he finds out that we know he is the nephew of such a swindler as Merrick."
In a few days the boys settled down again to their studies. The Rovers were exceedingly anxious to make records for themselves, and whenever a lesson was too hard for Tom or Sam, Dick helped them all he could. The eldest Rover boy was sorry he had missed his former position by being absent, but he was delighted to know that he and his brothers would now finish their schooling at Putnam Hall together.
"I couldn't bear to think of being separated from you," he said to Tom and Sam.
"We don't want to be separated," returned Tom.
"That's the talk!" declared Sam. "We'll stick together always!"
About a week after the return to school the snow cleared away and then came a cold snap that made excellent skating. At once all the boys got out their skates, and during their off hours they had great fun on the lake.
One afternoon a race was arranged between half a dozen boys, including Dick, Larry Colby and Peter Slade. Slade was sure he would win, and went around boasting of it.
"I have been in six races on skates," he declared, "and I won every one of them."
