towed
boat in by the line. I offered to assist Miss Colton ashore, but she,
apparently, did not see my proffered hand. Victor scrambled out by
himself. No one said anything. I untied the rope and pulled it in. Then
I prepared to push off.

"Here!" growled Victor. "Wait a minute."

I looked up. He was standing at the edge of the water, with one hand in
his pocket. Miss Colton was behind him.

"Well?" I asked.

"I haven't paid you yet," he said, sullenly. "How much?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. I knew, of course, but it pleased me to
make him say it.

"Why, how much for towing us in? What's your price? Come, hurry up."

"I haven't any price. I'm not in the salvage business."

"Not--Say, don't bargain. What's your price, I ask you?"

"Nothing, of course. Very glad to have been of assistance."

I took up my oars.

"Here!" he shouted. "Stop! hold on! Confound you! do you suppose we
don't intend to pay you for this?"

I shook my head. "It has been a pleasure," I said, sweetly. "Good day."

I rowed off, but all the way down to my boathouse I smiled contentedly.
I had seen the look on Mabel Colton's face. I rather thought I had
evened the account between us; at least I had reduced the balance a
trifle. This time it was not I who appeared ridiculous.

Dorinda saw me when I entered the kitchen. Her hands were upraised.

"My soul and body!" she exclaimed. "LOOK at them pants! LOOK at 'em! And
I ain't had time to put a needle to your other ones yet!"

CHAPTER VI

The rain, which I expected would follow the squall, did not come until
late that night, and it was still falling heavily the next morning.
It was a warm rain, however, and, after breakfast, I walked up to the
village. I said nothing, even to Mother, about the happenings in the
bay, and Dorinda, who had asked many sarcastic questions concerning the
state of my blue trousers--if I had "mistook 'em for a bathin' suit" and
the like--seemed satisfied with my hurried explanation that I had gotten
overboard. "Though how you fell in feet fust," she observed, "I don't
see." She had mended my brown pair, sitting up until after two to do so.

Lute informed me that he had been up to the post-office. "Everybody's
talkin' about them Coltons," he declared. "I see their automobile last
night, myself. The Colton girl, she come into the store. My! she's a
stunner, ain't she! Sim waited on her, himself, and gave her the mail.
She wanted to buy some cheese--for