on, only Mother was so afraid of bombs on the
south coast, so Daddy said it was safer to stop at home; and I was glad,
because we'd spent last Christmas at Grannie's, so I really hadn't seen
very much of home."

"Dick got a week's leave, and we'd an absolutely gorgeous time!"

"James and Vincent brought two school friends home with them--such
ripping boys!"

"We went out boating on the lake."

"And we went to the cinema nearly every day."

"What have you been doing, Marjorie?" asked Chrissie.

"Heaps of things. We were staying at Redferne, and Uncle showed us all
over the munition works. They're so strict they won't let anybody go
through now; but Uncle's the head, so of course he could take Dona and
me. And we saw a Belgian town for the Belgian workers there. It's built
quite separately, and has barbed-wire entanglements round. There are a
thousand houses, and six hundred hostels, and ever so many huts as well,
and shops, and a post office, and a hall of justice. You can't go in
through the gate without a pass, but Uncle knew the manager, so it was
all right."

"I don't call that as much fun as boating," said Betty.

"Or the cinema," added Sylvia.

"It was nicer, because it was patriotic," retorted Marjorie. "I like to
see what the country is doing for the war. You two think of nothing but
silly jokes."

"Don't show temper, my child," observed Betty blandly. "Sylvia, I'm
going down at once to put my name on the cricket list. I'll finish my
unpacking afterwards."

"I'll come with you," said Sylvia. "We shan't get an innings to-morrow
unless we sign on straight away."

"They're a couple of rattle-pates!" laughed Chrissie as their room-mates
made their exit, executing a fox-trot _en route_. "I don't believe they
ever think seriously about anything. Never mind, old sport! I'm
interested in what you do in the holidays. Tell me some more about the
munition works and the Belgian town. I like to hear all you've seen. I
wish I could go to Redferne myself."

"You wouldn't see anything if you did, because only Uncle can take
people round the works. Oh, it was wonderful! We went into the danger
zone. And we saw girls with their faces all yellow. I haven't time to
tell you half now, but I will afterwards. I wouldn't have missed it for
the world."

"It does one good to know what's going on," commented Chrissie.

The Daylight Saving Act was now in operation, so the school had an extra
hour available for outdoor ex