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 indigestion, a chronic condition,
which is my incubus. Yesterday my strength suddenly deserted me and I
became helpless."

"How fortunate it was that Maud noticed you!" exclaimed Patsy, with
generous sympathy.

Again the half sad smile softened his face as he looked at her.

"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
misanthrope, 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," replied Patsy. "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."