"I don't think Tom a good companion for Frank, Gracie. I wish he would not go with him."
"I don't like him, because he has such a loud, rough voice," said the blind child; "and once when I was sitting in the boat, he said in a loud whisper to Frank, he wondered what business I had there, and that I should do something. I could not catch what he said, but Frank answered I was safe enough, for I was blind. What do you think they meant, Walter?"
Walter guessed what they meant full well, but he did not wish to alarm Gracie; so he told her to keep as much out of their way as possible.
"Frank said I was never to sit in the boat again," said Gracie, "and I don't much care about it; so now I always sit here, and then mother says they cannot see me when they come down to the boat, because the laurel hedge hides me from them."
[CHAPTER IV.]
"THE PLOUGH."
"I WISH you were coming with me to-night, Frank," said Walter, as he and his companion were at work together the following morning.
"Is that what you wanted to speak to me about yesterday?" said Frank.
"Yes it was; I thought I would just try once more whether I could not turn you."
"Then you might just as well have saved yourself the trouble, Walter. What can it possibly signify to you whether I go to the evening school or not?"