GOOD-BYE TO BRILL
The celebration at Brill that evening was one long to be remembered.
Bonfires blazed along the river front, and the students marched around
them, and around the campus and the college buildings, singing songs and
having a good time generally.
The others had insisted that the Rovers take part in these festivities,
and so the boys had taken the girls to Hope, where Dora and Nellie were
to remain until the next day.
"I must say I am mighty glad I came," said Dick to his brothers, as he
surveyed the shouting and marching students. "This certainly takes me
back to the days when I was here."
"I'm going in for some fun," announced Tom, and was soon in the midst of
the activities. The students played jokes on William Philander Tubbs,
old Filbury, and on a number of others, and the fun-loving Rover helped
them all he could. An attempt was also made to get the captured banners
of the freshmen and sophomores from Sam's room, but this failed.
"The boys are rather noisy to-night," said one of the professors to Dr.
Wallington.
"I agree with you, sir," returned the head of Brill, "but then they have
something to be noisy about. Their victory was certainly well earned,"
and the doctor smiled indulgently.
Many had come forward to congratulate Sam on his fine work in putting
through a double play unassisted in the last inning.
"It saved the day for Brill," announced Stanley, and many agreed with
him.
The great game had taken place on Saturday afternoon, so, as the next
day was Sunday, Sam could do as he pleased. The Rovers had an early
breakfast, and then lost no time in riding over to the seminary, where
they found the others waiting for them.
"Oh, Sam, your playing was simply wonderful!" declared Grace, as she
beamed on him. "How you ever caught that fly in the last inning is
beyond me."
"Yes, and what do you think?" put in Grace's sister. "Mr. Waltham said
he thought it was quite an ordinary play--that any good, all-around
player could have done what Sam did!"
"Maybe he was a bit jealous of Sam," was Dora's comment, and as she
spoke she looked rather keenly at Grace, who, of a sudden, blushed
deeply.
"I suppose Waltham brought his sister and those girls back here last
evening," said Sam.
"Oh, yes," answered Nellie, "and they insisted that we join them in a
little treat. Mr. Waltham drove down to Ashton for some ice cream, fancy
crackers and candy, and we had quite a spread under the trees. It
certainly was very nice of him to do it."
"I suppose he's got so much money he doesn't know what to do with it,"
was Dick's comment.
"He was asking me about that tour that we propose taking this summer,"
said Dora. "He added that he and his sister and maybe others were going
to take a tour in his new car, but he hadn't decided on where they were
going, and he thought it might be rather jolly if he joined our touring
party."
"Humph! I don't see----" began Sam, and then broke off suddenly.
"It would be lovely to have Ada along," said Grace. "She is a splendid
girl, and we've become quite chummy since Nellie and Dora went away."
"Well, we haven't any time to settle about that tour just now,"
announced Dick. "Our train leaves in a couple of hours and you girls
have got to pack up before we start for the Ashton depot."
The mention of Chester Waltham, along with the fact that he might join
them on their proposed automobile tour, put rather a damper on Sam's
feelings. He acted very soberly, and his remarks to Grace were not half
as cordial as they usually were. Evidently Sam's "nose was out of
joint," although he was not willing to admit it, even to himself.
All drove down to the Ashton depot, and there Sam and Grace said
good-bye to the others, who were going on to the home farm at Valley
Brook and then to New York City. On the return to the seminary Sam had
hoped to have a long talk and an understanding with Grace, but
unfortunately two girls turned up who wished to get back to Hope, and
there was nothing for the Rover boy to do but to invite them to ride
along, so that the confidential talk between them had to be abandoned.
After the great ball game matters quieted down at Brill. All of the
seniors were hard at work getting ready for the final examinations,
which would start on the week following.
"If you make as good a showing in the examinations as you made on the
ball field, you sure will prove a winner," declared Bob to Sam one day.
"Well, I'm going to do my level best, Bob," was the reply. "You see,
neither Dick nor Tom had a chance to graduate, so I've got to make a
showing for the entire family."
During those days nothing further had been heard regarding Blackie
Crowden or the missing money. Sam and Songbird had met Belright Fogg
once on the streets of Ashton, but the lawyer had marched past without
deigning to speak to them.
"He's a foxy customer," was the comment of the would-be poet of Brill.
"If he had anything to do with Blackie Crowden, he'll try his level best
to keep it to himself."
At last the examinations began. They were to continue for the best part
of two weeks, and during that time Sam cut out all sports and confined
himself to his studies with greater diligence than ever. He had several
important papers to hand in, and he worked over these early and late,
rewriting and polishing until there seemed to be absolutely nothing more
that could be done. Songbird also was busy, for in addition to his
studies and themes he had been asked by the class to write a poem in
honor of the coming occasion.
"I only wish I could write something that would bring in some cash,"
remarked the would-be poet one afternoon.
Although he had not apprised Sam of that fact, Songbird had copied off
several of his best poems and sent them to various publishers, hoping
that they might prove acceptable and bring in some money which he might
turn over to Mr. Sanderson as an evidence of what he hoped to do in the
future. So far, however, he had not heard from any of the poems but one,
which had been promptly returned.
At last came the day when the examinations ended. All the themes written
by the students had been handed in, and Sam found himself free to do as
he pleased. He at once sought Grace by means of the telephone, hoping to
get her to take an automobile ride with him.
"I am sorry," she answered over the wire, "but I have still another
examination to take and a theme to finish, so I don't dare to think of
going out."
"How have you made out so far?" questioned the youth.
"I don't know, Sam. Sometimes I think I have done very well, and then
again I am afraid that I missed a great many things. How did you make
out?"
"Oh, I think I'll pass, but how high up I don't know. I am hoping for
great things, but I may be mistaken." And there the conversation had to
come to an abrupt end, for a professor came in to use the Brill
telephone.
It must be confessed that Sam slept rather uneasily on the night before
the morning on which the announcement concerning each student's standing
was to be made.
"I'm scared to death," came from Spud. "I missed a whole lot of
questions."
"So did I," put in Paul. "And I boned hard too," he added dismally.
Finally came the announcement. Out of a class of sixty-five seniors,
sixty-two had passed. Sam's name was at the head of the list with a
percentage of ninety-seven; Songbird came fourth with a percentage of
ninety-three; Spud had ninety-one, and Stanley the same; while Paul,
William Philander Tubbs and a number of others were listed at from
eighty to eighty-eight per cent.
"Sam, allow me to congratulate you!" cried Songbird, as he came up to
wring his friend's hand. "You certainly made a splendid showing."
"You made a pretty good showing yourself," answered Sam, his face
beaming.
"Your folks will be mighty glad to hear of this," went on the would-be
poet of Brill. "Why don't you telegraph to them?"
"Just what I'm going to do," answered the Rover boy. "And I'm going to
telephone to Hope, too," he added.
"That's the talk. I wish I could telephone over to the Sandersons."
"Never mind, Songbird, I'll drive you over there when I drive to the
seminary," replied Sam.
The days to follow were delightful ones for Sam. True to his promise, he
took Songbird over to the Sanderson homestead and then visited Grace.
The girl had passed third from the top of her class and was
correspondingly delighted.
"We had such dreadfully hard questions I thought I should never get
through," she confessed to the youth when they were alone. "And you came
out on top, Sam. Oh, it's wonderful--simply wonderful!" and she caught
both his hands.
"Well, I'm glad--glad for myself and glad for you, Grace," he answered,
and looked her full in the eyes. She looked at him in return and blushed
prettily.
"Oh, Mr. Rover, allow me to congratulate you," came from somebody near
by, and Ada Waltham came tripping up. "Grace told me all about your
wonderful showing."
"Ada made a splendid showing herself," answered Grace, before Sam could
speak.
"I was one point behind Grace," answered the rich girl, "and that
certainly was wonderful for me. I never was very keen about studying--in
fact, I didn't want to go to college, only I had to do it if I wanted to
inherit the money that my uncle left me."
"Oh, Sam! and to think our days of studying are over at last!" burst out
Grace. "I can scarcely believe it."
"I can't believe it myself, Grace," he answered. "It seems to me I've
been going to school all my life. Just think of the years and years I
put in at Putnam Hall Military Academy before I came to Brill!"
"Yes, and to think of the years I put in at the Cedarville school before
I came to Hope," returned Grace. "Now it is all over I feel quite old,"
and she laughed merrily.
As was the usual custom, it had been decided that graduation exercises
at Hope should take place two days before those at Brill, which would
give ample opportunity for those desiring to do so to attend both
functions.
"My folks are all coming to the graduations," announced Grace, a day or
two after the conversation just recorded.
"Yes, and my folks will all be on hand," answered Sam. "Even Uncle
Randolph and Aunt Martha are coming. Dear, old Aunt Martha!" he said.
"She has been a regular mother to us boys ever since I can remember. I'm
awfully glad she will be present, and I'll be mighty glad to have Uncle
Randolph too, not to say anything about dear, old dad."
After that there seemed to be so much to do and so many things to think
about that time sped with amazing swiftness. The Rovers and the Lanings
had engaged rooms at the leading hotel in Ashton, and arrived on the day
previous to the graduation exercises at Hope.
"Tell you what, education is a great thing!" remarked Mr. John Laning
when speaking of the matter to Mr. Rover. "I didn't have much of a
chance at it when I was a boy--I had to go out and scrap for a
living--but I'm mighty glad that I had the means to give the girls the
learning they've got."
"You're right--it is a great thing," answered Mr. Anderson Rover. "I am
only sorry now that Dick and Tom didn't have the chance to graduate as
well as Sam. But, you know, I was very sick and somebody had to look
after our business affairs. And what those boys have done for me is
simply wonderful!"
"The greatest boys that ever lived," announced Randolph Rover. "They
used to bother the life out of me with their fun and noise, but now that
they have settled down and made men of themselves I forgive them for all
the annoyances."
Sam's father had brought for him as a graduation present a very fine
diamond scarf pin, while his uncle and aunt presented him with a
handsomely engraved cardcase and Dick and the others brought him a ring
set with a ruby. Grace's folks and the others had also brought several
gifts of value for the girl, and to these Sam added a bracelet and the
finest bouquet of flowers he could obtain in Ashton.
The graduation exercises at Hope were exceedingly pretty. All the girls
were dressed in white, and they formed a beautiful picture as they stood
in a long line to receive their diplomas. The onlookers clapped
vigorously, but no one with more fervor than did Sam when Grace received
her roll. The exercises were followed by a reception that evening at
which the fair girl graduates shone as they never had before.
"And now for the big event at Brill!" said Dick, when on the way back to
Ashton that evening. "Sam, aren't you a bit sorry to leave the old
college?"
"I certainly am, Dick. At the same time, now that you and Tom have
buckled down to business, I feel that I ought to be doing likewise."
"Yes, but all of you young folks are going on that tour first,"
announced the boys' father. "I think you have earned it, and I want you
to have it. I'll supply all the funds necessary, and I'll see to it that
everything goes right at the office while you are away."
Never had Brill been so crowded as it was at those graduation exercises.
Every seat in the college hall was occupied, and every doorway and open
window held its group of eager onlookers. The Rover family had seats
almost in the center of the auditorium, and all of the Lanings were with
them.
"Oh, it's grand! just grand!" murmured Aunt Martha, as she saw Sam and
the rest of the senior class gathering. "Oh! how proud I am of that
boy!" and the tears coursed freely down her cheeks.
The valedictory address had been written by Sam and was delivered by the
class orator, Stanley. This was followed by a class poem written by
Songbird and delivered by a student named Wells. Sam's valedictory was
received with loud clapping of hands.
"A well written paper--very well written, indeed," was Dr. Wallington's
comment, and a great number of visitors agreed with him. Songbird had
worked hard over his class poem, which contained many allusions to local
matters, and was received with many smiles and expressions of good
humor.
"Songbird is certainly becoming something of a poet," was Dick's
comment. "If he keeps on, some day he'll become the simon-pure article."
At last it was over, and Sam, with his sheepskin rolled up and tied with
a ribbon, joined his folks. His father was the first to congratulate
him, and then came old Aunt Martha, who wept freely as she embraced him.
"I'm proud of you, Sam, proud of you!" she said, in a voice trembling
with emotion. "What a pity your own mother couldn't be here to see you!
But the good Lord willed it otherwise, so we must be content."
"Sam, you've certainly done the family proud this day," announced his
oldest brother. "To graduate at the top of the class is going some."
"Well, I've got to do something for the Rover name," said the happy
youth, modestly.
There was another reception that night, and again the bonfires blazed
along the bank of the river. The undergraduates "cut loose" as usual,
but those who were to leave Brill forever were a trifle sober.
"It's been a fine old college to go to," was Dick's comment.
"You're right there, Dick," came from Tom. "A fine place, indeed!"
"The best in the world!" answered Sam. He drew a deep breath. "No matter
where I go in this old world of ours, I'll never forget my days at
Brill."