Paul Shaw looked long and intently. Somehow he had never
pictured Phil to himself as middle-aged. If anyone had told him, when
the lad was a boy, that the time would come when they would be like
strangers to each other--Mr. Paul Shaw slipped the snap-shot and letter
back into their envelope.
It was that afternoon that he spent considerable time over a catalogue
devoted entirely to sporting goods; and it was a fortnight later that
Patience came flying down the garden path to where Pauline and Hilary
were leaning over the fence, paying a morning call to Bedelia, sunning
herself in the back pasture.
"You'll never guess what's come _this_ time! And Jed says he reckons
he can haul it out this afternoon if you're set on it! And it's
addressed to the 'Misses Shaw,' so that means it's _mine, too_!"
Patience dropped on the grass, quite out of breath.
The "it" proved to be a row-boat with a double set of oar-locks, a
perfect boat for the lake, strong and safe, but trig and neat of
outline.
Hilary named it the "Surprise" at first sight, and Tom was sent for at
once to paint the name in red letters to look well against the white
background and to match the boat's red trimmings.
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