CHAPTER VII

THE ARRIVAL OF SONGBIRD

"So you've made some enemies as well as some friends, eh?" remarked Songbird Powell, after he had been registered, taken up to his room, and had listened to what the Rover boys had to tell. "No use of talking, it doesn't take you fellows long to stir things up!"

"You said you had a surprise for us, Songbird," returned Tom. "I'm dying by inches to know what it is."

"Maybe it's a new poem," put in Sam with a grimace at his brothers.

"I've got a poem--several of them, in fact," answered Songbird, "but I didn't have those in mind when I spoke. Who do you suppose I met yesterday morning, in Ithaca, while I was waiting for the train?"

"Dora Stanhope and the Lanings," answered Tom promptly.

"No. Tad Sobber."

"Tad Sobber!" exclaimed the Rover boys in concert.

"Songbird, are you sure of it?" demanded Dick.

"Sure? Wasn't I talking to him!"

"But--but--I thought he was lost in that hurricane, when the _Josephine_ was wrecked."

"No. It seems he escaped to a vessel bound for England; but his uncle, Sid Merrick, was lost, and so were most of the others. Sobber just got back from England--came in on one of the ocean liners, so he told me."

"How did he act?" asked Tom.

"Where was he going?" added Sam.

"Did he seem to have any money?" came from Dick.

All of the Rovers were intensely interested, and showed it plainly.

"Say, one question at a time, please!" cried Songbird, "You put me in mind of a song I once wrote about a little boy:

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. what did Dick ask?
2. Who did Tom think Songbird had seen?
3. was it them?
4. who was it?
5. what did the boys think had happened to him?
6. who had been lost
7. was he the only one?
8. Had the boys only made enemies?
9. what else?
10. what did Sam think Songbird's surprise was?
11. did he have any?
12. was that his surprise?
13. what ship had wrecked?
14. was Sid Merrick Sobber's grandfather?
15. was he a relative?
16. what relationship?
17. were the Rover boys bored by the descussion?
18. how did thye feel?
19. what was Songbird reminded of
20. about?
1. if Songbird was sure
2. Dora Stanhope and the Lanings
3. no
4. Tad Sobber
5. that he was lost in a hurricane
6. Sid Merrick
7. no
8. no
9. some friends
10. a new poem
11. yes
12. no
13. Josephine
14. no
15. yes
16. uncle
17. no
18. intensely interested
19. a song
20. a little boy: