"Bob said he thought they'd get back to Germany somehow," said Lucy thoughtfully. "Elizabeth must have been right near the battle-front to see that English soldier."
"Perhaps Karl has gone into the army," suggested Marian.
"Oh, he's too old to fight," Lucy objected. "He's past fifty. What I like best to think of," she went on, brightening a little, "is that Captain Benton, whom Bob liked so much, was with him when they started. He was taken prisoner, too, most likely, so Bob won't be alone."
At last the visitors rose to go, for outside a bugler was sounding supper-call, and it was already dark.
"I never saw that dress before, Marian," said Julia, looking at the pretty red challis as she held Marian's heavy coat for her. "Has your father sent you any more new ones?" she asked teasingly.
"No," said Marian, biting her lip, though her eyes twinkled. "He promised to bring me something when he comes, though—I wish he'd hurry."
"You're a spoiled child," said Julia, pulling Marian's curls out from under her coat collar. "You ought to stay here with me and Lucy and get used to things—like the boy in 'Captains Courageous.'"
"Learn to be untidy and leave doors open and forget to wash the ink off your hands, like me," said Lucy, laughing.
"I could teach you to rush at things, and then wish you hadn't. That's what I'm best at," said Julia, entering into the joke.
"All the same, I wish you were going to stay until next summer, and perhaps you can," said Lucy, tugging at her overshoes.