minded
followers kept out of sight, and so they were left behind to shift for
themselves.

"Do you think that we will ever see Dan Baxter again?" Sam had
questioned.

"I hardly think so," had been Dick's reply. But in this surmise the
elder Rover boy was mistaken, as later events will prove.

The journey across the Pacific to San Francisco was accomplished
without incident. As soon as the Golden Gate was reached the boys,
and also the girls, sent telegrams to their folks, telling them that
all was well.

Mrs. Stanhope was staying at Santa Barbara for her health. All of the
girls had been stopping with her, and now it was decided that Dora,
Nellie, and Grace should go to her again.

"It's too bad we must part," Dick had said, as he squeezed Dora's
hand. "But you are coming East soon, aren't you?"

"In a month or two, yes. And what will you do?"

"Go back to Putnam Hall most likely--if the scarlet fever scare is
over."

"Then we'll be likely to see you again before long," and Dora smiled
her pleasure.

"It will be like old times to get back to the Hall again," Sam had put
in. "But first, I want to go home and see the folks."

"Right you are," had come from Tom. "I reckon they are dead anxious to
see us, too."

And so they had parted, with tight hand-squeezing and bright smiles
that meant a good deal. One train had taken the girls southward to
Santa Barbara, and another had taken the boys eastward to Denver and to
Chicago. At the latter city the lads had made a quick change, and
twenty-six hours later found them at Oak Run, and in the carriage for
the farm.

CHAPTER II

NEWS OF INTEREST

"My boys! my boys!"

Such was the cry given by Anderson Rover, when he caught sight of the
occupants of the carriage, as the turnout swept up to the piazza of the
comfortable farm home.

"Home again! Home again
Safe from a foreign shore!"

sang out Tom, and leaping to the ground, he caught his father around the
shoulders. "Aren't you glad to see us, father?" he went on.

"Glad doesn't express it, Tom," replied the fond parent, as he embraced
first one and then another. "My heart is overflowing with joy, and I
thank God that you have returned unharmed, after having passed through
so many grave perils. How brown all of you look!"

"Tanned by the tropical sun," answered Sam. "Oh, here is Aunt Martha,
and Uncle Randolph!"

"Sam!" burst out the motherly aunt, as she kissed him. "Oh, how you
must have