here was a good deal of kissing and questioning, and while this was
going on the chauffeurs assisted the young people to their seats and
stowed away their handbaggage. There were no trunks to come, for all the
young folks had left a large part of the belongings at the schools.

There was only one thing which saddened the home-coming of the young
people, and that was the absence of their fathers. Although Jack had
said that his mother was looking well, still he had not failed to notice
that her face showed a certain paleness and some lines of care.

"Don't worry, Mother. I'm sure dad will come back all right," he said
later on, in an endeavor to comfort her.

"I am hoping so, Jack. But, oh! how I wish this awful war would come to
an end," and Mrs. Dick Rover sighed deeply.

All too quickly the next few days passed. Young folks and old folks were
busy doing their shopping for Christmas, and in addition to this, the
boys went out to purchase a number of things they thought they might
need while at the camp.

"I'm afraid we're in for it," said Randy dismally, on the afternoon
before Christmas. "This looks like a regular blizzard."

It certainly did look like a blizzard, with the snow coming down thickly
and the wind blowing it first in one direction then in another. By
nightfall the streets were almost impassable, and in the morning traffic
along Riverside Drive was practically suspended.

"Merry Christmas!" shouted Randy, who was the first to get up.

"Merry Christmas!" replied Andy. "And how do you like to live at the
North Pole?" he added, as he glanced out of the window at the
storm-bound street and the river and the Palisades beyond.

There was a grand reunion of the three families in the Dick Rover
residence, and presents were exchanged all around. The boys had
purchased a number of small but appropriate gifts for their mothers and
the two girls, and also for the various servants of the families. In
return they received a number of gifts, both useful and ornamental,
including gold-mounted stylographic pens, which each one had desired,
and also some new hockey skates and story books.

Martha had knit a bright sweater for her brother, and Mary had done the
same for Fred, and the girls between them had likewise knit sweaters for
the twins.

"We sure are the lucky kids," remarked Andy, when all of them were
looking over their gifts. "This sweater suits me to a T. And, my! just
wait until I get on those hockey