and then at the other girl--the sister of Harry, their chum, who was
somewhere, dead or alive, behind the German lines.

"Well, aren't you glad to see her?" demanded Bessie. "I thought I'd
surprise you."

"You have," said Jack. "Very much!"

"Glad to see her--why--of course. But--but--how--"

Tom found himself stuttering and stammering, so he stopped, and
stared so hard at Nellie Leroy that she smiled, though rather sadly,
for it was plain to be seen her grief over the possible death of her
brother weighed down on her. And then she went on:

"Well, I'm real--I'm not a dream, Mr. Raymond."

"So I see--I mean I'm glad to see it--I mean--oh, I don't know what
I do mean!" he finished desperately. "Did you know she was going to
be here? Was that the reason you asked me to come?" he inquired of
Jack.

"Hadn't the least notion in the world," answered Jack. "I'm as much
surprised as you are."

"Well, we'll take pity on you and tell you all about it," said
Bessie. "Mother, here are the boys," she called; and Mrs. Gleason,
who had suffered so much since having been saved from the Lusitania
and afterward rescued by air craft from the lonely castle, came out
of her room to greet the boys.