“Never in the wide, wide world!” cried Tom.

“I leave that for my sentimental brothers, big and little.”

“Who is sentimental?” exclaimed Sam.  “Maybe I don’t remember you and Nellie on the deck of the steam yacht that moonlight night—­”

“Aw, cut it out!” muttered Tom.  He turned to his father, who had been called from the room for a moment.  “If you think Brill College a good one, dad, it will suit me.”

“And it will suit me, too,” added Sam.

“I mentioned Brill for two reasons,” explained Mr. Rover.  “The one was because it is near Hope Seminary and the other is because I happen to know the president, Dr. John Wallington, quite well; in fact, we went to school together.  He is a fine gentleman—­as fine a fellow as Captain Putnam—­and I am sure his college must be a good one.”

“If it’s as good as dear old Putnam Hall, I shall be well content,” answered Dick.

“Then you are satisfied to go there, Dick?”

“Yes, sir.”

So it was settled and arrangements were at once made for the three boys to go to Brill.  Fortunately it was found that their diplomas from Putnam Hall would admit them to the freshmen class without examination.  All of the boys wrote letters to the girls and received answers in return.

The college was to open two weeks before the seminary, so that to journey to Ashton together would be out of the question.

“Well, we’ll see the girls later, anyway,” said Dick.  “I hope they like it at Hope and we like it at Brill; then we’ll have some splendid times together.”

“Right you are,” answered Sam, and Tom said the same.

At last came the day for the boys to leave home.  Trunks and dress-suit cases were packed, and not only their father but also their Uncle Randolph and their Aunt Martha went to the depot to see them off.

“Now be good and take care of yourselves,” said Mr. Rover on parting.

“Learn all you can,” added Uncle Randolph.  “Remember that knowledge is better than wealth.”

“Oh, I’m going to cram my head full of learning this trip,” answered Tom with a grin.

“Take care of yourselves and don’t get sick,” was Aunt Martha’s warning.  “If you do, get a doctor right away.”  And then she gave each of the boys a warm, motherly kiss and a hug.  She thought the lads the very best in all this wide world.

The train came and the boys were off.  After a two hours’ ride they had to change to the main line and got into the parlor car already mentioned.  Then they had dinner in the diner and went back to the other car to read and to look at the scenery.  Thus several hours slipped by, when of a sudden came the jar and shock that told them something out of the ordinary had happened.

CHAPTER II

AT THE SANDERSON HOUSE

When the Rover boys reached the head of the train they found an excited crowd beginning to collect.  The locomotive of the express had cut into the last freight car a distance of several feet, smashing a number of boxes and barrels and likewise the headlight of the engine.  Nobody had been hurt, for which everybody was thankful.  But the engineer of the express was very angry.