"Looking on as usual?" the girl said to him presently, with a bitter
little smile, as she found herself near him.

He nodded.

"I'm really afraid to speak to you to-day," he said. "Your skirt will
never again bear the light of day."

"What happened?" she said briefly.

The game was over, and they strolled away together across the deck.

"I'll tell you," he said, with ill-suppressed gaiety in his voice. "We
should all have been blown out of the water last night if it hadn't been
for me. Forgetful of my finery, I went and--looked on. The magic result
was that I saved the situation, and--incidentally, of course--the ship."

He stopped.

"You don't believe me?" he said abruptly.

Her lip curled a little.

"Do you really expect to be believed?" she said.

"I don't know," he said; "I thought it was the usual thing to do between
friends."

"I was not aware--" began Molly.