of it, but I can't fight it off much longer.
Will and I have always been such chums, played and worked and
even--quarreled--together--"

"Please don't, Gracie," cried Betty, her face flushing and her eyes
growing dark and wide. "It would be so easy just to g-give way, but we're
in the service, too, you know, and we must be at least as b-brave as the
boys."

"I--I guess maybe that's impossible," said Mollie, her voice, even her
straight little back betraying emotion. "Nobody could be as b-brave as
they are."

"Well, we never know what we can do till we try, do we?" cried Betty, that
indomitable fighting spirit of hers rising to the emergency. "If we say we
can't, of course we can't, but we can do our best, can't we? If the boys
aren't c-crying, why should we?"

"That's the way to talk," cried Mollie, straightening defiantly at the
challenge. "We don't have to, and, what's more, we won't!"

CHAPTER XVII

TEARS AND PATRIOTISM

It was a valiant determination, that one to smile whatever happened; but
somehow, 'way down in their brave hearts, the girls doubted a little. They
would do their best, but, after all, they were only human and there are
times when to smile is the hardest achievement in the world.

"We're--we're nearly there," ventured Amy, after a little interval of
silence, during which the girls had been busily gathering all their
resources for the crisis just before them. "Do you suppose we've got in
ahead of the boys?"

"Goodness, I should hope so," retorted Mollie, with a brief return of her
old spirit. "If this old car couldn't make better time than boys on foot,
I'd give it away to any one who'd take it off my hands."

As she spoke the car swung around a sharp curve, and the station that had
appeared so attractive to them several months ago, loomed into view.
To-day they greeted its appearance with as much enthusiasm as they would
the electric chair.

A train was coming in, but it was not one for the troops. It was a mixed
train, composed of one passenger car, a baggage and smoker combined, and
several milk cars.

"What a country-looking train," was Amy's comment.

She addressed Betty, but the Little Captain did not answer, for the reason
that she was staring into the baggage car, the side door to which was wide
open.

"See that man!"

She pointed to an individual who stood in the baggage car, his hands
holding up a motorcycle.

"Oh, Betty, is it that man--our motorcyclist--?" be