ting
days will be ended for the rest of the war. However, there is no need to
decide this important question to-night. To-morrow I am to see the
French commandant and I will get his advice."

The interview with the French commandant of Calais, which was readily
accorded the Americans, proved very unsatisfactory. The general had just
received reports that Antwerp was in flames and the greater part of the
city already demolished by the huge forty-two-centimetre guns of the
Germans. The fate of King Albert's army was worrying him exceedingly and
he was therefore in little mood for conversation.

The American consul could do little to assist them. After the matter was
explained to him, he said:

"I advise you to wait a few days for your decision. Perhaps a day--an
hour--will change the whole angle of the war. Strange portents are in
the air; no one knows what will happen next. Come to me, from time to
time, and I will give you all the information I secure."

Dr. Gys had accompanied Jones and Mr. Merrick into Calais to-day, and
while he had little to say during the various interviews his
observations were shrewd and comprehensive. When they returned to the
deck of the _Arabella_, Gys said to the girls:

"There is nothing worth while for us to do here. The only wounded I saw
were a few Frenchmen parading their bandaged heads and hands for the
admiration of the women. The hospitals are well organized and quite
full, it is true, but I'm told that no more wounded are being sent here.
The Sisters of Mercy and the regular French Red Cross force seem very
competent to handle the situation, and there are two government hospital
ships already anchored in this port. We would only be butting in to
offer our services. But down the line, from Arras south, there is real
war in the trenches and many are falling every day. Arras is less than
fifty miles from here--a two or three hours' run for our ambulances--and
we could bring the wounded here and care for them as we originally
intended."

"Fifty miles is a long distance for a wounded man to travel," objected
Maud.

"True," said the doctor, "but the roads are excellent."

"Remember those swinging cots," said Ajo.

"We might try it," said Patsy, anxious to be doing something. "Couldn't
we start to-morrow for Arras, Uncle?"

"It occurs to me that we must first find a chauffeur," answered Mr.
Merrick, "and from my impressions of the inhabitants of Calais, that
will prove a diffic