“Oh, Aunt Clarabel!” murmured the young lady.

“Let me look at that box!” cried the lady of the house.  She commenced to make an inspection, holding the box close to a lamp.  “Humph!  Rubber bands, beans, slate pencils, and polishing wax!” she declared.  “Mr. Tubbs, do you call this a box of candy?”

“Upon my word, Mrs. Garlett, I——­” gasped the dudish student.  He did not know how to finish.

“It’s just some old horrid joke!” declared Miss Ruggles, haughtily.  “One of your college jokes, I presume!” And she gazed scornfully at poor Tubbs.

“No, no, I—­ er—­ I didn’t—­ I really——­” gasped William Philander.

“You can have your box of candy back, Mr. Tubbs,” went on the girl, sarcastically.  “I do not wish it.  And allow me to bid you good evening!” And with a stately bow she passed out of the room.

“I’ll keep this box of so-called candy and have it investigated,” said Mrs. Garlett.  “I don’t want to be poisoned.  Good night, Mr. Tubbs.”

“But, my dear Mrs. Garlett——­”

“I said good night,” interrupted the lady of the house.  “Mary will show you to the door,” she added, and then, in complete bewilderment, poor William Philander rushed out of the residence, and along the garden walk in the direction of the road leading to Brill.

CHAPTER IX

 A breakdown on the road

“I rather think that was rough on William Philander,” remarked Dick, with a serious shake of his head.

“Oh, he has got to be taken down somehow,” replied Tom, “That’s right,” added Stanley.  “Why, the way he acts towards some of the fellows is outrageous.  Just because they don’t dress as well as he does he thinks them beneath his notice.”

“And I wouldn’t waste any sympathy on that girl,” put in Spud.  “She is as bad as Tubby, when it comes to cutting the fellows she doesn’t care to know.”

“Well, I guess it will all pass over,” remarked Sam.  And it must have, for a few days later William Philander and Clarabel Ruggles were seen out driving together and apparently as friendly as over.  The dudish student had sent the young lady a letter stating he thought some of his fellow collegians had doctored the box of candy, and this explanation was accepted by the girl and her aunt.  Then William Philander sent the girl some candy he was sure was all right, and also a big bouquet of roses; and that was the end of the unpleasantness.

It must not be thought that in those days the girls at Hope Seminary were forgotten.  Whenever the Rover boys got a chance they visited the place, and many a nice time they and the girls had together.  On those occasions Dick and Dora would roam off together, the others making no attempt to follow them, and the pair would plan the many things they hoped to do in the future.

“You have not heard from Josiah Crabtree, have you?” questioned Dick, on one of these visits.