“In that case, haven’t we still got Sergeant Mullins?” chuckled Betty.

They laughed, and Mollie added, as they started to dress for the afternoon: 

“I wonder if the boys really expected that we wouldn’t go to this special bayonet drill to-morrow—­especially when we’ve been longing to see one for ages—­just because Sergeant Mullins invited us?”

“I’m sure I don’t know,” said Betty carelessly.  “But it really doesn’t matter since we’re going anyway!”

CHAPTER IX

THE BAYONET DRILL

It was a beautiful sunshiny day, and the girls felt their spirits soaring happily as they ran down the steps of the Hostess House and started across the parade.

Also the, what appeared to them, foolish objections of the boys to their attending the bayonet drill lent spice to the adventure, and they hurried on gaily over the parade.

Sergeant Mullins, who had unwittingly caused all the excitement, was, as the girls had said, a tall, splendidly built fellow, good looking to an unusual degree, but very silent and reserved.

He had seemed immensely attracted from the first by the girls from the Hostess House, and had made overtures in a half-shy, half-humorous manner that the girls themselves had found very attractive.

But to them he had been only one of many interesting soldier boys who had come and gone and whose meetings and partings with dear ones they had watched with swelling throats and tears in their own eyes.

But Sergeant Mullins was an expert with the bayonet and had been attached to Camp Liberty for the purpose of giving the boys special drills in that work.

He had proved so wonderfully successful that, much to his secret chagrin—­for Sergeant Mullins, like all the rest of our brave boys, had dreamed of the great things he would do “over there”—­the Government had decided to keep him at Camp Liberty indefinitely.

Then, one day, he had invited the girls, in return for the many little kindnesses they had done him, to attend one of his special, exhibition drills.

They had accepted eagerly, little dreaming of the storm their acceptance would evoke.  And it is very doubtful whether, even if they had known, it would have made any difference, for they had long desired just this thing and knew that in years to come they would look back upon it as one of the biggest experiences in their lives.

“What time is it, Amy?” Betty inquired a little anxiously.  “I’m afraid we stopped to talk too long to those women who came out to see their nephew, and I don’t want to be late.”

“We have just a minute to spare,” returned Amy, and they quickened their pace.

“Wouldn’t it be fun,” said Mollie, her eyes sparkling, “if we could only meet the boys?  I’d just like to pay them back for being so silly!”

“Maybe they’ll be in the drill,” drawled Grace hopefully.