interrupted Tom. And then he went on:

"I love to swim upon the sand, And dance upon the brine, And write my name in salty waves, And hope for dinner time To come, so I can eat my fill Of sea-foam snaps and cream; And stand upon the quarter-deck A halfback of the team!"

"Humph! do you call that poetry?" snorted Songbird. "It sounds as much like it as a dog's bark sounds like a hymn!"

"Well, it would be a 'him' if he was a gentleman dog!" retorted Tom, and then Songbird turned away in momentary disgust. But soon his good humor returned and Tom and the others allowed him to "spout poetry" to his heart's content.

It had been arranged that the Rovers, Dora, and the Laning girls should meet at the Ashton depot, and it is needless to say that the three boys were on time. They were alone, for Songbird and Stanley and some of their other chums were going to take different trains.

"Don't forget to let me hear from you this summer!" said Songbird, on parting.

"Oh, we'll be sure to write," answered d.i.c.k. "Come and see me-if you get anywhere near my home," said Stanley.

"We'll remember that," returned Tom.

The boys were taken to Ashton depot in an automobile belonging to the college. Their trunks and dress-suit cases had preceded them, and as soon as they arrived they had their baggage checked straight through to Oak Run.

"I see the girls' trunks," announced Sam, who had been looking the pile of baggage over. "We could get them checked, too, if we had their tickets."

"Wonder where the girls are?" came from Tom, as he looked at his watch.

"How much time, Tom?"

"Ten minutes yet-and this train will most likely be late."

Rather impatiently the Rover boys walked up and down the platform.

Presently they saw one of the Hope carryalls coming and went to meet it.

"They aren't in that," cried Sam, disappointedly.

"Another carriage coming from Hope?" queried Tom, of the carryall driver.

"Two of 'em," was the reply.

The second carriage arrived a minute later. It contained six girls and among them was Grace.

"Dora and Nellie are in the last carriage," announced the younger Laning girl. "I came on ahead to get the trunks and bags checked."

"We'll do that," answered Sam promptly. "Got the railroad tickets?"

"Yes, here they are," and Grace handed the tickets over.

It took several minutes to check the baggage, for the agent was busy, and all of the Rovers gave a hand in shifting the heavy trunks out to a place close to the tracks. Then d.i.c.k looked at his watch.

"Time for the train now," he announced. "Wonder why that carriage doesn't get here?"

"d.i.c.k is getting nervous," said Sam, with a wink.

"Oh, you are all right-with Grace here," retorted his brother.

Tom had gone up to a bend of the road to take a look. Now he came back with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Nothing but a farm wagon in sight," he announced. "And the horses are kicking up such a dust I can't see behind it."

"Oh, Tom, is it time for the train?" asked Grace, anxiously.

"It's three minutes past the time," answered d.i.c.k.

"Maybe the train is a good deal late," said Sam, hopefully. "I'll ask the agent."

He went off and in the meantime the others continued to watch the country road leading to the railroad station. All they could see was a cloud of dust that betokened the coming of a big farm wagon, on the front seat of which sat an old farmer.

"The train is coming!" cried Sam in dismay, on returning. "The agent says it will be here in about two minutes."

"Two minutes!" burst out d.i.c.k and Tom.

"Oh, they'll get left!" moaned Grace. "What shall we do? I can't go home alone! And I've got their tickets!"

"Perhaps the agent will hold the train a bit," suggested d.i.c.k.

"I hear the train now!" cried Sam, as a distant whistle sounded through the air. A moment later they saw the cars, making a broad curve around the distant hills.

d.i.c.k ran to the man who sold tickets and looked after the baggage.

"Say, we are waiting for some more pa.s.sengers-some young ladies from Hope Seminary," he explained. "Can't you hold the train till they come?"

"Not much!" was the sharp answer. "The train is late already, and orders are to make as short a stop as possible."

"They are coming!" yelled Tom. "I see them away down the road!"

"Oh, call to them to hurry!" burst out Grace.

"They can't hear me," answered Tom. "They are coming as fast as the team can go."

"Won't you hold the train just a couple of minutes?" pleaded d.i.c.k.

"No, sir!" And the agent spoke with a positive snap in his voice.

d.i.c.k looked across the tracks. The farm wagon had come up, and on the seat he recognized the fat and jolly Mr. Sanderson, the father of the girl they had once saved from the annoyances of Dudd Flockley and Jerry Koswell.

"I'll get Mr. Sanderson to do the trick for me!" he muttered to himself, and ran to where the farm wagon had come to a halt.

CHAPTER VII DREAMS OF YOUTH

"Mr. Sanderson!"