n. I guess we can't see
very far ahead in this world." And then he smiled grimly. "I guess we
never know when we're going to get a puncture. There's got to be patches
on the tire before we get home."

She gave a little shrug that she had learned from her mother and walked
over to him. She clasped his chin in her fingers and tilted his head so
that she looked straight through his spectacles into his eyes.

"Let's stay on the bank; the swimming's dangerous!"

"What are you talking about?" he blurted, fearing that a mussing was
imminent.

"Getting married! But you--"

She turned his head the better to search his face for telltale signs.

"You beautifulest of old sinners, how about Rose?"

He jerked himself free and pushed away from her with a screeching of the
new chair's casters.

"Thunder!" he gasped. "Don't you ever think that!"

"Sure you're not fooling!" she demanded, amused at the look of horror in
his face.

He drew out his handkerchief and mopped his face. His manner was that of
a man who, having heard bad news, has just been assured of its falsity.

"I guess," he said, "if I was fool enough--at my age--Rose wouldn't be.
I've got along so far, and I guess I can pull through."

"Then," said Phil cheerfully, "we'll pull through together! This
marriage business doesn't look good to me!"

"Thunder!" He looked at her narrowly. "I wish to the Lord I could keep
_you_."

"Watch me! You know we're going abroad next summer to see mamma; that's
a date. I guess you'll keep me all right enough until you get tired of
me, or I break the bank! But why chat we here? Let's set the gasoline
alight and ho for the well-hoed fields of corn!"

* * * * *

Phil carried a bundle of mail to her father to which he addressed
himself after the supper they cooked for themselves in the camp in their
old fashion. Amzi scorned their invitation to join them, as he frankly
confessed his inability to find joy in sitting on a boulder and drinking
coffee out of a tin cup. He preferred the comforts of his own farmhouse
and Fred's society.

Phil had promised to visit him later, and finding that her father became
engrossed immediately in an engineer's report on the Illinois traction
property, she stole away.

She took the familiar ascent slowly, pausing now and then to listen to
the murmur and rush of the waters beneath. From the top of the cliff she
called down to assure her father of her safety. The d