“Well, you needn’t be stuffy about it!”
“Oh, I’m not stuffy, my boy, only——”
“Then I’ll show you now. You see, you swim on one side;” and, before Van Reypen realised what was happening to him, Kenneth had grasped his arm and gently but steadily pushed him around until he was headed out to sea again.
At this moment Patty reached the beach, as Kenneth saw out of the corner of his eye, and, suddenly changing his tone, he said: “By George! Van Reypen, I believe you were in earnest! In that case, I’m sorry I insisted. Of course, I’ll teach you the trick some other time! Go ahead, if you want to speak to Miss Fairfield. She’s right over there.”
Thus disarmed, Philip couldn’t answer Kenneth angrily, and, suppressing his chagrin, he said: “All right, old chap, and thank you. We’ll go for a swim together, to-morrow morning, and then I’ll be glad to learn your new stunt.”
Kenneth felt a little ashamed of his subterfuge, for he was of a frank, honest nature. But he had done it for Patty, and he felt sure that the whole thing was some merry jest.
Freed from his tormentor, Van Reypen struck out swiftly for the shore, and the next moment, throwing himself on to a big breaker, he was washed up on the beach at Patty’s side.
“How do you do, Mr. Van Reypen?” said that mischievous damsel, smiling at him under her corkscrew curls.
“It wasn’t fair!” growled Philip; “I was delayed. Harper stopped me, and I couldn’t get away from him!”
“Oh, that’s a pretty excuse,” chaffed Patty. “I heard you say that you were almost exhausted and out of breath, and you were puffing like a whale!”