“He’s looking at us, Tom,” whispered Sam.

“Well, let him look if he wants to.  It doesn’t cost anything,” was the reply.  And then Tom turned his head squarely, and stared at the former seminary gardener.  Immediately, the man dropped his eyes, and went on with his meal.  He soon finished, and, paying his bill, left the dining car in a hurry.

“That’s a queer way to do,” was Sam’s comment.  “He acted as if he didn’t want us to see him.”

“Maybe he is ashamed of himself for having lost his position,” returned the brother.  “Anyway, it’s none of our business.”  And there the talk came to an end.

CHAPTER XVII

 What Dick had to tell

“Here we are, Sam!”

“And I’m glad of it, Tom.  I don’t care much about riding in the cars after it is too dark to look out of the windows,” returned the youngest Rover.

The train was nearing the Grand Central Terminal, in New York City.  The passengers were gathering their belongings, and the porter was moving from one to another, brushing them and gathering in his tips.  Then the train rushed into the long station, and soon came to a halt.

“I wonder if Dick will be on hand to meet us?” said Sam, as he and his brother left the car and made their way towards the waiting-room.

“Maybe, although it’s pretty late.”

There was a large crowd coming and going, and, for the moment, the lads had all they could do to get through.  Then, as they emerged into the middle of the big waiting-room, they saw two familiar figures close at hand.

“Hello, Dick!  How do you do, Dora!”

“So here you are, Tom and Sam!” cried their big brother, and shook hands heartily.  Then Dora came up to greet the newcomers.

“Did you have a nice trip?” asked Dick’s wife, as she smiled at them.

“Oh, yes, it was all right,” answered Sam.  “And what do you think?  We got in a moving picture!”

“You did!” exclaimed Dora.  “That certainly is a new experience.”

“We received your telegram, Dick,” said Tom, and looked at his big brother, anxiously.  “I hope nothing very serious has happened.”

“Well, Tom, I—­ I——­” Twice Dick tried to go on and failed.  He looked at both of his brothers, and his face showed something that they had never seen in it before.

“Oh, Dick!  Don’t say anything here!” interposed Dora, hastily.  “Wait till we get to the hotel.”  She turned to Sam and Tom.  “Don’t ask him any questions now.  It won’t do to have a scene here.”

“All right, Dora, just as you say,” answered Tom, quickly.  Yet, both he and Sam wondered greatly what had occurred to so upset Dick.

The oldest Rover boy had a taxicab handy, and into this the whole party got and were quickly driven across Forty-second Street to Fifth Avenue, and then, for a number of blocks, down that well-known thoroughfare.  Soon they turned towards Broadway, and a moment later came to a stop before the main entrance of the Outlook Hotel.