The boys saw the Stanhopes and the Lanings on the boat bound up the lake and then almost ran to the depot to catch their train. It came in directly, and in half a minute more they were being whirled away in the direction of Oak Run.
"There is no use of talking, those girls are just all right," said Sam, bluntly. "I never met a nicer lot in my life."
"I guess Dick thinks one of them is all right," said Tom, with a grin. "Although I don't see why you were steering her into the smoking room," he added, to his big brother. "Were you going to teach her to smoke cigarettes?"
"Oh, say, Tom, let up," grumbled Dick. "You paid about as much attention to Nellie as I did to Dora."
"Anyway, I didn't steer her to the smoking room."
"No, but while you were talking to her I saw you put five spoonfuls of sugar in her coffee for her," returned Dick. "Maybe you didn't think she was sweet enough for you, eh?"
At this Tom reddened, while Sam set up a roar.
"He's got you, Tom!" cried the youngest Rover. "Better cry quits and talk about something else. We all like those girls amazingly, and that's the end of it;" and then the subject was changed.
It was almost dark when Oak Run was reached. Here a carriage, driven by
Jack Ness, the Rovers' hired man, was in waiting for them.
"Hullo, Jack!" cried Tom. "All well at home?"