“Not--Say, don't bargain. What's your price, I ask you?” “Nothing, of course. Very glad to have been of assistance.” I took up my oars. “Here!” he shouted. “Stop! hold on! Confound you! do you suppose we don't intend to pay you for this?” I shook my head. “It has been a pleasure,” I said, sweetly. “Good day.” I rowed off, but all the way down to my boathouse I smiled contentedly. I had seen the look on Mabel Colton's face. I rather thought I had evened the account between us; at least I had reduced the balance a trifle. This time it was not I who appeared ridiculous. Dorinda saw me when I entered the kitchen. Her hands were upraised. “My soul and body!” she exclaimed. “LOOK at them pants! LOOK at 'em! And I ain't had time to put a needle to your other ones yet!” CHAPTER VI The rain, which I expected would follow the squall, did not come until late that night, and it was still falling heavily the next morning. It was a warm rain, however, and, after breakfast, I walked up to the village. I said nothing, even to Mother, about the happenings in the bay, and Dorinda, who had asked many sarcastic questions concerning the state of my blue trousers--if I had “mistook 'em for a bathin' suit” and the like--seemed satisfied with my hurried explanation that I had gotten overboard. “Though how you fell in feet fust,” she observed, “I don't see.” She had mended my brown pair, sitting up until after two to do so. Lute informed me that he had been up to the post-office. “Everybody's talkin' about them Coltons,” he declared. “I see their automobile last night, myself. The Colton girl, she come into the store. My! she's a stunner, ain't she! Sim waited on her, himself, and gave her the mail. She wanted to buy some cheese--for a rabbit, she said. I never heard of feeding a rabbit on cheese, did you, Ros?” “No,” I replied, laughing. It was not worth while to explain. “Nor nobody else, but her! I guess,” continued Lute, “likely she was just jokin'. Anyhow, Sim was all out of cheese, but he had some nice print butter, just in. She didn't want no butter, though.” “Humph!” sniffed Dorinda. “Did Sim Eldredge cal'late she wanted to feed the rabbit butter? Was the Colton girl alone?” “No. There was a young feller with her; the one that's visitin' 'em. Carver his name is--Victor Carver. Did you ever hear such a name in your life? Afore I'd name a child of mine Victor!” “Um-hm. Well, I wouldn't waste time worryin' about that, if I was you. Look here, Lute Rogers, you didn't say anything about Roscoe's talk with Mr. Colton, did you?” “No, no! no, no! Course I didn't.” “You sure?”