As for Maud，she smilingly belittledc her effort，sayinglightly："I know I must not claim that it didn't amount to anything，for your life is valuable，Mr.Jones，I'm sure.But I had almost nothing to do beyond calling Patsy Doyle's attention to you and then swimming out to keep you afloat until help came.I'm a good swimmer，so it was not at all dif？cult.""Moreover，"he added，"you would have done the samething for anyone in distress.""Certainly.""I realize that.I am quite a stranger to you.Nevertheless，my gratitude is your due and I hope you will accept it as the least tribute I can pay you.Of all that throng of bathers，only you noticed my peril and came to my assistance.""Fate ！"whispered Flo impressively.
"Nonsense，"retorted her sister."I happened to be the only one looking out to sea.I think，Mr.Jones，you owe us apologies more than gratitude，for your folly was responsible for the incident.You were altogether too venturesome.Such action on this coast，where the surf rolls high and creates an undertow，is nothing less than foolhardy.""I'm sure you are right，"he admitted."I did not know this coast，and foolishly imagined the old Paci？c，in which I have sported and played since babyhood，was my friend wherever I found it.""I hope you are feeling better and stronger this evening，"said Mr.Merrick."We expected you to join us at dinner.""I—I seldom dine in public，"he explained，flushingslightly."My bill—of—fare is very limited，you know，owing to my—my condition；and so I carry my food—tablets around with me，wherever I go，and eat them in my own room.""Food—tablets ！"cried Patsy，horri？ed.
"Yes.They are really wafersa—very harmless—and I am permitted to eat nothing else.""No wonder your stomach is bad and you're a living skeleton ！"asserted the girl，with scorn.
"My dear，"said Uncle John，gently chidingb her，"we must give Mr.Jones the credit for knowing what is best for him.""Not me，sir！"protested the boy，in haste."I'm veryignorant about—about health，and medicine and the like.But in New York I consulted a famous doctor，and he told me what to do.""That's right，"nodded the old gentleman，who had neverbeen ill in his life."Always take the advice of a doctor，listen to the advice of a lawyer，and refuse the advise of a banker.That's worldly wisdom.""Were you ill when you left your home ？"inquired Mrs.
Montrose，looking at the young man with motherly sympathy."Not when I left the island，"he said."I was pretty wellup to that time.But during the long ocean voyage I was terribly sick，and by the time we got to San Francisco my stomach was a wreck.Then I tried to eat the rich food at your restaurants and hotels—we live very plainly in Sangoa，you know—and by the time I got to New York I was a con？rmed dyspeptic and suffering tortures.Everything I ate disagreed with me.So I went to a great specialist，who has invented these food tablets for cases just like mine，and he ordered me to eat nothing else.""And are you better ？"asked Maud.
He hesitated.
"Sometimes I imagine I am.I do not suffer so much pain，but I—I seem to grow weaker all the time.""No wonder！"cried Patsy."If you starve yourself you can't grow strong."He looked at her with an expression of surprise.Then heasked abruptly：