“Irrepressible,” said Hilary to Lilian.
“Yes, but isn’t it wonderful to have them here for a little while?”
“It makes me feel a little better, Campbell,” said Philip, seriously. “You were so noble and self-sacrificing that I felt horribly selfish to have asked Lilian.”
The boys looked older and were thin after their strenuous months in a southern camp. There was a firmness to young mouths in those days and a lift to the chin, for boys had become men in the training and under the new responsibility, as they met the evils wrought by the wrong ambitions of wicked men.
“How did it happen to take you so long to come, Philip?” asked Mrs. Van Buskirk at lunch.
“They brought us by such a round-about way, Mother. It was not by any means a direct route.”
“How long can you stay this time?” asked Cathalina.
“We are off for over Sunday, but I don’t think that our bunch will go over for a week or ten days. You must all come out to see the camp. Have any of you been over?”
“Your father and I have been there several times in connection with the work for the boys,” replied Mrs. Van Buskirk. “We shall go when you can’t come to us, but this is better when you can.”
“I should say so!” assented Philip, accepting further attentions from old Watts, who could not keep his usual impassive countenance under the circumstances. Louis had come with Philip and had been warmly greeted by both the family and the servants. He was in Philip’s company, but the relation was not of master and man.