"I guess we can trust him, then," said Dick. "But, Mumps, take care that you don't go back on us."
"I won't go back on you," said the toady. "I'm going to cut that crowd after this."
"You can't make a better move," was Dick's comment.
Now that affairs were in their own hands, our friends hardly knew how to turn next. After a discussion it was agreed to place the Flyaway in charge of Dick and Tom, who were also to carry Dora and Mumps. All of the others went aboard of the Searchlight, Arnold Baxter being carried by the police officers, who attended to his wound as well as the accommodations on board of the yacht permitted.
So far nothing had been said about the money and securities stolen by Baxter and Girk, but they were in a locker in the Flyaway's cabin, and easily brought to light.
"This is a big day for us," said Dick. "Won't folks at home be astonished when they hear of what we have done?"
"I cannot get home fast enough," said Dora. "Poor mamma, if only I knew she was safe!"
"Josiah Crabtree shall suffer for this," said Dick. "Remember, it was he who had you carried off by Mumps and Dan Baxter."
The Searchlight was already on the way and the Flyaway came behind her. The course was due west, and they kept on until the breakers could be heard in the distance. Then Martin Harris bore away to the northward.
With the coming of daylight the fog disappeared as if by magic, and they found themselves close to the seashore town of Lightville. Here there was a small river, and they ran into this and came to a safe anchor close to one of the docks.
On going ashore Dick's first movement was to send two telegraph messages, one to Rush & Wilder, telling them that the stolen securities and money had been recovered, and the second to Captain Putnam, breaking the news of Dora's safety and requesting the master of the Hall to acquaint Mrs. Stanhope with the fact and take steps toward Josiah Crabtree's arrest. Later on another message was sent, to Randolph Rover, so that the boys' uncle might no longer be alarmed over their safety. Sergeant Brown also telegraphed to his superiors.
Inside of an hour after landing, Arnold Baxter, Buddy Girk, Dan Baxter, and the two Gosses were safely housed in the Lightville jail. At first it was thought to arrest Mumps also, but he begged for his liberty, and promised, if let go, to tell everything. As some witness would be wanted when the others came to trial he was taken at his word.
It was a happy party that started for Cedarville that evening. No one could have been more attentive than Dick was to Dora, and no one could have been more appreciative than the girl of what the three Rover boys had done for her.
At Ithaca a surprise awaited the crowd. Frank, Fred, and Larry were there to welcome them, and soon after Captain Putnam appeared.
"I am very glad to see you all safe and sound," said the captain, as he shook hands. "You have had a regular ocean chase, and no mistake."
"And how is my mother?" questioned Dora quickly.
"She is happy, Miss Stanhope; but the shock of your sudden disappearance has made her quite ill."
"And Josiah Crabtree?"
"Has disappeared. Your mother said he wanted to marry her after you went away, but she would not listen to him. I imagine that after this he will keep his distance."
"He had better keep his distance — if he wants to remain out of jail," put in Dick.
The return of the boys to Putnam Hall was the signal for a regular jollification, and my readers can rest assured that all of the cadets made the most of it. Captain Putnam ordered an extra dinner for them, and in the evening a huge bonfire was started on the campus, and, as the boys gathered around Dick, Tom, and Sam they sang "For he's a jolly good fellow!" until they were hoarse. It was a celebration never to be forgotten. "Just the right sort, for a home coming," as Sam expressed it.
"Let them have it," said the master, as he looked on. "They deserve it."
"You are right," returned George Strong. "Those Rover boys have proved themselves regular heroes."
Here I will bring to a close the story of the Rover boys' doings on the ocean while trying to rescue Dora Stanhope from her abductors and while endeavoring to recover the fortune stolen from Rush & Wilder.
Words cannot describe the happiness which mother and daughter felt when Mrs. Stanhope and Dora found themselves together once more. Tears were freely shed, and the widow blessed the boys who had done so much for herself and her child. She declared that her eyes were now open to the real wickedness of Josiah Crabtree, and never more would she have anything to do with the man.
Rush & Wilder were immensely pleased to recover what had been taken from their safe, and when money and securities were returned to them they rewarded the Rover boys and the others handsomely for their work. But to this day Dick declares that the recovery of the stolen fortune was "only a side issue." "We were out to rescue Dora," he says. "And, thank God, we did it!"
In due course of time the evildoers were brought to trial, and with Mumps and the others to testify against them, all were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. Being wounded, Arnold Baxter was taken, as before, to a hospital; but this time the authorities kept a close watch on him.
With their enemies in custody the Rover boys imagined that life at Putnam Hall would now run along smoothly. But in this they were mistaken. They had hardly settled down to their studies when a strange message from over the sea started them off on a search for their father, the particulars of which will be related in another volume, to be entitled: "The Rover Boys in the Jungle; or, Stirring Adventures in Africa." In this book we will not only meet Dick, Tom, and Sam again, but also Dan Baxter and several others with whom we are already acquainted.
But for the time being all went well, and here we will leave the three boys, wishing them the best of good luck in the future.
THE END.
The Rover Boys in the Jungle
CHAPTER II NEWCOMERS AT THE ACADEMY
CHAPTER III AN OLD ENEMY TURNS UP
CHAPTER IV THE CHASE ON THE LAKE
CHAPTER V FUN AND AN EXPLOSION
CHAPTER VI THE STRANGE FIGURE IN THE HALLWAY
CHAPTER VIII IN WHICH ALEXANDER POP RUNS AWAY
CHAPTER IX THE ROVER BOYS ON WHEELS
CHAPTER X A STRANGE MESSAGE FROM THE SEA
CHAPTER XI THE ROVERS REACH A CONCLUSION