How far this conflagration will spread, only God
knows."

The car being announced, the Germans made a hurried exit, in their
overpowering excitement omitting the courtesy of farewells to household
and guests.

"They seem to be terribly excited, those Germans," said Miss Rowena.

"They are," said Hugo; "I am glad I am not a German. To a German war is
so much the biggest thing in life."

"It is really too bad," said Mrs. Wakeham; "we shall not have the
pleasure of Professor Schaefer's music. He plays quite exquisitely. You
would all have greatly enjoyed it. Rowena, you might play something.
Well, for my part," continued Mrs. Wakeham, settling herself placidly
in her comfortable chair, "I am glad I am an American. Those European
countries, it seems to me, are always in some trouble or other."

"I am glad I am a Canadian," said Larry. "We are much too busy to think
of anything so foolish and useless as war."

CHAPTER XXI

WAR

"Come, Jane, we have just time to take a look at the lake from the top
of the hill before we get ready for church," said Ethel Murray. "It will
be worth seeing to-day."

"Me too, me too," shrieked two wee girls in bare legs and sandals,
clutching Jane about the legs.

"All right, Isabel; all right, Helen. I'll take you with me," said Jane.
"But you must let me go, you know."

They all raced around the house and began to climb the sheer, rocky hill
that rose straight up from the rear.

"Here, Jim, help me with these kiddies," said Jane to a lank lad of
fifteen, whom she ran into at the corner of the house just where the
climb began.

Jim swung the younger, little Helen, upon his shoulder and together they
raced to the top, scrambling, slipping, falling, but finally arriving
there, breathless and triumphant. Before them lay a bit of Canada's
loveliest lake, the Lake of the Woods, so-called from its myriad,
heavily wooded islands, that make of its vast expanse a maze of
channels, rivers and waterways. Calm, without a ripple, lay the glassy,
sunlit surface, each island, rock and tree meeting its reflected image
at the water line, the sky above flecked with floating clouds, making
with the mirrored sky below one perfect whole.

"Oh, Ethel, I had forgotten just how beautiful this is," breathed Jane,
while the rest stood silent looking down upon the mirrored rocks and
islands, trees and sky.

Even the two little girls stood perfectly still, for they had been
taught to take the firs