a boy, that the time would come when they would be like
strangers to each other--Mr. Paul Shaw slipped the snap-shot and letter
back into their envelope.

It was that afternoon that he spent considerable time over a catalogue
devoted entirely to sporting goods; and it was a fortnight later that
Patience came flying down the garden path to where Pauline and Hilary
were leaning over the fence, paying a morning call to Bedelia, sunning
herself in the back pasture.

"You'll never guess what's come _this_ time! And Jed says he reckons
he can haul it out this afternoon if you're set on it! And it's
addressed to the 'Misses Shaw,' so that means it's _mine, too_!"
Patience dropped on the grass, quite out of breath.

The "it" proved to be a row-boat with a double set of oar-locks, a
perfect boat for the lake, strong and safe, but trig and neat of
outline.

Hilary named it the "Surprise" at first sight, and Tom was sent for at
once to paint the name in red letters to look well against the white
background and to match the boat's red trimmings.

Its launching was an event. Some of the young people had boats over at
the lake, rather weather-beaten, tubby affairs, Bell declared them,
after the coming of the "Surprise." A general overhauling took place
immediately, the girls adopted simple boating dresses--red and white,
which were their boating colors. A new zest was given to the water
picnics, Bedelia learning to know the lake road very well.

August had come before they fairly realized that their summer was more
than well under way. In little more than a month the long vacation
would be over. Tom and Josie were to go to Boston to school; Bell to
Vergennes.

"There'll never be another summer quite like it!" Hilary said one
morning. "I can't bear to think of its being over."

"It isn't--yet," Pauline answered.

"Tom's coming," Patience heralded from the gate, and Hilary ran indoors
for hat and camera.

"Where are you off to this morning?" Pauline asked, as her sister came
out again.

"Out by the Cross-roads' Meeting-House," Tom answered. "Hilary has
designs on it, I believe."

"You'd better come, too, Paul," Hilary urged. "It's a glorious morning
for a walk."

"I'm going to help mother cut out; perhaps I'll come to meet you with
Bedelia 'long towards noon. You wait at Meeting-House Hill."

"_I'm_ not going to be busy this morning," Patience insinuated.

"Oh, yes you are, young lady," Pauline told her.