Katherine wrote all about it to Edith and cultivated Professor Keith with a dear conscience . They got on capitally together . They went on long expeditions up shore after seaweeds , and when seaweeds were exhausted they began to make a collection of the Harbour Hill flora . This involved more long , companionable expeditions . Katherine sometimes wondered when Professor Keith found time to work on his book , but as he made no reference to the subject , neither did she . Once in a while , when she had time to think of them , she wondered how Ned and Edith were getting on . At first Edith 's letters had been full of Ned , but in her last two or three she had said little about him . Katherine wrote and jokingly asked Edith if she and Ned had quarreled . Edith wrote back and said , `` What nonsense . '' She and Ned were as good friends as ever , but he was getting acquainted in Riverton now and was n't so dependent on her society , etc. . Katherine sighed and went on a fern hunt with Professor Keith . It was getting near the end of her vacation and she had only two weeks more . They were sitting down to rest on the side of the road when she mentioned this fact inconsequently . The professor prodded the harmless dust with his cane . Well , he supposed she would find a return to work pleasant and would doubtless be glad to see her Riverton friends again . `` I 'm dying to see Edith , '' said Katherine . `` And Ned ? '' suggested Professor Keith . `` Oh yes . Ned , of course , '' assented Katherine without enthusiasm .
There did n't seem XXXXX be anything more to say .
At about as in near of on to with without