CHAPTER IV
TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS
"Say, Jack," remarked Ed a few days later, when the two weresprawled beside a brook, with rod and reel, "I believe I'll have toget better acquainted with the young folks out here. Honestly, Ifeel wobbly when I get to talking to them. I've been out of touchwith them so long that I'm afraid I'll ask after some dead and goneaunt or uncle, or for some brother that has been in trouble andisn't spoken of any more in polite society. For instance, who isIda--Ida Giles? You know--the girl who was with Sid? He introducedme to her last night."
"Oh, Ida--why--she's--just Ida. That's all. But that's a good ideaof yours. I was thinking myself that you ought to begin studying upthe blue-book of Chelton society. Now, as to Ida, the red-hairedgirl--"
"Not really red," corrected Ed slowly, "but that bright, carrotyshade--so deliciously like lobster a la--"
"Oh, pardon me," and Jack assumed an affected manner. "Of course,Ida's hair is not really red--not merely--carroty is the very wordneeded. Well, she is the daughter of the Reverend Mrs. Giles. Don'tyou remember the woman who always scolded us for everything?Wouldn't let us even so much as take a turnip. And she wore suchpious-looking spectacles that we dubbed her Reverend Mrs. Giles.Well, she still is Ida's mother."
"Then I don't blame Ida a bit. I'd be Ida myself if I was broughtup as she's been, though I suppose her mother means all right. It'scurious what queer manners some people have. But I dare say we allhave our own faults."
"And, with all of them, I hope the girls love us still--even Ida,"added Jack quickly.
"Now, those others--the beautiful Robinson twins," pursued Ed.
"Oh, yes. Well, Bess and Belle are certainly the real thing ingirls--right up to the minute. Besides, they have an immensely richpapa. You've heard of him--Perry Robinson, the railroad king?"
"Oh, yes. And their mother, if one may be permitted to ask?"
"Certainly, fair sir--Their mother is a wonderfully handsome woman,in a statuesque sort of way. Very dignified, and all that. Now, thetwins are worth while."
"Exactly so," answered Ed. "Now I think--"
He stopped suddenly, and quickly jerked up his rod, but not quitespeedily enough, for he had the pleasure of seeing a fish slipwrigglingly off the hook.
"Biggest one to-day," he murmured as he adjusted some fresh bait."Now, as to the Robinson twins. The only fault I have to find withthem, from my limited acquaintance, is that they are not evenlydivided. Bess is--er--well, not to be too delicate about it--toofat--"
"No, no, I beg of you!" exclaimed Jack. "Don't use that word. Saytoo much adiposed."
"Sounds like indisposed," murmured Ed; "but let it go at that. Bessis too much adiposed, and Belle--"
"Well?"
"She is too un-adiposed, if you like it better. Not to put to finea point upon it, as Mr. Snagsby used to say--she's too thin."
"Not faults in either of them beyond repair," commented Jack. "Corais very keen about them. Thinks they're the best ever. She is verymuch interested in them."
"How about Jack?" teased Ed. "He might have a perfectly pardonableinterest in being Interested in the twins--solely on his sister'saccount, however--solely an the part of his sister."
"Um!" murmured Jack. "That's neither here nor there. To carry it alittle further, and still discussing the twins, there is Ed Foster,who is always at college when he is not fishing. He has money toburn, and so he's going to set fire to some of it by entrusting itto the New City Bank.
"Not quite money to burn," said Ed as he carefully threw out thebaited hook again. "I've about twenty thousand dollars that camefrom father's estate, and it is stipulated that it must be mostcarefully secured. I think the new bank a good investment. But asfor that being a drawing-card in my favor, why look to yourself.Here's Jack Kimball," went on Ed, "the best musician at Exmouth. Thegirls' pet, and, altogether, a very nice boy. I believe that'sall--no, hold on. I never said a word about your weakness forchicken potpie, although you did appropriate my dish the last day atcollege."
"I was hungry," pleaded Jack. "But I thank you for your consideratedescription. Do you think that you now have the Chelton folks torights?"
"We haven't touched on Walter Pennington. He seems to be the wholething with the girls," and Ed did not try to disguise his tone ofsarcasm.
"Oh, yes--Walter," said Jack. "Oh, Walter's all right. He seems tohave more time to spend fussing around the girls than the rest of ushave."
"Is that it?" asked Ed. "I thought it was the other way about. Thatthe girls had more time for Walter than for the rest of us."
"I don't pretend to understand you," remarked Jack, pulling upquickly and looking in disgust at his empty hook. "But if you wantanything--why, go in and win, as Priscilla said to John Alden. Youcan beat Walter--you're handsomer."
"Drop that!" cried Ed, looking for a clod of earth to throw at Jack.Then he ran his fingers through his thick, black hair. He washandsome, but he did not like it "cast up to him."
"Oh, I don't know," he murmured after a pause. "Walter has a waywith him. Girls 'perfectly love' that uncertain shade of hair. It'scapable of being made over to suit--"
"Knocking!" cried Jack. "You're knocking! I'll tell Walter. Youcalled him a--"
"A first-rate chap, and I mean it!" insisted Ed warmly. "That's justwhat I think of Walter Pennington."
"Well, you know what I've always thought of him," and Jack wasequally enthusiastic. "Walter is the kind of a fellow that will keepwithout canning."
"Meaning some others won't--such as Sid, for example?"
"Well, he's very `close' sometimes, so to speak. At least very hardto understand. But let's talk about something else. When do you goover to the bank, to stand and deliver your good cash, bonds andsecurities for their stock?"
"This very afternoon, may it please the court. And, by the sametoken, I should be getting home now. Hope we won't meet anyone, orthey might ask, as Sid did, if I'd been clamming. I can't seem tokeep out of the mud."
They gathered up their fishing paraphernalia and walked out to thehighway.
"Are you and your money going over in the machine?" asked Jack.
"Certainly. Why not? Henry Porter is going to loan me hisrunabout."
"Oh, I suppose it's all right, but it's a lot of money to carry withyou alone--twenty thousand dollars."
"And to hear you talk I might suspect that you had designs on it.I guess I'll get over to New City with it safe and sound. I hardlythink I need a bodyguard."
"Humph! Maybe not. I guess you'll be all right."
"Your sister seems much interested in motoring," remarked Ed as theytrudged along.
"Oh, yes, sis is just wild about it. She learned to run my car, andthen began teasing for one of her own. We a were waiting for herseventeenth birthday to give it to her--mother and I--"
"Oh, I suppose you paid for part of it," remarked Ed with a laugh.
"No; but I ran it up from the garage for her. It's a fine,up-to-date car, and now that sis has it she's as happy as a kittenlapping up sweet cream."
"And she's as plucky as--um--what shall I say? I never saw any onemanage a car better than she did the day the brake wouldn't work andthey nearly ran into the train. I declare, when I saw her divethrough that gap in the fence and steer toward me through the pond,I felt like yelling. I was almost frozen stiff. Couldn't do a thingbut look on."
"And sis thawed you out with a mud bath," said Jack. "Oh, Cora'sall right, even if I am her brother."
"She certainly is a star, if I may be pardoned the expression. Well,here's where I'm going to leave you. I've got to stop at thepost-office. People have gotten into the habit lately, and a meanhabit it is, of mailing me bills about the first of the month. Onewould think they might let a fellow have a vacation from that sortof thing once in a while."
"Oh, I get mine, too. And this month they're rather heavier thanusual, as it's Cora's birthday."
"There's Sid," suddenly remarked Ed, pointing down the r
oad to whereSidney Wilcox was coming around a turn, walking slowly.
"Yes, and I guess he gets his bills, too."
"Likely," admitted Ed. "He seems to have one now, and it doesn'tappear to please him," for Sid was intently studying a sheet ofpaper as he walked along. He turned back and looked up the road.
"Who's he looking for?"' asked Jack.
"Give it up. No, I don't, either. There she is. It's Ida Giles."
Sidney waited for the girl to come up to him. Then he put the sheetof paper in his pocket, and the two walked along together until theycame abreast of Ed and Jack. Sid nodded, which salutation wasreturned by the two fishermen. Ida made a slight motion with herhead, which might or might not have been taken for a bow. Then thetwo passed on.
"My, but they're rushing it pretty fast!" commented Jack.
"Oh, Sid owns a nice little car--built for two," spoke Ed. "Thatmakes it worth while for her."
"Yes, Ida does get in a lot of runs."
Jack turned to look at the girl. She was rather becomingly dressedin a dark-blue gingham sailor suit. Her red hair seemed fairly toblaze in the summer sunlight. Her companion slouched along in thatindifferent way common to many youths of neutraltemperaments--nothing much decided about them save their dislike forhard facts.
Ed and Jack had now reached the beginning of the sidewalk leadinginto town. They noticed a torn envelope lying on the flags. It was,as they could see, addressed to Sidney Wilcox, and in one corner wasthe imprint of an auto firm, which made the style of car that Siddrove. The fishermen smiled at each other, but made no remark.Perhaps the envelope had contained a bill.
"I may take a spin out on the road this afternoon," said Jack atparting. "Cora and the twins are going out, and we have promised totrail along after them."
"We?" questioned Ed.
"Yes. Walter and I, of course."
"Oh, of course--Walter."
"Jealous!" called Jack. "But cheer up. Perhaps we shall meet' you,and you'll have a chance."
"Oh, I'll be too busy with the cash, I'm afraid. But, at any rate,give my regards to your sister."
"Surest thing you know. How about the twins?"
"Well--er--never mind."
"All right. Say, Ed, come over to dinner some night. I want motherto meet you."
"All right, I will."
Ed turned away. He seemed unusually thoughtful. Was it Jack'sremark about carrying so much money, unprotected, along the highwaythat caused it? It was a large sum--twenty thousand dollars. But hewas strong enough to take care of himself. Besides, he would havehis revolver with him. He decided on this, though at first it hadnot occurred to him.
Then he laughed aloud at his worriment and his prospectiveprecautions. Who ever heard of any one being robbed on theroad from Chelton to New City?