Page:Stanwood Pier--The ancient grudge.djvu/26

Rh But the little girl, who had been twisting her hands and swaying in agitation, piped,—

"Are n't those my quarters?"

Floyd stared for a moment; then they all broke into a laugh. Mrs. Lee bent down to explain, but Floyd, fishing in his pocket, cried,—

"Why, of course; as long as I took them out of your hair, they certainly do belong to you, Goldie." And then he turned with a comical face to Stewart, who lay giggling. "I've got only one; did n't I give one of them to you?"

The little girl watched her brother with hopefulness while he felt in his pockets. "Yes, this must be it," said Stewart, bringing out a quarter and handing it to Floyd.

"There," said Floyd, as he transferred the two pieces to the child, "I did n't mean to forget. And you'd better be careful not to let them get into your hair again, or somebody will steal them." He patted the bright head, and then he turned and went down the steps.

Mrs. Lee seated herself beside Stewart.

"What a nice boy he is!" she said.

"Yes, and I did n't suppose he was so amusing."

"I was thinking," Mrs. Lee suggested after a pause, "that you and he might room together at college, Stewart. It would be a fine thing if, after the way your acquaintance has begun, it could grow into something close and permanent."

"Why," said Stewart, "I'll think about it. I don't know that I have any objections, if he has n't."

"We must do everything we can for him," Mrs. Lee said fervently. She leaned over and kissed her son, and then exclaimed, laughing, yet with an earnestness which he fully appreciated and accepted, "I'm sure that to room with my Stewart would be a privilege for any boy."

The fir«t morning that Stewart walked down to the bathing beach a warm sea breeze was blowing, the sun, pouring through the birches and maples that arched over