order came
for every one to buckle down to hard work just when his big show is
about to come off."

The weather man proved friendly, for he gave them a splendid day, with
the promise of a moonlight night. Besides, the cold had pretty well
vanished, and it was really becoming more seasonable, with the sun
warming the earth, and the mud drying up to a considerable extent.

When the show opened that night it was to a house jammed to the doors.
Even the windows were utilized for seating room; and crowds stood
without, unable to gain admittance.

"Some crowd, eh?" remarked Jack, as he watched the airmen, soldiers and
others pouring in.

"I should say so!" cried Tom. "I hope we make good."

It was certainly a unique performance, considering the fact that it was
given in a camp close to the battle lines; and that at any hour every
one of those who were dressed so fancifully and conducted themselves as
actors born to the stage, might be called on to mount to the clouds, and
perform their dangerous work of fighting for France, perhaps even giving
up their lives.

Loud applause greeted every individual act. The violin music drew tears
from eyes unused to weeping, because the strains of "Way Down Upon the
Suwannee River," "Home, Sweet Home," and other loved airs tenderly and
beautifully played, as they were, carried the Americans back again to
those near and dear, those whom they might never again see on this
earth.

The songs were rapturously applauded, and the singers forced to give
encore after encore. One youth who played the part of a little maid from
school, and sang in a sweet soprano voice, caused the greatest
enthusiasm of the evening; but then everything seemed to make a decided
hit.

Tom and Jack, as members of the minstrel troupe, did their parts well,
though neither professed to be a star of the first magnitude. They
certainly enjoyed seeing and hearing the others go through with their
appointed tasks. As for Sergeant Barney McGee, he drew the house down
every time he appeared on the stage in his quaint dress, and with the
famous walk that is the trade-mark of the character whom he represented.

Two-thirds of the entire show was soon carried out. Indeed, the rest was
to be more or less a repetition of preceding acts, though the pleased
audience seemed eager to sit for another hour, and applaud each turn
vigorously and uproariously.

However, it was not fated that the evening should pass entirely without