"I am Arthur Weldon，"said that young gentleman；"but I was merely the boatman，under command of Miss Doyle，whom I beg to present to you."A.Jones looked earnestly into Patsy's face.Holding out his hand he said with his odd smile："Thank you."Then he turned to shake Arthur's hand，after which he continued："I also am indebted to Mr.Merrick for carrying me to the hospital.The doctor told me that only this prompt action enabled them to resuscitatea me at all.And now，I believe it would be courteous for me to tell you who I am and how I came to be in such dire peril."He paused to look around him questioningly and the interest on every face was clearly evident.Arthur took this opportunity to introduce Jones to Louise and Beth and then they all sat down again.Said Uncle John to the stranger，in his frank and friendly way：
"Tell us as much or as little as you like，my boy.We arenot unduly inquisitiveb，I assure you.""Thank you，sir.I am an American，and my name is Jones.That is，I may claim American parentage，although I was born upon a scarcely known island in the Paci？c which my father purchased from the government of Uruguay some thirty years ago.""Sangoa ？"asked Arthur.
He seemed surprised at the question but readily answered："Yes；Sangoa.My father was a grandnephew of John PaulJones and very proud of the connection；but instead of being a sailor he was a scientist，and he chose to pass his life in retirement from the world.""Your father is no longer living，then？"said Mr.Merrick.
"He passed away a year ago，on his beloved island.My mother died several years before him.I began to feel lonely at Sangoa and I was anxious to visit America，of which my mother had so often told me.So some months ago I reached San Francisco，since when I have been traveling over your country—my country，may I call it？—and studying your modern civilization.In New York I remained fully three months.It is only about ten days since I returned to this coast."He stopped abruptly，as if he considered he had toldenough.The brief recital had interested his auditors，but the ensuing pause was rather embarrassing.
"I suppose you have been visiting relatives of your parents，"remarked Uncle John，to ease the situation.
"They—had no relatives that I know of，"he returned."I am quite alone in the world.You must not suppose I am unaccustomed to the water，"he hastened to add，as if to retreat from an unpleasant subject."At Sangoa I have bathed in the sea ever since I can remember anything；but—I am not in good health.I suffer from indigestiona，a chronic condition，which is my i n c u b u sa.Yesterday my strength suddenly deserted me and I became helpless.""How fortunate it was that Maud noticed you！"exclaimedPatsy，with generous sympathy.
Again the half sad smile softened his face as he looked ather.
"I am not sure it was wholly fortunate for me，"he said，"although I admit I have no wish to end my uninteresting life by drowning.I am not a misanthropeb，in spite of my bad stomach.The world is more useful to me than I am to the world，but that is not my fault.Pardon me for talking so much about myself.""Oh，we are intensely interested，I assure you，"repliedPatsy."If some of us were indeed the instruments that saved you yesterday，it is a pleasure to us to know something of the—the man—we saved."She had almost said "boy，"he was such a youthful person，and he knew it as well as she did.
"I would like to meet Miss Stanton and thank her personally，"he presently resumed."So，if you have no objection，I think I shall register at this hotel and take a room.I—I am not very strong yet，but perhaps Miss Stanton will see me when I have rested a little.""She won't return before five o'clock，"explained Mr.Merrick."Miss Stanton is—er—connected with a motionpicture company，you know，and is busy during the day."He seemed both surprised and perplexed，at first，but after a moment's thought he said：
"She is an actress，then ？"
"Yes；she and her sister.They have with them an aunt，Mrs.Montrose，for companion.""Thank you.Then I will try to meet them this evening."As he spoke he rose with some difficulty and bade them adieua.Arthur went with him to the desk and profferedb his assistance，but the young man said he needed nothing but rest."And just think of it，"said Patsy，when he had gone.
"We don't know yet what that 'A'stands for ！""Arthur，"suggested Louise.
"Albert，"said Beth.
"Or Algernon，"added Uncle John with a chuckle.
"But we haven't seen the last of him yet，"declared Miss Doyle."I've a romance all plotted，of which A.Jones is to be the hero.He will fall in love with Maud and carry her away to his island ！""I'm not so sure of that result，"observed Uncle Johnthoughtfully."It wouldn't astonish me to have him fall in love with Maud Stanton；we've all done that，you know；but could Maud—could any girl—be attracted by a lean，dismalc boy with a weak stomach，such as A.Jones ？""Even with these drawbacks he is quite interesting，"asserted Beth.
"He is sure to win her sympathy，"said Louise.
"But，above all，"declared Patsy，"he has an island，inherited from his royal daddy.That island would count for a lot，with any girl ！"