“There he is, boys!” howled one of the cadets, with a powerful voice. “There’s Dick Merriwell! He’s all right!”
“Merriwell! Merriwell! Merriwell!” they shrieked.
Dick lifted his hand, and in a few moments their shouting died away.
“Fellows,” he cried, in that clear, musical voice of his, “it gives me unspeakable happiness to inform you that we are all all right. Not one of our party was seriously injured.”
This set them wild again, and they cheered each person who emerged from the car. As the fortunate ones descended the steps to the platform they were seized and hugged, one after another. Some of those excited boys actually shed tears. It seemed that their emotions must quite exhaust them when Hal Darrell made his appearance, a blood-stained handkerchief about his head and Doris clinging to his arm. The yell that went up then was even louder than anything yet.
Somehow, in a slight lull, Ted Smart made his shrill voice heard.
“There’s our mascot!” he shrieked. “She gave us luck! ’Rah for Doris Templeton, the mascot of Fardale! All ready!” he cried, dragging himself up the car steps and lifting his arms. “All together now!”
For the first time the cadets cheered in unison, guided by Ted’s jerking arms.
“’Rah! ’rah! ’rah! ’Rah! ’rah! ’rah! ’Rah! ’rah! ’rah! Doris Templeton! Doris Templeton! Doris Templeton!”
Then Zona was seen, and they cheered for her.