or 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 Dick 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 pass 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 JO