Dave Porter At Bear Camp Part 23

"Isn't it queer that Link should join that company!"

"Rather, although I suppose he has got to do something for a living,--and I guess he isn't the fellow to pick out hard work. Acting in the movies must be easy--and lots of fun in the bargain."

"You are not going to act with them, are you, Dave?" questioned Jessie, with her big round eyes full upon him.

"Oh, I don't know. I think perhaps it might be sport."

"I don't think so."

"Miss Ford tried to make a regular hero out of me. I wish she wouldn't do that."

"Well, it was a grand thing for you to do--to pull her out of the water, Dave, and she ought to be exceedingly grateful. Just the same, I don't think I like her very much," and Jessie pouted a little.

"Is that so? Why, I thought she was real nice."

"She's awfully forward."

"I didn't notice that. But maybe it's her calling makes her so. An actress can't be just like other people."

"I think she might be when she wasn't acting. Anyway, I think she was too--well, too gus.h.i.+ng."

"I noticed that you didn't give her any invitation to call when she invited you," went on Dave, after a pause, during which they left the vicinity of the sh.o.r.e and swept out into Mirror Lake.

"Why should I? Mamma might not approve of it. I don't think she has a very high opinion of moving-picture actors and actresses."

"And I guess you haven't either, Jessie," returned Dave, somewhat bluntly.

"Oh, I don't know about that," and the girl tossed her head. "They have a right to act in the movies if they want to. They've got to earn their living some way, I suppose. Don't you think we had better be getting back, Dave?"

"Why, it's early yet, Jessie!"

"Never mind, I think I would rather go back. Now that the sun is overhead it is quite warm."

Dave started to answer, and then suddenly shut his mouth tightly. The paddle went deeper into the water, and the canoe shot around quickly in a long semicircle.

"Oh, Dave! don't tip us over!"

"Don't fear. The canoe won't go over if you sit perfectly still," he replied, in a tone that was somewhat unsympathetic.

"Are you going back to the bungalows?"

"Why, certainly. That was what you wanted--to go back; wasn't it?"

"We haven't got to race back, have we?"

"I'm not racing; but I thought you wanted to get out of this hot sun."

"Dave, I think you're angry with me," returned Jessie, reproachfully, but she did not raise her eyes as before. Instead she kept them fastened on the bottom of the canoe.

"Angry? What foolishness! What is there for me to be angry about?"

"Oh, you know well enough."

"I don't see why you should feel so cut up over Miss Ford. I can't help it if she is grateful--as you put it--for my saving her from drowning; can I?"

"Oh, it isn't that, Dave. Of course she ought to be grateful. But you--you----" Jessie's voice broke a little and she could not go on.

"Me? I haven't done a thing! Didn't you hear me tell her to quit it?"

"Oh, it wasn't what you said. It was----But never mind, let us get back to the bungalow." And Jessie kept her eyes on the bottom of the canoe, refusing to look at her companion.

"And I'm sure I didn't do a thing either. Now please don't be silly and----"

"Dave! Silly!"

"I didn't mean that exactly, Jessie. But you know----"

"It's not a bit nice for you to call me silly!" retorted the girl, her face flaming.

"I didn't mean just that, Jessie. I meant----"

"You did mean it! You think I am silly, do you? All right, you can think so! Please paddle straight for our dock."

"Now, Jessie----" began Dave, entreatingly.

"I don't want to hear another word! Take me straight to the dock,"

retorted the girl.

"Very well, if you won't listen to me you don't have to," answered Dave; and now he, too, showed that he was completely out of sorts.

He struck the paddle deeper than ever into the water, and with long, telling strokes the canoe shot forward over the lake in the direction of Bear Camp.

CHAPTER XV

VISITORS

Several days went by and during that time the coldness that had sprung up between Dave and Jessie increased, although both did their best to hide it from the others.

One afternoon while the girl was off with Laura and Belle for a tramp along a brook that flowed into the lake not far from the bungalows, Mr.

Appleby came into the cove in his motor-boat, bringing with him an old hunter and guide of that vicinity, named Tad Rason, and also Della Ford and her Aunt Bess. They found Dave, Roger, and Phil at the dock, fis.h.i.+ng.

"Any luck?" called out the manager of the moving-picture company, cheerily.

"Some, but not a great deal," answered Dave, and he and the others pulled in their lines, so that they might not become entangled in the propeller of the boat.