Had she not just said that she would not care to go there?
"I'll say nothing about it, and when they get to Cliffmore, they'll be s'prised to find me there, but I'll act as if I'd known all along that I'd be there," thought Gwen.
Mrs. Harcourt and Gwen went the next day, and thus it happened that when the "Dolphin" sailed up to the pier, the first person that Rose and Polly saw was Gwen, sitting high on the top of a tall post! It was a most successful surprise.
"Hello!" she cried, with impish laughter, "I got here 'fore you did!"
"Why so you did," Polly replied. "When did you come?"
"Oh, I've been here some time," she said, laughing again.
"Well, you've not been here a month, Gwen Harcourt!" said Rose. "It was only three days ago that you were in Avondale, and you said then that you'd not care to go to Cliffmore!"
"Well, I didn't go," cried Gwen, "I've come, and I'm going to stay!"
Of course Sprite had come to meet them, and as the three walked up the pier they saw that Gwen made no attempt to follow.
She wished them to know that she was at Cliffmore, but having enjoyed their look of surprise, she preferred to keep her position on the post.