That night at supper Kitty gave her father an account of her unusual afternoon, the main point of which was to tell him she wanted to begin Canteen training.
“I’m proud of you, Kitty, that you wouldn’t give up till you found some way you could serve under the circumstances,” said her father.
“Then you do think I can do it?”
“Of course. There’s nothing to prevent it.”
“We’ll have to pay Jane extra to stay with Billy the nights I’m on duty. Can we afford that?”
“Certainly, my dear. I’ve been thinking we might fix up that room behind the kitchen so Jane can be here all the time.”
“That’s a swell idea, Dad. I’d think she’d be glad to have a place rent free. Last week she had to borrow money to pay her rent.”
They talked over further details of the new arrangement for their combination nurse and cook. But even while they discussed their domestic problems Kitty’s mind kept going back to the meeting between Lieutenant Cary and Ensign Dawson.
Finally she blurted out, “Dad, did you ever know Willard Dawson, Hazel’s brother?”
He glanced at her sharply. “No, he left before I came. I was sent to take his place.”