But war is a terrible thing, and the
more you see of it the more certain you become that it is all
foolishness."

"And yet, you can't permit a big bully to run amuck and smash up things
all over the world."

"That's true, of course, and it's exactly what the kaiser and his war
machine tried to do. Now, the machine had to be smashed, of course, and it
has been smashed. But how long will it take the world to recover? How long
will it take to rebuild what has been destroyed in these four years of
war?"

Frank shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not good at conundrums," he replied.

"Nor I; and yet I'll venture to say that the reconstruction days will be
as hard as many we have experienced in the war."

"The thing that I want to know," said Frank, changing the subject
abruptly, "is just what will be done with Germany in the final peace
conference."

"You know as much about it as I do," replied Jack, "but my own idea is
that the German empire will be dismembered--divided into the states of
Prussia, Saxony, and so forth, as they were years before they united under
one head."

"I'm sure I hope so. Certainly the allies will never permit Germany to
attain such power that may make all our fighting futile--they'll never let
her grow strong enough to start another world struggle."

The lads conversed far into the night before retiring. Nevertheless they
were astir at an early hour, awaiting orders that they knew must come that
day; and they came shortly after noon in the shape of a wireless from Lord
Hastings.

"Return to Dover at once," the message read.

Again the Essex put to sea.

But it was upon a peaceful voyage that the destroyer was bound now. No
longer did her decks bristle with shining guns, crew at quarters and ready
for action. True, the Essex still showed plainly that she was a ship of
war, but her threatening attitude was gone. The war was over and all was
quiet aboard.

That night the destroyer put into Dover harbor and the lads went ashore to
report to Lord Hastings. It was after ten o'clock, but their former
commander received them at once in spite of the lateness of the hour.

"Sorry to disturb you at this hour, sir," said Jack, "but I thought
perhaps you would wish us to report to you immediately."

"And I am glad you did," returned Lord Hastings. "Come, tell me something
about yourselves. So you were in at the finish, eh?"

"You bet!" exclaimed Frank enthusiastically. "You should have been there,