"We shall have a splendid time," said Daniel, untying the rope which secured the boat to a post driven firmly into the ground near the shore.
Jimmy stood watching Daniel's skilful movements, for the boy had often accompanied his father, and knew well how to manage an oar.
"Yes," he repeated, "we shall have a splendid time;" but there was another voice inside his breast which whispered, "You are a truant boy, and you know your parents will be displeased."
There was not a breath of wind; and they rowed round and round the pond sometimes close to the banks, and then steering out into the middle of the pond. Jimmy grew so excited when Daniel allowed him for a few minutes to handle the oars that he forgot all about home, and mother, and school. He stood up, and waved his straw hat to another company of boaters off at a distance. He sang and shouted with delight.
At last the distant whistle of a steam engine reminded Daniel that it was time for them to draw up to the shore, fasten the boat, and return home.
"Haven't we had a good time, though?" questioned the boy, carefully securing the knot exactly as he found it. "You see there's not a bit of danger; and you'll get home just in time, nobody will know but what you have been at school. If father isn't using the boat we'll go again to-morrow. You'll soon be able to manage an oar as well as I do."
"I like it first rate," answered Jimmy; but his voice did not sound hearty as it did when he was in the middle of the pond. He did not think he would like to go quite so soon as to-morrow; but he kept this thought to himself. Dan was marching up from the pond to the main road with his hand in his pocket whistling Shoo fly. He wished he felt like whistling; but he didn't.
"Now," said Dan in a gay tone, "I'll go across lots. We'd better not be seen together, somebody might guess where we'd been," and off he ran, springing over a stone wall at one bound, and was soon out of sight.
Jimmy did not feel like running. There was a heavy load at his heart which grew heavier every minute. Nothing could be lovelier than the scene around him. The trees were laden with blossoms which filled the air with their fragrance; the birds were twittering in the branches, the long shadows fell, over the smooth green grass, the little ants by the wayside were hurrying with another load to their houses of sand; but Jimmy noticed nothing of all these beauties. Indeed he could not see very well, for his eyes had tears in them, which he tried to wipe away.
A little dog ran out from a house and barked joyfully when he saw who it was; but though Jimmy often had a game with him, now he only said: