"I don"t want it enough to exchange boats."
"Well, I"ll give you ten dollars," said James. "That"s an offer worth thinking about."
"I shan"t need to think about it. I say no."
"You"ve got an extravagant idea of your boat. Mine is nearly as good but I"ve taken a fancy to yours. How will you trade, anyway?"
"I don"t feel at liberty to trade at all. Mr. Cameron gave me the boat, but he is to have the use of it while he is here. He wouldn"t be willing to have me exchange."
"He can have the use of it all the same if it is mine."
"It won"t do, James," said Herbert, shaking his head.
"You are very foolish, then," said James, disappointed.
"I may be, but that is my answer."
James walked away. He made up his mind, since he could not have Herbert"s boat, to tease his father to buy him a new one. As to rowing in an inferior one, his pride would not permit it.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE RACE
James broached the subject which was uppermost in his mind as soon as he got home.
"I wish you"d buy me a new boat, father," he said.
"What"s the matter with the boat you have now?"
"I don"t want to be outdone by Herbert Carter." "I don"t see how that can be."
"He"s got a beautiful new boat, twice as handsome as mine ever was."
"He has!" exclaimed the squire, in amazement. "How can he have, without any money?"
"Mr. Cameron gave it to him."
"I don"t believe it. Probably the boat belongs to Mr. Cameron and he has only let Herbert use it."
"No, Mr. Cameron gave it to him. Herbert told me."
"Perhaps he has not told the truth."
"He wouldn"t tell a lie--that is, about that," said James, modifying his first a.s.sertion lest it might be a compliment. In reality he had implicit confidence in Herbert"s word.
"You wouldn"t want me to be rowing around in a poor boat, while that beggar has a new one," said James, artfully appealing to his father"s pride.
"Well, the fact is, my son," said the squire, rather embarra.s.sed, "it would not be convenient for me to buy you a new boat just now."
"Why not, father? I thought you had plenty of money."
"So I have; but I have made some investments under the advice of Mr.
Temple. If you can arrange to exchange boats by paying a little to boot, you may do so."
"I have proposed it, but Herbert is very stiff about it."
"Humph!" said the squire, clearing his throat; "I think you will have to wait a while."
"How long?" asked James, dissatisfied.
"I"ll tell you what I"ll do," said his father, "If things go well, I expect to make a good deal of money within twelve months. Instead of a rowboat, I"ll buy you a beautiful little sailboat next season."
"Will you?" exclaimed James, delighted.
"Yes; won"t that be much better?"
"You are right, father."
Certainly a sailboat would be far better and there was very little chance of Herbert"s having one given him. So James went cut rowing contentedly the next afternoon, although Herbert was out also in the new boat.
"Your boat is better than mine," said James. "However, I am to have an elegant yacht next year."
"Are you?" said Herbert, interested.
"Father has promised to get me one. He would get me one this season but it would be some time before it could be got ready and I can have it the first thing next spring." "I congratulate you," said Herbert.
"I should like a sailboat myself."
"I dare say you would," said James, pompously, "but of course you cannot expect to have one."
"I don"t think there is much chance myself, unless somebody leaves me a fortune," said Herbert, good-naturedly. "I am satisfied with this boat."
"Of course it is more than a boy in your circ.u.mstances could expect."
Herbert smiled. He was used to references to his circ.u.mstances. James never allowed him to forget that he was a poor boy. He thought it hardly worth noticing.
"Shall we have a race?" he asked.
"Just as you say," said James.
James thought himself the better rower or he would not have consented to row across the pond.
"Are you ready?" asked Herbert.
"Yes."