He drew up the canoe and she stepped in lightly, seating herself so gently that the canoe did not even swerve.
"How blue the water is! And so clear. It is like the heaven above. And there are rays of sun in the river bed. It does not seem very deep, does it? I could almost touch it with my hand."
Destournier laughed. "Suppose you try?"
"And tip us over?" She smiled as well.
It was so lovely that both were moved to silence. Now and then they glanced at each other, at some special point or happening. She was not effusive.
After a while she began with—"Do you like M. Boullé very much?"
"He is a promising young man, I am glad he did not return to France. We have few enough of them here. Every one counts."
"He will go some time," she said, reflectively.
A sudden thought flashed through his mind. The girl's face was very calm, but her eyes had a sort of protest in them.
"Will he take you?" Destournier asked, in a husky tone.