“The Ravens made a bull of things because they didn’t understand him—see? His folks are coming up for the tenth—mother and sister.”
“How old is his sister?” Connie asked.
“Oh, she’s too old for you.”
CHAPTER XVIII
PASTURES NEW
No one save Wilfred himself, and Allison Berry, knew the full story of that rescue in the surf at Short Beach in Connecticut. Indeed Allison Berry did not know all about it; he only knew that he was screaming and sputtering, and sinking, when suddenly there was a grip that hurt his arm—and he was wrenched and turned about. And he ceased to feel that he was sinking. That way the little water-rat (as they called him) dexterously avoided the fatal grip of the drowning boy and turned him about and got him just as he wanted him and swam to shore. That was the little water-rat who lived in one of the cottages up in back of the beach.
SUDDENLY THERE WAS A GRIP THAT CUT HIS ARM.
No one was surprised (least of all the little water-rat’s sister) for had he not performed the feat of swimming out to the wreck of the old Nancy B. that was going to pieces on the rocks?
The little water-rat’s sister did not know why they made such a fuss over him since he was born that way.
Well, Allison Berry, senior, had motored down from New Haven in his big limousine and proffered two hundred and fifty dollars, which was promptly refused. Then he presented the scarf pin. After the little water-rat got the scarf pin he got diphtheria, and after that the little family of three moved to Bridgeboro. Arden Cowell wanted to go to business school and be within commuting distance of the great metropolis situated on the banks of the subway.