"I ain't been well, sah," answered the colored man, and his face fell for a moment. "It's been dat awful lonesome lik I thinks I was a gwine to die sometimes."

"Never mind, Aleck, we'll cheer you up some day," came from Tom.

"I guess I ought to be at a boahdin' school, or a collidge," went on Aleck. "Perhaps I'll go back to Putnam Hall-if de cap'n will take me."

"Oh, he'll take you back fast enough," answered Sam. "But why not try for a place at Brill?"

"Yo' collidge? Would da hab me dar, yo' t'ink?"

"Perhaps. They have some colored help."

"Den say, won't you put in a good word fo' me, all ob yo'?" asked Aleck, earnestly. "I'd gib most anyt'ing fo' to be wid yo', 'deed I would!" and his eyes rolled from one lad to another.

"We'll keep that in mind, Aleck," answered d.i.c.k. "But you can be with us this summer-at least part of the time."

"I'se glad ob dat, Ma.s.sa d.i.c.k. I'se jess been a-pinin' an' a-pinin' fo'

you boys!"

The boys slept soundly, and did not get up until late. They spent the best part of the day in roaming around the farm, and in writing letters to the girls, telling of their safe arrival home.

"I'll tell you what I'd like to do," said Tom, that afternoon. "I'd like to invite the Lanings and the Stanhopes down here to spend the Fourth of July. We might have a sort of house party."

"Great!" shouted Sam. "Just the thing-if they'll come."

"Let us sound dad and Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha on the subject,"

added d.i.c.k.

The matter was talked over, and the boys readily secured permission to have their friends at the farm for the best part of a week. The invitations were issued immediately, for the national holiday was but ten days off.

"I know what I'd like to do, after they are gone," said d.i.c.k. "I'd like to take our tent and go camping up the river for a week or two, just for the novelty of it. We could fish and swim, and take it easy, and have lots of sport."

"Suits me down to the ground," answered Tom. "We'll do it-unless something better turns up."

"I was going to suggest an automobile tour," said Sam. "Uncle Randolph has the new car and it is certainly a dandy."

"Well, maybe we can take the tour, too," answered d.i.c.k. "The summer vacation will be pretty long."

"We could run up to Cedarville," said Tom.

"Sure-right to the Lanings' home," added d.i.c.k, giving Tom a poke in the ribs.

"Oh, sure-and over to the Stanhopes' place, too."

Having sent their letters the boys waited anxiously for replies. On Sat.u.r.day the answers came, and they read the communications with deep interest.

"Hurrah! Nellie and Grace are coming, with their mother!" cried Tom.

"And Dora is coming with them," said d.i.c.k.

"What about Mrs. Stanhope?" asked Sam.

"She said she might come, but she wasn't sure."

A letter had been written by Mrs. Rover to Mrs. Laning and there was a reply to this, both from Mrs. Laning and Mrs. Stanhope.

"We'll have a great celebration!" cried Tom.

"How about those fireworks?" asked d.i.c.k.

"I expect them today."

"Have you got enough?" asked Sam.

"As many as we had at Brill."

"That will be plenty."

"I ordered some powder, too, for use in the old cannon," went on Tom.

"We'll wake up the natives this Fourth all right!"

"You look out that you don't blow yourself up," warned d.i.c.k, for he knew his fun-loving brother could get rather reckless at times.

"Oh, I'll be on guard," was Tom's answer.

When Tom went to Oak Run to get the fireworks old Ricks was decidedly grouchy.

"I've got a good mind not to let you have 'em," growled the station master. "You didn't have no right to play that trick on me with that cigar."

"What trick?" demanded Tom, innocently.

"Oh, you know well enough, you scamp! Think it's smart to put off a cigar on me thet swells up and busts out worms! Bah! you keep your cigars to yourself after this."

"All right, if you want me to," answered Tom, meekly, and then, watching his chance, he placed another of the "doctored" cigars in Ricks' office, where he had a cigar box with tickets in it. Then he, with Jack Ness'

aid, loaded his fireworks and the small box of powder on the farm wagon.

As Tom worked he watched Ricks narrowly and saw the station agent enter his office to sell tickets. While he was making change he chanced to look into the cigar box with the tickets, and Tom, peeping through a crack of the door, saw him take up the cigar and look at it wonderingly.

"Hum!" murmured Ricks. "I thought that box was empty. Sallers must have left this in it when he gave it to me. That's one on Bob. Guess I'll smoke it up before he comes an' asks me about it." The man he mentioned was a storekeeper of the vicinity, who had given him the cigar box the evening before.

Ricks struck a match and commenced to puff away with satisfaction. By this time the wagon was loaded and Tom directed Jack Ness to drive off to the bridge and wait for him.

"Well, good-bye, Mr. Ricks," said the fun-loving youth, as he stepped up to the ticket window. "Hope you don't hold any hard feelings."

"You quit your foolin'!" growled the station master.

"I see you're smoking another cigar."

"What if I am? Ain't I got a right to smoke if I want to?"