e think well of him.

"I can jump off our high-board fence to the ground," he boasted.

Celia seemed impressed.

"My knife's nothing," said Bobby, "My father's got a razor that can cut
anything. He lets me take it whenever I want it. It's awful sharp. If I
had it here I could cut this boat right in two with it."

"My!" said Celia, "But I wouldn't want to cut it in two. Would you?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Bobby, his legs apart, his head on one side. He
was sure now that he liked this new acquaintance; she seemed pleasantly
to be awestricken. "Come on, let's go in the back part of the boat" he
suggested, "and I'll show you things."

"All right," said she.

Bobby led her past the scornful Angus to the narrow deck.

"This is the engine room," he announced out of his new knowledge.

But Celia did not care for it.

"It's awfully dirty," said she.

This was a new point of view; and Bobby marvelled. However, she was
delighted with the after-deck, and the wake, and the attendant waves.
Bobby showed them off to her as though they had been his private
possessions. This was the first little girl he had ever known. The
novelty appealed to him; the daintiness of her; the freshness and
cleanness; the dependence of her on Bobby's ten years of experience--all
this brought out the latent and instinctive male admiration of the
child. He remained heedless of the other three boys hanging awkwardly in
the middle distance. All his small store of knowledge he poured out
before her--he told her everything, without reservation--of Duke, and
the sand-hills, and the fort, and Sir Thomas Malory, and the booms, and
the Flobert Rifle, and the "Dutchmen" on the side street. She found it
all interesting. They became very good friends.

In the meantime Mr. Bradford had long since laid aside the banjo, and
was basking in Miss Proctor's unshared attention. The pleased smile
never left his face; the lean of his head bespoke deep deference; the
curve of his body respectful devotion. He talked in a low voice, and
every moment or so Miss Proctor would giggle, or exclaim, "Oh, Mr.
_Bradford_!" in a pleased and reproving voice.

In the meantime the tug was going rapidly up river; and yet, with the
exception of an occasional glance from some isolated individual, and the
sporadic attention of the boys, no one saw what was passing. All were
absorbed by the people, the little happenings and the talk aboard the
craft. So without comment they swept p