re
since the afternoon of their extraordinary introduction.

"I hope to be allowed to help with the farm work, Aunt Patricia," she
urged. "You know I too was brought up on Mr. Webster's farm in New
Hampshire, besides, all my people in Russia were peasant farmers."

Miss Patricia did not cease for an instant to continue to care for her
brood. However, she did answer with unusual condescension:

"You are a sensible girl, Vera. I observed the fact on the afternoon I
met you in New York City when you made no effort to argue with me in
connection with the escape of that ridiculous burglar."

CHAPTER VII

BECOMING ADJUSTED

It was not a simple matter for the Sunrise Camp Fire unit to become
accustomed to their new life in the devastated French country. The
conditions were primitive and difficult. More than once in the first few
weeks Mrs. Burton wondered if in bringing the Camp Fire girls with her
to work in France hers had not been the courage of folly?

Tet they started out with excellent military discipline. Life at the
farm house was modeled upon the precepts of the "Waacs," the Womans'
Army Auxiliary Corps of the British army in France. These girls, many
thousands in number, are performing every possible service behind the
British armies in the field.

Unexpectedly it was Sally Ashton who first demanded that a proper
routine of life and work be laid down and obeyed. Also the household
work must be equitably divided, each girl choosing her portion according
to her tastes and talents.

Each day's calendar, written by Mrs. Burton upon her typewriter, was
hung in a conspicuous place in the front hall at the French farm.

The domestic schedule read:

"Breakfast 8 o'clock, bedrooms cleaned immediately after.
Dinner 1 P. M.
Supper 6.30 P. M.
No work after 8.30 P. M.
Bedtime 10 o'clock."

In the proper observance of the hours for meals Sally Ashton was
particularly interested, as she had volunteered to undertake the
direction of the housekeeping, which consisted of deciding upon the menu
of the simple meals and assisting in their preparation. It was not
possible that Sally alone should do all the cooking for so large a
family without wearing herself out and leaving no time for other things.

However, soon after their arrival Mrs. Burton had secured the services
of an old French woman whom she had discovered wandering about the
country homeless, her little hut having been entirely des