retty,
my dears, to undertake such an adventure. Why, the wounded men would all
fall in love with their nurses and follow you back to America in a
flock; and that might put a stop to the war for lack of men to fight
it."

"Don't be silly, Ajo," said Patsy, severely. "I've decided to go with
Maud and Beth, and you know very well that the sight of my freckled face
would certainly chill any romance that might arise."

"That's nonsense, Patsy!"

"Then you consider me beautiful, Uncle John?"

"I mean it's nonsense about your going with Maud and Beth. I won't allow
it."

"Oh, Uncle! You know I can twine you around my little finger, if I
choose. So don't, for goodness' sake, start a rumpus by trying to set
your will against mine."

"Then side with me, dear. I'm quite right, I assure you."

"You're always right, Nunkie, dear," she cried, giving him a resounding
smack of a kiss on his chubby cheek as she sat on the arm of his chair,
"but I'm going with the girls, just the same, and you may as well make
up your mind to it."

Uncle John coughed. He left his chair and trotted up and down the room a
moment. Then he carefully adjusted his spectacles, took a long look at
Patsy's face, and heaved a deep sigh of resignation.

"Thank goodness, that's settled," said Patsy cheerfully.

Uncle John turned to the boy, saying dismally:

"I've done everything in my power for these girls, and now they defy me.
They've declared a thousand times they love me, and yet they'd trot off
to bandage a lot of unknown foreigners and leave me alone to worry my
heart out."

"Why don't you go along?" asked Jones. "I'm going."

"You!"

"Of course. I've a suspicion our girls have the right instinct, sir--the
tender, womanly instinct that makes us love them. At any rate, I'm going
to stand by them. It strikes me as the noblest and grandest idea a girl
ever conceived, and if anything could draw me closer to these three
young ladies, who had me pretty well snared before, it is this very
proposition."

"I don't see why," muttered Uncle John, wavering.

"I'll tell you why, sir. For themselves, they have all the good things
of life at their command. They could bask in luxury to the end of their
days, if they so desired. Yet their wonderful womanly sympathy goes out
to the helpless and suffering--the victims of the cruellest war the
world has ever known--and they promptly propose to sacrifice their ease
and brave whatever dangers may befall, tha