out upon it. "If he did, it must have been dreadfully hard for him. It
makes me shiver to think of him sitting there all alone, reading the
casualty list, terrified for fear the next name would be that of his
son----"

"Oh, Betty," cried gentle Amy, all her sympathy quickly roused by the
picture Betty had drawn, "what a dreadful thing to think of!"

"But he never did find their names among the missing or killed,"
Mollie reminded them soberly. "We know that because he said he
expected to see them soon."

"Of course, And all we can do is hope with all our hearts that he gets
his wish," said Betty brightly, adding with a sudden change of
subject: "But away with dull care. The sun is shining and here's our
fairy ship waiting to carry us off to fresh adventure. What more could
any one want, I'd like to know."

"Humph," grunted Mollie, eyeing critically the trim little boat in
which they had had so much fun and adventure, as the other girls
tumbled aboard. "I'd say she didn't look very much like a fairy boat
just now. She needs considerable polishing and scrubbing. Why don't
you girls get busy, anyhow?"

"Just hear who's talking," yawned Grace, disposing herself lazily in a
comfortable chair on deck. "I haven't noticed you waving a broom and
mop frantically around these parts lately, Mollie dear."

"In fact," Betty added with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "I think
I remember suggesting that the Gem needed grooming the other day.