“Let’s have a farewell dinner,” suggested Jack. “And it will be a real farewell, too—farewell to Colby Hall, farewell to our offices, and farewell to baseball, football, and everything else connected with the Hall.”
From that minute on the boys to leave Colby Hall forever were kept more than busy. The Rovers helped to arrange for a final formal dinner, and then lost no time in sending telegrams home, telling the glad news of their having passed the final tests.
“Now I think we deserve a real good vacation,” said Fred.
“What do you suppose it ought to be?” questioned the young major. He had started to polish his sword for the last time, preparatory to making the best showing possible during the military maneuvers which would help to mark the closing of the term.
“Oh, I’d like to take a long trip somewhere,” answered Fred.
“Maybe you’d like to be shipwrecked again?” observed Andy. “We might fall in with another Ira Small and go after another pirates’ treasure,” he added, with a grin.
“If it’s all the same with you fellows, I’ll stay on land this summer,” said Randy. “I got all the ocean I wanted when we drifted down to the West Indies.”
The girls at Clearwater Hall did not finish their examinations until the plans for the final dinner at Colby Hall were well under way. Then it was learned that both Martha and Mary, as well as Ruth Stevenson, had passed with flying colors and that May Powell had been only slightly behind. This news came to the lads over the telephone.
“We ought to go over and congratulate them,” said Jack.
“I know what you want to do,” came from Andy, as he winked one eye suggestively. “You want to congratulate Ruth Stevenson.”