dy as brown as a berry from the hot sun under which he
worked every day, turned redder than he had been before, if that was
possible. But, wisely, he made no attempt to answer Dolly. He had
already been inveigled into two or three arguments with the sharp witted
girl from the city, and he had no mind for any more of the cutting
sarcasm with which she had withered him up each time just as he thought
he had got the best of her.

Still, in spite of her sharp tongue and her fondness for teasing him,
Walt liked Dolly better than any of the girls from the city who were
staying on the farm, and he was always glad to welcome her when she
appeared where he was working, even though she interrupted his work, and
made it necessary for him to stick to his job after the others were
through in order to make up for lost time. But Dolly had little use for
him, in spite of his obvious devotion, which all the other girls had
noticed. And this time his silence didn't save him from another sharp
thrust.

"Goin' to that ice-cream festival over to the Methodist Church at Deer
Crossin' to-night?" she asked him, trying to imitate his peculiar
country accent.

"I'm aimin' to," he said uncomfortably. "You said you was goin' to let
me take you. Isn't that so?"

"Oh, yes--I suppose so," she said, tossing her head again. "But I never
said I'd let you bring me home, did I? Maybe I'll find some one over
there I like better to come home with."

Walter didn't answer, which proved that, young as he was, and
inexperienced in the ways of city girls like Dolly, he was learning
fast. But just then a bell sounded from the farm, and the girls dropped
their pitchforks quickly.

"Dinner time!" cried Margery Burton, happily. "Come on down, you two,
and we'll go over to that big tree and eat our dinner in the shade.
Walter, if you'll go and fetch us a pail of water from the spring, we'll
have dinner ready when you get back. And I bet you'll be surprised when
you see what we've got, too--something awfully good. We got Mrs. Farnham
to let us put up the best lunch you ever saw!"

"Yes you did!" gibed Walter. He wasn't half as much afraid of Margery
and the other girls who never teased him, as he was of Dolly Ransom, and
he didn't like them as well, either. Perhaps it was just because Dolly
made a point of teasing him that he was so fond of her. But he picked
up the pail, obediently enough, and went off. When he was out of hearing
Bessie shook her finger repr