berries for pies tomorrow, and it will give them something to do."

"Very well; boys, you may go blackberrying. And mind you keep out
of mischief."

"We'll mind," answered Tom. "But you might let me have that
ball."

"I will give it to the morning," answered Randolph Rover, and
turned away from the window with his wife.

As soon as they were out of sight, Tom threw up both, hands in
mock tragedy, "Alack, Horatio, this excitement killeth me!" he
cried in a stage whisper. "Sent blackberrying to keep us out of
mischief! Sam, what are we coming to?"

"Well, it's better than moping around doing nothing. For my part,
I am glad we are to go to boarding school, and the sooner the
better. But I would like to know where to?"

"If only we were going to a military academy!"

"Hurrah! Just the thing! But no such luck. Get the berry
baskets and let us be off. By the way, where is Dick?"

"Gone to the village for the mail. There he, comes down the road
now," and Tom pointed to a distant path back of the meadows.

The two boys hurried into a woodshed behind the large farmhouse
and procured a basket and two tin pails. With these in hand they