"I think I can do better with English."
"Have your own way about it; but 'meridonial' in French means 'southern,' if you will excuse me for making the suggestion."
"Then I am meridonial," replied the stranger, and he seemed to make the admission under the influence of a sudden impulse.
"Your hand on that!" promptly added Christy, extending his own.
"All right!" exclaimed the other. "My name is Percy Pierson. What is yours?"
"Percy Pierson!" exclaimed Christy, starting back with astonishment, as though his companion had fired a pistol in his face.
"What is the matter now?" demanded Percy Pierson, surprised at the demonstration of the other.
"What did you say your name was? Did I understand you aright?"
"I said my name was Percy Pierson. Is there any thing surprising about that?" asked Percy, puzzled at the demeanor of Christy.
"See here, my jolly high-flyer, who told you my name?" demanded the son of the owner of the Bellevite, with a certain amount of indignation in his manner.