Mama stepped out to see what all the fuss was about. Her keen eyes spotted her wet and bedraggled daughter and immediately she was furious.
“Rosie! Just what have you been up to?” she hissed as she came to claim her daughter.
“I wanted to be like Peter, so I went sailing,” Rosie said.
“Would you care to explain?” asked Mama primly.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” said Rosie’s savior. “But I can explain what happened.”
“And just who are you?” snapped Mama.
“The man as fished your daughter out of the river. Seems she’d got it in her head to use a board and a bit o’ fabric for a sailin’ boat.”
“Rose Maria King! Is this true?” Mama had her dangerous face on, so Rosie nodded without a word of explanation.
“Then I must thank you with all my heart,” Mama said to the man who’d saved Rosie. “Won’t you come in?”
”’Deed, I will, ma’am, if it please you.” The man doffed his cap. “M’name is Jackson Smith.”
Suddenly Mama seemed to realized something. “That was my fabric you used, wasn’t it, Rosie?” Rosie had to say yes.