Part 29 (1/2)

”Well, you ought not to gamble,” put in Sam, who had listened to the talk with interest.

”I suppose that's true,” mumbled Dan Murdock. ”But they said I might win a pile. Oh, I was a big fool--I know it now, even if I didn't know it then. I wish I had stopped 'em from leaving.”

”Why didn't you?”

”They went so sudden like--after they had my money. One of 'em took out his watch and said they'd miss the train, and away they started before you could say Jack Robinson! But there ain't no train this time o' day.”

”It was a trick to get away,” said Tom.

”Sure--I know that, now! Oh, if only I had my hands on 'em. Say, they don't belong at Brill, do they?” went on the farm hand eagerly.

”No, although they used to go there,” answered d.i.c.k.

”Then you saw 'em?”

”Yes, we saw them running away.”

”What are their names?” and when d.i.c.k had mentioned them Dan Murdock shook his head slowly.

”I've heard of 'em before,” he said. ”They used to hang around at the tavern. I was a big fool, no two ways about it! I guess they'll keep out of my sight after this.”

”More than likely,” answered d.i.c.k.

When the boys arrived at the college they found an anxious crowd looking for them and the biplane. Songbird and Stanley and several others rushed to the carriage to greet them.

”Were you wrecked?”

”Did you get a bad tumble?”

”Where did you come down?”

So the questions ran on and the boys had to answer as best they could.

Everybody seemed to be glad to learn that they had escaped from the fury of the sudden hailstorm--that is, everybody but Dudd Flockley and his new crony, Andy Yates.

”Just like the Rovers' luck,” muttered Flockley, sourly. ”They'd escape where everybody else would be smashed up.”

”Oh, they'll get a smash, if you give 'em time enough,” answered Andy Yates, heartlessly. He was a student who courted attention and it galled him to see the Rovers the center of attraction.

As soon as d.i.c.k, Tom and Sam could get time to do so, they sent a message to Hope Seminary, informing the girls that they had gotten back to Brill in safety. This relieved much anxiety, for with the sudden coming of the wind and hail the girls had feared that the youths might be killed.

After such a strenuous adventure, the Rover boys were content to take it easy for some time. They sent to the city for a man to come and repair the _Dartaway_ and then settled down to their studies. Then, after the biplane had been repaired, they went after the machine and brought it back to Brill, and it was placed in the gymnasium shed, with Abner Filbury to guard it, as before.

”Don't you want to go up, Songbird?” asked Tom, one afternoon, after college hours.

”I--er--I don't think so,” answered the student-poet, gravely.

”Rather make up verses about flying than fly, eh?”

”I--er--I think so, Tom.”

”What have you made up about airs.h.i.+ps, anything really fine, Songbird?”