Albert was the class lover and, after first
taking the three chaperon teachers "out for a row," an excursion
concluded in about ten minutes, he disembarked them; Sadie Clews stepped
into the boat, a pocket camera in one hand, a tennis racket in the
other; and the two spent the rest of the day, except for the luncheon
interval, solemnly drifting along the banks or grounded on a shoal. Now
and then Albert would row a few strokes, and at almost any time when the
populated shore glanced toward them, Sadie would be seen photographing
Albert, or Albert would be seen photographing Sadie, but the tennis
racket remained an enigma. Oarsman and passenger appeared to have no
conversation whatever--not once was either seen or heard to address a
remark to the other; and they looked as placid as their own upside-down
reflections in one of the still pools they slowly floated over. They
were sixteen, and had been "engaged" more than two years.
On the borders of the little meadow of baskets there had been deposited
two black shapes, which remained undisturbed throughout the day, a
closed guitar case and a closed mandolin case, no doubt containing each
its proper instrument.
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