"I have no control over your movements. You and Lucian must do whatever seems best for yourselves."
"Whatever you advise is best," interposed Lucian, gallantly, "but I am pretty sure that Fritz will agree with me that it would be much pleasanter for us if you would permit us to return with you."
"Not only pleasanter, but much safer for some of the members of your party;" and Fritz assumed an air of importance.
"Yes," added Lucian, "there's my sister. Suppose she should accidentally fall overboard, or—"
"Or suppose Amy should lose her keys," interrupted Fritz, "or—"
"There, there, if the girls never suffer greater mishaps than those that have come to them this summer, they will do very well. We call this a pretty successful trip."
"And really," added Martine, "nothing that has happened was anybody's fault. Those things were simply adventures, and besides, I might easily have had scarlet fever; so congratulate me on my escape. Even a trip through Acadia would have been just a little dull without some mishaps."
When Mrs. Redmond had left the young people to themselves, they separated into two groups, Martine and Priscilla and Lucian in one, and Amy and Fritz in another.
"Now, Priscilla," cried Martine, "since we are friends again, perhaps you will not object to telling me why you were annoyed with me yesterday. Even Lucian noticed it."
Priscilla, coloring at this abrupt question, glanced shyly at Lucian.