"Oh dear, I suppose not! I should have liked Larry to be home for Christmas. I wish they'd send him to the camp near Whitecliffe. He promised he'd come and take me out, and give me tea at a cafe. It would be such fun. I want to go to that new cafe that's just been opened in King Street, it looks so nice." "Perhaps we can coax Elaine to take us there this afternoon," suggested Marjorie. But when the girls reached The Tamarisks, their cousin had quite a different plan for their entertainment. "We're going to the Red Cross Hospital," she announced. "I've always promised to show you over, only it was never convenient before. To-day's a great day. The men are to have their Christmas tree." "Before Christmas!" exclaimed Dona. "Why, yes, it doesn't much matter. The reason is that some very grand people can come over to-day to be present, so of course our commandant seized the opportunity. It's Lord and Lady Greystones, and Admiral Webster. There'll be speeches, you know, and all that kind of thing. It'll please the Tommies. Oh, here's Grace! she's going with me. She's one of our V.A.D.'s. Grace, may I introduce my two cousins, Marjorie and Dona Anderson? This is Miss Chalmers." Both Elaine and her friend were dressed in their neat V.A.D. uniforms. Marjorie scanned them with admiring and envious eyes as the four girls set off together for the hospital. "I'd just love to be a V.A.D.," she sighed. "Oh, I wish I were old enough to leave school! It must be a ripping life." Grace Chalmers laughed. "One doesn't always think so early in the morning. Sometimes I'd give everything in the world not to have to get up and turn out." "So would I," agreed Elaine. "What exactly has a V.A.D. to do?" asked Marjorie. "Do tell me." "Well, it depends entirely on the hospital, and what she has undertaken. If she has signed under Government, then she's a full-time nurse, and is sent to one of the big hospitals. Elaine and I are only half-timers. We go in the mornings, from eight till one, and do odd jobs. I took night duty during the summer while some of the staff had their holidays." "Wasn't it hard to keep awake?" "Not in the least. Don't imagine for a moment that night duty consists in sitting in a ward and trying not to go to sleep. I was busy all the time. I had to get the trays ready for breakfast, and cut the bread and butter. Have you ever cut bread and butter for fifty hungry people?" "I've helped to get ready for a Sunday-school tea-party," said Marjorie.