The Honorable Percival

Percival was aware of their pursuing footsteps from the moment he went ashore and lost his umbrella, to the

he was surrounded by a noisy, gesticulating crowd. Insistent requests that he should buy a string of shells, adopt a chameleon, wear a wreath

" asked the gra

verybody goes,"

kiki? Punch-Bo

e, as a matter of fact,

ch he found himself was very ancient, having evidently traveled from the center to the circumference of civilization by easy stages. Its age and asthmatic condition should have made it an object of veneration to the chauffeur, but such was not the case. Like

ous halt, and the chauffeur in

asked Perciv

ndred feet above the level of the sea, where the early inh

te explanation to cover his confusion. "You see, I'm looking for the purser. The purser of the Saluria

first to the Pa

sharp angle of stone wall. As he did so, a gale struck him that sent his hat careening over the precipice. He gazed after it in chagrin. The fact that one of the great pan

d the chauffeur, surpri

damned wind!" said Per

Waikiki Beach," suggest

He's a purser, I te

ough the blue eyes of a certain little untraveled Western savage. What a revelation it must be to one used to the barren alkali deserts of Wyoming, wher

pool-rooms," sugge

t him blankly, th

at shop," he sa

, with the jolly breakers rolling in, and the bay full of changing colors. Coral reefs! That's what caused the color; he had read it in a book somewhere. Air was good, too, fruity and salty and not too hot. For the moment he forgo

in animated discussion. The youngest of the ladies, who wore a bathing-suit of conspicuous hue and did m

ke me out in the surf-boat, won't you? The boys haven

reathlessly, "you'll take me o

e impossible. I'm looking for the

ven't a minute to lose. T

with Mrs. Weston that it would be most

; then she suddenly changed her tactics, and added with childish

th-house that gave evidence of recent use. But a glance into the mirror that hung on the door not only convinced him of his identity, but added the comfor

as he emerged. "There are three Ka

" said P

the canoe, a long, narrow affair w

aking her place behind the second Kanaka. "The men were in the w

imed Percival i

front seat grinned

de of the reef," h

bby's enthusiasm dashed like spray against

at the mountains back yonder against the sky, and the mists in the valle

as a matter of fact I find th

to find the purser. It was the disconcerting discovery that this persistent young woman from the States was making him do things

became stronger and higher, until by the time they reached

teasingly, flashing a s

immediately was chagrined at having

e fun than a bucking bronco. Is thi

ere plunged into the water, and a vigorous pull was made for the shore. There was a merry whiz of rushing waters, a breathless suspension in

ssionals at St. Moritz, not to boast of a daring flight in a French a?roplane, one is apt to be rather superior to minor sports. But the present thrilling diversion, shared w

ly from the pier. The last time she looked at her watch, she seemed to give up the hope of getting the

t a narrow shell of wood, three brown-backed natives, and one towering wave after another that shot them t

ercival on the third return.

shaking the salt spray out of her hair. "I

of them," cried Percival, reck

they went blithely forth

when they again touched shore. "Wou

ground more promptly than this remark bro

it's impossible! My lu

re appalling than being divorced from his luggage. He struggled frantically into his clothes, losing three precious minutes over a broken shoe-lace. When he came out he found Bobby, very cool an

steamer sailed, in which case it was quite possible that the erratic captain would refuse to put back. The man might even make capital of the incident and claim that

ows on the front seat and his eyes on the small w

obby, excitedly. "

anner in order to impress her with the gravity of the sit

d Bobby, adding between bounces, "besides, you nee

ng assurance that it was only four forty-five, and he could get most anywhere in fifteen minutes. B

rcival in tones of ho

ho had jammed on the brakes, and was

tly. "Every second counts, my man. Doesn't matt

goin' to ru

d old tire? I'll pay for it. I'll pay you anyt

obblestone, the chauffeur rebelled and positively

ar!" cried Bobby, "What luck! Here com

ram. To be sure! Hadn't thoug

to his early training. But the imperious signal with which he hailed the car was not heeded. Instead, a fat co

Percival to Bobby, who had just co

re comes a wagon. Quick! Ask the man i

can't ri

ride on a broom-stick

r, who evidently thought he was mentally unsound, when Bobby came to his rescue. It was only by resorting to some of thos

ectacle of an austere and distinguished-looking Englishman and a pretty, if somewhat disheveled, young girl dang

ck speed tow

nother sailing for the Orient for ten days. The prospect of ten days in this lotus-land alone with a perilously pretty girl who had evidently taken an enormous fancy to him filled hi

asp Bobby's arm to steady her, and as he did

ere's no use looking like

e wh

trout on

he had divined his state of mind? Woman's intui

e was no time to indulge in subtleties. He s

ed wildly of a man in un

liberation. "Let's see. Yellow funnels, ain't she