Page:Stanwood Pier--Harding of St Timothys.djvu/205

Rh deliberate slight. It seemed somehow especially unkind to pass a lame fellow who was limping along on crutches, and not linger and talk with him a while.

Moreover, with Harry's growing admiration for Rupert there had been a growing jealousy of Rupert's intimacy with Stoddard; and there was now perhaps a personal reluctance on Harry's part to pass and leave Stoddard in undivided possession of this intimacy.

At any rate, the incident prompted Harry to utter his protest as soon as the Crown was assembled at the sacred rock.

"Fellows," he said, "I'd like to know if you aren't getting tired of this secret society business? We all know it's just a fake. Is n't it about time to drop it?"

"Oh shucks, no!" declared Frank Windsor. "It's amusing, and besides, it keeps the other fellows guessing."

"This is n't our busy season," put in Bruce Watson. "When it's necessary to run things we can do a lot of good."

"It seems to me the Crown has done con-