"Yes, do you?"
"My red-haired sister," Doris answered, "if you go on like this I'll be bound to bite!"
"Of course, Commander Carey knows all about submarines, and he's one of the bravest officers...."
"Yes, I rather like Bernard myself."
"You rather like him, Doris!"
"Well, you haven't known him as long as I've known John. What price Johnny, my sweet young sister, and what about the bold, brave Dickson max. and Dickson major?"
They kept it up for a minute or two very well, and then their arms went round each other, and one sister held the other close.
The bell from the adjacent church tolled for evensong. It was a lovely night, cold and clear with a great, round, green moon. Mrs. Murphy mercifully left them alone. They heard the front door close, and saw her rolling up the path towards the church, a long, dark façade with lit windows.
As if in a dream, the girls heard the droning murmur of the Psalms. Their thoughts were far away with a little band of heroes. There was a long pause—it must have been the sermon—and then came a deep, swelling sound. The congregation were singing the last hymn, and it was "for those in peril on the sea."
They clasped hands and went to the window, opening it wide to the moonlight. The simple, familiar music flooded into the room.