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Full download Fundamentals of Management Essential Concepts and Applications 14th Edition Robbins Test Bank all chapter 2024 pdf
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Fundamentals of Management, 9e (Robbins)
Chapter 10 Understanding Groups and Managing Work Teams
5) The forming stage of group development begins when members consider themselves a part of
the group.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The forming stage ends, rather than begins, when members feel that they are a part
of the group.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
1
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
6) Managers should especially try to avoid conflict during the storming stage of group
development.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: During the storming stage of group development, managers should expect conflict,
rather than try to avoid it.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
8) The group is likely to work on its primary task during the adjourning stage of group
development.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The group works on its primary task during the performing, not the adjourning,
stage of group development. During the adjourning stage, the group prepares to disband.
Diff: 1
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
9) Group norms have little to do with how hard a group member works.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Group norms are the primary way in which the group enforces its standards on an
individual. How hard a group member works depends largely on the standards, or norms, set by
the group.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
10) The studies by Solomon Asch show that group norms are a powerful force.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Asch's studies show that group norms were strong enough to make people go along
with something that they knew was wrong.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
2
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
11) A group of five working collectively would be certain to outproduce five workers working
individually.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: In groups, individuals often work less hard and produce less than they would
working individually. So the group would not at all be certain to outproduce five individual
workers.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
3
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
16) Accountability for a work team is strictly on an individual basis.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Within a team, accountability is both individual and shared with the team. Within a
group, on the other hand, accountability is strictly individual.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
17) The problem with many problem-solving teams is that they don't have the authority to act on
their decisions.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Problem-solving teams often come up with good ideas but lack the managerial
authority to implement their ideas. Many people feel that problem-solving teams don't allow
team members to make decisions that have impact.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
18) A self-managed team is responsible for both completing tasks and managing itself.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: A self-managed team is responsible for managing itself as well as carrying out the
tasks it has been given. Typically, no supervisor is assigned to oversee a self-managed team
because it supervises itself.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
19) A problem-solving team is likely not to have a supervising manager to oversee it.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: A self-managed team is likely not to have a supervisor, not a problem-solving
team.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
4
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
21) Members of a virtual team never actually communicate with one another.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Virtual team members communicate electronically. What they may not do is meet
on a personal basis.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
25) On successful teams, individuals rarely play more than one role.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Nine roles have been identified for teams. Since teams often have fewer than nine
members, they frequently need to function with team members taking on multiple roles.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
5
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
26) Disruptive effects of diversity on team performance can decline over time.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Though initially performance can suffer when teams are formed with highly
diverse individuals, as time passes this disruptive effect lessens.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Multicultural and diversity understanding
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
28) A team's upholder-maintainer would likely submit the team's request for a large increase in
resources to top management.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: The upholder-maintainer represents the team and its interests to the outer world, so
he or she would be likely to take a request for more resources to top management.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
29) The "two pizza" rule states that the best teams should be small enough so that they can be
satisfied with no more than two pizzas.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Amazon follows the two-pizza rule, typically limiting team size to five to seven
team members.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
6
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
31) Effective teams should avoid conflict at all costs.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Good teams usually thrive on conflict as long as it is not of a personal nature.
Conflict over tasks and goals tends to bring out the best arguments in people in supporting their
positions.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
33) The behaviors required for successful team performance cannot be gained through training.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Over time, careful training does tend to produce successful team members. Some
team members cannot pick up necessary skills to function within the team, so those individuals
typically need to be dismissed.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
35) Rewards for team members should be distributed strictly on team performance.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Team performance should be an important element in rewarding team members.
However, the contributions of individuals should not be ignored.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.3
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
7
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
36) Asch's findings suggest that Chinese members of a global team might be expected to
conform easily to the team's norms.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: As a collectivist society, one would assume that Chinese team members would
pose no problem when it comes to conforming to team norms.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Multicultural and diversity understanding
Objective: 10.4
Learning Outcome: Identify the fundamental concepts and issues of international business and
management
37) A Latin American team member would be more likely than a North American team member
to afford status to an individual who comes from a powerful family.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Latin American societies tend to place more importance on family and official
status than North Americans, so this statement is true.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Dynamics of the global economy
Objective: 10.4
Learning Outcome: Identify the fundamental concepts and issues of international business and
management
38) A Japanese manager with the biggest office is likely to have the most power within an
organization.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: In Japan, office size does not correlate to company prestige, so the person with the
largest office would not necessarily have the highest rank in an organization.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Dynamics of the global economy
Objective: 10.4
Learning Outcome: Identify the fundamental concepts and issues of international business and
management
39) Collectivist societies tend to have an enormous problem with social loafing.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Social loafing is less common in collectivist societies than individualistic societies,
so this statement is false.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities
Objective: 10.4
Learning Outcome: Identify the fundamental concepts and issues of international business and
management
8
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
40) Diversity within a group typically makes reaching consensus easier.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Diversity has many virtues, but it tends to make arriving at consensus harder, not
easier.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Multicultural and diversity understanding
Objective: 10.4
Learning Outcome: Discuss different ways managers work with and promote diversity in
organizations
41) Some organizational tasks are better done individually than in a team or group.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: To find out whether a task is best performed by a group or an individual, three tests
are recommended, using the following questions: (1) Can the work be done better by a single
person? (2) Does the work include a common set of goals that a group can share? (3) Will the
tasks involved rely on interdependence among individuals?
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.4
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
42) Many managers in today's business world have restructured work ________.
A) around individuals rather than teams
B) around teams rather than individuals
C) around both individuals and teams.
D) around groups rather than teams
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The trend in today's dynamic global business environment is to focus work
around teams rather than hierarchies of individuals, making that the correct response. This shift
to teams has also served to make organizations more decentralized, since teams are often
decision-making entities, and more organic as teams take some authority away from the top
managers. Note that teams, rather than groups, are the trend, reflecting that teams are more task-
oriented.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
9
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
43) Of the following, which is NOT thought to be an advantage of teams within an organization?
A) increased organizational coherence
B) employee job satisfaction
C) more innovation
D) new products developed faster at lower costs
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Use of teams has definitely been associated with job satisfaction, innovation,
and faster turnaround in developing new products, eliminating these choices as correct responses.
Teams typically do not bring various organizational parts together, making "increased
organizational coherence" the only item that is not true and therefore causing it to be the correct
response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
45) This kind of work group is brought together to accomplish a specific job or single activity,
such as the development of a new product.
A) command group
B) formal group
C) informal group
D) task group
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A group that is brought together for a specific task is called a task group,
making that the correct response. A command group refers to whether or not a work group has
been formed as a part of the company structure, ruling it out as a correct response. A task group
typically is a formal work group, but task groups are not defined by whether they are formal or
informal, eliminating "formal" and "informal groups" as correct responses.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
10
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
46) This kind of work group brings individuals together from different work disciplines with
different knowledge and skills.
A) formal group
B) cross-functional team
C) command group
D) self-managed team
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The key to a cross-functional team is not that it is formal, which it likely is, or a
type of command group, which means it is part of the organizational hierarchy, or that it
manages itself, making it a self-managed team. What defines a cross-functional team is that it
brings together workers with different skills and abilities to complement one another and work
on a single project or goal. This makes "cross-functional team" the best answer for this question
and eliminates the other three choices.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
47) The ________ stage of the group development process is complete when members begin to
think of themselves as part of a group.
A) forming
B) storming
C) norming
D) performing
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The forming stage of the group development process is the first stage of the
process. It begins with group members getting together to establish group goals, structure, and
purpose. The forming stage is considered complete when members feel like they are official
members of the group. This makes "forming" the correct response and rules out all other
responses.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
48) This stage involves the most conflict during the entire group development process.
A) forming
B) storming
C) norming
D) performing
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The storming, or second stage of the group development process, is
characterized by a struggle for control of the group and a search by members for their roles
within the group. When storming is complete, a fairly orderly hierarchy will be evident within
the group. These factors make "storming" the correct response and rule out all other responses.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
11
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
49) Norming is a stage of group development that occurs when ________.
A) the group struggles for leadership
B) the group defines its purpose
C) the group develops cohesiveness
D) the group defines its goals
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The group defines its purpose and goals during the forming, not the norming,
stage, so the choices regarding purpose and goals are incorrect. Group members vie for
leadership during the storming, not the norming, stage, making the choice regarding leadership
incorrect. Norming is characterized by a strong sense of group cohesiveness, group identity, and
camaraderie, making the choice regarding cohesiveness the correct response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
50) In the group development process, the group carries out its primary work during this stage.
A) storming
B) forming
C) norming
D) performing
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Forming, storming, and norming are all preludes for the performing stage of the
group development process. The group forms, identifies its goals, figures out how it will operate,
and then it is finally ready for performing—to carry out the task it was created for, whether it is
developing a new product or achieving some other organizational goal. This makes "performing"
the correct response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
51) Permanent work groups are not likely to go through this stage.
A) storming
B) adjourning
C) forming
D) norming
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The adjourning stage of the group development process takes place only in
groups that are disbanding. That means that permanent work groups typically don't go through an
adjourning stage of the group development process, making that the correct response and
eliminating all other responses.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
12
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
52) During a recent meeting, a shouting match arose between a design manager and a marketing
representative about a marketing plan for a new product. This team seems to be at the ________
stage of group development.
A) conflict
B) forming
C) norming
D) storming
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This group appears to be in conflict for control and leadership, suggesting that
the group is in the storming stage of the group development process. Storming is the stage that is
most associated with conflict, making it the correct response and eliminating the other responses.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Analytic thinking
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
53) During the storming stage of group development, high levels of conflict ________.
A) are necessary for group cohesiveness
B) increase group cohesiveness
C) can contribute to group effectiveness
D) are never a factor in group effectiveness
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Conflict is clearly a divisive factor and does increase group cohesiveness or
make group cohesiveness possible, eliminating those two choices. During the storming stage,
high levels of conflict can definitely contribute to group effectiveness, making that the best
answer for this question and eliminating the choice indicating conflict is never a factor since
conflict can clearly have influence on effectiveness.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Analytic thinking
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
13
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
54) A group that has gone through the norming stage of the group development process
________.
A) never returns to the storming stage
B) always returns to the storming stage
C) never returns to the forming stage
D) may return to the forming or storming stage
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The group development process is not necessarily sequential. Groups can pass
through one stage, then return to that same stage, or an earlier stage, later on in their
development. This makes the choice regarding returning to the forming or storming stage the
correct response as it is the only response that indicates this flexibility in the group development
process.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Analytic thinking
Objective: 10.1
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
56) Al is given two different "top priorities" from two different managers. Al is experiencing
________.
A) role conflict
B) role reversal
C) efficiency conflict
D) personal conflict
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The conflict Al experiences comes from a work situation, so it is clearly not a
personal conflict. Nor is Al's situation a role reversal that would require him to assume the role
of someone else he is dealing with, eliminating "role reversal" as a correct choice. The conflict
Al is experiencing is role conflict, making it the correct choice and eliminating "efficiency
conflict" because the conflict has nothing to do with efficiency.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
14
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
57) Most workers learn what is expected from them on the job from group ________.
A) roles
B) size
C) cohesiveness
D) norms
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Group size, cohesiveness, and roles that group members take on determine how
groups function collectively, but they do not establish standards for things like dress codes and
performance levels. Those standards are created by group norms, making that the correct
response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
15
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
60) Solomon Asch carried out pioneering studies in understanding ________.
A) group status
B) group roles
C) group size
D) group conformity
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Asch's studies explored how strong the tendency was for a group member to
conform to the values of other group members, even when those other members appeared to be
misguided. Asch's work had little to do with status, group roles, or group size, leaving
"conformity" as the correct response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
61) Asch was surprised most by finding that in some conditions, group members would provide
information that they knew to be ________.
A) slightly exaggerated
B) vague
C) wrong
D) not fully substantiated
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The surprising aspect of Asch's work is that people would give answers that
were not merely exaggerated, lacking in supportive evidence, or even dubious. Instead, these
group members would actually give wrong answers, fully knowing that their answers were
incorrect, making "wrong" the correct response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
62) Asch's subjects were seen to give incorrect answers that they knew were incorrect in
________ of his studies.
A) about half
B) more than half
C) about 35 percent
D) about 90 percent
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Asch's subjects gave answers that they knew to be erroneous in about 35
percent of the trials, making that the correct response and ruling out the other three choices as
being overestimates.
Diff: 2
AACSB: Analytic thinking
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
16
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
63) Asch's results are attributed to the tendency of people in groups to ________.
A) try to distinguish themselves
B) go along with the pack
C) stand up for what they know is right
D) "swim against the current"
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Asch's results clearly indicate that people in groups have a strong tendency to
want to conform, or go along with the pack, even when they know the pack is misguided. This
makes "go along with the pack" the correct response. Distinguishing oneself, standing up for
what is correct, or swimming against the current are all examples of refusing to conform—
exactly what did not occur in Asch's studies—so those three choices are incorrect responses.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
64) Asch could feel fairly confident that his results were legitimate because ________ pressured
by the group.
A) 35 percent of respondents gave wrong answers when they were not
B) only 1 percent of respondents gave wrong answers when they were not
C) only 1 percent of respondents gave wrong answers when they were
D) 90 percent of respondents gave wrong answers when they were
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The key to Asch's results was that respondents made errors only 1 percent of the
time when no group pressure was applied. This indicates that the test was easy and that people
had no problem getting the correct answer as long as no group pressure was applied. This means
that "35 percent" must be eliminated as the correct response for this question and "only 1 percent
of respondents gave wrong answers when they were not" is the correct response. Both of the
remaining choices are incorrect responses for this question because they are factually incorrect—
much more than 1 percent and much less than 90 percent gave wrong answers in Asch's studies
when they did receive group pressure.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Analytic thinking
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the factors that affect how individuals behave and learn within an
organization
17
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
65) Members of an organization typically ________ the status of other organizational members.
A) agree about
B) disagree about
C) cannot recognize
D) refuse to recognize
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Though typically informally gauged, most people can easily recognize and rank
the status of individuals in their organization and agree with one another with respect to this
ranking, making "agree about" the correct response and eliminating "disagree about" as a correct
response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
66) A low-ranking employee having the best parking space in the company parking lot is an
example of ________.
A) status congruence
B) status incongruence
C) a status category
D) a status level
Answer: B
Explanation: B) When a status symbol, such as a parking space, is "incorrectly" conferred upon
an employee with respect to the organizational hierarchy, employees tend to be confused and
even upset. This disruption in a status pattern is called status incongruence, making that the
correct response and ruling out "status congruence" as the correct response. "Status category"
and "status level" identify degrees or levels of status, not a disruption in a status hierarchy, so
neither is a correct response.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
18
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
67) Status incongruence can be upsetting to employees because it sends a signal that
organizational accomplishments ________.
A) are rewarded fairly and justly
B) are always rewarded
C) are never rewarded
D) are not always rewarded fairly and justly
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Status incongruity sends a signal to employees that the system of rewards
within the organization is not always fair and just, making that the correct response and
eliminating all other responses. Status incongruities cause employees to doubt whether their own
efforts will be properly noticed and appreciated. When high or low status is mistakenly conferred
upon the wrong person, employees tend to question whether the managerial administration is
competent, fair, and intelligent.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
69) Large groups appear to perform better when the goal of the group is to ________.
A) find facts
B) create consensus on a new product
C) interpret facts
D) solve problems quickly
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Large groups seem to be inferior in performance when compared to small
groups when it comes to speed of solving problems, interpreting facts or data that has already
been collected, or coming to agreement about a topic, making all of those choices incorrect.
Large groups do seem to have a definite edge on small groups when the group goal is to amass
data and facts, making "find facts" the correct response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
19
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
70) Small groups appear to perform better when it comes to ________.
A) amassing meaningful data
B) being comprehensive
C) thoroughness
D) interpreting data productively
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Large groups are clearly superior to small groups when it comes to collecting
facts in a thorough and comprehensive manner. Where small groups excel is in finding
something useful and productive to do with facts and data that have already been collected,
making "interpreting data productively" the correct response.
Diff: 2
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
72) The primary reason for why social loafing occurs is that output contributions from ________
easily be measured.
A) the entire group can
B) the entire group cannot
C) individuals can
D) individuals cannot
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Output from the entire group is not hard to measure, so social loafing cannot be
attributed to ease or difficulty in measuring group outputs, making both choices regarding the
entire group incorrect answers. Output from individuals within a group are hard to measure,
making it easy for individuals to get a "free ride," making the choice indicating that output
contributions from individuals cannot easily be measured the correct response.
Diff: 3
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities
Objective: 10.2
Learning Outcome: Describe the best practices of groups and teams
20
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
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there.” He looked at his watch. “I’m two hours late now. I’m never
late for my appointments. My chauffeur won’t know what to make of
it. He can’t speak French either, so he won’t be able to ask any
questions.”
Betty laughed. “You ought to get a dictionary like mine. It’s very
useful. Can I do anything else for you, Mr. Morton?”
Mr. Morton looked at her sharply. “You can. You can come down
the steps with me and tell the man who insists on holding my coat
that I don’t want a guide, philosopher and friend, or whatever else
he’s trying to be to me, but that I do want my coat. Pay him off with
these.” He handed her some silver.
With some difficulty Betty made the man understand that “le
monsieur Anglais” did not want a guide for the afternoon, nor a
boatman, nor a porter.
“And now,” said Jasper J. Morton briskly, “comes the real
business of the moment. I’ve got to send some telegrams to Dol,
where I’m stopping and where I was to meet two friends on business
at five o’clock. I shan’t be there at five. Is your French equal to
finding a telegraph office?”
Betty looked up several words in her dictionary, asked a question
or two, and they started off. At the telegraph office Mr. Morton wrote
two messages just alike: “Unavoidably detained. Back in evening.
Clef d’Or best hotel.”
“That will fix them,” he said, smiling cheerfully at Betty. “They’ll
spend the afternoon in the sulks, thinking I’ve changed my mind and
won’t come in to their game. Now see that he reads them right and
tell him to hurry them off, and then we can talk English for a while.
“I’ve done everything to-day that my doctor ordered me not to,”
he told her when they were on their way back to the ferry. “I’ve
worried about business, I’ve got overexcited and overheated, I’ve
lost my temper, and to-night I’m going to do business—the biggest
deal I ever put through. You’ve been a Benevolent Adventurer this
time all right, Miss—Miss——”
“Wales,” Betty supplied.
“Think I’ll have to call you Miss B. A.,” he laughed. “By the way,
how did you find out my name?”
Betty had to think a minute. “Why, we met a man in London who
knows you, and then we know your son.”
“You know John?” repeated Mr. Morton irritably.
Betty nodded. “Don’t you remember I told you when we met
before what a good time we had in Oban? Well, he was the one we
had it with—he and Mr. Dwight. Only I didn’t know it then—I didn’t
know he was your son, I mean. And then in London we met him
again.”
“You did, eh?” Mr. Morton eyed her sharply. “Met him again in
London? Are you at the bottom of this new leaf of his that Dwight
wrote me about, Miss B. A.?”
“Oh, no,” said Betty quickly, “but I think Babe is,—at least they
got to be awfully good friends, and she hates a shirk.”
“Babe—that’s the little tomboy who stood up for you against me.”
Mr. Morton laughed at the recollection. “She’d be a match for John.
She’d make something of him if any one could. But what she can
see in him beats me. Oh, he’s a pleasant fellow enough, but he’ll
never amount to that, Miss B. A.” Jasper J. Morton snapped his
fingers derisively.
They had come out on the water-front and Betty, happening to
look ahead, saw that the tide had come in, and with it the ferry-boat,
which at that very moment gave a warning whistle.
“Oh, dear, we’ve missed the boat!” she said, “and they only go
once an hour.”
“No, we haven’t,” cried Mr. Morton. “What’s the French for ‘Wait’?
You tell me and I’ll shout it.” Which he did with such effect that the
captain reversed his engines and put back for them.
“Attendez,” repeated Mr. Morton, when he had settled himself on
board and caught his breath. “Hope I can remember that. It will be
sure to come in handy somewhere. I haven’t any head for languages
—never had. Can’t talk to one of my foreign agents without an
interpreter.”
“It’s queer that your son should be so fine at languages,” said
Betty, glad to get in a word in John’s favor. “We’ve always thought
that Madeline Ayres was perfectly remarkable, but she says he is
any amount more so.”
“Really?” Mr. Morton’s tone was unpleasantly sceptical. “Well, I
don’t know that I ever paid a bill for a tutor in languages, as far as
that goes.”
“Oh, these aren’t the kinds you study at college,” Betty explained,
“or at least he knows them too, I suppose; but I was thinking of
Dutch and Danish and Russian and those queer kinds. He speaks
ten different ones, I think he said, and he can understand a few
words of some others.”
“This is all news to me,” said Jasper J. Morton drily. “How’d he
learn them?”
“Down on some wharves that you own, he said. You do own
some wharves, don’t you?”
Mr. Morton puckered his lips into a queer smile. “Well, I’m
surprised for once in my life—agreeably surprised. I didn’t suppose
John had any useful accomplishments.”
Betty smiled engagingly. “Well, as long as you didn’t know about
this one, don’t you suppose he has lots of others that you don’t know
about, either?”
Mr. Morton laughed good-naturedly. “So you think I’m inclined to
look on the dark side of things, do you, Miss B. A.? Well, I’ll write the
boy to-night, after I’ve scalped those two railroad presidents, and tell
him that I hear good accounts of him. I say, here we are at Dinard,
and actually there’s my chauffeur waiting for me. Waited because it
was the easiest thing to do, I suppose. Now you must let me take
you to your friends, only you’ll have to ask the way, because I can’t.”
As Betty waved him a good-bye from the steps of the Casino she
thought sadly of a great many things she might have said about John
and hadn’t. “It’s so difficult when you’ve been confided in and have to
remember what you mustn’t tell,” she thought. “Oh, dear, I meant to
explain about Mr. Blake and what I told him. I forgot that too. I hope
Mr. Morton won’t forget to write the letter to his son.”
Her eyes followed Mr. Morton’s big red car as it turned a corner,
and there, walking briskly toward her, his eyes absently fixed on the
ground, his cynical expression even more pronounced than usual,
was Mr. Richard Blake himself.
CHAPTER XIII
A “NEAR-ADVENTURE”