219“Well,” Slim burst out, “you’re a real sport, that’s what you are!”
Katherine smiled at his compliment, but tingled within with a warm feeling.
“And you’re a ‘real sport’ for offering to give me your money and work your way. Let’s shake on it.”
Slim gripped her lean, brown hand in his big paw and gave it such a squeeze that she cried out. “Let go my hand, Slim, you’re hurting me.” Slim dropped her hand abruptly.
“Why did you offer to lend me your money?” she asked curiously. “I never did anything for you.”
“Because I like you,” said Slim emphatically, “better than any girl I ever knew.” And blushing like a peony, he departed hastily from the scene.
Katherine smiled whimsically as she looked after him. “My first ‘romance,’” she thought. “With a baby elephant! Slim is a dear boy and I hate myself now because I used to make such fun of him.” And where the passionate laments of the girls had failed to move her, the thought of Slim’s offered sacrifice brought the tears to her eyes. “‘Oh, was there ever such a knight in friendship or in war?’” she quoted softly to herself.
Katherine put her trouble resolutely in the background and refused to discuss it, and activities went on just as before on Ellen’s Isle. “Captain, will you go for the mail this afternoon?” asked Uncle 220 Teddy one day not long after the event of the new camera. “Mr. Evans and I want to spend the day over on the mainland trying to get some bird pictures. One of you boys can run us over to the Point of Pines in the launch and get us again when you come home with the mail. We don’t want to be bothered looking after a boat.”
“All right, sir,” said the Captain.
Aunt Clara and the girls departed to put up a lunch basket for the men while Uncle Teddy and Mr. Evans gathered up the various impedimenta they wanted to take along. The boys took them over to the Point of Pines and then started off on a long ride in the launch, taking all the girls with them except Antha, who had a headache. Not long after they had gone Aunt Clara came out of Uncle Teddy’s tent, which she had seized the opportunity to straighten up, and declared that her husband would forget his head if it weren’t fastened on. She was carrying in her hand the new camera.