As it happened, Elizabeth Ann and Doris had a chance to become acquainted with Roger Calendar on the way home. Uncle Hiram came up with him about half a mile out of town, and offered him a “lift.”
“You children want to know each other,” said Uncle Hiram, as Roger climbed into the seat beside him. “Elizabeth Ann and Doris, this is Roger Calendar who is our neighbor; and Roger, these are my nieces. They start school to-morrow, and if they’re late for the bus you let me know. I don’t let anyone on my ship get tardy marks more than once.”
Roger smiled a little shyly at the two girls. He had a friendly face and nice dark eyes and hair. But his clothes were terribly patched and Elizabeth Ann didn’t wonder he was ashamed of his shoes. She caught a glimpse of them, patched with great squares of different colored leather, before Roger seemed to suddenly remember them, and then he thrust his feet out of sight, under the seat as far as they would go.
“You’ll be on time all right, if Cathy Gould calls for you,” said Roger. “Hardly anyone is late, anyway, because if you miss the bus you never can walk to school in time for the nine o’clock bell. The only thing to do is to turn around and go home and be marked absent for a day.”
When they reached the road that led to the Bostwick farm, Roger insisted he must get out.
“I’ll drive you all the way in,” offered Uncle Hiram. “I have plenty of time. That package you are carrying is too heavy for a boy your size, anyway. Better let me take you right up to the barn door, Roger.”
“No, please,” Roger said, getting out of the car so hastily that he almost tripped. “You’re awfully good, Mr. Kent, but Mr. Bostwick doesn’t like me to take rides. He wouldn’t like it if he saw you bringing me home.”
“What did I tell you about calling me Mr. Kent?” said Uncle Hiram in his crossest voice.
“I forgot—I honestly did,” Roger apologized. “I meant to say ‘Uncle Hiram.’ Good-by, Uncle Hiram, and thank you a lot for the lift. Good-by, Elizabeth Ann and Doris—see you in school to-morrow.”
He lifted the heavy package that pulled him over sideways when he carried it, and almost ran down the road to the Bostwick farm.