Fairview Boys at Lighthouse Cove; or, Carried out to Sea

"Last day of school; hurray!"

"No more lessons! No more books!"

"Nothing but fun, from now on! I say, Frank, catch Sammy; he's going to fall!"

Three boys were standing together in the school yard, making merry over the coming of the Summer vacation. The last one who spoke was a jolly-looking lad, with a gleam of mischief in his eyes. Suddenly he put out his foot, caught it around the ankle of one of his companions, and gently pushed him over backwards.

"Catch Sammy, Frank!" he cried, and the other boy grasped the toppling one just in time.

"I told you so!" cried the fun-loving lad, as he sprang to one side.

"Look here, Bob Bouncer, what do you mean by that?" demanded the one who had been pushed, as he stood upright again. "What did you do that for?" and he started toward his companion.

"Oh, it was only a joke," answered the one who had been called Bob Bouncer. "I wanted to have some fun. I feel just full of fun when I think what good times I'm going to have this Summer."

"Huh! just because you feel good you needn't knock me all around," went on Sammy Brown. But, though he spoke a bit crossly he could not help smiling at Bob, who was making funny faces, and dancing about, just out of reach.

"I didn't hurt you," cried Bob, who was generally "cutting-up," or thinking up some joke to play on his chums. "I waited until Frank was there to catch you before I shoved you."

"Humph! You're getting mighty thoughtful, all of a sudden," said Bob. "What about it, Frank?"

"That's right," answered the third lad. "I didn't know what he meant when he said I was to catch you, for you were going to fall. Let up, Bob, can't you?"

"Yes, I won't do anything more--right away. But say, have you fellows made any plans for this Summer?"

"Oh, I s'pose the folks'll go way as they always do," said Frank. "My father was talking about some place in the mountains."

"Near a lake?" asked Bob.

"I don't believe so. I didn't hear much about it."

"Then I wouldn't go," said Sammy. "I want to be near the water. We're going to a cottage near a big mountain lake, I think."

"That sounds good!" cried Frank. "I wish we were going near a lake. I want to learn to sail a boat the right way this year."

"Yes, then we won't have any more shipwrecks, the way we did when we went out in the Puff," laughed Bob.

"Where are your folks going?" asked Frank, of the lad who had pushed Sam into his arms.

"To the seashore for ours! It's the first time since I was a little fellow, and I'm going to have lots of fun. We're going on a sort of cove, where there's still-water swimming, and lots of fishing and crabbing. Not far off, is the regular ocean, but of course I won't be allowed to do much swimming in that. I can hang on the bathing ropes, though. Oh, I'm going to have some great times all right!"

Bob Bouncer's two chums looked rather enviously at him. He seemed to be going to have the best time that Summer vacation.

About the three boys was gathered a crowd of other school children. There was laughter, talk, and various kinds of excitement, for it was the last day of the term, and, after some simple exercises, the building would be closed for the long vacation.

Because of this, discipline was a little relaxed. It was a little past the regular opening hour, but the principal, Mr. Tetlow, did not want to mark any one tardy on that last day, so he told the janitor not to be in too much of a hurry to ring the bell.