The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-12-26
HEARTS AND BOATS
BY GERTRUDE M. ROCKWELL.


swung along the path To the boathouSe.
Her green skirt and green and white
smOck defied the warm day and her
dark braids were cOiled smoothly
round her head The latest magazine
and box of candy were tucked under
her arm.
Amy consulted the little watch on
her brown wrist. I'll have time to
row up to the cove and then have a
good long time to read" she unused
as she put the key into the lock.
To her establishment, instead of the
trim green and white boat an expaEse
of water met her gaze.
'Those boys again % exclaimed Amy
in dismay. Now ] can't have my row."
She looked lOngingIy at the boat in the
other half of the bOathOuse, but shook
her head. "NOw that's Mr.. BOwen'S
and / hardly know him TO speak TO.
Well, I'll just sit here till those h0rrid
boys bring the boat in. They're fairly
caught this time
Leaving the door ajar, she seated
herself just outside on the grass and
But she read very little, SO busy was
she planning how she would deal with
the boys who had unceremOniOuSly
borrowed the boat several times that
summer
At last she heard the swish of the
oars as the boat rounded the point
She crept cautiously into the boat
house and waited. She wanted them
to be fairly in before she spoke.
Amy had barely time TO notice that
the boat had but one occupant as it
swung into the channel leading TO the
door
His back looked large. Well, she
would show him. 1t was all the worse
If he were older.
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself? A
great big boy like you stealing right
in broad daylight
The boat paused and very good
looking young man turned astOniShed
eyes on the girl standing there in evil
dent wrath. He didn't look a bit like Il
thief, with his jolly brown eyes and
mop of curly hair. Amy stared at her
gentleman burglar in surprise. Why
what-who-hOw do you happen to be
out in my boat?" she finally brought
out.
The young man was not disturbed.
'Why, there must be some mistake"
he said, as he pulled in his oars and
slid into the bOathouse.. This is my
uncle's boat, and& he lent it to me for
the afternoon
A Skeptical light came into the girls
eyes. Probably this was one of those
smart college chaps from the camp two
miles away, and he was out for a lark.
She ScOrched him with look.
That's a likely story. The boat is
mine. l have no uncle, and / certainly
never saw you before"
The young man leaned refiectively
upon his oars. He had nice smiling
wrinkles around his eyes for a thief.
Amy noticed.
Il don't understand this at ALL" he
was saying Nov, my uncle, Mr..
Bowen, said the third boathouse from
the raft. Isn't this the third2"
Light rushed INTO Amy's mind and
color into her cheeks. "Oh, it's this
boat you ought TO be in" she indicated
the one on her other side.
"YOu See." went on the girl. eager
TO clear things up, 81 am Amy Burt,
and this is my boat. This other is Mr..
BOwen's, and you must be Mr.. Bowen's
New York nephew. Oh, / am SO sor-
ry!"
'tTOO bad, but | can't help it," said
the young man as he sprang to the
wharf beside her and extended his
hand. 81 am Bruce Fiske. 1t was just
an accident my being Mr.. Bowen's
nephew, So"
''Oh. [ didn't mean thatt'' laughed
Amy. But | was hOrrid about it, ae-
cusing you of being a thief
well, | certainly was caught with
the goods. Now, Miss Burt, it's only
fair that you should let me give you
that ride you wanted
During the month that followed 1t
made little difference to the two wheth-
er it was the Burt or Bowen boat.
Sometimes they hardly realized which
they were IN. On the night before he
returned to New York Amy promised
that she would sail down the sea of
life with him.
And SO you'll forgive me for steal
ing, the boat that day." he leased her
as they glided along shore in the moon
light.
81 suppose I'll have to-" she whis-
pered. because it gave me the chance
to steal your heart"
Copyright, 1919, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
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