"Not until you promise," she said quietly.
"Promise," he repeated dully.
She nodded.
For fully a moment he was silent, then in a very quiet, restrained voice he said, "I promise, Lola, to do nothing until I see you again."
"Honest Injun?" she asked, sitting up.
"Honest Injun," he repeated, then they both laughed.
"But I've signed-on as assistant-purser," he said whimsically.
"Signed-on!" she repeated with widening eyes.
"Well, it's really a sort of wangle," he explained. "I shipped as assistant-purser. Tallis arranged it, Lola!"
"Oh!"
She drew back from him into the furthest corner of the chair behind her, covering her face with her hands.
"Lola, what is it; what's the matter?"
"Please, please go away," she moaned, still shielding her face with her hands.
"You must tell me," he persisted. "What have I said; what have I done?"
"I—I thought you were"
Suddenly light dawned upon him.
"You thought I was going to" he hesitated.
She nodded, still with her hands before her face.
"My God! and that is why?" he began.
"Oh! what have I done? what have I done?" she moaned.
