Instantly his sister was at his side and had her arm over his shoulder.
“Jack dear, don’t think that I don’t understand,” she whispered. “I do! And I feel it just as much as you do! But don’t think too hard of Ruth. She has been all upset by the way her mother takes it and by the fact that her father could not be found. I’m sure when she calms down she will understand it better.”
“Maybe,” Jack answered. “But just now it looks as if everything was crumbling under our feet.”
A surprise awaited the Rovers just as the men of the family came home from Wall Street. They had just stepped into the house when a tall gentleman leaped from a taxicab and ran up the steps after Dick.
“Larry Colby!” exclaimed Jack’s father, greeting the head of Colby Hall with a hearty handclasp. “I’m glad to see you!”
“I thought I’d catch you here rather than at the offices,” answered the master of Colby Hall. “I started for New York just as soon as I heard of your trouble.”
Colonel Colby was greeted warmly by not only the older Rovers, but also the lads who had attended his school so many years. The colonel did not waste words, but went immediately to the subject nearest to his heart.
“I knew you might be wanting assistance,” he said, “and I thought I’d come here and tell you that I stand ready to do what I can. I haven’t got any great amount of cash I can put up—most of my money goes into improvements at the school—but what I have you are welcome to. And if my name counts for anything, you are welcome to use that too.”
For the moment Dick could hardly speak, he was so overcome by his emotion. Then he blurted out his thanks, remarking at the same time that he had heard the same words not only from Fred Garrison and Songbird Powell, but also from Spud Jackson, Stanley Browne, George Granbury and Hans Mueller. “I’ll tell you what—old friends are best!” he said. “Every one of them is sticking to us like glue!”