Here's a Penny (10 page)

As the summer drew to a close, everyone talked of the boat race. The race was to be held on Labor Day in the afternoon.

Everyone who owned a sailboat was certain that his boat would win the race. Peter and Penny and Daddy told each other that they were sure that the
Threeofus
would be the winner.

"She's the fastest little sailboat in the cove," Daddy would say.

"I wish I were big enough to sail her in the race," said Penny.

"Someday you will," said Daddy.

"You don't think we're big enough, do you?" said Peter.

"No," replied Daddy. "I'll have to do it this time."

"Well, we're going with you, aren't we?" said Penny.

Daddy didn't answer right away. Then he said, "Yes, I guess so."

"What do you mean, Daddy, by you guess so?" said Penny.

"Well, you see," said Daddy, "when you race, it is best to have just one for the crew. But I know that you both want to go, so we'll try it."

The morning of the race Peter sat on the dock, looking into the water. He was thinking. Penny and Daddy were busy with the sailboat. At last Peter came over to Daddy and said, "I'm not going in the
Threeofus
when you race her this afternoon."

"You're not?" said Daddy.

"No," said Peter. "The
Threeofus
stands a better chance to win the race if there are only two in her. And I want her to win."

Daddy threw his arm around Peter. "Peter," he said, "that's wonderful of you! Now, I'm sure she'll win."

The race was to start at three o'clock at the Yacht Club. The club was about two miles from the
Threeofus's
dock.

After lunch Daddy said, "I'm going to drive up to Cooper's Point for some lobsters. I'll be back in plenty of time to take the boat up to the club."

Daddy went off and the boys went swimming. After their swim they played on the dock. Three o'clock drew nearer and nearer.

"Daddy ought to be here soon," said Penny.

"Yes," said Peter. "Let's go see what time it is."

The boys were climbing the steps to the house when Penny's mother appeared on the porch.

"Peter!" she called. "Penny! Come quickly!"

The boys ran up the rest of the steps. "Where's Daddy, Mother?" Penny called.

"Daddy has a flat tire," said Mother. "He's stuck between here and Cooper's Point. He just telephoned to tell me."

"Oh, Mother! Are we going to miss the race?" cried Penny.

"Not if you and Peter can sail the boat down to the Yacht Club. Daddy will meet you there."

"All by ourselves!" exclaimed Penny.

"There is nothing else to do," said Mother. "Do you think you can do it?"

"Sure!" said Peter. "We can do it. We have to do it. The
Threeofus
is going to win the race."

The two boys started back to the dock. Penny's mother went with them. She helped them to put up the sail. When they were ready, she untied the rope that held the boat fast. As they set forth, she thought they both looked very little.

Peter's face was very serious as the wind filled the sail and the boat glided away from the dock.

He was taking the
Threeofus
to win the race. It was the most important thing he had ever done.

Meanwhile Penny's daddy had reached the Yacht Club. He stood on the dock, straining his eyes for the sight of the
Threeofus.
More and more sailboats arrived. They were like a great flock of birds, resting on the water around the Yacht Club.

Daddy looked at his watch. Quarter of three and the
Threeofus
was nowhere to be seen. It looked as though she had lost the race before she started. Then, away off, Daddy saw a sailboat. It was the
Threeofus.
Slowly, as the minutes passed, she grew larger. At two minutes of three Penny threw the rope to Daddy. Daddy pulled the boat to the dock and jumped in. At the same time Peter jumped out. "You'll win. I know you'll win," was all he had time to say.

"Thanks, Peter! You're a trump!" Daddy called, as he sailed up to his place on the line.

Peter never took his eyes off the
Threeofus.
She seemed to skim over the water. Soon she was leading the race.

Peter was jumping up and down, yelling with all his might, when Penny and Daddy crossed the line ahead of all the others. "You've won! You've won! You've won!" he cried, as Penny and Daddy stepped out of the boat.

"Yes," said Daddy, "but we could not have won without you, Peter. So you step up and receive the prize for the
Threeofus.
"

Peter walked over to the president of the Yacht Club. The president handed Peter a beautiful silver sailboat. "The first prize," he said, "goes to the
Threeofus.
"

Peter said, "Thank you, sir," while everyone clapped.

The next morning when Penny and Peter finished their breakfast, they went out to look at the
Threeofus.
Daddy and Mother were standing by the boat. Daddy had a can of paint in one hand and a brush in the other. On the side of the boat, in fresh paint, was a new name. It was the
Fourofus.

"What does that mean?" asked Penny.

Mother put her arm around Peter. "It means that we now have two little boys. We are going to adopt Peter."

"And the sailboat belongs to the four of us," cried Penny. "And Peter belongs to us and we belong to Peter. Oh, Mummy! I told you he did. Didn't I tell you?"

Turn the page to see more of Penny's adventures in

Penny and Peter

where Penny's wishes really do come true.

Penny's father and mother had adopted Penny when he was a tiny baby. They had waited for him a long time but when they found Penny, he was exactly what they wanted. They named him William but they called him Penny because his curly hair was just the color of a brand-new copper penny.

When Penny was six years old, he started to go to school. There he met Peter who was eight. He was the best baseball player in the school. Peter lived in a children's orphanage because he didn't have any father or mother. The two boys were so fond of each other that Penny's father and mother took Peter to the seashore with them for the summer. At the end of the summer, they decided to adopt Peter. So, when the summer vacation was over and it was time to return home, the two little boys knew that they were going to be really truly brothers.

"Really truly brothers for ever and ever," said Penny.

Mother and Daddy had decided to leave the seashore the week after Labor Day, but Daddy had to make an unexpected business trip so he had to leave the day after Labor Day.

Before he left, he put the sailboat away for the winter. Then he packed the car full of things that Mother said had to go back to town. When he finally drove off, there was nothing left for Mother and the boys to bring home on the train, along with Minnie, the cook, but one suitcase and the little traveling bag in which Really and Truly traveled. Really and Truly were Penny's kittens but by this time they had grown into two very handsome cats.

"It's a great relief to have Daddy drive all of those things home," said Mother. "I would much rather go in the train. It is more comfortable than riding in the car with my feet in a pail and the floor mop hitting me on the head every time we turn a corner."

"Do you remember last year," asked Penny, "when Daddy stopped suddenly and the basket of tomatoes upset just as I slid off the seat?"

"I certainly do," said Mother. "And you landed right on top of those beautiful tomatoes. And was I angry!"

"And did we have tomato juice!" cried Penny. "It was all over everything, wasn't it, Mother?"

"It certainly was," said Mother. "But mostly all over you and the floor of the car."

Penny laughed as he recalled the mess he had suddenly found himself in, with all those tomatoes.

"We can laugh about it now," said Mother, "but it didn't seem very funny when it happened. This year, there will be nothing like that. We'll have a nice, quiet, peaceful trip home on the train."

"When are we leaving?" asked Peter.

"Next Monday," replied Mother. "We will go up on the two o'clock train. That will get us home before the rush hour."

Monday morning, after the boys had had their breakfast, they wandered around the house. They didn't seem to know what to do with themselves.

"Seems funny not to have the sailboat, doesn't it?" said Peter, as the boys sat on the dock swinging their feet.

"Seems 'though we ought to go out in a boat the very last day," said Penny.

"We could go out in the rowboat," said Peter.

"All right, let's!" said Penny. "And let's catch some crabs and surprise Minnie. It would be nice to take some crabs home with us. Don't you think so, Peter?"

"Yes," said Peter. "I love crabs. And we won't get any more until next summer."

"Well then, we'll have to catch a fish for bait," said Penny.

Penny ran to the garage to get their fishing tackle, while Peter hunted for a clam to use for fish bait.

In a short time, the boys were settled on the end of the dock each with his line in the water. They were as quiet as two statues.

Then Peter began to pull his line. He didn't jerk it but pulled it in carefully.

"I've got one," he whispered to Penny.

Penny looked down into the water. Sure enough, there on the end of Peter's line was a good-sized fish. It was fighting hard but Peter knew how to handle his line and he landed the fish, flip-flapping, onto the dock.

Ten minutes later, Peter and Penny were out in the rowboat with half of the fish fastened to Penny's line and the other half fastened to Peter's. They sat motionless a long time, staring into the water.

"Don't seem to be any crabs this morning," said Penny.

"Sometimes they come along all at once," said Peter.

"I know," said Penny. "But sometimes you have to go someplace else."

"Well, let's wait a little longer," said Peter. They sat waiting.

All of a sudden, Peter picked up the net and scooped down into the water.

"Got one!" he said, as he lifted the net. "A great big one."

"Me, too!" said Penny. "Quick, Peter, get it."

Peter emptied his crab out of the net into the basket that the boys had placed in the center of the rowboat. Then he scooped up the crab that was busy nibbling away at the fish on the end of Penny's line.