“The chaps I don’t like!  You don’t mean—­”

Dick paused in wonder.

“I mean that Flockley chap and his chums, Koswell and Larkspur.”

“Were Miss Stanhope and the Misses Laning with those fellows?” demanded the elder Rover.

“They seemed to be.  They were buying fruit and candy, and I think Flockley treated to hot chocolate.  The girls seemed glad enough to see me, but I—­ah—­didn’t want to—­ah—­break in, you know, so I came away.”

“Where did they go after having the chocolate and candy?”

“I don’t know.  I didn’t see them after that.”  And there the talk came to an end, for several other students appeared.  Dick walked off in a thoughtful mood.

“Deeper and deeper!” he told himself, with something like a groan.  Then he hunted up Sam and Tom.

“Going with Flockley and that crowd!” cried Tom.  “Not much!  I won’t have it!” And he commenced to pace the floor.

“What are you going to do about it?” asked Sam.

“Call on the girls and talk it over—­and you and Dick are going with me.”

“I’ll not go,” declared Dick.

“Neither will I,” added Sam.

“Yes, you shall—­and to-night,” said Tom firmly.

CHAPTER XX

DAYS OF WAITING

Eight o’clock that evening saw the three Rovers on their way to Hope Seminary.  Tom was the leader, and it had taken a good half hour’s arguing on his part to get Dick and Sam to accompany him.

“You’ll make a fool of yourself, and make fools of us, too,” was the way Sam expressed himself.

“Most likely they won’t want to see us,” was Dick’s opinion.

“If they don’t want to see us, really and truly, I want to know it,” answered Tom bluntly.  “I don’t believe in this dodging around the bush.  There is no sense in it.”  It had angered him to think Nellie had been seen in the company of Flockley and his cronies, and he was for “having it out” without delay.

“Well, you’ll have to lead the way,” said Dick.  “I’m not going to make a call and have Dora send down word that she can’t see me.”

“She won’t do that,” said Tom.  “I know her too well.”

“Well, you call on Nellie first.”

“I’m not afraid,” retorted Tom.  He was so “worked up” he was willing to do almost anything.

The nearer the three students got to the seminary the slower they walked.  Even Tom began to realize that he had undertaken what might prove a very delicate mission.

“I think it would have been better to have sent a letter,” suggested Sam.  “Let’s go back and write it before we go to bed.”

“And put down something in black and white that you’d be sorry for afterward,” grumbled Dick.

At the entrance to the seminary grounds they halted again, but then Tom caught each brother by the arm and marched them up to the front door and rang the bell.