"Where's Horatio?" I snapped.

"Horatio," she smiled, "is gone. Too bad you missed him. He would have liked to say goodbye."

"Goodbye!" I shrieked. "Where's he going?"

"Into the Army," Alice said sweetly. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"You're crazy," I shouted. "The Army won't take him."

"I arranged a little something for him," Alice said. "I'm sure he'll be very useful in the camouflage department."

Camouflage!

I groaned and sank into a chair.

"Yes," Alice said pleasantly, "when he learned that Mystiffio was my father—not my husband as you so cleverly told him—he was quite angry for a while. But of course he felt better when he thought it over. And he was very happy to take my suggestion to apply for a commission in the camouflage. I think Horatio and I are going to get along nicely."

I groaned again.