The old skipper did not contradict her.
Perhaps he might have done so, however, if at that moment the door had not opened to admit a waiter, who brought a handful of cards that he held together like an open fan.
Before he could deliver them a group of laughing visitors passed him and entered the room.
Rosemary made a dart at the group, exclaiming:
“Mother! Oh, mother!”
She was caught in the arms of Mrs. Dorothy Hedge and covered with tears and kisses, while the three other girls rushed upon Miss Susannah Grandiere, and the old skipper trotted across the room and shook hands with his grandnephew Sam, who was the only member of the visiting party left for him.
The words that followed on all sides were at first rather incoherent, as such greetings after such partings are apt to be.
“We followed up the fellow who brought up our tickets. Fancy our staying downstairs to wait for him to go and come! So as he insisted on taking our tickets first and handed us blank ones and a pencil, I wrote all our names down and let him take them, but we followed close behind the tickets!” said Mr. Sam Grandiere.
“Cards, dear Sam! Cards!” whispered Wynnette.
“How is it that you are not in the army?” inquired Capt. Grandiere.