en prospecting this morning," he announced, as they shot along
in the direction of the bridge. "They haven't started to make hay on
the other side, so I'm going to paddle you furiously up-stream until we
find some secret and magical meadow where we can hide and forget about
yesterday's fiasco."

They glided underneath the bridge and left it quivering in the empty
sunlight behind them; they swept silently over the mill-pond while
Pauline held her breath. Then the banks closed in upon their canoe and
Guy fought his way against the swifter running of the water, on and on,
on and on between the long grasses of the uncut meadows, on and on, on
and on past the waterfall where the Abbey stream joined the main stream
and gave it a wider and easier course.

"Phew! it's hot," Guy exclaimed. "Sprinkle me with water."

She splashed him, laughing; and he seized her hand to kiss her dabbled
fingers.

"Laugh, my sweet, sweet heart," he said. "It was your laugh I heard
before I ever heard your voice, that night when I stood and looked at
you and Margaret as if you were two silver people who had fallen down
from the moon."

Again she sprinkled him, laughing, and again he seized her hand and
kissed her dabbled fingers.

"They're as cool as coral," he said. "Why are you wrinkling your nose at
me? Pauline, your eyes have vanished away!"

He plucked speedwell flowers and threw them into her lap.

"When I haven't got you with me," he said, "I have to pretend that the
speedwells are your eyes, and that the dog-roses are your cheeks."

"And what is my nose?" she asked, clapping her hands because she was
sure he would not be able to think of any likeness.

"Your nose is incomparable," he told her, and then he bent to his paddle
and made the canoe fly along so that the water fluted to right and left
of the bows. Ultimately they came to an island where all the afternoon
they sat under a willow that was pluming with scanty shade a thousand
forget-me-nots.

Problems faded out upon the languid air, for Pauline was too well
content with Guy's company to spoil the June peace. At last, however,
she disengaged herself from his caressing arm and turned to him a
serious and puzzled face. And when she was asking her question she knew
how all the afternoon it had been fretting the back of her mind.

"Why was Mother angry with me yesterday because I came into Plashers
Mead to say good night to you?"

"Was she angry?" asked Guy.

"Well, Moni