"What are you doing there?"

"Baling."

"Yes; and you were going over yonder without me?"

Scarlett sat tapping the gunwale of the boat with the pot, having ceased
to bale.

"Yes, I knew you were," continued Fred, in an altered tone, as the other
remained silent.

"Come, now, confess."

"I don't know that I need call it confessing," said Scarlett, throwing
back his head and speaking haughtily. "It's our boat, and our lake, and
that place is all ours."

"Yes; but we were schoolfellows, and we found it together."

Scarlett winced a little at this. "And you were going to steal a march
and find it all out by yourself. I do call it mean," cried Fred,
angrily. "I didn't think you'd do such a thing, Scar, and--"

"You thought just the same," said Scarlett, quickly, "and meant to take
the boat before I was up, and that's why you are here."

He looked sharply at Fred, who thrust his hands in his pockets, and
suddenly became interested in the movements of a bald coot, which was
paddling in and out among the reeds which grew right into the lake.

"There now, you're found out too, and you're as bad as I am," cried
Scarlett.

"Well, I only meant it as a surprise. Is she very leaky?"

Scarlett seemed disposed to hold off, but the interest of the project in
hand swept all that away, and he replied sociably enough.

"No; she has been so deep in the water and got so soaked, that I don't
think much comes in."

"Bale away, then," cried Fred.

"Suppose you have a turn. I'm getting hot."

Fred required no further hint, but stripping off his jerkin and rolling
up his sleeves, he was soon at work scooping up the water and sending it
flying and sparkling in the morning sunshine, while Scarlett sat and
chatted.

"I didn't care to ask Nat to clean out the boat," he said, "for he's
such an inquisitive fellow. He'd have wanted to know what I was going
to do, and if I hadn't told him--"

"I know," said Fred, making a momentary iris as he sent the water
flying, "he'd have hidden away and watched you."

"Yes; sure to."

"And Samson's just the same. I have to cheat him sometimes. But it
didn't matter cheating old Nat. What I think was so shabby was trying
to cheat me."

Scarlett was silent for a minute.

"I should have told you afterwards," he said. "Here, let me have a turn
now."

"No; I shall finish," replied Fred, wielding the old pot with increased
energy, "just to show you how forgiving I am."

"Ah! b