CHAPTER XXV
THE NEW BOAT
Herbert worked steadily every forenoon on his farm. Cameron thenproposed that they should take the forenoon for their studies and walkout or exercise in some other way in the afternoon.
One afternoon Cameron said: “Let us take a walk to Prospect Pond; Ithink I should enjoy a little rowing.”
“I will accompany you with pleasure, Mr. Cameron,” said Herbert, “butdon’t ask me to go out in the boat with you.”
“Why not? Are you afraid I will upset you?”
“No,” answered Herbert; “I have confidence in your skill. Besides, I canswim.”
“What is your objection, then?”
“If the boat belonged to anyone but James Leech I would not mind.”
“Why should you mind that?”
“I met him last evening and he told me not to get into his boat again.He said he was perfectly willing you should use it, but he didn’t chooseto have me.”
“It appears that I am a greater favorite with James Leech than you are,” said Cameron, smiling.
“He looks down upon me as a poor boy.”
“Well, I suppose James is entitled to his prejudice; but if you can’tuse the boat, I won’t.”
“Don’t let that interfere with your pleasure, Mr. Cameron,” saidHerbert, eagerly. “I don’t trouble myself in the least about the wayJames treats me.”
“Let us go down to the pond, at any rate. We can sit down on the bank,if nothing better.”
“All right.”
An easy walk brought them to the edge of the pond. Herbert naturallylooked for James Leech’s boat. He thought something was the matter withhis eyes, for where there should be but one boat there were now two.
“Why, there’s another boat!” he exclaimed.
“Is there?” asked Cameron, indifferently.
“Yes, don’t you see it?”
“Well, it does look like a boat, I admit. I should say it was nicer thanthe other.”
“I should say it was. Isn’t she a regular beauty?” exclaimed Herbert,enthusiastically. “I wonder whose it is? James wouldn’t want two.”
There was a smile on Cameron’s face that attracted Herbert’s attention.
“Is it yours?” he asked.
“No; I know who owns it, though.”
“It isn’t the landlord, is it?”
“No.”
“Then I can’t imagine whose it is,” said Herbert.
“Can’t you?”
“No,” said Herbert. “Will you tell me?”
“It is yours!”
“Mine!” exclaimed our hero, in the utmost surprise,
“Yes; I intended at first not to give it to you till I went away; butI may as well give it now, on one condition--that you let me use itwhenever I please.”
“How kind you are!” said Herbert, gratefully. “I never received such asplendid present in my life. I have done nothing to deserve it.”
“Let me be the judge of that. Now, with your consent, we will try her.”
With the utmost alacrity Herbert followed Cameron aboard the new craft,and took the oars. Smoothly and easily the boat glided off on thesurface of the pond.
“I like it much better than James’,” said Herbert.
“It’s a better model. His is rather clumsy. Besides, this is new and hemust have had his for some time.”
“He has had it three years.”
“It needs painting.”
“Even if it were painted it wouldn’t come up to this.”
“I agree with you,” said Cameron. “I am afraid James will be stirredwith envy when he sees your boat.”
“I am afraid so, too. He won’t believe it is mine.”
“It may be your duty, out of a delicate regard to his feelings, to giveit up, or exchange,” suggested Cameron.
“That’s a little further than I carry my delicate regard to hisfeelings,” responded Herbert.
After half an hour’s rowing, Cameron said, suddenly: “I must go backto the hotel. I came near forgetting an important letter, which must besent off by this afternoon’s mail.”
Herbert was a little disappointed, still he said, cheerfully: “Allright, Mr. Cameron.”
“Don’t you cease your rowing,” said the collegian.
“I thought you might not like to walk back alone.”
“I don’t mind that. I shall hurry back, and should be poor company. Wewill meet to-morrow morning.”
Cameron set out on his return home. He had gone less than quarter of amile when he met James Leech.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Cameron,” said James, who was always polite to therich manufacturer’s son.
“Good afternoon, James.”
“Won’t you go out in my boat, Mr. Cameron?”
“Thank you, I have just returned from the pond. I am obliged to go backto the hotel to write a letter.”
“I should have been glad of your company.”
“You won’t be alone,” said Cameron, mischievously. “I left HerbertCarter at the pond.”
“Was he out in the boat?” asked James, hastily.
“Yes.”
Without a word James walked abruptly away. He was very angry withHerbert, who, he naturally concluded, was out in his boat.
“He’s the most impudent and cheeky boy I ever met!” he said to himself.“Last evening, I positively forbade his getting into my boat and hedon’t take the slightest notice of it. He needn’t think he can take suchliberties.”
Cameron smiled, as he read James’ feelings in his face.
Just before reaching the pond there was rising ground, from which Jamescould take a general survey of the lake. Herbert was cruising about andhad not yet seen James.
“He don’t think I’m so near,” thought James. “He thinks I won’t knowanything about his impudence. I’ll soon make him draw in his horns.”
In his excitement, James did not notice the boat particularly. If hehad he would have seen that it was not his boat. But, so far as he knew,there was no other boat on the pond. Indeed, there was no boy whosefather could afford to buy him one, and James had come to think himselfsole proprietor of the pond, as well as of the only craft that plied onits surface.
“I wonder,” he thought, “whether I couldn’t have Herbert fined fortaking my property without leave, especially after I have expresslyforbidden him to do it. I must ask my father this evening. It wouldbring down his pride a little to be taken before a justice.”
Herbert had got tired of cruising, and made a vigorous stroke, as if tocross the pond. James put up his hand to his mouth and shouted at thetop of his voice: “Come right back, Herbert Carter!”
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