“But when he comes back,” chirped up Millie, “maybe he’ll bring an Indian Prince—to Gloria.”
“A Prince! I thought you might have said a little slave, one of those water pitcher kind,” laughed Ben.
“Oh, yes, with the earrings—” added Millie.
“And the masquerade costumes,” ventured Gloria.
“Well, I’ll say he ought to bring something pretty nice to make up for taking you away from all this,” conceded Ben. “Don’t you hate to leave it?”
“Oh, you mustn’t,” warned Millie, jumping up quickly. “We are all pledged to keep Gloria—to—to—”
“Oh, I see. A thousand pardons!” begged the young man. “And maybe I’m keeping you from something more important, although it couldn’t be more enjoyable than this,” he declared.
“Now see here, Miss Millie Graham,” he objected, “I didn’t say _this_,” touching his coat with his field glasses, “I said that!” waving them at the scenery.
They all laughed. Somehow it seemed easier to laugh than to reply, and Millie just loved a good giggle.
A shout in a well-known voice attracted their attention.
“Oh, here comes Tom!” exclaimed Gloria. “I wonder if—”
“No, nothing is the matter,” quickly interrupted Millie. “Don’t be so jumpy, Glo. You are really getting fidgety.”
Along the rocky footpath Tom was scrambling up to their retreat.
“Hey, Glo!” sang out Tom. “Here’s a special!”
Gloria was jumpy. Her heart pounded just now.
“It is from New York,” volunteered Tom. Then he saw the young man who had been just a little lower down on the other side of the big rock. Tom’s blue eyes swept critically over the stranger before he turned to leave.
“Wait a minute, Tom,” said Millie. “You want to meet our new neighbor. This is Ben Hardy who is going to live in Gloria’s place.”
“Oh,” said Tom, not over friendly. Then “Hello,” he added with a measured smile. “I guess your mail is coming on ahead. I saw some for Mr. Hardy this morning,” he said simply.
“You help the postmaster out, I see,” replied Ben without any effort to impose upon the boy standing bareheaded in the sun. “Yes, I suppose the mail will find us even out here,” he added. “Going back to town? So am I. We can toddle together,” suggested Ben good naturedly.
“I’d like to only I’m on my wheel,” replied Tom, losing sight of his resentment in the young man’s affability. Tom did resent any young fellow’s coming in on his friendship with Millie and Gloria. That may have been how he felt, but possibly he would not have put it just that way.