and your
brother, if not your cousins, have got to be taken in hand."

"Oh, please, Massa Tom, don' go fo' to punish 'em," burst out old Aleck
Pop. "I--I don't s'pose dey meant any great ha'm, even do dey did t'row
dat stream of wattah right in dis yere coon's mouf;" and he smiled
broadly, showing a row of ivories, rather the worse for wear.

"I think all of you boys had better go into the house and get some dry
clothing on before your mothers put in an appearance," suggested Dick
Rover. "If they see you like this, all dripping wet, they'll certainly
be worried."

"All right, Dad; I'll do it," answered Jack, quickly. And then he
motioned to his cousins. "Come on, let's see how fast we can make the
change;" and off into the big farmhouse rushed the boys, clattering up
the back stairs one after the other, to the two big rooms which they
occupied.

"Some boys!" was Sam Rover's comment, as he shook his head doubtfully.

"They are certainly growing older--and wilder," returned Dick Rover.

"We've got to take them in hand--that is dead certain!" said Tom Rover,
with conviction. "Why! if I don't do something with Andy and Randy
pretty soon, they'll be as--as----"

"As bad as you were, Tom, at their age," finished Dick Rover, with a
smile.

"Now you've said something, Dick," affirmed Sam Rover. "Andy isn't
quite so bad when it comes to playing tricks, although he certainly
says some awfully funny things, but when it comes to doing things Randy
continually puts me in mind of Tom."

"Oh, say! To hear you fellows talk, you'd think that I was the worst
boy that ever lived," grumbled Tom Rover. "What did I ever do to raise
such a rumpus as this?"

"Phew! What did he ever do to raise such a rumpus as this?" mocked Sam
Rover. "Well, what didn't he do? When father went to Africa and
disappeared and we came down here to good old Valley Brook Farm, wasn't
he the constant torment of Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha, and the
hired girl, and all the rest of the community until, in sheer despair,
uncle had to send us off to Putnam Hall? And when we went to the Hall,
who was the first one to get into trouble--exploding a giant firecracker
on the campus? Answer me that, will you?"

"Ancient history," murmured Tom Rover, dryly. But then, of a sudden his
eyes began to twinkle. "No use talking, though, we certainly did have
some good times in those days, didn't we?" he continued. "Do you
remember how we got the best of old Josiah Crab