g, Fred?" questioned his sister quickly. In his haste to get
dressed that morning her brother had donned a necktie which she
detested.

"Never mind my necktie, Mary. If Jack goes to Texas I'm going to see if
I can't go along."

The matter was talked over a few minutes longer, and then Dick Rover
went off with his wife to arrange some private affairs before he should
take his departure for Hoboken. Then he said good-bye all around and was
off.

"The next time you see us I think we'll be in a big parade," said Jack's
father on leaving.

"A parade?" queried several of the others.

"Yes. They are talking of having a big parade of the soldiers on Fifth
Avenue. If they do, of course we'll be in it."

"Hurrah! that's the stuff," cried Andy. "I've been aching to see one of
those big parades ever since war was declared."

"If you do parade, Dad, we'll all be there to see you," declared Martha.

"We'll want front seats in the grandstand," added Mary.

"I don't think you'll get any front seats, Mary," answered her mother.
"More than likely those seats will be reserved for the gold-star
mothers--those who have lost their sons in battle."

"Well, those mothers deserve the front seats every time," said Jack.

"Indeed they do!" came from the girls.

"How soon will this parade come off?" questioned Randy.

"I don't know that the date has been settled exactly," answered Dick
Rover. "But it will undoubtedly be in the near future. You will probably
see all the details in the newspapers. I presume the whole of New York
will have a holiday."

"Yes, and Fifth Avenue will be decorated in great shape from end to
end," declared Mary. "Just see how they have been working on that Arch
of Victory, and the Tower of Jewels, and all the other things."

"It will certainly be a parade well worth seeing," said Dick's wife.

"Yes, and I'll wager folks will come miles and miles to see it," added
Fred. And then he continued quickly: "What's the matter with having
Grandfather Rover down here from Valley Brook Farm?"

"Yes, and Great-aunt Martha and Uncle Randolph, too!" broke in Mary.

"Oh, we must have all of them, by all means!" cried Jack.

CHAPTER XVII

THE GREAT VICTORY PARADE

"My, what a jam of people!"

"Did you ever see such a crowd before in all your life!"

"And look at the flags and other decorations! Aren't they beautiful?"

"This time New York has outdone herself."

It was the day for the great parade of