Bert Breen's Barn Chapter 53 Summary

  • Tom has never been in a bank before. Neither had his father or grandfather. Tom feels strange walking in and observing the tellers and cashiers behind their counters transacting business.
  • Tom, Billy-Bob, Oscar Lambert, and Mr. Wynn (another banker) go into the vault where the trunks are.
  • Tom thinks that based on the bankers' looks, they've guessed where the money came from, even though Billy-Bob gives no details.
  • The bankers count the money much more quickly than Billy-Bob, Tom, and Polly Ann had done the night before. The count the silver coins, and even find gold coins hidden in the bottom of one trunk.
  • The total comes to $9,240.00. That's a lot of dough, especially for back in the day.
  • The bankers set up a savings account for Tom, even though Billy-Bob says Tom will want to make two or three large withdrawals soon.
  • Tom can't imagine what those sums will be for, except maybe his lawyer's fee. He's been trustworthy so far, but lawyers will be lawyers.
  • While they're waiting for Mr. Wynn to get Tom's bankbook and paperwork, Mr. Lambert again says how weird it is to inherit money in two dusty trunks. Tom can't think of what to say, so Billy-Bob just says it doesn't matter how he got the money just that he has it now.
  • Sounds fair, since we know Tom's an honest dude, but a bank robber would never try that kind of line.
  • Mr. Wynn gives Tom his new bankbook, and he leaves with the book in his pocket and the account number already memorized.