He looked up quickly to see Martha standing there. Mrs. Klein had
evidently gone into the house without his being aware of it.
"Dreaming," Doak admitted. "Holding high converse with the mighty
dead." He smiled at her. "Through for the week?"
"Through." She took the chair her mother usually occupied. "Five and a
half days of whereas and wherefore earns me a day and a half for
myself. At the risk of seeming forward would you like to go swimming
with me this afternoon?"
"I can't think of a better way to spend it," Doak answered. "How about
transportation?"
"It's only a little over a mile. We can walk." She paused. "Or did you
plan to see Senator Arnold?"
"I'd rather go swimming," Doak said.
Which they did. In the waters of Lake Memahbin, in the small cove that
harbored the entire recreational facilities of Dubbinville. Doak
rented some trunks there and they swam out to the raft.
There weren't too many adults in the water this afternoon but the kids
were everywhere. Noisy splashing running kids--but very few of them
ventured out to the big raft.
There was a park running the length of the beach and a variety of
games--table tennis, horse-shoes, shuffleboard. There was a small
group around the table in the grove who seemed to be just sitting.
Doak saw the beard and the lady who had quoted the unknown poet, last
night. He and Martha lay on their stomachs on the raft, looking back
toward the shore.
Doak said easily, "That gang in the glade doesn't seem to be having
much fun."
"Solid citizens," Martha said. "That lady is the principal of the high
school and the man with the beard is president of the bank. You
couldn't expect them to run and shout, could you?"
Doak said nothing.
She turned over on her side to look at him. "Any luck with the
Senator?"
"Not much so far. I'll get him, before Monday, though."
She stood up and he felt a stirring in him at the sight of her taut
fully-feminine figure. She poised on the edge of the raft and then her
tanned body went slanting toward the water.
She came up directly beneath him and splashed a handful of water into
his face. "Sun worshipper," she mocked. "The trip out do you in?"
He made a face at her and she went under.
He looked over at the group in the glade. High school principal,
custodian of young minds--and a reader. Worse than that, a partner in
a publishing venture.
Corruption? What kind of mind would it take to believe there was
corruption in that group? A Senator Arnold kind of mind. Rebellion,
yes. Oh, very definitely rebellion--under the Arnold Law.