“I try to be honest,” he turned to her.
“I believe you,” she replied sympathetically.
He thought for awhile. “I talk everything out,” he explained. “It annoys folks, I see.”
“I like it.”
“I know you do.”
“Even when it is just silly.” She would not let him feel too secure!
“That’s what I most fear, that all my honesty is leading me to no honesty at all.” He was too absorbed in himself to notice her gibe. “Sometimes I wish I could foresee the future and gather what my life really means after all. Deep within me I feel there is a tremendous change coming. I feel almost like a caterpillar grub just before he bursts into a butterfly. All my philosophizing may be just caterpillar-views; I’ll laugh at it all when I take my first winging flight across the hills. Don’t take my sayings too seriously.”
“Gracious! When have I ever done that?”
“Good point!” He recognized the hit. “Let’s get back to Walter. He’s not hopeless. Didn’t you see the way he manœuvered that boat? Didn’t you notice his eyes? The first signs of intelligence I have seen in them. He was interested in that boat and vain as a rooster when we flattered him. Given interest in something decent, with a little vanity, and anybody can be saved. Let’s swim in and break the news to him. I’m awfully hopeful.”
“Walter’s lazy beyond belief,” she said as they swam.