ast like those snippy Boston buds! And she knew golf to the
ground; it seemed the most natural thing in the world to ask her if she
was going to watch Cleaves play to-morrow.

"I thought I'd follow you," she said quietly. "Do you want
to--fire--isn't that what you call it?--your mascot?"

"Will you? Will you really?" he stammered in his pleasure. "I had a
sneaking hope, but I didn't d-dare--I feel if you d-do, I'll beat my
man; they say he is easy, and then I'll be Cleaves' runner-up and get a
cup."

"Why not beat Cleaves and get the big cup?" said she in the same cool
tone. "You can if you will. You know perfectly well you can. Promise me
you will."

"Here and now?" said Willy, smiling faintly, but the light in her eyes
struck a glint in his own. "Done," he added, holding out his hand. Her
clasp was cool and soft, but as firm and frank as a boy's.

"And now," said she, "where's your lawn-mower?"

They had reached the head of the island, where there was a beautifully
shaven sweep of lawn, but no vestige of mower; Willy's pulses beat a
thought faster, and he felt himself a master of stratagem when he
suggested their searching for it in an impossible locality at the
farther end if the island. He found that she could talk as well about
other things as golf. There was no froth in her talk, but she was very
witty; Willy, who passed for an abnormally serious young fellow, laughed
several times. He confessed to her that it was more like talking to a
boy than to a girl to talk to her. "I've always wanted to be a boy," she
laughed. "You can play I am one, if you like."

"But I'm afraid you would miss the pretty speeches, and all that."

"I never had any," she answered, with her flashing smile. "Maybe when
I'm presented I shall have if we have enough money next year to have me
come out. But I don't believe I shall. If you had four sisters all
raving beauties and tremendously fetching, and you couldn't even sing a
song, do nothing but ride and play tennis--well, you wouldn't expect
pretty speeches!"

"Why not? You are pretty, too. You--"

She stopped him with a raised finger and a shrug of her shoulders. He
wondered why he had never noticed before what lovely lines pertain to
girls' shoulders and how daintily their little heads are set on their
smooth olive throats. "Plain truth, you know," said she; "we're playing
being two boys."

To save the situation he went on precipitately, "I dare say I know,
though. I never w