Part 4 (1/2)
”The Army is fond of the Navy, of course,” the lad added by way of explanation. ”Yet, to a soldier, the Army is the whole thing.”
”Oh, I see,” smiled Captain Tom, though in truth he didn't ”see” in the least.
”Yes, Ted's to be a soldier. He's doomed-or destined-to that career,”
nodded Mr. Dunstan good-humoredly. ”There's a whole long story to that, Halstead. Perhaps you and Dawson shall hear the story later. But for now we'd better get up to the house.”
Master Ted evidently took this as a hint that the subject was to be pursued no further for the present, for he merely said in a very gracious way:
”Of course, I shall see you again. So now I'll take myself off-with Sheridan.”
Resting his left hand through the bridle and gripping the pony's mane, Master Ted used his right hand to strike the pony a smart blow over the rump. As the pony bounded forward the lad made a flying leap into the saddle. It was such a flying start as almost to startle Tom and Joe.
”He rides like a cowboy,” declared Tom admiringly, watching the mounted youngster out of sight.
”He has need to, I fancy,” replied Mr. Dunstan gravely. ”That is, since he's going into the Army, for Ted wouldn't be satisfied with being anything less than a cavalryman.”
As Mr. Dunstan's last words or the tone in which they were uttered seemed to dismiss the subject, Halstead and his chum knew that they were not to be further enlightened for the present. They followed their employer up to the house.
He took them into a roomy, old-fas.h.i.+oned looking library, with heavy furniture, and, excusing himself, left them. He soon returned to say:
”The family are now at luncheon, all except Master Ted, so I have given instructions to have luncheon served to us in here presently.”
In half an hour the meal was before Mr. Dunstan and the boys. It tasted rarely good after their hasty s.n.a.t.c.hes of food aboard the boat. When it was over Mr. Dunstan took a chair on the porch, lighted a cigar and said:
”I'm going to take it easy for a while. Would you like to look about the grounds?”
Tom and his chum strolled about. They found it a delightful country place, covering some forty acres. There was a large stable, a carriage house and a garage which contained a big touring car. There were greenhouses, a poultry place and a small power house that supplied electric light to the buildings and grounds.
”It looks like the place of a man who has enough money, but who doesn't care about making a big splurge,” commented Joe.
”It also looks like the place of an easy-going man,” replied Halstead.
”I wonder how a man like Mr. Dunstan came to get the motor-boat craze?”
”Oh, I imagine he likes to live out on this beautiful old island, and merely keeps the boat as a means of reaching business,” suggested Dawson.
After an hour or more they returned to the house to find Mr. Dunstan placidly asleep in the same porch chair. So the boys helped themselves to seats, kept quiet and waited. They were still in doubt as to whether their employer wanted to use the boat later in the day. Theirs was a long wait, but at last Mr. Dunstan awoke, glanced at his watch and looked at the boys.
”Becoming bored?” he smiled.
”Oh, no,” Tom a.s.sured him, ”but I've had hard work to keep from falling sound asleep.”
”Have you seen Master Ted lately?”
”Not since we first met him down by the pier.”
”That's a youngster with quite a picturesque future ahead of him, I imagine,” continued Mr. Dunstan. ”I call him the luckiest boy alive.
Perhaps he is not quite that, but he is going to be a very rich man if he follows a certain career.”
”It must be an Army career, then,” hinted Halstead.