The Rover Boys in Business | Page 9

as you say."
"Now that this bridge is down, how can we get over the river?" mused
Sam.
"Where do you want to go?"
"We were on our way to Hope Seminary. I suppose we can go around
to the Upper Road, but it will be four or five miles out of our way."
"It ain't necessary to go that far. You go down stream about half a mile
on the Craberry Road, and you can cross The Shallows."
"Isn't it too deep for an automobile?" questioned Tom.
"No, not now. It might be, though, in wet weather."
"I don't know about that," said Sam, and shook his head. "We don't
want any accident in the water, Tom."
"Oh, come ahead, we can try it, anyway," returned Tom, who, in spite
of the recent happenings, was as anxious as ever to get to the seminary
and see Nellie.
Leaving the countryman at his self-appointed task of putting a barrier
across the road-- and he had said that he would also, get over to the
other side of the river somehow and put a barrier there-- the Rover boys
swung around once again in their touring car, and headed for the side
road which had been mentioned to them. Soon they reached what was
known as "The Shallows," a spot where the river broadened out, and
was filled with loose stones and sandbars.
By the rays from the headlights, which they now turned on to their

fullest extent, the car was guided into the water. At the edge, they saw
several tracks made, undoubtedly, by wagons, and one track evidently
made by the anti-skid tires of an automobile.
"Well, if one auto got through, we ought to be able to make it,"
remarked Tom, grimly.
"Better take it on low gear," suggested his brother. "We can't see in this
water, and we may go down in a hole before we know it."
Slowly and cautiously, Tom guided the machine along, trying to keep
as much as possible to the high points of the various sandbars which
ran in a diagonal direction to the stream itself. Once or twice they
bumped over some rather large stones, and once they went into a
hollow which was somewhat deeper than expected, but, with it all, they
managed to keep the working parts of the car above the surface of the
stream, and inside of five minutes found themselves safe and sound on
the opposite shore, and headed for another side road which joined the
main highway less than a quarter of a mile beyond.
"I am mighty glad we are out of that," remarked Sam, as they left the
rather uneven side road and came out on the smooth highway. "I must
say, I don't like autoing in the water."
"Pooh, that wasn't so bad!" replied Tom. "But it would be, I think, after
a heavy storm, when the river was swollen. It must be getting late," he
added. "Better speed her up a little, or we'll get to Hope just in time to
say 'good-night,'" and he smiled grimly.
Fortunately for the boys, there was very little traveling that night. They
met but two wagons and one automobile; and these on straight stretches
of the road where there was little danger of collision. Tom was now
running at thirty-five to forty miles an hour, and this was rather
dangerous where the highway curved, and where what was ahead was
partly hidden by, trees and bushes.
"Here we are at last!" cried Tom, presently, as they came in sight of
Hope Seminary, a fine collection of buildings nestling in a pretty grove

of trees. All the dormitory windows showed lights, and there was also a
light in the reception parlor of the main building, for which the lads
were thankful.
"Give 'em the horn, Tom," suggested Sam.
"Sure! I was only waiting to get a little closer," was the answer, and
then, as the automobile turned into the seminary grounds and ran along
the road leading up to the main entrance, Tom sounded the horn in a
peculiar fashion, a signal which had been arranged between the boys
and the girls long before.
"Tom!"
"Sam!"
The cries came from two girls dressed in white, who had been seated
on a rustic bench near a small fountain. Now, as Tom brought the car to
a quick stop, the girls hurried forward.
"Hello, here we are again!" sang Tom, merrily, and leaping to the
ground he caught Nellie Laning by both hands. "How are you?"
"Oh, I am pretty well, Tom."
"And how are you, Grace?" came from Sam, as he, too, left the
automobile.
"Oh, Sam, I am so glad you have come!" cried Grace Laning. "Nellie
and I have been waiting for you."
"Well, we are