“I’ve always meant to do my bit the minute I got my degree,” Kitty hastened to explain. “But I’ve thought and dreamed and worked toward going into the WAVES.” “Well, why don’t you? They’re doing a marvelous work.” Kitty’s eyes wandered to where Billy poked at his sail boat with a long stick. “I can’t go now,” she said in a low tone. “My aunt who has taken care of my little brother since my mother died, also left us six weeks ago. Dad’s in the service, and there’s no one left with Billy but me.” Miss Pearson followed Kitty’s glance to the little form beside the pond. Her voice was warm with understanding as she said, “Yes, he’s your first responsibility.” Then she smiled gently as she added, “But I know it was hard for you to give up your dream of being a WAVE.” “Don’t think I’m bitter about it,” Kitty hastened to assure her. “I adore Billy. He’s worth any sacrifice I could make. But if I could help somewhere to hasten the end of this war, nothing would make me happier.” “That’s certainly _our_ aim.” Miss Pearson glanced with a comradely look at Brad. “I’ll say!” he agreed heartily. “Do you think I could get into the Canteen Corps? Mr. Mason says you don’t have to live away from home.” “Of course, they’ll be delighted to have you, my dear. Come over to the station wagon, and I’ll give you some leaflets telling about our work.” “Wait a minute till I get Billy. He’ll be sure to fall in the pond if I go out of sight.” “You go ’long. I’ll look after Billy,” volunteered Brad. “I like that boy. He’s enough like my oldest sister’s kid to be his twin.” As they turned toward the station wagon that had brought over the Canteen supplies, Kitty began to have misgivings. “Maybe I can’t do this sort of thing at all. You know I majored in music at school.” “You like to eat, don’t you?” retorted Miss Pearson in that snappy, business-like way she had. “I’ll say, and cook, too! It’s one of my hobbies.” “Well then, what are you worrying about?” She reached to the car seat and took out a brief case packed with notebooks and leaflets. “This little book will tell you what the Canteen Corps is.” As Kitty took the blue book with the Red Cross on the cover she exclaimed, “Oh, it’s part of the Red Cross work?” “Of course. What did you think it was?” “I hadn’t thought. This will make it all the more wonderful, working with the Red Cross. You know I think that’s the most marvelous organization. It’s simply great what they do for anybody, anywhere.” Miss Pearson smiled at the exaggeration. “Well, my dear, it’s not quite so comprehensive as that. But we do stand ready to help in all emergencies, and that’s where the Canteen workers play such an important part. We are ready to feed people after air raids, storms, floods, and disasters of all kinds.” “Oh, that is important!” “And we must work under all sorts of handicaps. We often have to prepare large quantities of food right out in the open.”