Lieutenant Hauser glanced at her notes and added, “Nor are you to have any guests in your rooms. And everyone must check in by eleven o’clock.”
Nancy was relieved that they would be allowed to go out and do some last-minute shopping.
“I understand the Red Cross has planned several social functions for you, which you must attend as a unit. There will be one dance here at the hotel at which you may wear evening clothes.” She smiled knowingly. “You may not have a chance to dress up again for a long time. I want you to enjoy yourselves as much as you can here—go to the movies, see some good shows, but always be careful to observe strictly the rules I have laid down.”
The nurses found, however, that the evenings were about the only time they had for recreation, for there were numberless things to be done in preparation for departure. When Mabel read her list of instructions she fell back on her bed.
“I’ll never get my last-minute shopping done,” she groaned. “I’ll feel like a bug-house by the time we finish with all these inoculations—bubonic plague, cholera, typhus, yellow fever.”
Nancy scoffed. “You’re such a wind-bag, Mabel. You know we’ve already had lots of them. This final checkup won’t be so bad.”
“At least I’m already immunized to smallpox and have had my typhoid shots.”
“But say, doesn’t that list really spell the tropics to you?” Nancy asked happily. “Wouldn’t Dad and Mom be thrilled to know I’m headed in Tommy’s direction?”
“With present restrictions on mail it’ll be a long time before they hear that,” Mabel reminded her.
“Anybody heard when we’re sailing?” asked Tini.