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remember,’ she said, rising to her feet. ‘And now Mr Professor, run away and book our passage – I am getting anxious in case we have to wait for weeks.’
    Hugh departed to do her bidding, while she returned to the maids in the box room. On the way she stopped to look at herself in a mirror.
    â€˜What a revelation!’ she murmured. ‘Perhaps in time I may find myself acting as assistant to Hugh. Joan Shannon, of His Majesty’s Intelligence Department, sounds rather nice!’

CHAPTER FIVE
Enter Cousins
    For several days Hugh Shannon’s flat in West Kensington was a scene of turmoil. Boxes, dressing-cases, trunks and suitcases littered every room and overflowed into the passages. Joan kept her two maids working at such high pressure that, in a remarkably short space of time, the flat was dismantled. She herself worked tremendously hard and never slacked, and Hugh became a veritable handy-man. Then order began to grow out of chaos, clothes were gradually packed away, and, at last, three days before the boat was due to sail, the inmates of the flat started to breathe easily once more.
    Hugh had managed to get two very good berths on a mail boat, the Ispahan . He was very lucky, for the berths had originally been booked, strangely enough, by a man and his sister, who had been compelled to cancel them at the last moment, owing to some family bereavement. He had obtained a passport for Joan – he, of course, already had one himself – and had had a last interview with the Chief, who had given him final and careful instructions about his work inIndia. Thus it was that in the evening of the day, when all the heavy packing was at length complete, he sat down and sighed with relief.
    â€˜Thank goodness, that’s done!’ he said. ‘Joan, I never knew you were such a slave driver!’
    â€˜Well, you shouldn’t give one such short notice,’ she retorted. ‘Maud and Alice have been bricks, and I’d like to take them with me.’
    He nodded.
    â€˜They have worked hard,’ he said; ‘and as for you – you’ve been wonderful!’
    â€˜Thank you!’ she replied with perfect composure. ‘I think I have! At all events I have done something which you did not think of.’
    â€˜What’s that?’ he asked.
    â€˜I found all your old books on English literature, and I’ve packed them in a trunk labelled “Wanted on Voyage”. You must be pretty rusty after all these years, and you’ll be able to refresh your memory on the way out.’
    â€˜By jove! I never thought of that! You’re splendid!’
    â€˜I rather think I am! Let us go out and have a gay evening. We haven’t had one together for some time, and I have no engagements tonight, have you?’
    â€˜No!’ he said. ‘That’s rather a good notion. I daresay I’ll find an evening-suit somewhere.’
    â€˜And with a little luck I might find a frock which hasn’t been packed. Hurry up, Hugh! I’ll be dressed first.’
    â€˜You won’t!’ he declared. Then the door-bell rang.
    â€˜If that is any of our sorrowing friends,’ said Joan, ‘I’ll scream!’
    Presently one of the maids knocked, and entered the room. She looked as though she had received the surprise of her life.
    â€˜Please, Miss,’ she said, ‘there is a man at the door, who says he is Captain Shannon’s valet. I told him that Captain Shannon hasn’tgot a valet, and all he said was “go and tell your master I’ve come”.’
    â€˜What is his name, Alice?’ asked Joan.
    â€˜Why it’s old Cousins, of course,’ almost shouted Hugh. ‘He was my man for years, Alice, and he’s come back. Tell him to come along in!’
    Alice departed, still with a look of surprise on her face.
    â€˜Hugh,’ said Joan severely, ‘when did you learn to tell fibs with such