The last fortnight of vacation time fairly rushed by. All sorts of things which they had planned to do and had never done arose to haunt them, and they made heroic efforts to bring them to pass with but scant success. Toby’s ferry business, which had begun to dwindle perceptibly, kept him busy so much of the time that there was little opportunity for large adventures. The Deerings were to return to the city on the twelfth of September, about a week before Arnold’s school began, and that date was drawing perilously near. Already Toby experienced qualms of loneliness when Arnold was not with him, and he hated to think what it would be like when the other had actually departed from Greenhaven. Of course, if all went well they would meet again at Yardley Hall the last of the month, but there were times when Toby feared that that radiant dream would never come true. So many things might happen in a fortnight or three weeks! Suppose that bank where his money was should be robbed! One was always reading of such things! Frequently Toby wished he had spurned the slight interest offered by the trust company and hoarded his wealth in the bottom of the old sea-chest in his room. Toward the last he feared to look in the newspaper lest he read that robbers had blown up the safe of the bank or that a dishonest official had decamped for South America or some such inaccessible place with his savings!
The two boys managed to see a trifle more than ever of each other during those last two weeks, and that’s saying a good deal. Arnold seldom lunched at home, preferring to have dinner at Toby’s, since the trip back and forth to the Head ate up a lot of time which could be used to better advantage. Their conversations nowadays dwelt largely with Yardley Hall School and with the wonderful things they were to do there. They never tired of those subjects. Generally Phebe shared the confidences, saying little, but, like Mr. Murphy, speaking to the point when moved to speech. Once when the two boys, seated on the stone steps in front of the cottage between ferry trips, had expatiated long and enthusiastically on the fun that awaited them at Yardley Hall, Phebe observed wisely:
“You mustn’t forget, Toby, what father said about getting your money’s worth at school. It will be nice to have such a good time, but you ought to learn a great deal, I think, because you’re going to pay a great deal of money, aren’t you?”
“Oh, he’ll learn,” said Arnold carelessly. But Toby was silent a moment. Then he said soberly: “You’re right, sis. It won’t do to think too much about play. A fellow ought to get his money’s worth, whatever he goes into. And I intend to. You wait and see if I don’t, sis.”
“I think you will,” she answered, smiling. “Folks who waste money are very silly, and you’re not silly, Toby.”
“I’ll see that he doesn’t, Phebe,” Arnold assured her gravely.
“I’m afraid you don’t know much about it,” laughed the girl.
“Arn doesn’t know what a dollar is,” said Toby.
“Oh, don’t I? You throw one down there on the grass and I’ll show you!”