Mr. Pennimore had written Gerald that he would be home nine days after the latter’s receipt of the letter; that he had sent orders for the opening of Sound View for the summer and that Gerald should move over there from the school dormitory as soon as he liked. Gerald was delighted at the prospect of seeing his father again, but the permission, which virtually amounted to a suggestion, to change his abode from Number 28 Clarke to the big room in the big house overlooking the Sound didn’t please him at all.
“I don’t want to live at home, Dan,” he exclaimed. “Why, that’s no fun at all! I—I want to stay here with you; and the other fellows,” he added as an afterthought.
“Well, you wait until your father comes and tell him about it,” counselled Dan. “It will only be for a couple of weeks, anyway, and I guess he won’t mind that.”
“Anyhow,” declared Gerald anxiously, “I just won’t go!”
[CHAPTER XVIII]
FUN AT THE CIRCUS
“The Monkey he’s a friend of mine,
In fact, I’ve heard it stated
That me and he and he and me
Is distantly related.
I guess it’s true, for I can do
Most all the tricks that he cuts,
And me and he and he and me
Is awful fond of peanuts!”
Thus sang Alf as, arm in arm with Tom, he swaggered across the bridge on the way to Greenburg and the circus. Behind walked Dan and Gerald and Paul Rand. Still further behind came more of Yardley, and further ahead were others. Yardley was turning out en masse for the circus. Cuts had been granted in all afternoon recitations and here was a half-holiday with nothing to do but have a good time! And every fellow was determined to have it.
“Next verse!” shouted Dan.