"I love to play with Princess Polly, and with Rose Atherton, and when I'm not playing with them, I like my boat," she said softly. "I would have asked Gwen to stay but I didn't want to her to.
"Gwen so often says unpleasant things. Polly and Rose never do, and surely the boat doesn't. It never even answers back," she added with a laugh. Then for a time she plied the oars in silence, rowing always close along the shore, out from one little bay, and into another.
Then someone hailed her.
"Hi! Sprite! Sprite Seaford!"
She turned on her seat, and there, on the beach, close to the water, was Max Deland.
"Say! Have you seen Gwen Harcourt?" he asked, his hands held trumpet-wise, to carry his voice to her.
"I saw her, oh, much as an hour ago, it may be longer," Sprite answered.
"Oh, pshaw! I mean have you seen her within a short time?" cried Max, impatiently.
"I said I saw her an hour ago, and maybe longer," Sprite said.
"I wonder it wasn't a week!" cried Max. "I want her now."