en thousand
miles away from God and up against it, so they're beatin' it back home
to volunteer for service in France. I heard one of 'em say she could
save more money workin' for nothin' in France than she could earn in
a year down here at double pay. What'd you say your name was, young
feller?"

"Percival."

"I mean your last name."

"That's it."

"Come off! Nobody ever had a last name like that."

"You ought to hear what my first name is,--and my middle one, too. You
said a little while ago you'd never seen any one of my size with bigger
and harder muscles. Well, if you knew what my full name is, old man,
you'd understand why I began developing them,--I've got a lot more too
that you can't see,--when I first began going to school."

"What is your other names?" inquired the sailor curiously.

"Algernon Adonis," said Percival.

The sailor was silent for a moment, thinking of the proper thing to say.
Then he said:

"You're dead right. It takes a heap of muscle to pertect a name like
that."

Three women stopped in front of the two men. Percival kept his eyes
lowered.

"Why,--why, Auntie,--I know him," fell from the lips of one of the trio.
There was not only surprise in her voice but a trace of awe as well.

The swabber looked up quickly. He found himself gazing straight into the
eyes of the speaker. Her lips were parted, her head was bent slightly
forward, her eyes expressed utter incredulity and bewilderment. Her
companion, an elderly lady, and a bespectacled young woman who carried
an arm-load of steamer-rugs, stared not at him but at the girl who had
delivered this startling announcement.

"I mean I,--that is, I may be mistaken," stammered the latter, suddenly
averting her eyes. A wave of crimson swept over her face.

"Undoubtedly," exclaimed the elderly lady with great positiveness.
Turning to inspect the object under discussion, she sustained a shock
that caused her to stiffen and draw in her breath quickly.

Percival was smiling in a most friendly and encouraging manner. He went
farther, and lifted his disreputable white canvas hat.

"Oh, goodness!" exclaimed the young lady in a sort of panic. "Are
you--is it really you, Mr. Percival?"

Mr. Percival glanced inquiringly at his guard.

"That's his name, Miss," said that worthy. "And that's one of the
three reasons why he's got them muscular arms you're lookin' at. Sorry,
though, but my orders are not to allow any one to speak to him."

"Are