The bug went in--shot over the bank, dipped down till the little hood sloped below them as though they were looping the loop, struck the rushing water with a splash which hurled yellow drops over Claire's rose jersey suit, lumbered ahead, struck the farther bank, pawed at it feebly, rose two inches, slipped back, and sat there with the gurgling water all around it, turned into a motor-boat. "No can do," grunted Milt. "Scared?" "Nope. Love it! This is a real camp--the brush on the bank, and the stream--listen to it chuckle under the running-board." "Do you like to camp with me?" "Love it." "Say! Gee! Never thought---- Claire! Got your transportation back East?" "My ticket? Yes. Why?" "Well, I'm sure you can turn it in and get a refund. So that's all right." "Are you going to let me in on the secret?" "Oh yes, might's well. I was just wondering---- I don't think much of wasting all our youth waiting---- Two-three years in engineering school, and maybe going to war, and starting in on an engineering job, and me lonely as a turkey in a chicken yard, and you doing the faithful young lady in Brooklyn---- I think perhaps we might get married tomorrow and----" "Good heavens, what do you----?" "Do you want to go back to Brooklyn Gilsonses?" "No, but----" "Dear, can't we be crazy once, while we're youngsters?" "Don't bombard me so! Let me think. One must be practical, even in craziness." "I am. I have over a thousand dollars from the garage, and I can work evenings--as dear Jeff suggested! We'd have a two-by-four flat---- Claire----" "Oh, let me think. I suppose I could go to the university, too, and learn a little about food and babies and building houses and government. I need to go to school a lot more than you do. Besides auction and the piano--which I play very badly--and clothes and how to get hold of tickets for successful plays, I don't know one single thing." "Will you marry me, tomorrow?" "Well, uh----" "Think of Mrs. Gilson's face when she learns it! And Saxton, and that Mrs. Betz!" It was to no spoken sentence but to her kiss that she added, "Providing we ever get the car out of this river, that is!" "Oh, my dear, my dear, and all the romantic ways I was going to propose! I had the best line about roses and stars and angels and everything----" "They always use those, but nobody ever proposed to me in a bug in a flood before! Oh! Milt! Life is fun! I never knew it till you kidnapped me. If you kiss me again like that, we'll both topple overboard. By the way, _can_ we get the car out?" "I think so, if we put on the chains. We'll have to take off our shoes and stockings." Shyly, turning from him a little, she stripped off her stockings and pumps, while he changed from a flivver-driver into a young viking, with bare white neck, pale hair ruffled about his head, trousers rolled up above his straight knees--a young seaman of the crew of Eric the Red.