A DISPUTED STORY
ON reaching Halcyon Villa, Tom found Miss Perry and her nephew in the garden, the former cutting flowers for the house, and received a hearty greeting from both of them. He told them all about Nellie's departure, and then put his request that Peter might be allowed to go fishing with him in the afternoon.
"Fishing?" cried Miss Perry, in a tone of distinct disapproval; "no, certainly not. Supposing Peter fell into the water, what then?"
"But I'd see he didn't fall into the water," Tom assured her; "I'd look after him all right. I thought we might go to the pond near Hatwell Green—"
"I can't hear of it!" interposed Miss Perry. "I'm very sorry," she continued, observing the disappointment on both boys' faces, "but you must decide on some other form of amusement, my dears. You could not fish anyway, Peter."
"Oh, yes, I think I could!" Peter answered quickly. "Tom and I have been talking about it; he has promised to lend me a rod and to bait the hook—I should feel in a moment if I had a bite."
"Of course you would!" agreed Tom, looking appealingly at Miss Perry; and he believed it, for Peter's sense of touch, like that of most blind people, was particularly acute. "The pond is not very deep," he added; "I never heard of any one having been drowned there."
"Do, please, let us go, Aunt Harriet!" pleaded Peter.
"No, Peter," Miss Perry answered decidedly, "I cannot permit it. I have quite made up my mind. If Tom wants to go fishing it must be without you; but if, on the other hand, he would like to take you for a walk this afternoon, I shall be pleased for you to accompany him, and I hope he will return with you to tea."
Having cut all the flowers she required, Miss Perry now left the boys and went into the house.