“I’d call that a splendid and fitting finish to our experience along the battle line of Joffre’s men!” declared Giraffe, as soon as they were once more progressing along the smooth road.
“Yes,” Bumpus added, “we’ve seen the fighting, the taking care of the wounded, and it was only right we should be on hand to take part in the homecoming of the hero. Bully for Jaques, say I, and may he long flourish. That wound of his will get well in time, though I suppose the poor fellow may have to go to the front again, so that perhaps he may never live to see the end of the war.”
“You’re mistaken there, Bumpus,” said Thad, on hearing the stout chum paint such a grewsome outlook for the little family of the hero; “Jaques confided to me that he had lost the better part of his hand, and that hence he must be out of the war for good, though he may still serve his country at home in some capacity.”
“Well, it’s a funny thing for me to say that I’m glad to hear that,” Bumpus remarked, with a grin, “but you know how I mean it. Jaques has done enough, and ought to be spared for his family’s sake.”
“What’s the programme now, Thad?” asked Giraffe, partly rising in his seat as he spoke, in order to stare far ahead, where through the haze he believed he could already catch a glimpse of the city they were heading for.
“We’ll find Mrs. Hawtree,” replied the scout leader; “then learn how we can get a steamer for New York. There’s going to be a big rush on the first and second cabin accommodations, and I’m afraid we’ll have trouble in finding berths.”
“Oh! that isn’t going to bother me any,” laughed Allan, good naturedly, for with the end of the long and arduous journey through the war-torn region in sight he felt that it was easy to accept things as they came. “If we’re forced to it we can take potluck and go steerage.”
“The only thing I don’t like about that,” declared Giraffe, “is the grub part of it. They say you don’t get all you’d like to have in the way of eats. But then, with so many fine society folks having to take steerage passage, mebbe the companies will reform, and do better. Let’s hope so.”
“So long as I find my mother, and she’s feeling a heap better,” observed Bumpus, with not a line of worry across his forehead now, “I’m not going to bother my head about such a trifling thing as eating.”
“Of course not,” flashed Giraffe, with a grin, “because plump fellows such as you can be like hibernating bears, and live on their fat for a certain length of time; but it is a whole lot different when a slim-jim like me has to go hungry. But I’m considered a pretty good rooter for grub, my folks tell me, and if there’s any to be had I’ll get there. Thad, take a good look right over there, and tell me if you don’t think that’s the old Eiffel Tower right now standing up against the skyline like something on stilts.”