She sighed. “I was afraid you wouldn’t go at all.”
He looked at her in surprise. “Why not?”
She laughed. “Never mind.” She turned to the house. “See you tonight,” she called and disappeared within.
How could she tell him she had thought he would not go because she doubted if he had an adventurous spirit? Sometimes Bruce irritated her. He was so cold and sane. Never enthusiasm for anything. No ambition, at least he never said anything to her about it if he had, no urge to go anywhere or see anything. He took things so calmly she sometimes wondered if he were altogether human. She was positive he had never done an impulsive thing in his life.
She sighed as she sat down at the piano and let her fingers roam over the keys. Perhaps that was the way she should be, thoughtful, serious, never doing anything rash. But she couldn’t. Sometimes she would be all prepared to go to a study or a game or book seriously, when someone’s word or sentence would strike a discordant note and her temper would flare forth or a spring of laughter would burst within her and gone immediately were all her good intentions. Somehow she just couldn’t take herself as seriously as did Bruce with himself. To him life was a problem and it was meant to be coped with as such. She preferred to snatch pleasure from life as she went along. Didn’t her friendship with the other Adventure Girls prove that? Certainly there could be no more nonsensical, yet sweet, girls than Carol and Janet. Madge, too, had a sense of humor. And Val, good old Valerie! She, like the rest, was always ready for anything.
The low tones of the piano crashed like thunder as she brought her hand down heavily and swung about on the stool. She had better get in some study on her English Literature if she hoped to pass that exam.
After dinner Gale and Bruce went down to his motor boat and crossed to the island. As it had been the night before, the island was in darkness save for the gleam of lantern light from the cabin. The boy and girl stood for a moment in the doorway watching the pilot in silence.
Brent Stockton had papers and blue prints spread out before him and he was compiling figures on another sheet of paper.
“Hello,” Gale said uncertainly.
The pilot swung around, his hand instinctively seeking to cover the paper before him. He smiled in mingled pleasure and relief when he recognized them.