ock to Grace, Hugh escaping because of his intuitive
revelation. After the revenue man had gone below to lie down awhile
before luncheon the elopers indulged in an animated discussion of
affairs under new conditions.

"Well, we can make use of him after we get there, dear," said Hugh
philosophically. "He can be a witness and swear to your age when I go
for the license."

"But, Hugh, he thinks we are brother and sister, and we cannot tell him
anything to the contrary. It would be awfully embarrassing to try
to explain."

"That's so," mused he. "I doubt whether we could make him believe that
brothers and sisters marry in Manila. There's just one thing to do."

"It seems to me there are a great many things to do that we didn't
consider when we started," ventured she.

"We must let him believe we are brother and sister until after we are
married. Then we'll have the laugh on him. I know it's not very pleasant
to explain your own joke, or to tell the other fellow when to laugh, but
it seems to be the only way. We can't escape him, you know. He is to be
at his post by the twentieth of May."

"After all, I think we ought to be nice to him. We can't put him off the
boat and we might just as well be friendly. How would you enjoy
travelling to Manila all alone? Just put yourself in his place."

"Maybe he thinks he's lucky to be travelling alone."

"That's very pretty, sir. Would you rather be travelling alone?"

"Not at all. I'm only saying what he may think. The poor devil may be
married, you know."

"Oh, do you really think so?" cried she.

"He looks a little subdued."

"That's because he's seasick."

"But, to return to our own troubles--you think, then, we would better
adopt Mr. Veath for the voyage and break the news to him impressively
after the deed is done?"

"I think so, don't you? It is sure to be embarrassing, any way you put
it, isn't it?" she asked, laughing nervously.

"Oh, I don't know," he replied airily. "People of our nerve should not
be embarrassed by anything on earth." He arose and assisted her to her
feet. Then, slipping his arm through hers, he started for the
companionway. "The prospect of being brother and sister for ten thousand
miles is rather obnoxious to me," he went on. She looked at him in
surprise and then blushed faintly. As they descended the steps, he put
his arm around her shoulder. At the bottom he stopped and glanced
around apprehensively, something like alarm appearing in h