“Dick is walking back to the college,” said Grace.

“Hi, Dick!” called out Tom to his brother.  “Where are you going?”

“Up to my room,” answered Dick.

“Yes, but see here—­”

“Can’t see now.  I’ll see you later,” answered Dick.  He waved his cap and bowed.  “Good-by, Nellie!  Good-by, Grace!” And then he turned on his heel and continued on his way to the dormitory building.

“Well, if this doesn’t beat the Chinese!” murmured Tom.

“He must be very angry over something,” murmured Nellie.

“I think he might have come and shook hands when he said good-by,” said Grace with a pout.

“I think so myself,” answered Tom.  “Say, do you think it’s that girl?” he went on, in his usual blunt fashion.

“It must be,” answered Nellie, who was equally frank on all occasions.  “I don’t know what else it could be.”

“But Dick hasn’t done anything.  I am sure of it.  Why, I don’t think he has seen her since we stopped at her home that time.”

“Well, he seemed very attentive to her here in the stand,” said Grace, “and if you’ll remember, he didn’t meet us when we arrived.  I am sure Dora looked for him.”

Tom gave a long sigh and shrugged his shoulders.

“This takes the edge off the victory,” he murmured.  “I thought the six of us would have a jolly time for the rest of the day.”

“It certainly is too bad,” answered Nellie.  “But I don’t think Dora is to blame.”

“Oh, of course a girl will stick up for another girl,” retorted Tom, bound to say something in his brother’s defense.

“Tom Rover!” cried Nellie, and then she showed that she was displeased.

It was quite a while before Sam came back from seeing Dora to the seminary.  He, too, thought Dora was more to blame than Dick, and this did not altogether please Grace.  As a consequence there was a coldness all around, and the rest of the afternoon dragged most woefully.  Dick did not return, and at last Sam and Tom saw the Laning girls back to their school.

“A pretty mess of fish!” muttered Sam on returning to Brill.

“Yes; and where is it going to end?” asked Tom dolefully.  It was the first time there had been such cold feelings all around.

CHAPTER XIX

MORE COMPLICATIONS

The football eleven celebrated the victory that evening by bonfires and by something of a feast.  Of course Tom and Dick were present, as were also Sam and a host of others, but it must be confessed that the Rovers did not enjoy themselves.

“See here, Dick,” said Tom after the festivities were over, “what is this trouble between you and Dora?”

“Don’t ask me, ask her,” returned Dick shortly.  “She knows more about it than I do.”

“She won’t say a word,” came from Sam “She said she didn’t feel well, that’s all; and I know that wasn’t true altogether.”