“Perhaps so, Tom.  At the same time, those fellows must put up with a great number of inconveniences.  Think of plunging into the water when it is cold, or into a burning building when the thermometer is over a hundred in the shade.”

“Oh, I know that, and, come to think of it, I was reading only yesterday about a movies’ actor who, in a war scene taken out on the Hackensack meadows, fell into a trench, and broke an arm and also a leg.  Just the same, I wouldn’t mind trying it.”

“Maybe you’ll get a chance some day.”

On and on went the train, and, with little else to do, the boys discussed the situations at home and in the city.

“One thing is sure, Tom,” said the youngest Rover, earnestly.  “No matter what happens in New York, we mustn’t let father know about it.  I think the worry is worse for him than anything else.”

“Oh, I agree on that.  Even if we lose a lot of money, he must not know one word about it.”

“Do you think we’ll lose any money?”

“I don’t know what to think.  One thing is sure, something very much out of the way has happened, or Dick wouldn’t have sent that telegram.”

“Perhaps Pelter, Japson & Company haven’t been as honest as they promised to be.  Maybe they are holding back some of the securities that belong to dad.”

“That may be so, too.  At the same time, you must remember that Songbird’s uncle is our attorney, and I don’t think Mr. Powell would let them get away with very much.  You’ll remember what Dick wrote some time ago, that he had taken the office fixtures for part of the debt.  That would seem to indicate that he had gotten everything from the firm that he could lay his hands on.”

“I wonder if we’ll ever meet that Barton Pelter again.”

“Perhaps, although if he is a nephew of Jesse Pelter, it is more than likely he will keep out of sight, thinking that a meeting between us would be very unpleasant.”

At one of the stops a dining car was attached to the train, and, as the boys were hungry, they lost no time in going in for the evening meal.

“Say, Tom, look there,” whispered Sam, during the course of the repast, and, with a look from his eye, he indicated a man sitting on the other side of the car.  The fellow was a tall, surly individual, plainly dressed.  His face was somewhat flushed, as if he had been drinking.

“Why, that’s the head gardener at Hope!” said Tom.  “It is queer that he should be on this train, Sam!”

“If you’ll remember, he lost his job at the seminary.”

“He did?  I didn’t hear anything of that.”

“Oh, yes, Grace told me about it.  He was a splendid gardener, but every once in a while he would drink too much, and then get into a quarrel with the other help, so they had to let him go.”

“It’s a shame that such fellows can’t leave drink alone,” was Tom’s comment.

The man had settled himself, and ordered quite an elaborate dinner.  He was in the midst of eating, with the Rover boys paying little attention to him, when he happened to glance at them.  He straightened up and stared in astonishment, and then looked decidedly uncomfortable.