The wedding was to take place at high noon, and long before that time the many guests began to assemble at the church.  Among the first to arrive was Captain Putnam, in military uniform, and attended by about a dozen of the Hall cadets.  George Strong, the head teacher, was also present, for he and Dick had always been good friends.  Then came the students from Brill, all in full dress, and led by William Philander Tubbs, bedecked as only that dudish student would think of bedecking himself.

The Lanings and Mrs. Stanhope came together and the Rovers followed closely.  Soon the little church was packed and many stood outside, unable to get in.  The organ was playing softly.

Suddenly the bell in the tower struck twelve.  As the last stroke died away the organ peeled forth in the grand notes of the wedding march.  Then came the wedding party up the middle aisle, a little flower girl preceding them.  Dora was on her uncle’s arm, and wore white satin, daintily embroidered, and carried a bouquet of bridal roses.  Around her neck was a string of pearls Dick had given her.  The bridesmaids were in pink and also carried bouquets.

Dick was already at the altar to meet his bride, and then began the solemn ceremony that made the pair one for life.  It was simple and short, and at the conclusion Dick kissed Dora tenderly.

The organ pealed out once more, and the happy couple marched from the church, everybody gazing after them in admiration.

“A fine couple,” was Captain Putnam’s comment.  “A fine couple, truly!”

“Yes, indeed!” echoed George Strong.  “I wish them every happiness.”

“A perfectly splendid wedding, don’t you know!” lisped William Philander Tubbs.  “Why, I really couldn’t run it off better myself!”

“It was all to the merry!” was Stanley’s comment.  “She’s a dandy girl, too—­ wish I had one half as good.”

“Dick Rover deserves the best girl in the world,” was Songbird’s conclusion.  “He is the finest fellow I know, barring none.”

“I suppose you’ll get up a poem about this, Songbird,” suggested one of the other students.

“Perhaps,” was the answer, and the would-be poet smiled in a dreamy fashion.

“It seems only yesterday that the Rover boys came to the Hall,” remarked Captain Putnam, to one of his friends.  “My, how the years have flown!”

“But they are still boys—­ at least Tom and Sam are,” was the ready reply.  “And Tom is just as full of sport as he ever was—­ I don’t believe he’ll ever settle down.”

“Time will tell.  But with all his fun he is a good lad at heart—­ and that is what counts.”

“Right you are, Captain Putnam.  I wouldn’t give a rap for a lad who didn’t have some fun in his make-up.”

“All of them had plenty of fun while they were at my school.  They cut up a good deal sometimes.  But I liked them all the better for it, somehow,” concluded the captain, with a twinkle in his eyes.