“Oh, how perfectly lovely, Tom!” cried Nellie, on catching sight of the flowers.

“I think the gentlemen ought to have button-hole bouquets,” said Grace.

“All right, I’m willing,” returned Sam quickly, and thereupon some of the flowers from the larger bouquet were speedily transferred to three coat buttonholes.

It was a lively time all around, for between the courses that were served, the young folks insisted upon singing some of the Brill and Hope songs.  As it happened, there were no outside guests present, so the students and their friends could do pretty much as they pleased.

“Sorry, but we’ve got to start back,” said Tom, presently, as he looked at his watch.  “Not but what I’d rather stay here than go to Brill for the celebration!” and he looked fondly at Nellie.

“What’s the matter with my driving the car?” suggested Songbird, who was well able to perform that service.  “You’ve both had a whack at it; it seems to me it’s my turn now.”

Both of the Rovers were willing, and a short time later, with Songbird at the wheel and Minnie beside him, and the Rovers and the Laning girls in the tonneau, the touring car left the hotel and started on the way to the Sanderson cottage and the seminary.

“What’s the matter with a song?” cried Sam, as the car sped along.

“Right you are!” returned his brother.  “Girls, what shall it be?”

Instead of replying, Nellie started up an old favorite at the college, sung to the tune of “Camping on the Old Camp Ground.”  Instantly all of the others joined in.

“Some song!” exclaimed Tom, after the first verse had come to an end.  “Now then, altogether!” and he waved his hand like a band leader.  The voices of the young people arose sweetly on the evening air, but hardly had they sung two lines of the second verse, when there came an unexpected interruption.

Bang!  The sound came from below them.  Then the touring car suddenly swerved to the side of the road.  Almost as quickly Songbird threw out the clutch and applied both brakes.  They came to a standstill in the middle of the roadway.

“Oh, Tom! what’s the matter?” gasped Nellie “I don’t know, but I’m afraid it’s a blowout,” was the serious reply.

CHAPTER IX

 Celebrating the victory,

“Oh, what luck!”

“And just when we wanted to make time, too!”

“I hope it doesn’t take us long to put on another tire!”

These remarks came from the three students as they climbed down from the car to make an examination of the damage done.  Sam had secured his searchlight, but this was hardly needed.  One glance at the left-hand back tire told the story.  They had evidently run over something sharp—­ perhaps a piece of glass—­ and there was a cut in the shoe at least three inches long.  Through this, the inner tube had blown out with the report that had so startled them.