Part 6 (1/2)
”Indeed I do,” answered d.i.c.k. He turned to Songbird. ”You can ride ahead if you wish. We'll go on slowly.”
”All right,” answered the other. ”I won't be long. I only want to leave a volume of 'Poems of Love' I picked up in a bookstore yesterday,” and away Songbird pedaled towards the Sanderson house.
”He's got 'em sure,” said Sam, with a grin. ”Well, Minnie is a nice girl.”
”Huh! I suppose Songbird has as much right to be soft on her as you have to be soft on Grace!” was Tom's blunt comment.
”Not to mention you and Nellie,” retorted his younger brother.
The three Rovers rode past the house and then stopped to rest under a wide-spreading tree. Some June apples were handy, and they munched on these until Songbird reappeared, about a quarter of an hour later.
”Say, it took more than two minutes to deliver that book,” remarked d.i.c.k.
”We were just getting ready to go on without you.”
”Don't forget we want some supper,” added Sam.
”I-er-I just stopped to point out several poems of special interest,”
explained Songbird. ”One was on 'Her Eyes So Blue and True.' It's a grand poem, and--”
”Let me see, Miss Sanderson's eyes are blue, aren't they?” questioned Sam, gravely.
”I wasn't speaking of her eyes-I meant the poem's-that is-those spoken of in the poem,” stammered Songbird. ”By the way,” he added, hastily, to hide his confusion, ”I just heard strange news. Minnie and her father were down in Ashton a couple of days ago and they saw Dudd Flockley at the depot, and he was talking with Jerry Koswell and Bart Larkspur.”
”Koswell and Larkspur!” exclaimed d.i.c.k. ”I didn't think they would dare to show themselves around here.”
”Just what I thought, but Mr. Sanderson and Minnie were both sure they saw the pair. They were talking very earnestly to Flockley, as if trying to get him to do something, and Minnie says Flockley said, 'I'll see about it-maybe I can go.'”
”Humph! Flockley promised that he would drop Koswell and Larkspur,” said Sam.
”He'd better-if he knows where he is well off,” added Tom.
”What became of Koswell and Larkspur?” questioned d.i.c.k.
”Minnie says they took the night train for the East.”
”The through train?”
”Yes.”
”Well, then they must be a good many miles from Ashton-and I am glad of it.”
”Speaking of Flockley puts me in mind of one thing-I mustn't forget to pay for that hat I smashed,” said Tom.
”Better see him tonight and settle up,” said d.i.c.k. ”And I'll go with you.
I want to speak to Flockley,” he added, thoughtfully.
When the boys returned to the college they found their cla.s.smates just finis.h.i.+ng supper. Professor Blackie looked at them rather severely, but Sam explained that they had permission from the Head to be late, so nothing was said further.
From one of the other students d.i.c.k and Sam learned that Flockley had gone for a walk behind the gymnasium, where a path led to the river. As soon as they had finished eating Tom got some money, and he and his brother set off to find the dudish student.