Again Teresa twanged at her banjo, a little angrily on this occasion, so that the boy’s sensitive face twitched.
“Oh, for goodness sake don’t make that noise, please, Teresa, and don’t be annoyed. I’d like to talk to you if I had time. I don’t think I am fond of the banjo as a musical instrument, but I’ve simply got to find Dorothy. If you don’t know where she is will you ask Miss Mason? Tell her it is important or I would not have appeared. Oh, yes, I know the Boy Scouts are more welcome visitors at present than they were, still I really have too much else to do ordinarily!”
So worried was Lance’s expression that Teresa relented.
“You might tell me what you have on your mind. If you don’t wish to, why, I do know where Dorothy is. She and Tory Drew and Louise and little Lucy rowed over to the other side of the lake, not far off. If you are in a hurry you can take the other canoe and join them. It will require less time than walking around the shore and I’ll go with you if you’d like to have me come.”
Lance flushed.
“You will think I am rude I am afraid, Teresa, but it is rather a private matter I want to talk over with Dorothy, so if you don’t object I’ll row over alone. Some other time you and I——”
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
“Oh, it does not make any difference,” she returned, and began humming a gay little tune and playing more softly.
As he entered the silver canoe and started paddling across the shallow lake Lance regretted his decision. His was a nature not so uncommon as people suppose. He disliked hurting people in small ways, in larger and more important ways he was apparently indifferent.
He liked Teresa and thought her extremely pretty.