Then Miss Trevor shifted to a very serious mood. She honestly did her best to persuade me to relinquish our enterprise, to go to Mr. Cooke and confess the whole thing.
"I wish we had washed our hands of this Celebrity from the first," she said, with a sigh. "How dreadful if you lose your position on account of this foolishness!"
"But I shan't," I answered reassuringly; "we are getting near the border now, and no sign of trouble. And besides," I added, "I think Miss Thorn tried to frighten me. And she very nearly succeeded. It was prettily done."
"Of course she tried to frighten you. I wish she had succeeded."
"But her object was transparent."
"Her object!" she exclaimed. "Her object was to save you."
"I think not," I replied; "it was to save the Celebrity."
Miss Trevor rose and grasped one of the sail rings to keep her balance.
She looked at me pityingly.
"Do you really believe that?"
"Firmly."