"Last night, our Night School trio thought that our boys, so far away, must miss us, and Branton Hills sights; and Doris said, 'Branton Hills sounds.' And so, why couldn't our trio join that big group of musicians which is sailing soon? And, Daddy, you know Paul is in that army. I don't know that I could find him, but--but--but I want to try. And Kathlyn is talking of going as biologist with a big hospital unit; so possibly I could stay with it." Tom Young was _dumb!_ His "Post" actually _had_ told of such a musical outfit about to sail; but it was a man's organization. So, now it has got around to _this!_ Our girls, our dainty, loving girls, brimful of both sympathy and patriotism, wanting to go into that tough, laborious work of singing in army camps; in huts; in hospitals; singing from trucks rolling along country roads along which sat platoons and battalions of troops, waiting for word which might bring to this or that boy his last long gun-toting tramp. Singing in-- "Aw, darling! Your trio was fooling, wasn't it? Now, girls don't----" "Daddy, girls _do!_ So, if our folks don't put up too much of a--" "_Aha!!_ _Now_ you said a mouthful; _if_ your folks _don't!_ Darling, I'll say just two words as my part in this crazy stunt: '_Nothing doing!!_' Kathlyn's work is mighty important; singing isn't." Sarah had not grown up from infancy in kindly Tom's cabin without knowing that his "no" was a "_no!!_" and not a flimsy, hollow word which a whining, or a sniffling, or a bawling child could switch around into: "Oh, all right, if you want to." So Sarah still sat on that low stool; or, to turn it around almost backwards,--Sarah sat on that stool,--still. _So_ still that Tom's old tin clock on its wall hooks was soon dominating that small room with its rhythmic ticking, as a conductor's baton controls a brass band's pianissimos. Finally Sarah said softly, slowly, sadly and with a big, big sigh:-- "I _did_ so want to go." And that small clock was ticking, ticking, ticking ... For a full hour Sarah and old Tom sat talking and rocking, until Sarah, phoning to Doris, said:-- "My Dad says no." And Doris, phoning back to Sarah, said:-- "So did my Dad." And, as Virginia Adams was that trio's third part; and as Sarah and Doris had always known Nina Adams' strong will; and as,--Oh, hum! It was a happy fascination until adult minds got hold of it! XXIX Gadsby was walking back from a visit down in Branton Hills' manufacturing district on a Saturday night. A busy day's traffic had had its noisy run; and with not many folks in sight, His Honor got along without having to stop to grasp a hand, or talk; for a Mayor out of City Hall is a shining mark for any politician. And so, coming to Broadway, a booming bass drum and sounds of singing, told of a small Salvation Army unit carrying on amidst Broadway's night shopping crowds. Gadsby, walking toward that group, saw a young girl, back towards him, just finishing a long, soulful oration, saying:--