He thought as he neared home that it was a bit of luck that Artie had not brought up the subject.
That night, Mr. Martin again broached the conversation along those lines.
“Son,” he said, looking straight at Westy and with decision, “you have until the end of this week to make up your mind as to whether you prefer going with Archie or staying home this summer.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Westy sadly.
“Archie has told me,” Mr. Martin resumed, “that he will decide Sunday as to where in the West he wants to go. He’s going to get some booklets from the different railroads and then he will start next week to make reservations.”
“Why next week, when summer is such a long way off?” Westy queried.
“Why? Because, my dear boy, Mr. Captroop is a very unusual young man and thoroughly conservative in everything he does. Consequently, he’s not putting off until the last minute what can be done next week and, furthermore, he always makes sure of where and what he’s going to do before he starts out.”
“Quite a remarkable person,” Mrs. Martin remarked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Mother-like, Mrs. Martin resented Archie Captroop being held up as an example to her son, for his lovable romantic and non-conservative traits were the very things that endeared him to her most.
Doris Martin, who was expecting the cause of the discussion to call on her that certain Wednesday evening, entered the room.