ad made
so many friends.

"It's almost like giving up your home," Dick had said, several times,
while at the actual parting Sam had had to do his best to keep back the
tears which welled up in his eyes. Even fun-loving Tom had stopped a
good deal of his whistling and had looked unusually sober.

"We'll never have such good times as we've had at Putnam Hall," Sam had
said, but he was mistaken, as later events proved.

The three Rover boys did not wish to part from their many school chums,
yet they were more than anxious to get home, and for this there was a
very good reason. Their father had told them that he had a very
important communication to make to them--one regarding how the summer
was to be spent. So far no arrangements had been made for the vacation,
and the brothers were anxious to know "what was in the wind," as Tom
expressed it.

"Maybe we are to prepare for college," said Dick.

"Perhaps we are to go on another trip to Africa?" added Sam.

"Or start on a hunt for the North Pole," put in Tom. "That would be
just the thing for this hot weather."

"I can tell you one thing," went on Dick. "Whatever father has on his
mind is of a serious nature. It is no mere outing for pleasure."

"I know that," answered Sam. "I could see it by the look on his face."

"Well, we'll know all about it by this time to-morrow," said Tom. "I
hope it is some trip--I love to travel," and his brothers nodded their
heads in approval.

To those who have read any of the twelve previous volumes in this
"Rover Boys Series" the three brothers will need no special
introduction. For the benefit of new readers allow me to state that
Dick was the oldest, fun-loving Tom next, and Sam the youngest. They
were the sons of Anderson Rover, a widower and rich mine owner. The
father was a great traveler, and for years the boys had made their home
with their uncle, Randolph Rover, and their Aunt Martha, on a farm
called Valley Brook, in the heart of New York state.

From the farm, and while their father was in Africa, the boys had been
sent to Putnam Hall, as related in the first volume of this series,
entitled, "The Rover Boys at School." At the Hall they made a score of
friends and several enemies, some of which will be introduced later. A
term at school was followed by a trip on the ocean, and then one into
the jungles of the Dark Continent in search of Mr. Rover, who had
mysteriously disappeared. Then the Rover boys went out west and to t