us
"somewhere"--the most famous place in France.

"So long, Whitey!" they called. "See you later."

"Good-by, Tommy, old boy; hope the tin fish don't get you going back!"

"Hurry up back and bring some more over, Whitey!"

"_Bon voyage!_"

"_Au revoir!_"

"Give my regards to Broadway, Whitey."

"Cheer up, Whitey, old pal. Kaiser Bill'll be worse off than you are
when _we_ get at him."

"_N'importe_, Whitey."

"I'll be there," called Tom.

"_Venez donc!_" some one answered, amid much laughter.

The last he saw of them they were waving their hats to him and making
fun of each other's French. He watched the train wistfully until it
passed out of sight.

"They seem to like you, Tommy," Mr. Conne smiled. "Is that a new name,
Whitey?"

"Everybody kinder always seems to give me nicknames," said Tom. "I've
had a lot of people jolly me, but never anybody so much as those
soldiers--not even the scouts. I'll miss 'em going back."

"The next lot you bring over will be just the same, Tom. They'll jolly
you, too."

"I don't mind it," said Tom. "But one thing I was thinking----"

Mr. Conne rested his hand on Tom's shoulder and smiled very pleasantly
at him. He seemed to be going out of his way these days to befriend him
and to understand him.

"It's about how you get to know people and get to like them, kind of,
and then don't see them any more. That feller, Archibald Archer, that
worked on the other ship I was on--I'd like to know where he is if he's
alive. I liked that feller."

"It's a big world, Tom."

"Maybe I might see him again some time--same as I met my--my brother."

"Perhaps," said Mr. Conne, cheerily. "It's always the unexpected that
happens, you know."

"I saw _you_ again, anyway."

"Yes, you can't get away from me."

"And Frenchy--maybe I'll never see him any more. He's got people that
live in Alsace; he told me all about them. He hasn't heard from them
since the war first began.--Gee, I hope Germany has to give Alsace back
to France--just for his sake!"

Mr. Conne laughed.

"Most of the people there stick up for France in their hearts, only they
dasn't show it. He gave me this button; it's made out of a cannon, and
it means the French people there got to help you."

"Hmm--hang on to it."

"You bet I'm going to. But maybe he wouldn't like now, even if I met him
again--after what he knows----"

"Look here, Tom. You'll be sailing in a day or so and when you come back
I'll probably be