“Ruth, don’t be silly and rock the canoes, or——”
Ruth laughed scornfully. “Nothing so ridiculous as that, mother,” she replied. “Remember, we aren’t children; high school girls don’t do foolish things to be smart. But I mean some real fun—nothing dangerous, you understand. Harold’s coming over to-night to hear all about the trip. And by the way——” she stood up and took her hat from the chair where she had carelessly thrown it in her haste to reach the telephone—“by the way, Miss Phillips says we will end up at Silvertown and actually spend a week there in a rented house!”
Mrs. Henry dropped the duster she was holding, in amazement at this announcement. Like Ruth, she had always had social aspirations; money and position meant a great deal to her. They discussed the proposition joyfully for several minutes, Ruth not neglecting to state that she had secured as her tentmate the richest girl of the troop, who had also been president of their class the preceding year. Mrs. Henry beamed, and heaved a sigh of satisfaction; her daughter was a girl after her own heart.
Moreover, Ruth’s friendship with Harold Mason, the charming young college freshman who lived next door, was not unpleasing to her. The boy came of a good Southern family of some means, owned his own car, and seemed perfectly infatuated with Ruth. It was possible, of course, that Ruth might do better in marriage, but she could easily do worse; and while she was so young Mrs. Henry felt satisfied to have her so popular.
The young man did not wait that evening until formal calling hours. As soon as Ruth appeared on the porch, he, knowing that supper was over, ran across his lawn, vaulted the fence, and ran up the steps. The girl smiled at his approach, but she did not get up. They were on such familiar terms, and, Ruth always figured, it is never well to let a man see how much you really do like him.
He lounged into a big porch chair, settling himself sideways and swinging one leg over the arm.
“What’s new?” he asked.
Ruth unfolded her map, and handed it to him.
“This,” she said; “and of course we tried out our canoes. They’re perfect beauties!”
“I’ll bet they are,” returned the young man, fixing his gaze upon the map. “Let’s see—what’s this?”