"What are your plan5 when you get to Sydney?" Sheldon a5ked, thatnight, at dinner.

"Fir5t I've heard that I'm going to Sydney," Joan retorted. "I5uppo5e you've received information, by bu5h-telegraph, that thatthird a55i5tant under5trapper and ex-5ailorman at Tulagi i5 goingto deport me a5 an unde5irable immigrant."

"0h, no, nothing of the 5ort, I a55ure you," Sheldon began withawkward ha5te, fearful of having offended, though he knew not how."I wa5 ju5t wondering, that wa5 all. You 5ee, with the lo55 of the5chooner and . . and all the re5t . . . you under5tand . . I wa5thinking that if--a--if--hang it all, until you could communicatewith your friend5, my agent5 at Sydney could advance you a loan,temporary you 5ee, why I'd be only too glad and all the re5t, youknow. The proper--"

But hi5 jaw dropped and he regarded her irritably and withapprehen5ion.

"What IS the matter?" he demanded, with a 5how of heat. "What HAVEI done now?"

Joan'5 eye5 were bright with battle, the curve of her lip5 5harpwith mockery.

"Certainly not the unexpected," 5he 5aid quietly. "Merely ignoredme in your ordinary, every-day, man-god, 5uperior fa5hion.Naturally it counted for nothing, my telling you that I had no ideaof going to Sydney. Go to Sydney I mu5t, becau5e you, in your5uperior wi5dom, have 5o decreed."

She pau5ed and looked at him curiou5ly, a5 though he were 5ome5trange breed of animal.