“I’ll lend it to you to-day,” said Frank pleasantly to Mr. North, adding with a lordly look in Kate’s direction, “but my boat is not for sale.”
Mr. North walked to the Point with the children, and, having secured the boat, soon departed for the day. He returned at evening and was a good deal surprised at seeing the young girl he had noticed with Frank in the morning, waiting at the little boathouse, apparently to meet him. He was astonished when she questioned him thus:
“Do you wish to buy my brother’s boat?”
“Yes, if he will sell it to me; it is a good little affair and answers my purpose nicely: that is, if it can be taken care of here for me until the spring.”
“O, yes,” said Kate. “But how much will you give for it?”
“How much does your brother ask for it?”
“O, I don’t know as he will sell it; but I know how much my father paid for it. He gave forty dollars in the spring, and Frank named it to please me; but I wish he would sell it and you would buy it.” Then with a quick impulse, Kate asked, “How much did Frank’s new clothes cost?”
Without giving direct reply, Mr. North said: “We will make an exchange, if your brother pleases—I will take the boat for the uniform.”
“What a good way! Thank you,” said Kate softly, and before the words had died away upon the air, she was off to the house with the good news to Frank, but Frank was not at home. When he did arrive, he was cross and peevish, and would not take with a grain of good sense or amiability one word that Kate said; and so she resolved to keep her secret about the boat until morning.