And this was the program decided upon and carried out effectively. Tubby and Andy were perhaps more enthusiastic over the collections in the Institute than over the color decorations in the Library; but Rob and Merritt observed no lack of interest, their own pleasure in everything being so complete.
It was a tired quartette of scouts who tumbled into their berths that night half an hour before the "owl train" pulled out of Washington, but not one of them thought of complaining of their weariness. They were more than satisfied at the delightful ending of their hasty flight to Mexico.
CHAPTER XXVII.
TUBBY SOLVES THE MYSTERY.
"Well, I've got some great news for you, fellers!" Tubby exclaimed as he came panting into Rob's den, where Andy and Merritt were comfortably coiled in easy chairs, about a week after they had returned home from their eventful trip down across the Rio Grande.
"Another accident happened to the poor old Academy, just when they've got the unlucky building fit for school! And perhaps a lovely journey for us, away across the continent this time to Sunny California!" suggested Andy, sitting up suddenly with a look of eagerness on his boyish face.
Tubby shook his head in the negative.
"You're no good at guessing, Andy; perhaps now, Rob, here, or our corporal, might hew closer to the line."
Rob had been looking at the excited, triumphant face of the fat chum. He remembered what a great fellow Tubby was to hang on to anything, just like a bulldog might, and there flashed into his mind how he had once caught Tubby looking at a certain little object which he had carried carefully with him all the way to Mexico and back.