CHAPTER II.
AN IMPORTANT TELEGRAM Dick Rover would not have been so much disturbed by his father's disappearance had it not been for one thing, which was that Mr.Rover, on leaving the closing exercises at Putnam Hall, had declared that he would take the last train home that night.

This train got into Oak Run at one o'clock in the morning, when the station was closed and the platform usually deserted.
"Let us ask around and see if anybody was here when the train came in," suggested Tom.
They first appealed to Mr.Ricks, the station master, an old and crabbed individual, who disliked the boys for the jokes they had played on him in times past.

He shook his head at once.
"Don't keep the station open that long," he grunted.

"I was home an' in bed, an' I don't know anything about your father." "Was anybody around the station, that you know of ?" went on Dick.
"No." "Did any telegram come in for our family ?" "If it did I reckon Jackson would send it over, or telephone." "Let us ask Jackson and make sure," said Sam, and led the way to the telegraph office.

The telegraph receiver was ticking away at a lively rate, and Jackson, who had charge of the office, was taking down a message on a blank.
"Hullo!" cried the telegrapher, as he finished and looked up.