get started."
"Wish I had been in the classroom to see the fun," mused Tom, his old-time grin overspreading his face. No matter how old Tom got he'd never give up his boyish pranks. ”

“ Tom straightened up. "Now, don't you two think I can't do it, for I can. I feel stronger every day. That crack I got on the head was a fierce one, I admit, but it isn't going to knock me out, not by a long shot! In a few weeks I'll be as strong as ever."
Dick and Sam looked at each other in dismay. Clearly it was out of the question to try to argue with Tom, who had always been more or less headstrong.
"All right then, stay," said Dick. "But take it easy, Tom, and do what Sam tells you to." A little later Dick drew Sam to one side and asked him to keep a close watch on his brother. ”

“ Soon they reached another climb, up a series of rocks that looked almost like a pair of stairs.
"Look!" cried the old miner, a few minutes later, and he stopped to pick something up out of the snow. It was a wooden pipe.
"It must be that Ike Furner's," said Dick. "Tom doesn't smoke."
"Why, look, the pipe has tobacco in it, and it's still lit!" exclaimed Sam. "It couldn't have been dropped very long ago!"
"And that proves that the owner must be close by!" put in his brother. "Let's call!" And he set up a ringing shout, in which Sam and Jack Wumble joined. ”

“ What I need is a strong, willing fellow to take tickets and usher folks to seats, and keep the floor free of rubbish, and all that."
"W-h-a-t!" shrieked William Philander. "You—you—what sort of an entertainment are you going to give?" he faltered.
"Why, didn't you know? We are going to open the Eclipse Moving Picture Theater, in Cameron's Hall, over yonder. We advertised for a young man, to take tickets, usher, and make himself generally useful. We'll have a little vaudeville with the photo plays, and if the young fellow can sing, or dance, we'll give him a chance at it." ”

“ Really, Songbird, that's a dandy poem. You ought to have it framed and hung up in the gym."
"Do you really think so?" and the would-be poet looked pleased.
"I do. It would hit every fellow in Brill. And I think—What can that fellow want?" added Tom suddenly, as a messenger boy from the town came running up to him.
"Guess he's got a message for you," returned Songbird.
"For me? I trust it's no bad news," said Tom. ”

“ In driving over to Hope Seminary Mr. Sanderson had pointed out to Sam the spot where he had seen—or thought he had seen—Tom. Sam now determined to visit that spot and see if from that point he could not get on the trail of his brother.
The place was near a turn of the road and just beyond was another road. At the forks stood an old stone house, wherein lived an old basketmaker named Rater. The girls of Hope often bought baskets from the man just to help him along.
Sam and Songbird found Rater sitting on a side porch of his home, with his basket-making materials scattered around him. ”

“ They watched the stylishly-dressed student prance down the street, brandishing his cane viciously in the air.
"Just wait till he catches you, Tom," remarked Spud.
"He'll about half kill you," added Stanley.
"Oh, I guess I can stand it," answered the fun-loving Rover, calmly.
"It was rather a rough joke," was Sam's comment.
"Oh, he needs something like that, to take the awful conceit out of him," came from Songbird. "Why, he is getting worse and worse every day. Half the students are down on him. This may do him good." ”

“ By six o'clock they reached Spotswood and Dick ran the touring car around to the big hotel located there. Then they went inside and washed up a little. In the dining room a special table had been set for them in an alcove. There was a big bouquet in the center and a small bouquet at each plate.
"Say, Dick, this is immense!" said Sam, admiringly.
"Just too lovely for anything!" burst out the Laning girls simultaneously.
"How did you come to think of the flowers?" asked Tom, putting his bouquet in his buttonhole and letting Nellie pin it fast. ”

“ Tom was now doing very well, although he still complained of his head.
"I've got an idea," said Sam, one afternoon, after the Eclipse photo playhouse in Ashton had been opened. "Why can't we make up a party some afternoon or evening and take the girls to the show?"
"I thought of that," answered Tom. "But don't you think it would be best for us to go alone first and see what sort of a place it is? Some of these country show places have pretty rough audiences."
"Oh, Ashton isn't such a common town as that, Tom. But maybe it would be better to size it up first. ”

“ And yet they realized that Folsom, the conductor of the other train, would not be likely to arouse Tom if he had gone to bed.
"He won't take the chance," said Dick. "Remember, he isn't sure of what he is doing, and all railroad men like to keep out of trouble. If he made a mistake, the passenger might sue the railroad company for big damages, and get them."
"If only we could catch up to Tom!" sighed Sam.
"That is impossible, Sam, because he is on an express, just as we are. ”