of letting them come along here to the American
front, since Mrs. Gleason had expressed a wish to do her bit within
hearing of the guns."

"That sounds good to me, Jack," remarked Harry.

"Do you know," added Tom, "I had a suspicion there was a hen on in that
nest just from a remark Nellie made about hoping to see Bessie before
long. Wouldn't explain what she meant, either; so I reckon it's a put-up
job between the girls."

"Well, they have become quite fond of one another, you know," Jack
suggested.

Harry pretended to look huffed.

"All very fine," he grumbled; "but where do I come in, I'd like to
know?"

"Huh! what about some of those pretty French girls I've heard you raving
over, Harry? You might choose one and study French under her direction.
Plenty of our boys are doing it, and seem to be pleased."

"If it comes to the worst," added Jack, soberly, "he can wait for little
Jeanne to grow up. I imagine she's bound to be a peach one of these
days, and well worth waiting for, Harry. But, joking aside, Tom," he
continued, "what's doing over there with Nellie and our little charge?"

"Oh, she's making capital progress," came the quick reply. "Told me all
about it, you know."

"Sure thing, every word," put in Harry. "A whole hour it took, too, I
warrant. There must have been a heap to tell."

"She's already managed to get together quite a number of things for the
child," Tom went on to explain. "A pair of fairly decent shoes and some
material that one of the nurses will make into a dress, for she used to
be a seamstress over in the good old U. S. A. before the call came. Best
of all, Nellie has found just the family to leave our ward with."

"That's news worth while," asserted Jack. "What else do you know that's
interesting, old scout?"

"This family is named Desplanes," Tom continued. "They have a fine home
in Paris, from which they have been kept ever since the war began,
because of the Germans getting between. They are glad to take charge of
your little girl, Jack, since they mean to start immediately for the
capital, having only been able to get into our lines a few days back."

"Then that part of our job is settled, if you've got their Paris
address!" Jack exclaimed. "The other connected with the finding of
Helene is going to prove a harder task I reckon."

"Oh! I've picked up a bit of information in that direction," the
newcomer told them, an announcement which of course caused Jack to look
inte