“Oh, I ain’t particular!” he answered with cheerful indifference. “You could draw lots for it if you was a-minded to. Or you can take turns if you want. I kin git half a day off onct a week I guess.”
“That’s very kind of you,” said Mrs. Bonnell, while Natalie had to stuff her handkerchief in her mouth, and Marie and Mabel suddenly discovered that they had something vitally important in the tent that must be fetched immediately.
“I—I’m afraid we can’t come now, Reuben,” said Mrs. Bonnell gently. “You see we have to do our after-lunch work, and then we have other things to do. Some other time——”
“I’ll come any time you want me,” he said eagerly. “Jest let me know a day ahead so’s I kin git off, and I’ll come. I’ll take anybody out,” he added cheerfully. Then, bringing one hand from behind his back where he had kept it during the talk, he held out some wild flowers and ferns.
“I brought these,” he said. “You kin have ’em,” and he thrust them toward Natalie, who had returned from the tent where she had mastered her near-hysterics.
“Oh, thank you!” she exclaimed, as she slipped them in her belt. “They are very pretty.”
“Oh, I kin git heaps more,” he said with proper indifference. “I guess I’ll go over and see how the boys’ stings is comin’ on,” he added. “And I’ll take you rowin’ any time you like—one at a time. Maybe you’d want to go to Bear Pond agin,” he added. “I’ll row you as far as we kin go, and we’ll walk the rest of the way.”
“Not now, thank you,” said Mrs. Bonnell. “We’ll think about it,” and Reuben walked off toward the boys’ camp.
“Oh, oh, Natalie!” laughed Marie, when he was out of hearing.
“It was you he favored last time!” declared breath-of-the-pine-tree, as she re-arranged her flowers. “And really he meant to be kind.”