“Oh, I think you boys are simply dreadful!” cried Mary, but she smiled as she spoke.
“Don’t you think you were rather hard on the professor?” questioned Martha dubiously.
“No, I don’t!” answered Andy promptly. “He treated us as mean as dirt while he was at Colby Hall. He was more than stern—he was thoroughly unreasonable! That’s why Colonel Colby discharged him.”
“And please to remember how he backed up Slugger Brown’s father on Snowshoe Island,” added Randy. “He was perfectly willing to swindle old Barney Stevenson out of his property. He deserves no sympathy.”
The remainder of the journey to Haven Point passed without special incident. The boys and the girls had sent word ahead that they were coming, and when they reached the town they found Bob Nixon there with one of the Colby Hall turnouts, and also a driver with a stage from the girls’ school.
“Well, here is where we part and get back to the grind,” said Fred, after he and Jack had placed their sisters’ baggage in the proper car.
“Good luck to both of you girls!” cried Jack.
The girls were soon started off in one direction, and then the boys started off in the other. The latter were still some distance from Colby Hall when they saw Spouter Powell and Gif Garrison approaching on foot.
“Glad to see you back!” cried Spouter, as he climbed into the machine.
“We’ve got great news,” announced Gif, his eyes beaming.