tha and Mary were indeed glad to hear the news.

The next day, just as the session was closing, the Rovers were informed
that a man and a boy were out on the campus waiting to see them. They
hurried out and found themselves confronted by John Franklin and his son
Phil.

"I've been promising myself right along that I'd come and see you
fellows," said John Franklin. "But somehow I couldn't get around to it.
But now that my son and I are going back to Texas I felt I'd have at
least to say good-bye and thank you once again for what you fellows did
for us."

"And as my father wasn't able to reward you, I thought maybe you
wouldn't mind if I made each of you something out of wood with my
jackknife," put in Phil Franklin, somewhat awkwardly. "You know,
handling a jackknife is one of my specialties," he added, with a grin.
"So please accept these with our compliments. You can divide them up to
suit yourselves."

He handed over a package done up in a newspaper, and, unfolding this,
the Rovers found four articles carved out of hard wood. One was an
inkstand, another a miniature canoe, a third an elaborate napkin ring,
and the fourth a tray for holding pins and collar buttons.

"Why, those are real fine, Phil," said Jack, as he looked the articles
over.

"You don't mean to say you did all of this work with a knife?"
questioned Andy admiringly.

"Every bit of it," was the reply.

"They are beautiful," was Randy's comment, after an inspection.

"Better than you could buy in the stores," added Fred.

"I'm pleased to know that you like my son's handiwork," said John
Franklin.

"They are real good," said Jack. "But we don't feel like taking these
things without giving you something in return," he added hastily.

"Oh, that's all right!" cried Phil Franklin. "You've done enough for us
already. You keep the things and don't say anything more about it."

"And so you're really going back to Texas?" questioned Fred, after the
presents had been inspected again.

"Yes, we're going to start to-morrow noon," answered John Franklin.
"I've got a little money together now, and I'm going back to see if I
can't put a crimp in those oil-well sharpers who did me out of my farm."

"Well, I certainly hope you get the best of those fellows if they
swindled you," said Randy heartily.

The conversation lasted half an hour longer, and during that time Randy
and Jack excused themselves and slipped off to their rooms. When they
came back t