And everybody said that Sam Rover was the hero of the occasion.

CHAPTER XVIII

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 d.i.c.k 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 soph.o.m.ores 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 una.s.sisted in the last inning.

"It saved the day for Brill," announced Stanley, and many agreed with him.

The great game had taken place on Sat.u.r.day 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 d.i.c.k'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 d.i.c.k. "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 d.i.c.k 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 cla.s.s 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 pa.s.s, 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 cla.s.s of sixty-five seniors, sixty-two had pa.s.sed. 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?"