away from
the school.

The search for the treasure proved a long one, and Sid Merrick and Tad
Sobber did all in their power to keep the wealth from falling into the
hands of the Rovers and their friends. But the Rovers won out in the
quest and sailed away with the treasure on board the steam yacht. The
vessel of their enemies followed them, but a hurricane came up and the
other ship was lost with nearly all on board.

"Well, that's the end of Sid Merrick and Tad Sobber," said Dick when
he heard this news. "If they are at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean
they can't bother us any more." But Dick was mistaken in his surmise.
It was true that Sid Merrick had been drowned, but Tad Sobber was
alive, having been rescued by a schooner bound for London, and he
was now on his way back to the United States, more bitter than ever
against the Rovers, and with a determination to do all in his power
to bring Dick, Tom and Sam to grief and gain possession of the money
which he and his uncle had claimed belonged to them instead of to the
Stanhope estate.

On arriving at Philadelphia from the West Indies the treasure was
deposited in a strong box of a local trust company. From it the
expenses of the trip were paid, and the sailors who had aided in the
search were suitably rewarded. Later on the balance of the treasure
was divided according to the terms of Mr. Stanhope's will. This placed
a large sum of money in the hands of Mrs. Stanhope, both for herself
and Dora, and also a goodly amount in the hands of Mrs. Laning for
herself and Grace and Nellie.

The Stanhopes had always been fairly well off, but not so the Lanings.
John Laning was a farmer, and this sudden change to riches bewildered
him.

"Why, mother," he said to his wife, "whatever will you and the gals do
with the money?"

"Several things, John," she answered. "In the first place, you are not
going to work so hard and in the next place the girls are going to
have a better education."

"Well, I'm not afraid of work," answered the farmer. "About
eddication, if they want it--well, it's their money and they can have
all the learnin' they want."

"Dora is going to a boarding school and Nellie and Grace want to go
with her," went on Mrs. Laning.

"Where is Dora going?"

"To a place called Hope Seminary. Her mother knows the lady who is the
principal."

"Well, if it's a good place, I reckon the gals can go too. But it will
be terrible lonesome here without 'em."

"I