hardly be playing fair with my friend in Saigon. If he knew the truth he
might abandon his trip to Hong-Kong in the _Kut Sang_, and I would be rid
of him, for I knew he was going with me in the steamer for the purpose of
attempting to learn what my business would be in the British port.

If I was to remain in Manila I would have disillusioned him, and so put a
stop to his trailing me about, but, as I was leaving in a few hours, I
anticipated but little more trouble from him or the redheaded man.
Besides, I saw an opportunity to make game of him by telling him his
mistake after we were well to sea and leading him on a fool's voyage.

"I am sure that we will have a pleasant passage in the _Kut Sang_," he
said. "I am something of a literary man myself, Mr. Trenholm--an
exhaustive life of the saints, a shilling in paper covers, four shillings
in cloth, with gilt title and frontispiece of me. It is recommended by
the Bishop of Salisbury, and in its class quite a standard work.

"Then I did some poems, chiefly on sacred subjects. Not much as poetry,
perhaps, judged by severe standards, but I am told they are regarded as
marvels of piety and sweetness. I may have a copy in my luggage, which I
will show you after we are settled aboard the steamer."

I let him ramble on like that, turning over in my mind the while all the
schemes I intended to put into play to convince him I was really a spy,
and when a boy brought a paper I fell upon the war news.

"Another Russian defeat," I half moaned, and made out that I was
dreadfully upset because the Japanese were winning battles.

He said he deplored war, and had a prejudice against the Japanese, and