“Oh, dear,” said Ailsa, “I suppose he’s only a boy, but I didn’t know soldiers were permitted to be so impudent.  What on earth do all these people think of us?”

Letty, who had been mischievously amused and inclined to enjoy it, looked very grave as the boy, after a particularly outrageous jibe at a highly respectable old gentleman, turned and deliberately winked at his “Sanitary Ladies.”

“That’s old hoss Cameron,” he said.  “I made such a mug at the old terrapin that he’ll never be able to recognise my face.”

“The—­the Secretary of War!” gasped Ailsa.

“You very wicked little boy, don’t you dare to make another face at anybody!—­or I’ll—­I’ll report your conduct to—­to the Sanitary Commission!”

“Oh, come!” he said blankly, “don’t do that, lady!  They’ll raise hell with me, if you do.  I want to get hunky with the Sanitary boss.”

“Then behave yourself!” said Ailsa, furious; “and don’t you dare to swear again.  Do you hear?”

“Yes, ma’am—­I will—­I won’t, I mean.  And if I see that old mudsill, Simon Cameron, I’ll take off my cap to him, b’gosh!”

It was an anxious and subdued soldier who showed them the door of the Commission’s office, and stood at attention, saluting carefully as the ladies passed him.

“You won’t peach, will you?” he whispered loudly, as Ailsa stopped to pay the driver.

“No, I won’t—­this time,” she said, smiling, “if you promise to be a very good soldier hereafter.”

He promised fervidly.  He happened to be on duty at headquarters, and the fear of the Commission had been driven into him deep.  So she and Letty entered the door with a stream of people who evidently had business with the officials of the American Sanitary Commission; and a very amiable young man received them in their turn, took their papers, examined their credentials, nodded smilingly, and directed them to a small boarding-house on F Street, where, he explained, they had better remain until further orders.

There had been some desultory fighting in Virginia, he said, also there were a great many sick soldiers in the army.

Perhaps, added the young man, they would be sent to one of the city hospitals, but the chances were that they would be ordered directly to a field hospital.  In that case their transportation would be by army waggon or ambulance, or the Commission might send one of its own mule-drawn conveyances.  At any rate, they had better rest and not worry, because as long as the Commission had sent for them, the Commission certainly needed them, and would see that they arrived safely at their destination.

Which turned out to be a perfectly true prophecy; for after a refreshing bath in their boarding-house quarters, and a grateful change of linen, and an early supper, a big, bony cavalryman came clanking to their door, saying that a supply train was leaving for the South, and that an ambulance of the Sanitary Commission was waiting for them in front of the house.