across the flat surface of it, and up onto the second raised square, which stood on top of the first. And then he paced off the sides to see how long they were, and sighted to see how high, and had the best time you ever saw, without saying a word or asking a question.
Bess and I sat down on the grassy bank while he was looking about, and I thanked her for the compasses, and we talked about the things that had happened to each of us while she had been away; and by and by the talk drifted around to that other girl again. That is, I brought up the subject. Always before, when we had had tiffs and had got 'em straightened up, Bess had to keep Fletcherizing on them for a long time afterward, and so I was rather surprised that she didn't start in right off, to making a cud of the matter; but she didn't say a word, although I gave her several chances, and so I had to;—and at the same time I had to acknowledge to myself that while I had always blamed her for wanting: to talk about things when they were all over and settled, the fact was that I had really wanted to talk about them myself,—and thought I didn't.
