“And I can’t help feeling glad that you do,” interposed Helen. “What would us girls do without you boys to play with? To be sure, we’ll give you up
“When it’s ‘Ready! Fire!’ and you fire away,
And fight ’em to a finish for the U. S. A.”
“For us, it’s ‘Ready! Fly!’ and we fly away,” and Philip looked eager at the thought. “I hate to leave my ain fireside, and that of friends and fellow citizens, but there is an urge——”
“You sound like Sam Blaney!” and Patty laughed. “He was always talking about the Cosmic Urge.”
“That isn’t in it with the Urge of the Flag. Oh, you girls don’t know the thrill of feeling that you can be of real help,—however small or insignificant help it is!”
Patty gave Phil an admiring glance. She liked this sort of talk and though she knew of his patriotism, she had rarely heard him express it so strongly.
“Here’s your cakaroons!” cried Herron, as the tray appeared, and the tea and chocolate were served to them.
“Now, no war talk, for the moment,” begged Helen. “It does interfere with my enjoyment of my frugal fare, to get stirred up, even by patriotism.”
“Let’s talk about our visit at the Club,” said Patty, suddenly. “Did it strike any of you that Mrs. Doremus was a very strange person?”