ly devoted
to his pretty sister, but, in spite of Amy's flushed protestations to
the contrary, to Amy Blackford, also--although in quite a different
manner!

Frank Haley was a high school chum of Will's, who from the time of his
first meeting with Mollie Billette had seemed inclined to become her
shadow, to the latter's secret gratification and outward indifference.

The last of the quartette was Roy Anderson, one of the Deepdale boys,
who was chiefly distinguished by his very open admiration for Grace.

The boys had shared in many of the adventures of the Outdoor Girls, and
of course had been among the very first to volunteer to help "lick the
Boche" as they slangily but ardently put it. The girls had gloried in
their patriotism, and it was their assignment to Camp Liberty that had
first given Betty the idea of working in the Hostess House there.

They had been very happy, fired as they were by enthusiastic patriotism,
until the fateful day had come when the boys had entrained for
Philadelphia and from there to the Great Adventure. Then for the first
time the girls had had the real and terrible meaning of war brought home
to them. And the boys, so merry and care-free when they had first
entered the service, had seemed suddenly older, more important, more
manly, only the fire of enthusiasm in their eyes showing their
indomitable youth.

Several months had passed since that day of mingled tears and pride and
heartache, and the girls had had time to get used to the separation a
little--a very little. And now Betty had brought them the letters they
were always hungry for, anxiously eager, yet always, at the very back of
their hearts, a little haunting fear of what they might contain.

For several minutes they sat engrossed while occasionally one of them
read a funny or characteristic extract over which they laughed happily.

"Listen to this," chuckled Mollie, while the girls looked up
expectantly. "Frank says that Roy is getting terribly fat in spite of
all the exercise--"

"Horrors!" interjected Grace.

"And when he, Frank, ventured to remonstrate with him the other day and
advised him to cut down on his chow, Roy said: 'Nothing doing! I've got
a definite end in view, old man. This khaki outfit has acquired so much
terra firma it's beginning to stand alone, but if I get so fat I can't
wear it they'll have to give me another one--see?'"

The girls laughed, but there was just a shade of wistfulness in their
laug