"Why, I had to! We'd planned. But when we came back, he was on deck with you——"
"Yes, and I was waiting up—to see you. And you only took two dances that night——"
"You didn't seem to want me to——"
"I never guessed you wanted them! I had my pride, too. I wasn't going to be in the way—because you'd rescued me. I thought you didn't want me in the way!"
"Arlee—my girl—my precious girl——"
"No, I'm not. I'm not."
"Yes, you are," he said fiercely. "I don't care if you are engaged to Falconer or not, I'm going to tell you so."
"I'm not engaged to Falconer," she protested.
He blurted in bewilderment. "Then what in the world were you doing up there on that pylon?"
Her elfish laughter disconcerted him. "Do you think one has to get engaged if she stays on a pylon?... We were getting not engaged."