tic," interposed Tilly.

"Well, not until you've passed through the little matter of the Gulf of
Mexico," rejoined Genevieve; while a chorus of laughing voices jeered:

"Why, Tilly Mack, where's your geography?"

"Don't know, I'm sure," returned Tilly, imperturbably. "Haven't seen it
since I studied up Texas," she finished as she turned away.

The first night aboard ship was another experience never to be forgotten
by the Happy Hexagons. In the parlor of the suite Genevieve and Cordelia
kept up such an incessant buzz of husky whispering and tittering that
Mrs. Kennedy came out from the bedroom to remonstrate.

"My dears, you mean to be quiet, I know; but I'm sure you don't realize
how it sounds from our room. Tilly is nervous and feverish to-night--the
day has been very exciting for her."

"And she has tried so hard to keep up, and seem as usual, too," cried
Genevieve, contritely. "Of course we'll keep still! Cordelia, I'm
ashamed of you," she finished severely. Then, at Cordelia's amazed look
of shocked distress, she hugged her spasmodically. "As if it wasn't all
my fault," she chuckled.

In other parts of the boat the rest of the party explored their strange
quarters to the last corner; then made themselves ready to be "laid on
the shelf," as Elsie termed going to bed in the narrow berth.

"I shall take off my shoes to-night," announced Bertha with dignity,
after a long moment of silence. "If anything happens here we'll get into
the water, of course, and I think shoes would only be a nuisance."

For a moment Elsie did not answer; then, almost hopefully she asked,

"I suppose if anything did happen we'd lose our clothes--even if we
ourselves were saved, wouldn't we?"

"Why, I--I suppose so."

"Yes, that's what I thought," nodded Elsie, happily. Elsie, at the
moment, was engaged in taking off a somewhat unevenly faded green
chambray frock.

* * * * *

It was on the second day of the trip that Cordelia took from her
suit-case a sheet of paper, worn with much folding and refolding, and
marked plainly, "Things to do in Texas."

"I suppose I might as well finish this up now," she sighed. "I'm out of
Texas, and what is done is done; and what is undone can't ever be done,
now." And carefully she spread the paper out and reached into her bag
for her pencil.

When she had finished her work, the paper read as follows:

See the blue bonnet--the Texas state flower. Find out if it