He smiled, looking from one to another of the three girls questioningly.

"Then I'm to go along?" he asked.

"We shall be grateful," answered Maud, after a moment's hesitation.
"This is all very sudden to me, for I had planned to go alone."

"That wouldn't do at all," asserted Uncle John briskly. "I'm astonished
and--and grieved--that my nieces should want to go with you, but perhaps
the trip will prove interesting. Tell me what steamer you want to catch,
Maud, and I'll reserve rooms for our entire party."

"No," said Jones, "don't do it, sir."

"Why not?"

"There's the _Arabella_. Let's use her."

"To cross the ocean?"

"She has done that before. It will assist our enterprise, I'm sure, to
have our own boat. These are troublous times on the high seas."

Patsy clapped her hands gleefully.

"That's it; a hospital ship!" she exclaimed.

They regarded her with various expressions: startled, doubtful,
admiring, approving. Presently, with added thought on the matter, the
approval became unanimous.