the slim youngster by his side as if it had been the most
natural thing in the world. "Many times, as far as the pilot station,
with papa. And last summer he took me along on a real journey to
England. That's where our family comes from, and we were gone three
whole weeks."

"Were you scared," Keith asked almost in a whisper.

"No." Murray shook his head with quick assurance. "That is, not much. We
had a storm in the North Sea coming back, but papa said it was nothing
to be afraid of, and for a while I was too sick to care."

"Sick!" Keith echoed. "And were you not awfully scared?"

"No," Murray insisted, looking rather pleased. "Not much."

Keith was too overwhelmed to ask more questions just then. The rest of
the way home was traversed in silence. At the corner of the lane they
parted with a mutual nod. Then Keith bolted up the lane and up the three
nights of stairs. Entering the kitchen breathlessly, he yelled out with
his cap still on his head: "I walked home with Murray who lives at the
corner and whose papa owns seven ships and who sits next to me in
the class."

"Little boys should be civil," suggested Granny with a glance at the
cap. "And they should also remember that equals make the best playmates,
and that all is not gold that glistens."

"Oh, he's my equal," Keith declared triumphantly.

"With plenty to spare," retorted Granny. "But are you his?"

It made Keith walk home alone the next day, and as he shuffled along
listlessly, the almost obliterated memory of Harald came back to him.

XVI

The attraction had been established, however--on one side at least--and
it would not let itself be smothered. Nor did Keith make any strong
effort in that direction. It was not his way. He found it as hard to
abstain from what gave him pleasure for the moment as to bear whatever
seemed unpleasant or painful.

Murray made no approaches of any kind, but he did not resist. His
acceptance of Keith's friendship was purely passive, and there was
always a limit to it. At first they simply walked home together from
school. Of course, they sat side by side during the lessons, but Murray
gave his whole attention to the teacher or to his book. If Keith tried
to whisper to him, Murray merely frowned at him. During the pauses they
were often together, chatting or playing, but it could also happen that
Murray chose to mix with some group of fellow pupils in such a manner
that Keith could not get near to him. Sometimes