"I think we're very rich," differed his sweetheart shyly.
Joyce looked from one to the other suspiciously. "I haven't a notion what either of you mean, but I know I'm going to hang on to this check, Mr. Millionaire Pauper."
Imps of mischief sparkled in the highgrader's eyes. "Don't forget that Verinder has to write one for twice as much."
Miss Seldon could not help laughing. "I'll see to that. He's not a welcher, but ... I wonder how he'll look when I tell him."
"You ought to tell him as soon as you can," Jack hinted boldly.
"Oh, ought I? Did you say you had been engaged less than a minute, Mr. Kilmeny? How much will you give me to go down now and tell him?"
"I've nothing left to give--except my gratitude."
"You're the first man who ever was so ungallant as to tell me he would be grateful to have me leave him."
"I'm the first who ever proposed to another girl in your presence. The circumstance is unusual," he flung back gayly.
"I didn't hear you propose. All you did was to announce it," she replied saucily.
"That's true too," admitted Kilmeny. "Well, I'm going to propose now if it isn't too late. You may stay if you like."
"Thanks, no." Joyce kissed her friend. "I hope you'll be very happy, dear. I ... I believe you will."
Moya choked on her words. "I know I shall, Joy."
Miss Seldon looked at Jack with an expression in which embarrassment and audacity were blended. "I've always rather liked your pauper," she confided aloud to Moya.
Her confidences had their limits. She omitted to mention what had just popped into her mind, that within the fortnight he had proposed to her too on the same spot.
Jack bowed with exaggerated deference when she shook hands with him. He was just now riding the seventh wave of happiness and felt friendly to the whole world.
"Thanks very much. You're a good scout, Joyce."
"Good gracious! What may that be? Some more of your American slang, I suppose." She broke away from persiflage to add seriously: "You're right about one thing, though. You've got the best girl in the world. Be good to her, Jack Kilmeny."
With that she turned and walked down the hill.
"I'm so proud of you, Jack, boy," whispered one of them.
He laughed happily. "I'm proud of myself. I've done the best day's work I ever did for myself when I won Moya Dwight."