Arnold found plenty of bailing to do for awhile, but it didn’t keep him from talking a streak until they were out of the protection of the land and the wind drowned his voice. The return trip was far less strenuous. Free of her tow, the little launch held her head well out of water and, since the sea was following instead of charging at their bow, they kept fairly dry. It was well short of ten when, at last, the launch reached the smoother water of Greenhaven Harbor and still lacked five minutes of the hour when, tired and wet but happy, they entered Toby’s house to the great relief of his folks. Arnold had stopped at the drug store and telephoned to the Head and before they had ended their story of the rescue of the Sinbad the automobile was waiting to whisk him home. Toby went to the car with him and after Arnold had said good-night and was moving off he called to the driver.
“Wait a minute, Peter! I say, Toby, why did you ask him forty-five dollars instead of fifty? I didn’t get that any more than he did!”
“Why, because I was shy seventy dollars of enough to go to school,” answered Toby calmly. “Dad promised me twenty-five, you know, and that left forty-five. Now I’ve got enough. Good-night!”
Two days later Toby and Phebe stood on the station platform at Riverport saying good-by to Arnold. Arnold’s father had left for New York earlier in the day in the automobile, Arnold’s aunt was safely ensconced in the parlor car and Arnold himself was waving from the last platform as the bell clanged and the train slowly moved away.
“Good-by, Phebe! I’ve had a fine old time! Say good-by to your father and mother again for me. Good-by, Toby, old scout! See you in a week or so. Don’t forget to write.” Arnold had to shout now at the top of his lungs. “And don’t—forget—to come!”
“I’ll be there!” called Toby. “I’ll be there if I have to walk!”
Transcriber’s Notes:
Except for the frontispiece, illustrations have been moved to follow the text that they illustrate, so the page number of the illustration may not match the page number in the List of Illustrations.
Obvious printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.