"Perfectly lovely-in spite of the troubles we had," answered the girl.

"That's the kind of a trip I am going to take again-when we go off on our honeymoon, Dora."

"Oh, d.i.c.k!" And Dora flushed prettily. "How can you say such things, and in a crowd! Somebody may hear you!"

"Oh, I only want you to know--" began d.i.c.k, but just then Tom and Sam brushed up with Nellie and Grace, so the sentence was not finished. Dora gave him a meaning look and he held her arm considerably tighter than was necessary.

"Well, the picnic is off, and they are going to tow the steamer back,"

explained Tom.

"And the young ladies are to be taken back to the seminary in the college carryall and carriages," added Sam.

"What a shame!" murmured Tom innocently. "Now they are here I thought they'd stay till we went home."

"Tom Rover! what an idea!" shrieked Nellie. "Why, we've got to go back for our last examination, and to pack."

"Remember, we are to go East on the same train," warned d.i.c.k. "Let me know just when you can start and I'll arrange for the tickets."

"We are to leave Hope on Wednesday," said Grace.

"That will suit us," answered Tom. "We might leave Tuesday afternoon, but it won't hurt to stay here one night more."

"It will give us time to rest up from the last day's fun," added d.i.c.k.

"Do you expect any fun on the last day?" questioned Dora.

"Do we?" cried Tom. "Just you wait and see, that's all! We'll turn old Brill inside out and upside down!" he added, with emphasis.

CHAPTER IV WHAT FLOCKLEY HAD TO TELL

It was not long before the carryall of the college and several carriages were brought into use and in these the girls and their teacher were placed.

"We'll see you Sunday!" called out d.i.c.k to Dora.

"Yes, we might as well go to church together," added Sam; and so it was arranged.

"But about those messages home?" asked Nellie.

"We'll send 'em-don't you worry," answered Tom. "We'll go right down to Ashton now-on our bicycles." And then the turnouts rolled away, and the students of Brill were left once more to themselves.

"Well, those girls can be thankful that the fire was no worse," was Stanley's comment.

"I reckon they are thankful," answered d.i.c.k.

"They were mighty glad we came up with the boats," said another student.

"Some of them thanked us over and over again."

"Huh! I don't think the boats were needed," muttered Dudd Flockley. "The water isn't over two feet deep. They could have waded ash.o.r.e."

"The water is four to six feet deep and the bottom out there is soft mud!" cried Tom, "They'd either have to swim or run the risk of getting stuck in the mud!"

"Oh, Dudd is sore-because his hat was mashed," cried another pupil.

"He's sore because none of the girls thanked him," added another.

"And he wasn't thanked because he didn't do anything," said Spud.

"Aw! give us a rest!" muttered Flockley, and then walked away without another word.

"Say, did anybody notice William Philander Tubbs?" queried Will Faley.

"He didn't do much towards rescuing the girls, but when they got ash.o.r.e he ran all the way to the college to get a whisk broom, to brush them off!"

"Hurrah for Washtub! He's the real hero!" cried Tom. "He thinks of the truly important things!"

"It was a grand spectacle-the thick black smoke pouring from that steamer," came from Songbird. "I-er-I helped to get the sand. But even as I worked I couldn't help but make up a few lines. They run like this:"

"All wrapt in flames, behold our craft!

She'll plough the main no more!

Her gallant crew may well shed tears--"

"She's burnt out to the core!"

finished Tom. "Only that isn't true, for the Thistle wasn't burnt to the core-in fact, the captain says she was burnt very little-thanks to the unswerving devotion of the gallant band of Brill fire-fighters who, undaunted by the terrifying perils of the horrible occasion succeeded, after almost superhuman endeavors, in quelling--"

"Great hambones! Tom's sprung a leak!" interrupted Sam. "Tom, put on your low speed, or you'll run away with yourself."

"Ha, wretch! to interrupt such a superb flow of oratory!" cried the fun-loving Rover, in a.s.sumed grieved tones.

"As if you didn't interrupt my poetry," came ruefully from Songbird. "The next time I-er-recite I'll see to it that you are not around."

"Don't do it, Birdie, I beg of you. I wouldn't miss your verses for a quart of freckles."

"Ashton-and the telegraph office!" sang out d.i.c.k. "Who is going along?"

And the touch of hard feelings between Tom and Songbird was forgotten.

Tom knew he had no right to interrupt the would-be poet the way he did, but-well, Tom was Tom, and he couldn't help it.

The matter was talked over, and a party of nine was made up, including the Rovers and Songbird and Stanley. Soon the lads were on the way, having received permission from Doctor Wallington to be a little late for supper.

"We'll return home by the Carlip Road," said d.i.c.k.

"Right you are," added Tom. He knew this would please Songbird, for the route mentioned would take them past the Sanderson farm, and the would-be poet would have a chance to see Minnie, the farmer's daughter, with whom Songbird had of late been quite smitten.

The messages for the Lanings and Mrs. Stanhope were soon despatched, and the Rovers also sent word to their folks, saying when they might be expected home. Then the crowd divided, and Tom, d.i.c.k, Sam and Songbird took to the road leading past the Sanderson cottage.

"Remember how we pitched into Flockley and Koswell here?" remarked Sam, as the farm came into view.