ok like a
firefly in the sunshine."

"I suppose," said Flo, staring into his face with curious interest,
"that you will introduce motion pictures into your island of Sangoa,
when you return?"

"I suppose so," he answered, a little absently. "I had not considered
that seriously, as yet, but my people would appreciate such a treat,
I'm sure."

This speech seemed to destroy, in a manner, their shrewd conjecture
that he was in America to purchase large quantities of films. Why,
then, should Goldstein have paid such abject deference to this
unknown islander?

In his own room, after the party had separated for the night, Mr. Merrick
remarked to Arthur Weldon as they sat smoking their cigars:

"Young Jones is evidently possessed of some means."

"So it seems," replied Arthur. "Perhaps his father, the scientific
recluse, had accumulated some money, and the boy came to America to get
rid of it. He will be extravagant and wasteful for awhile, and then go
back to his island with the idea that he has seen the world."

Uncle John nodded.

"He is a rather clean-cut young fellow," said he, "and the chances are he
won't become dissipated, even though he loses his money through lack of
worldly knowledge or business experience. A boy brought up and educated
on an island can't be expected to prove very shrewd, and whatever the
extent of his fortune it is liable to melt like snow in the sunshine."

"After all," returned Arthur, "this experience won't hurt him. He will
still have his island to return to."

They smoked for a time in silence.

"Has it ever occurred to you, sir," said Arthur, "that the story Jones
has related to us, meager though it is, bears somewhat the stamp of a
fairy tale?"

Uncle John removed his cigar and looked reflectively at the ash.

"You mean that the boy is not what he seems?"

"Scarcely that, sir. He seems like a good boy, in the main. But his story
is--such as one might invent if he were loath to tell the truth."

Uncle John struck a match and relit his cigar.

"I believe in A. Jones, and I see no reason to doubt his story," he
asserted. "If real life was not full of romance and surprises, the
novelists would be unable to interest us in their books."

CHAPTER XI

A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS

The day had not started auspiciously for the Stanton sisters. Soon after
they arrived at the Continental Film Company's plant Maud had wrenched
her ankle by stumbling over some loose planks which ha