“Cash prizes in the canoe class, first, twenty-five dollars, second, ten dollars, three third prizes, five dollars each. Now you see, if I get a third prize I’ll be a dollar in, and all the glory reflected on Camp Karonya besides!”
They took a street-car when they got to Wampoag, because the shopping district was a long ways off, and it was a hot day anyway. Tom and Louise watched the other two with curiosity, as they went from store to store, buying things that it seemed impossible could fit into each other; copper wire, red tinsel by the box, paper muslin in what seemed unlimited quantities, though it was really only a little over a dollar’s worth. Then Winona went into one Japanese store alone, and came out with a bagful of paper lanterns and a knobby bundle which she refused to undo or show. They hunted all over three streets for Greek fire, before it occurred to Billy to go back to the hardware store where they had bought their copper wire. He came out with three boxes of it, labelled “Blue,” “Green” and “White,” and seemed rather sad because they had no lavender or gray fire in stock.
“‘They bought a pig and some ring-bo-ree, and no end of Stilton cheese!’” chanted Louise softly. “How on earth are you going to connect all that crazy stuff?”
“You’ll know, all in good time, my dear,” said Winona sedately. “We can go home now. The worst is over.”
“We deserve a soda, at least, for all this,” said Billy.
“Marble-dust,” said Tom solemnly. “Some day, Bill, if you keep on drinking sodas, you’ll turn into a statue, and your sorrowing relatives will have to put you up in the hall for an ornament.”
“Glad I’m as lovely as all that comes to!” said Billy with a grin. “They couldn’t do it to you, old fellow—you aren’t pretty enough!”
“He is pretty, too,” said Louise stoutly. “Somebody told me only yesterday that they thought Tom was so poetic-looking, and had a striking head.”
Billy laughed out loud, and Tom wriggled.
“I take it all back, Louise,” he said. “He is beautiful.”