e
if her eyes were hurt," continued Mrs. Rover. And this remark about Ruth
caused Jack to think more of his mother than ever.

Two days passed quickly, the boys and girls spending their time in
getting settled and renewing old acquaintances. The girls went shopping
with their mothers, while the lads visited the offices of The Rover
Company in Wall Street to see with their own eyes how matters were
going.

"Everything seems to be moving along swimmingly," remarked Jack, when he
and his cousins came away.

"I'll bet it will seem strange to our dads to settle down to the grind
once more after seeing so much fighting," remarked Fred.

"It will be hard for all of the soldiers and sailors to settle down, I'm
thinking," added Randy. "A fellow can't knock around here, there, and
everywhere for months and then come down to a regular routine all in a
minute."

That night the young folks retired rather early. Andy and Randy were
indulging in some horseplay in their bedroom when they heard the
door-bell ring.

"I'll bet it's a telegram from dad!" burst out Andy.

"Maybe it's dad himself!" answered his twin. "Come on down and see."

As they hurried down the stairs they heard their mother's room door open
and heard one of the servants going to the front door. The next instant
there was a cry from below.

"Mr. Rover! Is it really you!"

"It's dad! It's dad!" yelled the twins simultaneously, and fairly leaped
to the bottom of the stairs and ran to greet their father.

"Hello, boys! So you got home ahead of me, did you?" came from Tom
Rover, as he hugged and kissed each in turn. "My, how big you are
getting!"

"Tom! Tom!" cried his wife Nellie. And then she rushed down the stairs
as he rushed up to meet her. He caught her up in his strong arms as he
had been wont to do so many times in the past and fairly swung her above
him. Then he kissed her on each cheek and on the mouth and set her down
with his hands on her shoulders.

"This is what I've been waiting for, Nellie," he declared. "Just waiting
to see you again!"

"And I've been waiting too, Tom--waiting every day," she murmured, with
tears in her beautiful eyes.

In the meantime similar scenes were taking place in the adjoining
houses. Dick Rover, having a key, had let himself in unobserved, and
gave his wife quite a shock when he met her at the door to her room. But
she was overjoyed to see him, as were also Jack and Martha, and all
clustered around to listen to