set off in the direction of the berry patch, situated along the
path that Dick Rover was pursuing, their intention being to head
off their brother and see if he had any letters for them.

Of the three Rover boys, Richard, commonly called Dick, was the
eldest. He was sixteen, tall, slender, and had dark eyes and dark
hair. He was a rather quiet boy, one who loved to read and study,
although he was not above having a good time now and then, when
felt like "breaking loose," as Tom expressed it.

Next to Richard came Tom, a year younger, as merry a lad as there
was ever to be found, full of life and "go," not above playing all
sorts of tricks on people, but with a heart of gold, as even his
uncle and aunt felt bound to admit.

Sam was the youngest. He was but fourteen, but of the same height
and general appearance as Tom, and the pair might readily have
been taken for twins. He was not as full of pranks as Tom, but
excelled his brothers in many outdoor sports.

The history of the three Rover boys was a curious one. They were
the only children of one Anderson Rover, a gentleman who had been
widely known as a mineral expert, gold mine proprietor, and
traveler. Mr. Anderson Rover had gone to California a poor young
man and had there made a fortune in the mines. Returning to the
East, he had married and settled down in New York City, and there,
the three boys had been born.

An epidemic of fever had taken off Mrs. Rover when Richard was but
ten years of age. The shock had come so suddenly that Anderson