suffered on that lonely island!" And then she kissed the
others.

"We've certainly had our fill of adventures," came from Dick, who was
shaking hands with his Uncle Randolph. "And more than once we thought
we should never see Valley Brook farm again."

"We were real Robinson Crusoes," went on Sam. "And the girls were
Robinson Crusoes, too."

"Are the girls well?" questioned Mrs. Rover.

"Very well, auntie. If they hadn't been we shouldn't have parted with
them in San Francisco. They went back to Santa Barbara to finish their
vacation."

"I see. Well, it certainly was a wonderful trip. You'll have to tell us
all the particulars this evening. I suppose you are as hungry as bears
just now. Tom is, I'm sure."

"Oh, Aunt Martha, I see you haven't forgotten my failing," piped in
the youth mentioned, with a twinkle in his eye. "And do I get pie for
dinner?"

"Yes, Tom, and all you care to eat, too. We are going to make your
home-coming a holiday."

"Good!"

They were soon in the house, every nook and corner of which was so
familiar to them. They rushed up to their rooms, and, after a brushing
and a washing up, came down to the big dining room, where the table
fairly groaned with good things.

"Gosh! this is a regular Christmas spread!" observed Tom, as he looked
the table over. "Tell you what, Aunt Martha, I'm going to be cast away
every week after this."

"Oh, Tom, don't speak of it! After this you must stay right here.
Neither your father nor your uncle nor myself will want to leave you
out of sight."

"Pooh! We can't stay home. But we'll be careful of our trips in the
future, you can be sure of that."

"Have you heard anything about Putnam Hall since we went away?" asked
Dick, during the meal.

"The academy opened again last week, Dick," answered his father. "We
received a circular letter from Captain Putnam. The scarlet fever scare
did not amount to much, for which the captain is very thankful."

"I sent him a telegram, stating we were safe," said Sam. "I knew he
would like to hear from us. The captain is a brick."

"The best ever," said Tom, with his mouth full of chicken.

"And ditto, Mr. Strong," put in Dick, referring to the head assistant
at the Hall.

"Exactly, Dick. But no more Jasper Grinders in mine," went on Tom,
referring to a tyrannical teacher who had caused them much trouble, and
who had been discharged from the academy, as already mentioned in "The
Rover Boys in the Mountains."