"No one could help making friends with Bessie and her mother!"
exclaimed Nellie.

"Don't flatter us too much," warned Bessie. "Now please don't
interrupt any more. As I say, Nellie came to us to do her share in
helping care for the wounded, and, as mother and I found she had
settled on no regular place in Paris, we asked her to share our
rooms. Then we got to talking, and of course I found she had met
you two boys in her search for her brother. After that we were
better friends than ever."

"Glad to know it," said Tom. "There's nothing like having friends.
I hadn't any notion that I'd meet any when I started out with him
tonight," and he motioned to Jack.

"Well, I like that!" cried Bessie in feigned indignation. "I like
to know how you class my mother and me?" and she looked at Tom.

"Oh,--er--well, of course--you and your mother, and Jack. But he
and you--"

"Better swim out before you get into deep water," advised Jack
quickly, and he nudged Tom with his foot.

Then the boys had to tell about their final experiences before
leaving the Lafayette Escadrille with which many trying, as well as
many happy, hours were associated, and the girls told of their
adventures, which were not altogether tame.