The nurses made quite a festive occasion out of the Fourth of July. Although it was midwinter, Northern Australia was close enough to the equator for the weather to be like midsummer at home. Nancy as chairman of the program committee, started weeks ahead trying to collect flags and bunting to decorate the wards. Miss Anna Darien and the Red Cross workers back in Sydney sent her boxes that were real gold mines for her purpose.

Their hospital was not far from a camp of negro soldiers from the states. These colored men were primarily employed in pushing convoys through northern Australia. Nancy, knowing how beautifully some of them sang, suggested that Major Reed invite a group over to entertain the wounded on their American holiday.

Nancy feared rain might spoil their program, which was to be outdoors, but she took chances on having the bandstand arranged in the middle of the street within view of most of the buildings. Though they had sloshed through enough rain to float a transport the last weeks, the sky actually cleared a few hours before time for their program.

For a change the nurses all donned their white uniforms, and in spite of the heat the medical officers put on coats and ties. The convalescents, still in pajamas, were supplied with benches around the bandstand. Everyone seemed excited at the prospect of a little diversion.

“Say, but you look like an angel in that white uniform,” Bruce exclaimed when he saw Nancy.

He could walk almost erect now, without bending to the pain in his side. He had been given new clothes, which he wore for the first time that day, and Nancy thought him even more handsome than ever in his lieutenant’s uniform.

“You’re not bad-looking yourself,” she told him.

“For the forty-ninth time, do I look good enough to be your husband?”

“Now, Bruce,” she began severely, “I have to keep my mind on this program and can’t think of the future just now.”

“All right! All right!” he said and grinned impishly. “I won’t ask you again today, but I make no promises for tomorrow.”

“I have a surprise for you,” she said, when she was about to leave him on one of the seats. “Hope you’ll like it.”

“I like anything you do,” he assured her.

“I’m not so sure,” she retorted. “Remember, I’m from Georgia and you from New York state.”

“I can’t imagine what difference that would ever make.”

“Just wait and see.”

The convalescents’ band led off with The Star Spangled Banner. Though Nancy had stood at attention a thousand times or more she still thrilled to the stirring music, and her heart swelled with pride that she was now an essential part of these great armies, intent upon keeping their own flags waving over all the lands of the free and homes of the brave.

After the national anthem Lieutenant Hauser led the nurses in singing America the Beautiful. Then the negro chorus stepped forward to give them a program of spirituals in sonorous, harmonizing voices. First they chanted I’m Goin’ Down De River o’ Jordan. Then their choir leader sang a solo with a group behind him humming an accompaniment, soft and sweet as any deep-toned organ. They finished off their first group with Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, which brought such storms of applause the spiritual had to be repeated.

When the hospital band struck up a march a group of nurses stepped out, bearing flags of the Allied Nations, and took a snappy turn around the flagpole. Every spectator, down to the last crippled convalescent, sprang to his feet and stood at salute. Then suddenly Sousa’s march blended into the lilting strains of Dixie. As the gallant music rang through the Australian bush, Nancy, who carried the American flag in the center of the group of nations, suddenly unfurled a small Confederate flag beneath the Stars and Stripes.

Bruce Williams and Pat Walden, standing on the sidelines, were the first to notice the battle-scarred Stars and Bars, and started cheering. The colored troops caught their enthusiasm and began to sing with the band. A moment later every spectator was singing the old song with all the zest possible. When the band crashed out the last notes the marching group broke up amid much clapping and cheers.

“You made a real hit with that, Nancy,” said Major Reed when Nancy went back to the grandstand where he sat.

The Major gave a brief talk on the cause for which they were fighting. He praised the fine courage of the men who had already paid so great a price, and spoke words of commendation for the nurses and doctors who were serving them so faithfully.

After the outdoor program Nancy and Miss Hauser went into the wards with the negro chorus which was glad to sing the familiar songs over and over so that all might hear.

When they had finished Nancy and Miss Hauser were thanking the singers when Nancy said to Sam Turner, leader of the chorus, “There’s surely something very familiar about your face, Sam.”

Sam’s wide mouth spread in a grin, “Reckon so. Plenty people seen dis mug, Miss. I used to be porter on de Dixie Flyer—dat special ’tween New York and Miami.”

“Oh, then maybe I’ve seen you there. I used to catch that train north sometimes.”

“Dem wus de days,” said Sam, rolling his eyes. “Many’s de time I pick up fifty dollar in tips on de way down.” He grinned knowingly. “Dey wus neber quite so flush comin’ back from Florida in de spring.”

“That’s all a thing of the past now, Sam—till we get this big job done,” said Nancy.

“Yas’m, sho is, Miss. I’se mighty glad to see y’all folks from down home he’pin’ wid it.”

When the singers had driven away, Nancy’s superior officer turned to her and said, “We have you to thank for a wonderful program, Nancy. I had no idea you could get up anything so nice.”

“Thanks,” said Nancy happily. “It really went off more smoothly than I expected. But I never could have done it without Miss Anna Darien, and the Red Cross back in Sydney. They got me the colors for decorations, and the flags of the different countries.”

“Not the confederate flag?” questioned Lieutenant Hauser, and smiled reminiscently at the hurrah it had created.

Nancy lowered her eyes self-consciously. “I was a little nervous as to how they might receive that,” she admitted.

“You made quite a hit. I’m sure I never felt such a wave of enthusiasm as they put into Dixie.”