of the _Arrow_, all its
pretty little ways, its manner of curving, looping and dropping, and I
should say that the _Arrow_, Philip Lannes aboard, is coming."

"I pray, sir, that you are right. I always hold my breath until he is on
the ground again."

"Then you'll have to make a record in holding breath, my brave Picard.
He is still far, very far, from us, and it will be a good ten minutes
before he arrives."

But John knew beyond a doubt, after a little more watching, that it was
really the _Arrow_, and with eager eyes he watched the gallant little
machine as it descended in many a graceful loop and spiral to the earth.
They hurried forward to meet it, and Lannes, bright-eyed and trim,
sprang out, greeting John with a welcome cry.

"Up again," he exclaimed, "and, as I see with these two eyes of mine,
as well as ever! And you too, my brave Picard, here to meet me!"

He hastened away with a report, but came back to them in a few minutes.

"Now," he said, "We'll go and see my sister."

John was not at all unwilling.

They found her in one of the new houses of pine boards, and the faithful
and stalwart Suzanne was with her. It was the plainest of plain places,
inhabited by at least twenty other Red Cross nurses, and John stood on
one side until the first greeting of brother and sister was over. Then
Lannes, by a word and a gesture, included him in what was practically a
family group, although he was conscious that the stalwart Suzanne was
watching him with a wary eye.

"Julie and Suzanne," said Lannes, "are going tomorrow with other nurses
to the little town of Menouville, where also many wounded lie. They are
less well supplied with doctors and nurses than we are here. Dr. Delorme
goes also with a small detachment as escort. I have asked that you,
Monsieur Jean the Scott, be sent with them. Our brave Picard goes too.
Menouville is about eight miles from here, and it's not much out of the
way to the front. So you will not be kept long from your Strangers,
John."

"I go willingly," said John, "and I'm glad, Philip, that you've seen fit
to consider me worth while as a part of the escort."

He spoke quietly, but his glance wandered to Julie Lannes. It may have
been a chance, but hers turned toward him at the same time, and the
eyes, the blue and the gray, met. Again the girl's brilliant color
deepened a little, and she looked quickly away. Only the watchful and
grim Suzanne saw.

"Do you have to go away at onc