"MOTHER."
"Well, I declare!" said the Captain as he finished the clearly written page.
"Doesn't that about fix it?" asked Porky triumphantly. "Of course these are French, but I guess she won't mind that. They couldn't be worse off in the way of parents or more destitute, no matter what they were."
"Mother will be in her glory," Beany cut in. "I hope they don't get fat before we get them home."
"I should say not! The thinner, the better as far as mother is concerned. She snaked a private right out of the camp hospital last summer and took him home. He had had pneumonia and looked like a sick sparrow. Mother fed him and nursed him and he gained seventeen pounds in three weeks."
"Well, it does beat all!" said the Captain. "Of course, you understand there may be some reason that will make it impossible for you to take these children out of the country."
"All I can say is, there hadn't better be," said Porky, thrusting out his square jaw. "Think I want to give up my kid after it came to me and I lugged it around for an hour?"
"And do you suppose I want anybody but mother and me to bring up this girl?" said Beany, awkwardly hugging the sleeping mite in his arms closer.
"Besides," said Porky, "what about mother! It's up to us to bring her what she likes best, and you read that letter. What she wants is orphans, and she's got to have 'em if we steal 'em! So long as we are around, mother has got to have what she wants."
"I should think that nearly settled it," said the officer. He laughed but there was a queer gleam in his eyes that looked suspiciously like tears. "I am going to report this to the General now," he said. "Of course we cannot take the children with us, and some way must be found of sending them back to headquarters. I don't see just how it is to be done, as it would be a pity to make you go back with them when this trip is only beginning and be a wonderful thing for you."