The Rover Boys at College | Page 8

little
accident and we were in a hurry to get to Ashton, so we got off and
walked up this road, thinking we could hire somebody to drive us to
Brill College."
"Oh, do you go to Brill?" And the girl's eyes opened widely.
"We don't go yet, but we are going."
"Then--then you'll meet Mr. Flockley and Mr. Koswell again."
"What, are they students there?" cried Tom.
"Yes. This is their second year, I believe. I know they were there last
spring, for they called here."
Sam gave a low whistle.
"We are making friends first clip, aren't we?" he murmured to his
brothers.
The boys related a few of the particulars of the accident and their
experience at the farmhouse near the railroad.
"Oh, that's old Mrs. Craven!" cried Minnie Sanderson. "She would talk
you out of your senses if you'd let her. But about a carriage, I don't
know. If papa was here--"
At that moment came the sound of carriage wheels on the gravel path
near the barn.
"There is papa now!" cried Minnie Sanderson. "You can talk to him. I
guess he'll take you to the college quick enough."

"How did those two young fellows get here?" asked Sam.
"I don't know. And please--that is--you won't say anything to my father
about that, will you? It would make him very angry, and I don't know
what he'd do."
"We'll not say a word if you wish it that way," answered Dick.
"I don't think they'll bother me again after the way you treated them,"
added the girl.
She led them toward the barn and introduced her father, a fat and jolly
farmer of perhaps fifty. Mr. Sanderson had been off on a short drive
with one horse and he readily agreed to take them to Brill College for
two dollars.
"Just wait till I put in a fresh team," he said. "Then I'll get you over to
the college in less than an hour and a quarter."
While he was hooking up he explained that he had been to a nearby
village for a dry battery for the electric doorbell.
"We don't use the bell much, but I hate to have it out of order," he
explained.
"That's why it didn't ring," said Sam to his brothers.
The carriage was soon ready and the three dress-suit cases were piled in
the rear. Then the boys got in and Mr. Sanderson followed.
"Good-by!" called the boys to Minnie Sanderson.
"Good-by," she returned sweetly and waved her hand.
"Maybe we'll get down this way again some day," said Dick.
"If you do, stop in," returned the girl.
The farmer's team was a good one and they trotted out of the yard and

into the road in fine shape. Dick was beside the driver and his brothers
were in the rear. The carriage left a cloud of dust behind as it bowled
along over the dry country road.
"First year at Brill?" inquired Mr. Sanderson on the way.
"Yes," answered Dick.
"Fine place--no better in the world, so I've heard some folks say--and
they had been to some of the big colleges, too."
"Yes, we've heard it was all right," said Tom. "By the way, where is
Hope Seminary?"
"About two miles this side of Brill."
"Then we'll pass it, eh?" came from Sam.
"Well, not exactly. It's up a bit on a side road. But you can see the
buildings--very nice, too--although not so big as those up to Brill. I'll
point 'em out to you when we get there."
"Do you know any of the fellows at Brill?" questioned Tom, nudging
Sam in the ribs as he spoke.
"A few. Minnie met some of 'em at the baseball and football games,
and once in a while one of 'em stops at our house. But we are most too
far away to see much of 'em."
Presently the carriage passed through a small village which the boys
were told was called Rushville.
"I don't know why they call it that," said Mr. Sanderson with a chuckle.
"Ain't no rushes growing around here, and there ain't no rush either; it's
as dead as a salted mackerel," and he chuckled again. "But there's one
thing here worth knowing about," he added suddenly.
"What's that?" asked Dick.

"The Jamison place--it's haunted."
"Haunted!" cried Tom. "What, a house?"
"Yes, a big, old-fashioned house, set in a lot of trees. It ain't been
occupied for years, and the folks say it's haunted, and nobody goes near
it."
"We'll have to inspect it some day," said Sam promptly.
"What--you?" cried the fat farmer.
"Sure."
"Ain't you scared?"
"No," answered the youngest Rover. "I don't believe in ghosts."
"Well, they say it's worth a man's life to go in that house, especially
after dark."
"I think I'd