"All right," Bob answered. "I'll be with you before long."
Kitty went into the garden, and took up her position on a seat under the apple tree. There, in a very few minutes, Bob joined her.
"Well?" he said interrogatively.
"Tim has gone out with his uncle," Kitty informed him. "I saw them start together; so I thought this would be a good opportunity to consult you about something—Tim not being about, you know."
"The 'something' has to do with Shuttleworth, then?" questioned Bob.
Kitty nodded. "He'll be going home soon now," she observed. "Dear me, it's quite remarkable we should both of us be so friendly with him after—"
"Not remarkable at all," her brother broke in, rather impatiently. "He's a jolly nice fellow—he's proved it. Speak out! What is it you want to consult me about?"
"Well, I've been thinking that before Tim leaves we ought to give him a present," Kitty said eagerly. "You know, he really did save Snip's life. Father says that the poor little thing would certainly have drowned if Tim hadn't gone to him and freed him from the leash."
"And you think he should have a testimonial as a reward?" suggested Bob, with a teasing smile.
"I think nothing of the kind," the little girl answered, flushing. "You are pretending to misunderstand me. I meant this—that we may never see Tim again, and I should like to give him a present for a keepsake, something that will put him in mind of us when he looks at it."