And, since his friend and companion Jim had taken to "having fun"
with "the girl MacCarthy," he objected to being left out in the
cold. So he began to pay marked attentions to Meg, who blushed
right up to her soft, pretty fringe every time he spoke to her,
and looked painfully conscious and guilty if he said anything at
all complimentary to her.
The other boy, Alan Courtney, was very tall and broad-shouldered,
and not at all good-looking. He had a strong, plain face, grey
eyes deeply set, and brown hair that looked as if he was in a
constant state of rumpling it up the wrong way. He was a University
student, and a great footballer, and he never diverted himself on
the long homeward journey in the way Andrew and his friend did.
He used generally to give a half-contemptuous nod as he passed
the little group, uncovering his head for the shortest possible
period consistent with civility, and making his way to the far
end of the boat. One time as he passed them Aldith was drooping
her lashes and using her eyes with great effect, and Meg was almost
positive she heard him mutter under his breath, "Silly young fools!"
He used to smoke at his end of the boat--cigars at the beginning
of term and a short, black, villainous-looking pipe at the end--
and Meg used secretly to think how manly he looked, and to sigh
profoundly.
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