Rosalind looked at him in quick astonishment.
"Because I can't take Miss Dawson," he added.
"You mean to say—"
"What I really meant to say was 'won't' instead of 'can't.' I won't take Miss Dawson."
For an instant Rosalind was quite too surprised for speech, a condition easily apparent to Sam, who volunteered further:
"No use to ask questions, Miss Chalmers. I'll give no reasons."
"This is the most unheard-of thing yet!" she exclaimed. "You mean to say that you presume to select my own guests for me?"
"No, ma'am; not exactly. But in this case— Here they come now. I guess it's all right; I don't see her."
Morton appeared on the wharf, followed by the Winter girls and Fortescue Jones.
"This will be all, I think," he said.