www.freeclassicebooks.com

Here, Barbara," he said, "is something of more interest to you than to me. If you

wish I'll call upon him and invite him to dinner tonight."

The girl was reading the note.

Anthony Harding, Esq.

On Board Yacht Lotus,

Honolulu

My dear Mr. Harding:

This will introduce a very dear friend of mine, Count de Cadenet, who expects to

be in Honolulu about the time that you are there. The count is traveling for

pleasure, and as he is entirely unacquainted upon the islands any courtesies

which you may show him will be greatly appreciated.

Cordially,

L. CORTWRITE DIVINE.

The girl smiled as she finished perusing the note.

Larry is always picking up titles and making dear friends of them," she laughed.

I wonder where he found this one."

Or where this one found him," suggested Mr. Harding. "Well, I suppose that the

least we can do is to have him aboard for dinner. We'll be leaving tomorrow, so

there won't be much entertaining we can do."

Let's pick him up on our way through town now," suggested Barbara Harding,

and take him with us for the day. That will be settling our debt to friendship,

and dinner tonight can depend upon what sort of person we find the count to be."

"As you will," replied her father, and so it came about that two big touring cars

drew up before the Count de Cadenet's hotel half an hour later, and Anthony

Harding, Esq., entered and sent up his card.

The "count" came down in person to greet his caller. Harding saw at a glance that

the man was a gentleman, and when he had introduced him to the other

members of the party it was evident that they appraised him quite as had their

host. Barbara Harding seemed particularly taken with the Count de Cadenet,

insisting that he join those who occupied her car, and so it was that the second

officer of the Halfmoon rode out of Honolulu in pleasant conversation with the

object of his visit to the island.

The Mucker