be! The man must think he's dreaming, having left
you over in France, Jack, on the fighting front when he sailed, with not
one chance in a thousand that you could catch even the next boat, days
later, and then finding you here ahead of him!"

The prospect pleased them all so much that they made light of the
merciless jostling received in that springless wagon over wretched
Virginia shore roads. In fact, they were so elated over the great success
that had rewarded their daring venture that it seemed just then as if
nothing could ever again make them feel blue, or depressed in spirits.

In due time the lonely little station was reached. It was then two in the
afternoon of that eventful day. Just as Tom anticipated, it turned out
that there would not be a train in the direction they wished to go for
two hours and more. This train would drop them at another station where
a connection was made with the road that ran through Bridgeton.

It was lucky they found themselves in no hurry, thanks, as Jack naively
remarked, to their having come across "on the air-line limited."

The time dragged to Jack, naturally, but he felt he had no reason for
complaint after such wonderful good fortune. At last their train came
along. What if it was ten minutes late? That would only shorten their
wait at the junction.

"So long as we reach the old town by nine tonight I'll be satisfied,"
Jack had bravely committed himself by saying; and indeed it was just
about then they did jump from the steps of the car at Bridgeton, for the
second train had been two hours late.

Nevertheless all of them were united in thinking they had made a swift
trip from the American sector of the fighting front in France to the town
of Bridgeton in the Old Dominion in just _four complete days_.

Jack led the way, though, of course, Tom would have been just as
competent a guide, since this was also his home town.

How those blinking lights in the well-remembered windows of the Parmly
home held Jack's eyes, once he sighted them! Never before in all his
life had he felt such a delicious thrill creep over him from head to toe.

Knocking on the door he and his chums carried out their pre-arranged
plan. Jack and Tom were to keep back out of sight, leaving Lieutenant
Beverly to break the glorious news first and prepare the family, so there
might not be so loud an outcry as to arouse the neighbors and breed the
excitement in the community that neither of the returned fi