wrote Songbird, "it made a total of thirty-nine hundred returned to him, and he told me that I need not bother about the other hundred. But I paid it just the same, for I had just been fortunate enough to sell six of my poems--two to a magazine and four to a weekly paper--for one hundred and sixty dollars.

"Of course we had a grand time, and Mr. Sanderson has forgiven everything. He and Minnie think you are mighty smart fellows, and I agree with them. Minnie and I have fixed matters all up between us, and we are the happiest couple you ever saw. I don't know how to thank you enough for what you have done for me, and all I can add is, G.o.d bless you, every one!"

"Good old Songbird!" murmured Sam, as he read the communication a second time. "I'll wager he feels a hundred per cent. better than he did."

"And to think he sold six of his poems!" commented Tom. "I shouldn't wonder if he thinks more of that than he does of getting the money back," he added, somewhat drily.

On the following day came another telegram, this time from Mr. Rover, stating that the opposition of the Waltham interests in Wall Street had been suddenly withdrawn. But he added that business matters in the metropolis were becoming more and more arduous for him, and he asked when d.i.c.k expected to get back.

"I'm afraid it's getting too much for dear, old dad," was d.i.c.k's comment, on perusing this message. "I think the best thing I can do is to get back and help him."

"Well, if you go back, I think I'll go back myself," said Tom. "Anyway, this tour seems to have come to a standstill, with so much rain."

"I'm willing to go back if you fellows say so," put in Sam.

"I'll wager he and Grace want to get ready for their wedding," remarked Tom, slily.

"That's just what we do," returned Sam, boldly. "We're going to be married early this fall, aren't we, Grace?" and he gazed fondly at the girl, who nodded, and then turned away to hide her blushes.

But the tour did not come to an end as quickly as might have been expected. On the day following it was such fair weather that they left the Barlow farm and started once more on their trip westward. Colorado Springs was soon gained, and, pa.s.sing on to Manitou, they left the automobiles, and took the cog railway to the summit of Pike's Peak.

Then, on the day following, they motored up to Denver.

"We can ship our automobiles home by freight," said d.i.c.k, "and by returning by train we can be back in New York in no time."

A week later found the entire party once more in the East. While d.i.c.k and Tom settled down to help their father at the offices in Wall Street, the others returned to Valley Brook and to Cedarville, to prepare for the coming wedding.

"And where is it to be, Sam?" questioned Tom, when the brothers were on the point of parting.

"Oh, it can only be in one place," was Sam's answer.

"And I guess I know where that is," returned Tom, with a grin.

Both d.i.c.k and Tom had been married in the Cedarville Union Church, a little stone edifice covered with ivy, which was located not a great distance from the homes of the Lanings and the Stanhopes, and also Putnam Hall. As before, it was a question if the numerous guests who were expected to the ceremony would be able to get into the building.

But both Grace and Sam said they would have to make the best of it.

As soon as the wedding invitations were issued, the presents began to come in, and they were fully as numerous and as costly as had been the gifts bestowed upon Dora and upon Nellie. From Mr. Rover came, as was to be expected, a bankbook containing an amount written therein which was the duplicate of that he had bestowed upon d.i.c.k and Dora and likewise upon Tom and Nellie.

"You can always depend on dad," was Sam's comment, his voice choking a little. "The best dad anybody ever had!"

"Indeed you are right!" answered the bride-to-be. "And I'm going to love him just as if he were my own father."

Sam's own present to his bride was a gold wrist-watch set in diamonds and pearls--a beautiful affair over which the happy girl went wild with delight.

At last came the eventful day, full of golden sunshine. All of the Rovers had arrived in Cedarville and were quartered at the hotel. Many other guests were at the Stanhope homestead and at the Laning farm, and still others--former cadets--had come back not only to attend the wedding but also to take another look at dear old Putnam Hall.

Among the old guard who had thus presented themselves were Fred Garrison, Larry Colby, Bart Conners and Harry Blossom. Among those who had attended Brill were Stanley Browne, Spud Jackson, Bob Grimes and, of course, Songbird.

"I'm engaged to Minnie," whispered the latter to the Rovers at the first opportunity. "We are going to be married just as soon as my income will permit. And what do you think? I've sold four more poems--got eighty dollars for them," and his face beamed as they had never seen it shine before.

"I congratulate you, Songbird," returned Sam, heartily. "I certainly hope you get to be the best-known poet in the United States."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I am going to buckle down to business. My uncle thinks I am doing wonderfully well, and he says if I keep on he is going to give me a substantial increase in salary after the first of the year. I'm going to write verses just as a side issue."

As at the other weddings, the ceremony was set for high noon. Soon the guests began to arrive, and before long the old church was crowded to its capacity, with many standing up in the aisles and in the rear and even at the side windows, which were wide open.

Captain Putnam, in full uniform and looking a little grayer than ever, was there, and with him, George Strong, his head a.s.sistant, with whom Sam had always been very friendly. There were also numerous girls there who had formerly attended Hope Seminary, and of these one was a flower girl and two were bridesmaids.

Sam's best man was his old Putnam Hall chum, Fred Garrison, while among the ushers were Songbird, Stanley, Spud, Bob, and some others of his former cla.s.smates.

Presently the organ pealed out and the minister appeared, followed a moment later by Sam. Then up the aisle came Grace on the arm of Mr.

Laning, and daintily attired in white with a flowing veil beset with orange blossoms.

"Oh, how pretty she looks!" said more than one; and they spoke the truth, for Grace certainly made a beautiful bride.

The ceremony was a brief but solemn one, and then, as the organ pealed out joyously, the happy pair walked forth from the church, to enter an automobile which whirled them off to the Laning homestead. To that place they were followed by a great number of invited guests. An elaborate wedding dinner had been prepared, and an orchestra from the city had been hired, and all sat down to a feast of good things with music.

"We'll have to give them a send-off--same as they gave me," said Tom to his brother d.i.c.k, while the festivities were at their height. "They'll be getting ready to go away soon."

"Sure! we'll give them a send-off," returned the oldest brother. "Come on, let us get busy."

Down at the barns an automobile was in readiness to take Sam and his bride away on their wedding trip. This car d.i.c.k and Tom and a number of others lost no time in decorating with white streamers and a placard which read: _We are on our wedding trip. Congratulate us._

"Aren't you going to stay to have a dance?" questioned Nellie of her sister, a little later.

"Of course," answered Grace; and shortly after that she and Sam tripped around to the tuneful measures of a two-step. All of the young folks present joined in, the older folks looking on with much satisfaction.

"I can hardly believe it," declared old Aunt Martha, as she took off her spectacles to wipe her eyes. "Why, it don't seem no time since Sam was just a baby!"

The dancing continued for some time but then, of a sudden, came a cry from Dora:

"Where are Sam and Grace? I don't see them anywhere."

"They are gone! They have given us the slip!"

"No, they've gone upstairs. Wait here, and we'll give them a shower."

The young folks gathered in the hallway and out on the piazza, and a few minutes later Sam and Grace appeared, both ready for their tour. Then came a grand shower of rice and confetti, mingled with two or three old shoes, and in the midst of this the happy, laughing young couple escaped to the automobile which was now drawn up before the door. The chauffeur was ready for the start, and in an instant more the machine shot down the lane and out into the roadway.

"Good-bye! Good-bye and good luck to you!" was the cry.

"Good-bye, everybody!" came back from the touring car, and Sam and Grace stood up to wave their hands to those left behind. Then the touring car disappeared around a turn of the road, and they were gone.

* * * * *

And now let me add a few words more and thus bring to a close this long series of adventures in which the three Rover boys, d.i.c.k, Tom, and Sam, have played such an important part.

A number of years have pa.s.sed and many changes of importance have occurred. Mr. Anderson Rover has retired from active partic.i.p.ation in The Rover Company, and d.i.c.k is now the president, with Tom secretary and Sam treasurer. The concern is doing remarkably well and all of the Rovers are reported to be wealthy. The father has returned to the farm at Valley Brook, where he lives in peace and comfort with Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha, who, despite their years, are still in the best of health.

A year after Sam's marriage to Grace, Songbird Powell married Minnie Sanderson. The would-be poet has made quite a business man of himself and, what perhaps is of even greater pleasure to himself, has had many of his poems accepted by our leading periodicals.