[A] The great German drive beginning March 21, 1918.
Judge Ridgway put his arm over Ted's shoulder, and they walked forward.
"I'm to have you for keeps now," he said. "Your Uncle Fred has at last agreed to give you up."
"That's just what I've wanted!"
"We have much to talk about. As to your future, I rather think it will have to be West Point for you, eh?"
"Splendid!" cried Ted, his eyes glowing. "Oh, Uncle, everything is coming just as I wanted it. Isn't it wonderful how things come out all right? And I'm always expecting it, too. In the very worst times in the swamp I told Hubert we'd get out of it and even be glad of what we'd gone through. And now I'm expecting, I'm sure of, the greatest thing of all—our victory over the Germans!"
An hour later, just as the white front of the Ridgway house showed through the trees from afar, Judge Ridgway and Ted joined the others, and, looking around upon all his friends, the boy exclaimed:
"Won't we have a party to-night!"
"Yes, I think it will be a 'party,'" said Judge Ridgway. "I think Clarissa will try to serve such a supper as she has sometimes seen in her dreams. And I think we may even drink a toast to my Ted."
Putting an affectionate hand on the boy's shoulder, Buck Hardy slightly amended the announcement of their host.