“They might have overheard us talking to Songbird or Stanley.”

“Can they be Flockley and Koswell?”

“More likely Koswell and Larkspur.  Flockley hasn’t the backbone to do a thing like this, He’s too much of a dude.”

Dick and Tom took a look around the vicinity.  By the light of the lamp they saw where the others had leaped the fence and mounted their bicycles.

“They are the guilty ones, I am sure of that,” said Dick.  “I wish we had seen their faces.”

The youths went back to the auto and told of their adventure.  Sam and the girls listened with interest to what they had to say.

“Those boys must be very wicked,” said Nellie.  “If we had been running fast we might have had a serious accident.”

“Shall you accuse them of it?” asked Dora.

“I don’t know.  I’ll think it over,” answered Dick.

“The cut-up tire has got to be paid for,” said Tom.  “Whoever is guilty ought to be made to foot the bill.”

While Dick and Sam jacked up the axle of the automobile and put on a new tire—­inner tube and shoe combined—­Sam set to work and cleaned up the roadway, throwing all the glass into the bushes.  Then the new tire was pumped up and tested.

“Now we are all right again,” said Dick.

“I am glad we had to mend but one,” said Tom.  He felt pretty dirty from the job, but he was not going to tell the girls.

All entered the touring car again, and Dick turned on the power.  He ran slowly at first to test the new tire.

“All O.K.,” he announced presently, and then they went spinning along as before.  But the “edge” had been taken off the ride, and they did not seem as free-hearted and full of fun as they had been before the mishap.

It was after ten o’clock when the seminary was reached, and the girls found one of the under teachers waiting for them.

“Young ladies, you were told to be in at ten,” said the teacher severely.  “It is now half after.”

“We had an accident,” answered Dora, and told what it was.

“You must not stay away later than the time originally allowed,” said the teacher severely.  “Remember that after this, please,” and then she dismissed the girls.

When the boys got to the garage where the automobile belonged they told the man in charge about the chauffeur and of what had happened on the road.  The garage manager could hardly believe the story about the broken glass.

“You’ll have to pay for that tire,” he said coldly.  “You can’t expect to make me stand the loss.”

“I suppose not,” answered Dick “You can have the old tire repaired and send the bill to me.  And now I want somebody to take us up to Brill just as quickly as it can be done.  It is getting late.”

“I’ll get a man right away,” said the manager in a relieved tone, and two minutes later the three Rover boys were being whirled toward the college.