CHAPTER XXX
MRS. TOM ROVER--CONCLUSION
"And you got back all the bonds, Dick? How, splendid!"
It was Dora who uttered the words, shortly after the arrival at theOutlook Hotel of the three Rovers. Dick had had the japanned box underhis arm, and now held it up in triumph.
"Yes, we've got them all back, and those that don't go to the bank ascollateral security for a loan are going to a safe deposit box,"answered Dick. "I won't take any more chances with an office safe."
"Especially not that office safe," put in Sam, pointedly.
"And what are you going to do with Jesse Pelter?" questioned Nellie.
"We are going to put him where he belongs--in prison," answered Tom.And it may be as well to state here that in due course of time JessePelter and his partner in crime, Grimes, alias Haywood, were tried andsentenced to long terms in prison. At this trial it was brought tolight that Barton Pelter had known about the hole in the back of thesafe, but had had absolutely nothing to do with the taking of thebonds. Jesse Pelter was very bitter against his nephew for exposinghim, but the Rovers told the young man that he had done exactly right,and he said that he thought so, too. As soon as the trial was overBarton Pelter returned to the Middle West, where he did fairly well asa traveling salesman for the cracker company.
The next few days following the recovery of the bonds proved busy onesfor the Rovers. Some of the bonds were put up at a bank as collateralsecurity for a substantial loan, and with this money Dick took care ofthe Sharon Valley Land Company investment, and also the investmentbrought to his attention by Mr. Powell.
"Now we are on the straight road once more!" declared Dick, afterthese matters and a number of others had been cleared up.
"And I'm mighty glad of it," returned Tom, with a beaming face. "Ithink we all ought to go off and celebrate. What's the matter with atrip to Coney Island, or something like that?"
"Wow! I thought he was going to suggest a honeymoon trip for himselfand Nellie," cried Sam, mischievously.
"Say, young man, don't get so previous!" retorted Tom, growing red inthe face. "Just the same, that's coming a little later," he added,quickly.
"Provided Nellie is willing," went on the youngest Rover, teasingly.
"Oh, don't you worry about that, Sam. By the looks of things you'll bein the same boat some day."
"Well, a fellow might do worse," answered Sam, coolly.
The days to follow were full of combined business and pleasure for theboys. When they were not at the office they were with the girls, andall took numerous trips to various places of amusement in and out ofthe metropolis. As was to be expected, Tom was the life of the party,and the way he "cut up" was "simply awful," as Nellie declared.
"Well, I can't help it," was the way the fun-loving Rover explainedhis actions. "I've got to let off steam or 'bust,'" and then he did afew steps of a jig, finishing by catching Nellie up in his arms andwhirling her around in the air.
Of course the boys had lost no time in sending word to the folks atValley Brook Farm that all business complications had beenstraightened out, and that everything at the offices was runningsmoothly. In return came back word that Mr. Anderson Rover was feelingstronger than ever, and hoped ere long to be well enough to visit thecity.
"But I don't expect to do much in business," wrote Mr. Rover. "I am going to leave that entirely to Dick and Tom. I understand that Tom expects before a great while to get married, and when that happens I want to form The Rover Company, and take him and Dick in with me, Sam, of course, to come in later, after he has finished at college, although he won't have to take an active part unless he wishes to do so. My best love to all of you, and may you have no more trouble."
"Dear old dad!" murmured Tom, when he had perused this communication,and for a moment his voice grew husky and his eyes moist.
Now that it had been definitely settled that Tom and Nellie were goingto be married, Sam wanted to know if the date couldn't be set earlyenough so that he could be on hand before returning to Brill. Thisbolstered up Tom's plea for an early ceremony, and it was decided thatthe wedding should come off the first week in September.
Then followed great preparations on the part of Nellie and the others.Mrs. Laning and Mrs. Stanhope came down to New York, and numerousshopping tours were instituted, in which the boys had no part. Thenthe Lanings and Mrs. Stanhope returned to Cedarville, and Tom and Samwent back to the farm.
During those days, as busy as they were, Nellie and Tom had notforgotten Andy Royce. Letters had been exchanged between the youngfolks and those in authority at Hope Seminary, and at last it wasarranged that the gardener should be taken back and given anotherchance. He promised faithfully to give up drinking.
The Rover boys had also had several visits from Josiah Crabtree. Theyhad found out that the former teacher of Putnam Hall was practicallydown and out, and, although he was not deserving of their sympathy,all felt sorry for him, and so not only did they give him the fiftydollars as Dick had promised, but they also presented him with a newoutfit of clothing. Then Josiah Crabtree departed, to accept theposition as a teacher which had been offered to him.
"Where are you going to live after you are married, Tom?" questionedSam. "Are you going to the Outlook Hotel, too?"
"Not much, no hotel life for me!" returned Tom. "Nellie and I talkedit over with Dora and Dick, and we have taken an apartment together onRiverside Drive, a pretty spot overlooking the Hudson River. We aregoing to keep house together, and we'll all be 'as snug as a bug in arug.'"
"Oh, that will be fine!"
"Some day, Sam, I suppose we'll be taking in you and Grace," went onTom, with a grin. "Well, we'll do it even if we have to get a largerapartment."
It had been decided that the wedding should take place in theCedarville Union Church--a little stone edifice where Dick and Dorahad been married, and which for years had been the church home of theLanings and the Stanhopes. Nellie and Tom had a host of friends, andit was a question how so many could be accommodated in such a smallbuilding.
"Well, if they can't get in, they'll have to stand outside," said Tom,when talking the matter over. "We'll do the best we can." And then theinvitations to the affair were addressed and sent out.
As was to be expected, the wedding presents were both numerous andcostly, rivalling those received by Dora and Dick. Mr. Anderson Roverduplicated the silver service given to his oldest son, and Dick andSam joined in forwarding a handsomely decorated dinner set. As UncleRandolph and Aunt Martha had given Dick a set of encyclopedias, theysent other books to Nellie, but not forgetting a specially-boundvolume of the uncle's book on scientific farming. In addition to allthis came a bankbook from Mr. Anderson Rover with an amount writtentherein that was the duplicate of the amount he had presented to Doraand Dick.
"I knew he'd do it, Nellie," said Tom, when, with their heads closetogether, the pair looked at the bankbook. "It's just like dad."
"It's too perfectly splendid for anything, Tom!" returned the girl,her eyes beaming. "When I get the chance I'm just going to hug him todeath!"
Nellie and Grace had always been Mrs. Stanhope's favorite nieces, andnow that lady sent a set of beautifully embroidered linen, some ofwhich had been in the Stanhope family for several generations. And tothis gift Mr. and Mrs. Laning added some cut glass dishes of thelatest design. Then came from Captain Putnam of the school which theboys had attended so many years, a revolving bookstand, and with it abox of books, each volume from some particular youth who in the pasthad been a cadet at Putnam Hall--twenty-four volumes in all, eachwith a name in it that brought up all sorts of memories to Tom as heread it.
"One of the nicest gifts the Old Guard could have given me!" was Tom'scomment. "It must have been some job to get that set of bookstogether. Why, some of those fellows are miles and miles away! Theyare scattered all over the United States."
Many of the students at Hope had remembered Nellie, and even MissHarrow sent her a small water-color picture. From t
he boys of Brillcame half a dozen presents--some useful and some ornamental. EvenTom's former enemy, Dan Baxter, who was now his friend, had notforgotten him, and sent a pair of napkin rings, suitably engraved.Tom's own present to his bride was a magnificent diamond brooch, whichpleased Nellie immensely.
And then came the great day, full of sunshine and with a gentle breezeblowing from the West. Tom and his family, including his father, whonow felt almost as strong as ever, were located at the old Stanhopehome with a number of their friends, while many of Nellie's relativesand friends were stopping with the Lanings at their farm. Otherfriends of both the young folks were located at the Cedarville Hotel.
To follow the time set by Dick and Dora, it had been decided to holdthe wedding at high noon. As before, the church was decorated withpalms brought up from Ithaca. Soon the guests began to assemble, untilthe little edifice was crowded to its capacity. Captain Putnam wasthere in full uniform, and with him over a score of cadets. From Brillcame at least a dozen collegians led by Spud and Stanley. EvenWilliam, Philander Tubbs was on hand, in a full-dress suit of thelatest pattern, and with a big chrysanthemum in his buttonhole. Therewere several bridesmaids led by Grace, while Sam was Tom's best man.The wedding party was preceded by, a little flower girl, and a littleboy beside her who carried the wedding rings on a pillow.
Nellie was on her father's arm, daintily attired in white charmeusewith her tulle veil trimmed in orange blossoms, and her girl friendsdeclared that she was the prettiest bride they had ever seen. Theceremony was a short one, and at the conclusion Tom gave his bridesuch a hearty smack that every one present had to smile.
"A fine wedding, don't you know!" was William Philander Tubbs'comment, when a number of the guests were on their way to the Laninghome, in carriages and automobiles.
"Yes. And Tom has got a fine girl!" answered Songbird.
"Where's the poetry for the occasion, Songbird?" queried Stanley.
"Oh, I am reserving that for the wedding dinner," was the answer. Andit may be mentioned here that at the proper time the would-be poetrecited an original poem of half a dozen verses, written in honor ofthe occasion.
"Say, Dick, we've got to give Tom a send-off," whispered Sam to hisbig brother, after the Laning home had been reached.
"We sure will give him a send-off!" returned Dick, who had notforgotten what had taken place when he and Dora had departed on theirhoneymoon.
"I wish I didn't have to go back to Brill," went on the youngestRover, rather wistfully, and with a sigh.
"Oh, your term at college will soon come to an end, Sam. You may havelots of fun." What fun Sam did have, and what further befell the boyswill be related in the next volume of this series, to be entitled "TheRover Boys on a Tour; Or, Last Days at Brill College."
The wedding dinner, participated in by all the relatives and a greatnumber of friends, was a huge success. An orchestra had been engagedfor the occasion, and after the meal there was dancing by the youngfolks for several hours, both indoors and on the broad veranda of thehomestead.
"Where are you going on your wedding tour, Tom?" asked Spud.
"We haven't decided yet," was the quick reply. "We're thinkingsomething of going to the north pole, but we may go to the mooninstead;" and at this answer there was a general laugh.
"They are going to slip away if they can," was Sam's comment to half adozen of his chums, a little later. "We'll have to be on our guard."
All of the young folks had provided themselves with rice, confetti,old shoes, and strips of white ribbon with which to celebrate theoccasion--the ribbon being for the purpose of decorating the youngcouple's baggage. Sam had also provided a placard which read: "Are wehappy? We are!" and this was nailed to Tom's trunk.
"Where are they?"
This was the cry that went up in the middle of one of the dances. Tomhad slipped off into a side room, and Nellie had followed. Now both ofthe young folks were missing.
"They are going out the back way!" cried Dick.
"Everybody watch the stairs and the doors!" exclaimed Sam. "We mustn'tlet them get away from us!"
There was a general scramble, commingled with shrieks of laughter asthe young folks did their best to locate the missing couple. Then of asudden came a wild toot from an automobile horn.
"There they are!"
"Come on, everybody!"
There followed a wild scramble from the house to the lane leading tothe roadway. In the lane was an automobile belonging to the Cedarvillegarage, and run by a chauffeur. On the back seat were Tom and Nellie,waving their hands gaily.
"Good-bye, everybody! Sorry we have to leave you so soon!" yelled Tom.
"We'll be back some day! Good-bye!" added Nellie.
"After them! After them!" yelled Dick and Sam; and then all of theyoung folks hurried up the lane, pelting those in the automobile withrice and old shoes.
"We might go after them in another auto," suggested Spud.
"You'll never catch that machine," returned one of the Putnam Hallcadets. "That's the fastest car around Cedarville. Tom knew what hewas doing when he hired it."
The automobile with the newly-married pair had already reached thehighway. Those left behind waved their hands gaily, and Tom andNellie, standing up in the tonneau, waved in return. Then with anotherloud toot of the horn the automobile dashed onward, and disappearedaround a turn of the road.
"Well, good-bye to them, and may they be happy!" said Anderson Rover,who stood on the veranda watching the departure.
"Yes, I think they deserve to be happy," answered Mrs. Laning, whostood beside him, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Nellie is a goodgirl, and Tom is a good boy in spite of his liking for fun. I do hopethey get along in life!"
"Come on back and finish the dance," said Sam to Grace. And thencatching her arm tightly, he whispered: "It is our turn next, isn'tit?"
"Maybe, Sam," she returned, in a low voice Already the band wasstriking up, and soon the young folks had resumed their dancing; andhere for the time being we will leave them, and say good-bye.
THE END
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