George, pleased at gaining his point, put two ten-cent pieces in the hands of the owner of the boat, saying:
“I don’t care about the five cents, of course, but I don’t like to pay too much.”
“I understand, Master Randolph,” said the fisherman with a quizzical smile. “In your position, of course, you need to be economical.”
“What do you mean?” asked George with a flushed face.
“Oh, nothing!” answered Ben Bence, smiling.
The smile made George uncomfortable. Was it possible that this common fisherman was laughing at him? But, of course, that did not matter, and he had saved his five cents.
George got home in time for supper, but it was not till after supper that he mentioned to Herbert:
“I saw that young fisherman this afternoon.”
“What young fisherman?”
“The one you played croquet with this morning.”