“Of course you could; that would be gay. I expect Aunt Rachel would come, if you wanted her.”
“She’s a dear old thing,—nobody I’d like better! But I haven’t dared broach the subject yet. Don’t say anything about it.”
“All right, I won’t. But I say, Patty, what was that deal you had on with Van Reypen? He was awful mad when I held him up out in the water.”
“Oh, it was nothing but foolishness!” said Patty, laughing at the recollection. “I promised him that, if he beat me to the shore, we’d call each other by our first names,—otherwise not.”
“That was a nice wager!” exclaimed Kenneth, in disgruntled tones. “Why, Patty, you don’t know that chap well enough to call him by his first name!”
“Nonsense, Ken; I’m not grown-up and formal.”
“Well, he is!”
Patty laughed mischievously. “He is grown-up, but he isn’t a bit formal.”
“I should say not! I can tell you I didn’t like the way he carted you off last night!”
“Oh, Kenneth, what a goose you are! You know the whole story of that performance. He couldn’t help the strap breaking, and, if my father didn’t bother about it, I don’t think you need to!”