“I am not.”
“Then I fail to understand what the matter is with you. I know you admire Inza Burrage, and she thinks a great deal of you; but I also know that you like Elsie Bellwood just as well, and I think she cares more for you than Inza ever can. Those are not all the ones, either. There are other bright, smart girls whom you admire and respect. You are not engaged to any of them. What are you going to do while you are not in their society? Because you think a great deal of some girl, are you going to shun all others as if you were married and settled down?”
“Well, I can’t say that I ever have,” laughed Frank.
“No, and it’s too late to begin now. It’s all right for Diamond to do so if he wishes; but I think it is equally right for you to do as you have done in the past. The time will come some day, without doubt, when you cannot do so. Until that time does come, get all the pleasure out of life that you can, and what is more enjoyable than the society of an intelligent, charming and pretty girl?”
Frank was astonished by Bart’s words and manner, for it was seldom that Hodge expressed himself thus freely.
“That is good logic, old man,” he confessed, “but those musicians have awakened thoughts of a little girl with blue eyes and golden hair, and I don’t think I care for the society of either Miss Mischief or Miss Hazle at present. Let’s stroll down to the shore.”
They did so, and found Diamond sitting on some bowlders, looking off over the bay in the track of moonlight which seemed to lead toward Bar Harbor.
“There he is,” said Hodge. “Thinking of the girl at Bar Harbor, I’ll bet something.”
“How long have you been here, old man?” asked Merry.
“Less than a minute,” answered Jack. “Just stopped here. Isn’t the moonlight beautiful on the water?”