Nevertheless, these unconscious revelations of her real self were to him as jewels of price, and he treasured the memory of them accordingly.
He watched them swim back and disappear among the rocks, and presently go merrily up the bare slope again; and he lay long in the bracken, scarce daring to move, and when he did, he crept away warily, as one guilty of a trespass.
And glad he was that he had done so, for he had proof of her feeling that same night at supper.
Peter Mauger came sheepishly in again with Tom, and Tom, when he had satisfied the edge of his hunger, must wax facetious in his brotherly way.
"Peter and me was sitting among the rocks over against big pool s'afternoon and we saw things"—with a grin.
"Aw, Tom!" deprecated Peter in red confusion.
"An' Peter, he said he never seen anything so pretty in all his life as—"
"Aw now, Tom, you're a liar! I never said anything about it."
"You thought it, or your face was liar too, my boy. Like a dog after a rabbit it was."
"It was just like you both to lie watching," flamed Nance. "If you'd both go and jump into the sea every day you'd be a great deal nicer than you are; and if you'd stop there it would be a great deal nicer for us."