Page:Barbour--Captain Chub.djvu/74

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56
CAPTAIN CHUB

“We were wondering,” he began, “how much you’d want for her for a couple of months, Mr. Cole.”

“You can have her all summer for the same price,” answered the painter with his eyes twinkling.

“Well, I suppose we couldn’t stay in her more than two months, sir; but of course we realize that if we took her we ought to pay for the whole time, because it would be too late to rent her again after we were through with her, I guess. About how much would she be, sir?”

Mr. Cole looked at them thoughtfully for a moment. Finally,

“Well, I was going to ask you to take her and use her rent free,” he answered, “but there’s something in Roy’s expression that tells me I’d get sat on if I did.” He laughed merrily. “Am I right?”

“We wouldn’t sit on you,” answered Chub, “but we’d feel—feel better about it if we rented it regularly from you. It’s mighty good of you, though.”

“No, it isn’t, Chub. It isn’t mighty good for anyone to be generous when it doesn’t cost him