with it before all the girls.

"You boys teased me to come along because you didn't know where to
find the nuts," said Kit.

The girls began to nudge each other, making whimpered explanations and
commentaries, agreeing that is was mean in Dick to mind Kit, and Clara
Hooks spoke up boldly;

"I wanted Kit to come along because he's pleasant and isn't forever
quarreling."

"Oh!" Dick sneered more moderately, "we all know you like Kit Pott.
You and he had better get hitched; then, you'd be pot-hooks."

This set everybody to laughing, even Dirk's adversary, Bob Trotter.

"Pretty bright!" said Julius Zink.

"Bright, but not pretty," said Mat Snead, blushing at the sound of her
voice.

"Hurrah! Mat's waked up," said Julius.

"It's the first time she's spoken since we started," said Sarah
Ketchum.

"This isn't the first time you've spoken," Mat quietly retorted,
blushing over again.