Oliver had bounded up the bank to a place beside
her.

"How good it is to find you here. I am so glad."
He WAS glad; he meant every word of it. "Mrs.
Mulligan said you lived up in the woods, but I had no
idea it was in these mountains. Have you had your
luncheon?"

"No, not yet," and Margaret held up a basket.
"Look!" and she raised the lid. "Elderberry pie,
two pieces of cake--"

"Good! and I have three doughnuts and an apple.
I swallowed every grain of my hot corn like a greedy
Jack Horner, or you should have half of it. Come
down under the bridge, it's so cool there," and he
caught her hand to help her down the bank.

She followed him willingly. She had seen him
greet Fred, and Jack Bedford, and even the gentle
Professor with just such outbursts of affection, and
she knew there was nothing especially personal to
her in it all. It was only his way of saying he was
glad to see her.

Oliver laid the basket and tin can on a flat stone
that the spring freshets had scoured clean; spread
his brown corduroy jacket on the pebbly beach beside