"Oh, yes, Charlie, always," replied Lydia, earnestly, even while there flashed through her head the half whimsical thought, "Queer kinds of men want to be friends with me, Mr. Levine, Mr. Marshall, and Charlie. And they all hate each other!"
After this episode, Charlie was less strenuous about showing Lydia Indian conditions. That night he resumed a mild flirtation with Olga that he had dropped when school closed and Olga met him more than half way.
"Wouldn't that come and get you!" growled Kent to Lydia as Charlie and
Olga paddled away in the canoe, the next morning. "Have you and
Charlie had a fight?"
"Nope," replied Lydia. "But I got sick of investigating the reservation. Are you and Olga mad at each other?"
"Not so very! Say, Lyd, let's kill time," Kent interrupted himself with a yawn, "with a tramp up to the settlement for some gum."
Lydia stifled an elaborate yawn, at which Kent grinned. "All right, I can stand it if you can," she said. "Will you come along, Miss Towne?"
Miss Towne, who had been highly edified by the morning's maneuvering shook her head and settled herself in her hammock. "No eight mile walk for me. I'm taking a rest cure. Better wear a hat, Lydia. You're getting dreadfully burned."
"That's right. Your nose is peeling something fierce," said Kent as they started off.
"Huh, yours looks like a pickled beet," returned Lydia. "Come on, pretend I'm Olga and be happy."