“There’s something in that, Dan,” Alf allowed. “Here’s Tom here. Tom’s father owns about everything in his part of New Jersey, so they say, but Tom isn’t half bad when you get to know him.”
Tom only smiled.
“Glad you think that way,” said Dan earnestly, “for I want you two fellows to be nice to Gerald and help me all you can.”
“You do, eh?” asked Alf. “Well, we’ll do it for your sake, Dan. Bring the kid around some time and we’ll look him over. What class is he going into?”
“Fourth. He could have made the Third easily if it hadn’t been for math.”
“Why doesn’t he live at home?” asked Herbert Loring.
“The winter home is in New York,” Dan explained. “Sound View is just a summer place. Besides, Mr. Pennimore is going abroad pretty soon for several months, I believe. That’s one reason he was willing to let Gerald come here; he said he guessed he’d be safer here than all alone in New York with just the servants.”
“Oh, I dare say the kid isn’t as bad as Alf makes out,” said the elder Loring. “I don’t envy you your job, though, Vinton. If you’ll take my advice, and I know what I’m talking about, you’ll let him hoe his own row. I dare say a few hard knocks are only what he needs.”
“And I’ll bet he will get them,” observed Tom thoughtfully.