od. There is only
one point that divides you and me just at present. We all want peace,
but some of us want it so much that we are willing to pay for it by the
final last sacrifice of our youth and our blood. There are others who
think it may be obtained, and apparently you are one of them, simply by
sitting still and talking the whole subject over. This is pretty
difficult as things are at present. So long as the devil is such a
scrapper, those of us who believe in the triumph of right have got to
learn to fight back harder and even more successfully than he can
fight."

Billy was silent for a moment, then with an egotism which was eminently
characteristic, he remarked: "Well, perhaps that is the way some people
must see the thing. Do you know I have always believed that some day I
am going to have a tremendous influence upon people just through talking
to them."

Then, by the time Lieutenant Carson had recovered from his surprise at
Billy's audacity, he had made up his mind that the hour had arrived for
their return to camp.

CHAPTER XII

"As You Like It"

The more Mrs. Burton dwelt upon the idea of giving a play for the
recreation fund of the soldiers, the more the idea pleased her. Upon
going more deeply into the subject she discovered that an effort was
being made to secure funds for the building of a theater in each war
camp in the United States.

To initiate the movement and to be the first contributor to the fund
here in their immediate neighborhood, Mrs. Burton realized would give
her great pleasure. If her fellow players were offering to act at these
theaters, traveling from one to the other in a regular circuit during
the coming winter, then surely the theaters should be provided!

Moreover, after having first suffered a natural objection to acting with
novices, Mrs. Burton changed her point of view to the extent of
considering that it might be rather charming to play with her own Camp
Fire girls in a comedy fresh and sparkling as Shakespeare's "As You Like
It." The play itself was in the spirit of a summer vacation, full of the
outdoors and delicious improbabilities. Besides the effort would be a
valuable experience for her Camp Fire girls.

Captain Burton had written, expressing not only his approval of the
suggestion, but a real enthusiasm, provided Mrs. Burton felt well enough
to undertake it. Also he suggested that Mrs. Burton find some
professional actor in California who would play _