"You are going to stay in Ashton over night, are you not?" questioned Sam, of his brother, as the auto neared Brill.
"Yes."
"I want to see you—to talk about Dad's affairs,—and about Tom," went on the youngest Rover, in a whisper.
"All right, Sam. I'll get up early and run over here before breakfast. I'll be at the gate at seven o'clock—if it is clear. I'll see you first and then talk to Tom;" and so it was arranged.
"Here, what's the secret?" demanded Tom, abruptly.
"Nothing much," answered Sam. "Dick will be over to see us in the morning, before he and Dora go back."
"Oh, all right." Tom gave a sudden chuckle. "Wish I had brought that calf along. I could have a barrel of fun with him to-night!"
"You're going right to bed, and so am I," answered Sam. "We've had fun enough for the present." And then he and his brother said good-bye to Dora, for they did not expect to see her again for some time to come.
Sam was afraid that Tom might not want to go to bed so soon, but his fears were groundless. Tom undressed at once and inside of five minutes was in profound slumber. He occasionally moved uneasily in his sleep and sighed heavily, but that was all.
"Maybe he ought to have a doctor, but what a doctor can do for him I don't know," thought Sam, and retired himself, sighing deeply. With Tom not himself the whole world seemed wrong.