“Well, you don’t know the value of a dollar, then. You’ve always had all you wanted and——”
“Oh, that’s so, I suppose,” Arnold granted. “I guess I have wasted a good deal of perfectly good money on silly things, Toby, but I’m getting onto myself now. What you say about getting the worth of your money is just about right. After this I’m going to, too. You keep your eye on your Uncle Dudley. Some of the fellows at school think it’s smart to throw money away, but I guess it’s just silly, like Phebe says. Gee, if I know you much longer I’ll be as wise as—as Solomon—or Mr. Murphy!”
The Frolic was hauled out one morning and set up on a cradle in the boat yard and nicely canvassed over for the winter, and that ceremony somehow seemed to bring the summer to an official close even though three days still intervened before Arnold’s departure. The Aydee was to remain in commission until the last, for Arnold couldn’t bear to give her up. Frequently he sailed across to Johnstown in the knockabout when Toby made the trip in the launch, but toward the last he abandoned the yacht and joined his chum in the Urnove.
Arnold was to leave for the city on Thursday, and on Tuesday he attached himself to Toby early in the morning and remained at his side all the day. It was when they were on their way across to Johnstown at four o’clock, minus passengers this trip, that he became reminiscent. “Funny about us, isn’t it, Toby?” he began, smiling across at the other as the boat dipped and rocked in a choppy sea. It had been cloudy and squally all day, and within the last half-hour the wind had been steadily rising. Toby had questioned the advisability of that last trip but Arnold had laughed at his temerity.
“How do you mean?” asked Toby, leaving the engine and seating himself beside the other.
“Oh, the way we happened to meet, you know, and all. If I hadn’t gone over for gasoline that morning just when I did we wouldn’t have had the row and got acquainted.”
“And lost that money,” added Toby, grinning. “We might have run across each other some other time, though, I guess.”
Arnold shook his head. “I don’t believe so. I guess it was—was fated! Well, say, we’ve had a dandy time, haven’t we? And we’re going to have lots more. Say, honest, Toby, if you weren’t coming to Yardley I’d—I’d hate like anything to go back!”
“Uh-huh,” responded Toby, glancing away. “So would I. I mean——”
Arnold laughed. “I know! It’s jolly having a real chum!”