t they may relieve to some
extent the pain and agony of those wounded and dying fellow creatures."

"Foreigners," said Uncle John weakly.

"Human beings," said the boy.

Patsy marched over to Ajo and gave him a sturdy whack upon the back that
nearly knocked him over.

"The spirit of John Paul Jones still goes marching on!" she cried. "My
boy, you're the right stuff, and I'm glad I doctored you."

He smiled, looking from one to another of the three girls questioningly.

"Then I'm to go along?" he asked.

"We shall be grateful," answered Maud, after a moment's hesitation.
"This is all very sudden to me, for I had planned to go alone."

"That wouldn't do at all," asserted Uncle John briskly. "I'm astonished
and--and grieved--that my nieces should want to go with you, but perhaps
the trip will prove interesting. Tell me what steamer you want to catch,
Maud, and I'll reserve rooms for our entire party."

"No," said Jones, "don't do it, sir."

"Why not?"

"There's the _Arabella_. Let's use her."

"To cross the ocean?"

"She has done that before. It will assist our enterprise, I'm sure, to
have our own boat. These are troublous times on the high seas."

Patsy clapped her hands gleefully.

"That's it; a hospital ship!" she exclaimed.

They regarded her with various expressions: startled, doubtful,
admiring, approving. Presently, with added thought on the matter, the
approval became unanimous.

"It's an amazing suggestion," said Maud, her eyes sparkling.

"Think how greatly it will extend our usefulness," said Beth.

Uncle John was again trotting up and down the room, this time in a
state of barely repressed excitement.

"The very thing!" he cried. "Clever, practical,
and--eh--eh--tremendously interesting. Now, then, listen carefully--all
of you! It's up to you, Jones, to accompany Maud on the night express to
Washington. Get the Red Cross Society to back our scheme and supply us
with proper credentials. The _Arabella_ must be rated as a hospital ship
and our party endorsed as a distinct private branch of the Red
Cross--what they call a 'unit.' I'll give you a letter to our senator
and he will look after our passports and all necessary papers. I--I
helped elect him, you know. And while you're gone it shall be my
business to fit the ship with all the supplies we shall need to promote
our mission of mercy."

"I'll share the expense," proposed the boy.

"No, you won't. You've done enough in furnishing th