great deal of good. She goes away from home so little."

The matter was talked over until it was time for the two parties to
separate, and the Rovers promised to write more particulars in a few
days,--as soon as they knew more about the houseboat and how it was to
be run, and what sort of sleeping accommodations it afforded.

The boys saw the Stanhopes and the Lanings on the boat bound up the
lake and then almost ran to the depot to catch their train. It came in
directly, and in half a minute more they were being whirled away in the
direction of Oak Run.

"There is no use of talking, those girls are just all right," said Sam,
bluntly. "I never met a nicer lot in my life."

"I guess Dick thinks one of them is all right," said Tom, with a grin.
"Although I don't see why you were steering her into the smoking room,"
he added, to his big brother. "Were you going to teach her to smoke
cigarettes?"

"Oh, say, Tom, let up," grumbled Dick. "You paid about as much
attention to Nellie as I did to Dora."

"Anyway, I didn't steer her to the smoking room."

"No, but while you were talking to her I saw you put five spoonfuls of
sugar in her coffee for her," returned Dick. "Maybe you didn't think
she was sweet enough for you, eh?"

At this Tom reddened, while Sam set up a roar.

"He's got you, Tom!" cried the youngest Rover. "Better cry quits and
talk about something else. We all like those girls amazingly, and
that's the end of it;" and then the subject was changed.

It was almost dark when Oak Run was reached. Here a carriage, driven by
Jack Ness, the Rovers' hired man, was in waiting for them.

"Hullo, Jack!" cried Tom. "All well at home?"

"Very well, Master Tom," was the answer. "And how are you, and how is
Master Dick and Master Sam?"

"All O. K. and top side up, Jack," said Sam.

They were soon in the carriage, and then the hired man whipped up the
team and away they sped across Swift River, through the village of
Dexter's Corners, and then along the highway leading to the farm.

"I see the lights of home!" sang out Sam, as they made the last turn.
"I can tell you, it makes a fellow feel good, doesn't it?"

"It's a true saying that there is no place like home," returned Dick.
"Here we are!"

The carriage made a turn around a clump of trees and then dashed up to
the piazza. From the house rushed several people.

"Here we are, father!" sang out Dick. "How are you, Uncle Randolph, and
how are you, Aunt Martha