“Molly?” said Dick.

“Yes, my sister, you know.  Sometimes we call her Mary.”

“I didn’t know your sister’s name was Molly.  What does she look like?”

“Just watch that girl who is waving her hat as if she was crazy.  That’s Molly.”

Ned was in the launch before it touched the bank, and Mr. Barstow was holding his son by the hand, although neither spoke, while Molly had her arms around Ned’s neck and was laughing, crying and talking by turns.

“You blessed, blessed Neddy!  What did happen to you?  We were frightened, oh! so frightened.”

“Ned,” said Mr. Barstow, “your friend, young Williams, was with you.  I never saw him, but I hope no harm came to him.”

“No, daddy; Dick will be all right, now you are here, but he has been very, very sick, and I was dreadfully afraid he wouldn’t get well, and all his trouble came because he saved my life without thinking of his own.  Come right ashore and see him.”

“Shall I come, too?” asked Molly.

“Sure,” replied Ned.  “He wants to see you especially.”

A moment later Mr. Barstow had one of Dick’s hands in both of his own.

“My boy, my boy, what made you run away?  The hue and cry is out for you in Key West.  Why did you never tell me that you were Ned’s nearest friend?  Why didn’t you tell Molly who you were?  Ned has talked to her for years about you.  Come here, Molly, and tell your friend Dick Williams what you think of him for hiding his name from you.”

But Molly didn’t tell him just then.  For Dick’s strength had been overtaxed, and when his eyes met Molly’s he promptly fainted.

When Dick had recovered, Ned invited his father and sister to dine before going aboard the motor-boat, and as he was busy preparing the meal and his father had much to hear from him, the care of the invalid fell upon Molly, a duty which she performed to the apparent satisfaction of her patient.

“Those oysters are lovely,” said the girl as she speared with a chop-stick a small one which had been roasted in the shell.

“Yes.  Ned waded through half a mile of mud to get them.”

“I wondered how Neddy got so muddy.  I was so glad to see him that I just hugged him, and now I ought to be in a wash-tub.  Just look at me.”

Dick obeyed her so literally that she added a moment later: 

“I mean look at the mud on my dress.”

The broiled snappers were pronounced the finest fish ever served, the palmetto cabbage better than cauliflower, and then the girl asked: 

“This white meat is pretty good.  What is it?”

“Alligator.”

“Really?”

“Really and truly.  You said you liked it.”

“I didn’t know it was a reptile.  Why didn’t you tell me?  I wouldn’t have eaten it if I had known.”

“Ned wouldn’t have liked it if I had told.  He is my doctor, you know, and I have to mind him.”