in a
railroad stone quarry some miles from Carwell.

With the mystery of the traction company bonds cleared up, the Rover
boys returned to Putnam Hall to complete their last term at that
institution of learning. They applied themselves diligently to their
studies, and when the final examinations came off all passed with flying
colors.

"Whoop! I'm glad those exams are over!" cried Tom. "I feel as if a
hundred-pound weight was taken off my shoulders."

"I am glad, too," answered Sam.

"And I am glad all of us did so well," put in Dick. "Our reports will
please father and Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha."

It had been arranged that the commencement exercises should be carried
out on rather an elaborate scale, and many people were invited to
attend. This brought all the Rovers and also the Stanhopes and the
Lanings to Putnam Hall. Dick had been called on to deliver the
valedictory and he made such a stirring address that he was vigorously
applauded. Sam and Tom appeared in a humor dialogue, with Fred and
Larry, and this was received with shouts of laughter. Songbird recited
an original poem which was a vast improvement over the most of his
doggerel, and Hans and some of the others sang in a quartet which would
have done credit to the average college glee club.

"Oh, it was splendid, Dick!" said Dora, after it was over and
congratulations were in order. And her eyes shone like stars as she
pressed his hand.

"I saw only you, Dora, when I got up to speak," he whispered. "And
that's why I did my best."

"You and Sam had better go on the stage," said Nellie to Tom. "That
dialogue was too funny for anything!"

"I laughed till the tears came," added Grace. "It was a splendid
programme all the way through."

"Well done, my boys, well done," said Anderson Rover, as he took each by
the hand. "I was never so proud of you as I am to-day."

"Now that we have finished our studies here what are we to do next?"
questioned Dick, earnestly.

"We will settle that question this summer," answered his father. "But in
the meantime--" Mr. Rover paused and looked at his oldest son
thoughtfully.

"But what, father?"

"I will tell you when we get home, Dick--there is no use of my trying to
do so in this excitement. I have something very unusual to propose,"
answered Anderson Rover, and what that proposal was, and what came of
it, will be related in another volume, to be entitled, "The Rover Boys
on Treasure Isle; Or, The Strange