nt. Little Maurie was driving the ambulance again and, with
Ajo beside him and Dr. Kelsey and a sailor for assistants, the Belgian
would make a dash to Ypres or Dixmude or Furnes and return with a full
load of wounded soldiers.

These were the days of the severest fighting in Flanders, fighting so
severe that it could not keep up for long. There would come a lull
presently, when the overworked nurses and surgeons could get a bit of
sleep and draw a long breath again.

Gys had elected to remain aboard the ship, where with Maud and Beth he
was kept busy night and day. Two French girls--young women of good birth
and intelligence--had been selected by Dr. Gys from a number of
applicants as assistant nurses, and although they were inexperienced,
their patriotic zeal rendered them valuable. They now wore the Red Cross
uniforms and it was decided to retain them as long as the ship's
hospital remained crowded.

There was plenty of work for all and the worry and long hours might have
broken down the health and strength of Beth and Maud had not the doctor
instituted regular periods of duty for each member of the force and
insisted on the schedule being carried out.

This hospital ship was by no means so gloomy a place as the reader may
imagine. The soldiers were prone to regard their hurts lightly, as "a
bit of hard luck," and since many had slight injuries it was customary
for them to gather in groups upon the deck, where they would laugh and
chat together, play cards for amusement or smoke quantities of
cigarettes. They were mainly kind-hearted and grateful fellows and
openly rejoiced that the misfortunes of war had cast their lot on this
floating hospital.

Under the probe of the surgeon to-day, a fortnight hence back on the
firing line, was not very unusual with these brave men. The ambulances
had gathered in a few German soldiers, who would become prisoners of
war on their recovery, and while these were inclined to be despondent
and unsociable they were treated courteously by all, the Americans
showing no preference for any nation. The large majority of the
patients, however, came from the ranks of the Allies--French, English
and Belgian--and these were men who could smile and be merry with
bandaged heads, arms a-sling, legs in splints, bullet holes here and
there, such afflictions being regarded by their victims with a certain
degree of pride.

Dr. Gys was in his element, for now he had ample opportunity to display