“And now back to the grind,” said Tom with a little sigh.

“Never mind.  Remember summer will soon be here,” answered Sam.  “And then we can go on a dandy trip somewhere.”

The next day found them back at Brill.  This was Saturday, and the school sessions were resumed on Monday.  They went at their studies with a will, resolved to get marks that would be “worth while” at the June examinations.  They were asked to join the college basketball team, but declined, and took regular gymnasium exercise instead.  Much to their surprise, Dudd Flockley was put on the team.

“I don’t think that dude will make good,” said Tom, and he was right.  Flockley made some bad errors during the first game played, and was lectured so severely that he left the team in disgust, and Songbird Powell was put in his place.  Then the team won three games straight, which pleased all the students of Brill greatly.  Minnie Sanderson was at two of the games, and she applauded Songbird heartily.  The two were certainly warm friends.  Dick spoke to Minnie, but did not keep himself long in her company.

At last, after waiting much longer than they had expected, the boys received letters from Dora and the Lanings.  The girls had been on a visit to some relatives in Philadelphia, and had just received the letters mailed from Oak Run.

The three Rovers read those letters with deep interest.  They told about what the girls had been doing, and related the particulars of the trouble at Hope Seminary.  It was all Tad Sobber’s work, they said, and added that Sobber had written that he would not only get the treasure, but also disgrace them all he possibly could.

“The rascal!”, muttered Dick when he read this.  “He ought to be put in prison!”

Dora’s letter to Dick was an especially tender epistle, and he read it several times in secret.  He was glad that the misunderstanding between them was being cleared away.  He wished she might be near, so that he could go and see her.

“I’d take a run to Cedarville if it wasn’t so far,” he told his brothers.

“I’d go along,” answered Tom, and Sam said the same.

“Perhaps we can run up there during the spring vacation,” went on Dick.

There was little more snow that winter, but the weather remained bitterly cold until well into February.  The boys had considerable fun snowballing, and skating on the river.  Racing on skates was a favorite amusement, and Sam and Tom won in a number of contests.

One day Tom was skating by himself.  He was doing some fancy figures, and he did not notice the approach of Jerry Koswell, who was skating with a young lady from Ashton.  Tom came around in a circle, and Jerry, who was looking at the young lady instead of where he was going, bumped into Tom.  Both of the students went down, Tom on top.

“Hi!  What do you mean by this?” burst out Koswell in a rage.

“What do you mean?” retorted Tom, getting up.