The was in the creek seemed to be singing a happy love song as it babbled along over the rocks, hurrying for a stretch to reach a deeper pool, where it might have a slow restful whirl before it rushed on again over the rapids and slight falls on its way to the river. Laura Mae imagined that it was singing a beautiful love song, in which it described the clear blue sky above, with only a few puffs of fleecy white clouds here and there. Surely in the song, it was not forgetting to mention the violets along the banks or the fresh green leaves upon the willows, that lined the creek on either side. The birds were singing love songs too, swinging on limber branches of willows. Everything was beautiful and Laura Mae's heart began singing with joy as she rebaited her hook and threw it into the lively stream, where carefree mountain trout swam leisurely about, keeping their bright round eyes open for any fly or grasshopper that might happen to light in the water.

She had fished for three-quarters of a mile upstream, with only fair luck. Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the willows on the other side of the stream. She looked up, startled and half afraid for a moment, then she recognized the sweater sleeve as it pushed the willows to one side. She stood motionless for a while and watched Gene throw his line out over the water. He had no luck so he tried again in another place. He did not look up or he would have seen her standing there watching him. She threw in her line so the hook almost caught in his and gave a low "twee-twa," their whistle sign which meant sweetheart. Gene looked up in a glad surprise when he heard the whistle.

"You little rascal," he said. "You almost frightened me. How long have you been standing there?"

"I've only been here a minute," she called back across the creek to him. "You almost frightened me first." She laughed to think of the surprised look that had come across his face when he first saw here.

"Are you having any luck?" he questioned.

"I have only caught four but they are beauties, see?" She held them up for Gene to see. "I caught one that was too small to keep so I put it back into the water. How many have you?"

He held up the willow on which he had hung his catch. "Three speckled Mountains and two Rainbows. I have only gone a quarter of a mile. They seem better upstream. May I come over on your side?"

"Sure, come on, but you'll get your feet wet, won't you?"

"There is a pole across the stream where it is narrow. I just passed it around that last bend. Fish up toward it and I will go back and cross on it. The water is just a little cool yet for wading when one is not in the notion anyway." His eyes twinkled with happiness. It was no time until he had crossed the creek and was at her side.

"How does it happen that you are fishing today, Laura Mae?" Gene asked.

"Father's sister has come to stay with us again for a while like she does every summer, you know, and fish happens to be a choice food for her," The girl explained., "Father said to bring home at least eight or ten, so you see I have quite a few yet to catch."

"That problem is easily solved, then, for these five are to be yours too."

"Thank you, Gene, but you better keep them and let Maria fry them for your supper."

"Ah, that is all right, I want you to have them. I was only out here along the creek fishing for the fun of it anyway. You know there is something fascinating about being where you can hear the water rippling over the rocks and birds singing all around you."

"I love those things too. Don't you think that spring is the prettiest time of the year?" Laura Mae could feel the spell of youth and springtime and her heart beat just a little faster as she drew in a long deep breath of air that was sweet with the aroma of fragrant flowers and the scent of pine trees.

"I had no idea that I would meet you here like this. Gosh, Laura Mae, it is worth a lot more than five fish to get a chance to talk to you now that school is out." He gave her a tender smile and continued. "I think any time of the year is the prettiest if you are around."

"Oh, you surely do like to flatter me, don't you? Well, if you want to know, I have been awfully lonesome to see you, too, Gene. Say, if Father should happen to catch us together here, I don't know what he would do. He might get so angry he would blow up and burst." She laughed a little at her own remark.

"That would be an awful thing to cause. Do you want me to go on and mind my business, leaving you to fish in peace?"

"No, I want to talk to you, I might not have another chance for a long, long time. I am getting so I almost feel like Father can go to the dickens as far as I am concerned. He is not a bit fair, if he keeps picking on me, I am apt to leave home sometime. Martha is his pet. Everything she does is just right and everything I do is all wrong." She stood looking far out across the creek as if she were just thinking aloud.

"Laura Mae, can it be as bad as all that," Gene asked. "If Martha is your father's pet, who is your mother's pet?"

She turned and faced him squarely, "Well, I hadn't thought of that, I don't think she has one, but if either of us is her pet, I guess I am."

"That ought to be fair enough, then, don't you think?" Gene always secretly envied anyone who had a mother and father living. His uncle and Maria Beckman were so good to him but somehow, he longed for his own parents and besides, he did not want to encourage Laura Mae in any plan to leave home.

"Father embarrassed me so in front of Auntie at the dinner table today." She frowned at the thought of what he had said to her aunt.

"What did your father do? Did he try and make out that you are still only a tiny girl when you are way past sixteen?" Gene asked with a trace of teasing in his tone.

"No, but he made a grand little speech about being only one boy with whom he would permit me to keep company."

"And, pray, who is the honored one?" Gene did not have an idea her father would approve of any boy keeping company Laura Mae.

"He said it was a fine young fellow who was hurt in a basketball game last winter," she explained with a look of disgust.

"Did he mean Phil?" Gene knew well who she meant.

"Yes, Phil Dreyer: but he might as well get it straight now as later that I will have nothing to do with Philip Dreyer." There was emphasis in every word.

"You went to the game with him that night he was hurt."

"I know I did and I have regretted it ever since. It made just enough wind to keep Father's mill turning. He thinks that as soon as Phil is able to walk well again that I will start in where I left off that night of the game."

"And won't you?" Gene asked with a roguish smile.

"Gene Whitmer, you know very well that I won't. You don't believe that it hurt me to try to hurt you that night though I have told you ten times or more. I really do feel sorry for Phil to think such a thing should happen to him, don't you?"

"Yes, I do feel sorry for him. Isn't it funny it doesn't make me feel jealous anymore to hear you say you feel sorry for him? Have you heard just how he is lately?"

"Father was over to see Charles Luden day before yesterday and he went in the house to see Phil. He is still using crutches. The doctor says it was the worst place he could have broken a bone, it is his hip, you know, the doctor has told him that he will always limp a little. It is a shame." Laura Mae was serious.

"Do you remember the time he was your prince in the little school play?"

"Yes, I remember, but he is not my prince in real life."

"Have you one in real life?"

"I have one in mind that strikes me as more of a prince than Philip Dreyer." Her eyes were smiling at her young friend.

"You strike me as being the prettiest princess I ever heard tell of." Gene smiled as he spoke. "Who around here could compare to your idea of a prince, may I ask? All of the men I know seem plenty common, to my way of thinking."

"You know who my prince is, don't you Gene?" She reached out for his hand. "You are, but please remember that I am only a farmer's daughter. When you mention Phil in that silly little play, I want you to forget it, so please don't call me a princess again, but you are still the prince of my life and I think you live in a lovely castle, too."

"Thank you, pretty maid. Will you always call me your prince—always and always? When we are really grown up and old enough to plan our future definitely?"

"Yes, Gene, always and always, and I will always be just a farmer's daughter until my prince raises my title. Oh, aren't we silly young things?" She laughed and the babbling brook laughed then Gene had to laugh too.

He dropped his fishing pole and caught hold of her shoulders then looking into her soft brown eyes, he said, "Laura Mae, I will always love you and not be jealous as long as you say you like me best."

"I will always like you best, don't worry, but what it Father should have set this trip for me and follow up the creek and find us here together? He would be furious and that would spoil the nice time we have had. I must go now."

"All right, and you can have all of my fish to take home with you, but there is just one thing I would like to have for pay for them." He was still looking into her eyes; he blushed shyly and gave her a pleading smile.

"What is the price of your fish, noble prince?" she asked.

"Just one little kiss, Laura Mae, I have never asked such a favor of you before but won't you please- just one?" he begged.

"Well, I need the fish to have the number that Father ordered and I like my prince, so I guess there can be no harm in just one little kiss."

Gene drew her closer and kissed her pretty rosy lips. They were both blushing as they stooped to pick up their willows of fish. Gene gave his five to Laura Mae.

"Let me see you again soon, won't you?" he asked.

"I will try. Thanks, Gene, for helping me get my number, goodbye."

"That is all right, I may get that many more on the way home. Goodbye."