Tommy felt strangely tongue-tied—a new and wholly perplexing experience. He was relieved when they arrived at the shallows, and waded carefully into the stream.
As the hat sailed down, he dexterously caught it, and came back in triumph.
"Oh, thank you so much. I hope you aren't very wet."
Tommy examined the upturned edge of his knickerbockers, and then looked into a pair of wide black eyes.
"Not a bit, hardly," he said, and he thought her cheeks were redder than any he had seen. He did not, as a rule, approve of girls, but he felt that there was a kindred spirit twinkling behind those black eyes.
"I think I must go back," said she.
"Wh—what is your name?" stammered Tommy, with a curious desire to prolong the time.
She laughed.
"I think you might tell me yours."