Suddenly turning, Dick bolted for the floor once more.  Then the next number on the dance programme began, and laughter reigned.

But these events had not been in the dance programme, and it was now late.  For an hour or more the chaperons had been fretting, so they brought the dance to a close.  Then followed the merry bustle of departure, the hasty goodbyes, the rattling of wheels through the sleeping town and all was quiet in Gridley.

But many a household was awakened to hear the story of the attempted burglary and the part that Dick & Co. had taken in preventing it.

CHAPTER XXV

CONCLUSION

It isn’t all play in a High School.  A vast amount of study has to be mastered.  There are nerve-racking examinations.  It is a tremendously busy life despite its sport.

So here we would better take leave of Gridley H.S. so far as this volume is concerned.

It was soon known that, had not Dick & Co. taken their little walk the robbers would have gotten away with one hundred and twenty thousand dollars in cash.

As it was, however, all four men were in the police toils, and they were presently sent to the penitentiary, where they are serving long terms.

The bank directors did vote to reward the H.S. boys as individuals, but Dick & Co. and all the upper classmen refused to accept anything for their own pockets.

In despair, the directors finally hit upon the scheme of subscribing one thousand dollars to the funds of the Athletics Committee.

The catching of the bank robbers solved the nitroglycerine mystery.  One of the safe-blowing quartette was recognized by the police as having been in Gridley at the time when that nitroglycerine package was received at the express office.  Had they gotten their box in safety the robbers would have entered the bank that night, and there might have been a different story—–­one of great loss to the bank.

Fred Ripley?  His further story belongs to the following volume.

Dick & Co. went through their freshman year with credit all around.

When next we meet them we shall find them sophomores, with all the privileges of upper classmen.  We shall meet these young sophomores in a sparkling tale of High School life and doings, ambitions and work, sports and pastimes.  The next volume will be published under the title:  “The High School Pitcher; or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond.”  This will be a rousing story of baseball in particular, but likewise replete with other situations of absorbing interest to all high school boys and girls.

THE END