A general alarm was sent out for Sobber, Crabtree and the others. But they kept in the dark and were not captured.
“Oh, how glad I shall be to get back home!” murmured Mrs. Stanhope, when the return was begun. “It seems an age since I went away!”
“Dora will be glad to see you,” answered Dick.
“I owe you and your brothers a great deal, Dick!” she went on earnestly. “You are all noble young men!” And this earnest praise made all of the Rover boys blush.
The return to Cedarville was a great event. Dora clasped her mother in her arms and laughed and wept by turns, and then threw herself into Dick’s embrace.
“Oh, Dick! It was splendid!” she cried. “Oh, I shall never forget it, never!” And then she kissed him right in front of everybody.
The Lanings were equally pleased, and Nellie and Grace were proud of the parts Tom and Sam had played in the affair.
“You are a regular hero!” said Nellie to Tom, and gave him a glance that thrilled him through and through.
“And we shall always remember what you did!” added Grace, to Sam.
“You did better than the authorities,” was Mr. Anderson Rover’s comment.