“Gosh, what are you trying to do, marry her off or something?”
“Of course not, silly. What would I want to do that for? I’m going to miss you, Buzzy,” she added irrelevantly.
“I won’t be leaving until the end of July, so don’t get mournful, yet.”
Later that day, Kit’s confidence in Buzzy was restored, when he came up with a pail of spring water and remarked to Jean, “Say, if you go down where Ralph’s cutting now, you’ll see a bobwhite’s nest and speckled eggs. Don’t take any, though.” And Jean ran off to inspect the nest. “Is that what you meant, Kit?” he said, after Jean had gone.
“You’re getting the idea.”
Ralph was almost finished cutting the hay when Jean ran up. “Buzzy said you found a bird’s nest over here. I came to see it.”
“It’s over this way. Come on, I’ll show it to you,” Ralph said, taking her hand.
“Gee,” said Jean, when he had pointed out the nest with the three speckled eggs, “the country holds so many surprises. Where I used to live we never saw things like this, except in the educational movies they showed us at school. Even in the short time we’ve lived here, I’ve learned so much about the outdoors. Why, now I can name the birds I hear singing in the woods and recognize the wildflower plants even when they’re not in bloom. It’s really amazing.”
“I know,” said Ralph, looking down at her and smiling. “Even I have learned a good deal during my visit. It’s much different from the prairies that I’m used to.”
“Really?” said Jean, returning his gaze. “Tell me what the country out there is like. You haven’t said much about it, you know.”