“Of course I did! What claim had he on me?”
“And you deliberately left him there, when it would have been no trouble to give him a passage back?”
“Really, Herbert, I don’t like your way of speaking. It was my boat—or, at least, I was paying for the use of it—and I didn’t choose to take him as a passenger.”
“George Randolph, do you want to know my opinion of you?” asked Herbert hotly.
“What do you mean?” stammered George.
“I mean this, that I am ashamed of you. You are the most contemptibly mean fellow I ever met, and I am heartily sorry there is any relationship between us.”
“I consider that an insult!” exclaimed George, pale with anger.
“I am glad you do. I mean it as such. Just tell my mother I won’t be back till late in the evening.”
“Where are you going?”
“I am going to get a boat and row to Egg Island for Bob Coverdale,” and Herbert dashed up the street in the direction of the beach.