Part 2 (2/2)
”Yes, I know. But, Tom dear, supposing your head----” She did not know how to go on.
”Oh, my head will be all right, Nellie, so don't you fret. Why, I wouldn't have you fret for the world!” And Tom had caught both her hands tightly within his own. They understood each other perfectly.
”But you know what the doctor said--that you must be very careful for a long, long time.” She had not added that one of the specialists had remarked that victims of such injuries sometimes went out of their minds.
”Oh, I'll be all right I tell you, Nellie,” he had answered. ”I'll go through Brill with a rush, see if I don't. And then we'll get married----”
”Oh, Tom!”
”Surest thing you know,” he had added, and then, as they chanced to be alone, he had caught her in his arms and given her a quick little hug and a kiss that meant a great deal. To Tom, the whole world did not hold such another girl like Nellie. And to Nellie--well, there was Tom and that was all.
”Well, you take good care of yourself,” she had said on parting, and he had told her again not to worry.
”What's the news?” asked Sam, as he came up to his brother and saw the telegram in Tom's hand.
”Read it for yourself,” was the answer and the younger Rover did so.
”So d.i.c.k is coming to Casford; eh?” mused Sam. ”I suppose it's some more of Dad's business. Well, I'll be glad to see him and see Dora, too. We can all go up to Hope together.”
”Go to Hope to see the teachers, I suppose,” said Stanley Browne, closing one eye suggestively. ”Fine fun that, seeing the teachers,”
and then Sam made a playful pa.s.s at him with his fist.
”Sam said we were to take a walk,” put in Spud. ”Where are we going?”
”We might go out towards the Sanderson farm,” suggested Songbird.
”So you can call on Minnie,” cried Tom, for he knew of Songbird's deep regard for the farmer's daughter. ”All right, that suits me.”
”Let us go through Lanker's woods and by the old mill,” suggested Sam.
”That's a fine walk, Tom, and almost as short as the regular road.”
”Just as short,” put in Songbird. ”I've walked it several times and I know.” And then he bit his lip as several of the others commenced to laugh. ”I don't care--I've got a right to visit the Sandersons if I want to.”
”Sure you have,” answered Sam. ”And Minnie--Great Scott! What's the row now? Here comes Tubbs on the run and shaking his fist at us!”
”I guess I am in for it,” returned Tom. ”I fancy Tubblets wants to see me.”
* For particulars regarding how Putnam Hall Military Academy was organized, and what fine times the cadets there enjoyed even before the Rovers appeared on the scene, read ”The Putnam Hall Series,” six volumes, starting with ”The Putnam Hall Cadets.”--PUBLISHERS.
CHAPTER III
TOM'S JOKE
”What did you do to him?” asked Sam, quickly.
”Put an advertis.e.m.e.nt of pills on his back and some other ads. in his text books,” answered Tom. ”Say, he looks some mad; doesn't he?”
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