dman can't deny that. We did have the nicest crowd; didn't
we?"

"Well," said Mrs. Pasmer, playfully checking herself in a ready
adhesion, "that depends a good deal upon where Mr. Boardman's spread
was."

"Thank you," said Boardman.

"He wasn't spreading anywhere," cried his friend. "Except himself--he
was spreading himself everywhere."

"Then I think I should prefer to remain neutral," said Mrs. Pasmer,
with a mock prudence which pleased the young men. In the midst of the
pleasure the was giving and feeling she was all the time aware that her
daughter had contributed but one remark to the conversation, and that
she must be seeming very stiff and cold. She wondered what that meant,
and whether she disliked this little Mr. Boardman, or whether she was
again trying to punish Mr. Mavering for something, and, if so, what it
was. Had he offended her in some way the other day? At any rate, she had
no right to show it. She longed for some chance to scold the girl,
and tell her that it would not do, and make her talk. Mr. Mavering
was merely a friendly acquaintance, and there could be no question
of anything personal. She forgot that between young people the social
affair is always trembling to the personal affair.

In the little pause which these reflections gave her mother, the girl
struck in, with the coolness that always astonished Mrs. Pasmer, and as
if she had been merely waiting till some phase of the talk interested
her.

"Are many of the students going to the race?" she asked Boardman.

"Yes; nearly everybody. That is--"

"The race?" queried Mrs. Pasmer.

"Yes, at New London," Mavering broke in. "Don't you know? The University
race--Harvard and Yale."

"Oh--oh yes," cried Mrs. Pasmer, wondering how her daughter should know
about the race, and she not. "Had they talked it over together on Class
Day?" she asked herself. She felt herself, in spite of her efforts to
keep even with them; left behind and left out, as later age must be
distanced and excluded by youth. "Are you gentlemen going to row?" she
asked Mavering.

"No; they've ruled the tubs out this time; and we should send anything
else to the bottom."

Mrs. Pasmer perceived that he was joking, but also that they were not of
the crew; and she said that if that was the case the should not go.

"Oh, don't let that keep you away! Aren't you going? I hoped you were
going," continued the young man, speaking with his eyes on Mrs. Pasmer,
but with his min