It was on the following Monday morning that the invitation came. Gretel found it awaiting her on the breakfast table, and at once recognized Molly Chester’s rather straggly handwriting. Mr. Douaine had returned to Washington the previous day, and Gretel and her sister-in-law were alone at breakfast.

“Who is your correspondent, dear?” Mrs. Douaine asked, glancing up from her own pile of letters, at the sound of an exclamation from Gretel.

“Molly Chester,” Gretel answered. “She wants me to visit her this week. May I read her letter to you?”

“Yes, do. I like Molly; she is such a genuine, unaffected girl. My own mail isn’t a bit interesting this morning; nothing but bills and appeals for war charities.”

“It’s a wonderful invitation,” said Gretel, “but I don’t know whether I ought to go away just now when you are so busy, and I might be some help in the packing.”

“Let us hear what Molly says, at any rate,” said Mrs. Douaine, as she poured her coffee, and Gretel began to read:

“Dearest Gretel:

“I am in a frightful hurry, as I want to post this letter on the way to church, so please excuse an awful scrawl, but I simply can’t wait another minute, because there isn’t any time to spare.

“Mother wants to know if you can come to us this week Tuesday, and stay until after the Fourth. Kitty is coming, and I am writing to ask Geraldine and her brother. I know she won’t stir in vacation without her twin, and my brother Paul has taken a tremendous fancy to Jerry Barlow. You know they both go to Groton, and although Paul is only twelve, it seems Jerry has been awfully good to him, so Paul is just wild to have Jerry asked for a visit. I am sure we four girls can have lots of fun together, so be sure to come, and send me a telegram, saying you will meet Father at the Grand Central on Tuesday afternoon, in time to take the three o’clock train for New London. I know your family don’t like to have you travel by yourself, and that is why we decided on Tuesday, as Father doesn’t expect to be in town again next week.

“It seems rather soon to ask you to visit me, when school only closed last Thursday, but Mother expects a lot of visitors in July, and in August I expect to go to my Aunt Maud’s at Magnolia. I do hope you won’t mind leaving your family so soon, but it really can’t be helped. If they make a fuss about letting you go, tell them you can be with them all the rest of the summer, and I really must have you now.

“I have seen Ada once since I came here. The Godfreys have a lovely place right out on the Point. I haven’t been inside the house yet, but expect to soon, for Mrs. Godfrey has organized a branch of the Red Cross, and we are to meet at her house two mornings a week. Ada is tremendously excited over the naval station and the submarine base. We see sailors everywhere, and yesterday afternoon a submarine did ‘stunts’ right in front of our place. It was very interesting to watch, but I must say, I shouldn’t have liked to be on board. My Cousin Stephen dined with us last evening, and brought a friend with him—a nice boy from Virginia, who speaks with a fascinating Southern accent.

“Mother is calling me to hurry, so I must close. Be sure not to disappoint me by saying you can’t come on Tuesday, and, with heaps of love, believe me,

“Your sincere friend,

“Molly Chester.”

“I would love to go,” said Gretel, “but I wish Molly had asked me for later in the summer.”

“I think, on the whole, that this may be rather the best time for you to go,” said Mrs. Douaine. “You will be spared that long journey from Washington, and by the time you join us there, we shall be all settled. Percy expects to be going back and forth between New York and Washington all summer, so I am sure we can arrange to have you meet him here at the end of your visit. Do you suppose the Barlows will go?”

As if in answer to Mrs. Douaine’s question, the butler appeared at that moment, to announce that Miss Gretel was wanted on the telephone. Gretel hurried away, returning in a few moments with the joyful news that Jerry and Geraldine were both going to accept Molly’s invitation, and would be ready to join Mr. Chester at the station on Tuesday afternoon.

“Geraldine says she wouldn’t have gone if they hadn’t asked Jerry, too,” Gretel added, laughing. “I wonder if all twins are as devoted as the Barlows?”

“Well, then, it is all settled, I suppose,” said Mrs. Douaine, “so we may as well get that telegram off to Molly as soon as possible. I am glad you are going to have a couple of weeks of sea air before settling down to the Washington heat.”

The day that followed was a very busy one. Mrs. Douaine good-naturedly put aside all her own many engagements, and devoted herself and her time to Gretel’s affairs. There was a delightful shopping expedition in the morning, which resulted in the purchase of various additions to Gretel’s wardrobe, including a pretty sport suit, and a jaunty sailor hat.

“It seems as if I had about everything in the world that a girl could possibly want,” said Gretel, gratefully, as they left the milliner’s shop. “Do you really think you ought to spend any more money on me just now, when so many people are suffering?”

Gretel was very much in earnest, but Mrs. Douaine declared that she was not spending any more money than she considered necessary, and Gretel, who was a very human girl, after all, and loved pretty clothes, stifled her scruples, and thoroughly enjoyed the morning’s shopping. In the afternoon they attended a bazaar in aid of the Belgian sufferers, and in the evening Mrs. Douaine took her sister-in-law to hear a French woman talk of her work in the devastated regions. The next morning there was Gretel’s trunk to be packed, and a few last purchases to be made, and almost before she realized it, the girl found herself in the car with her sister-in-law, on the way to the station.

“Wasn’t that Dora’s sister I saw you talking with in the hall?” Mrs. Douaine asked, as she settled back in the car for a short rest.

“Yes,” said Gretel, “it was Lillie. She came to tell Dora they had received a postal from Peter. His ship is off. You know the boys are only allowed to notify their families after they have sailed. Poor Lillie was quite upset. She is devoted to Peter.”

“Poor boy,” said Mrs. Douaine, with a sigh; “he seems so young to go. I am surprised that his father did not prevent it. He’s under age.”

“He isn’t seventeen yet,” said Gretel, the tears starting to her eyes. “Oh, Barbara, it seems almost wicked to be going away to have a good time, when so many people we know are in such dreadful trouble. I almost wish I wasn’t going.”

“Don’t be morbid, dear,” Mrs. Douaine said, kindly, laying her hand on Gretel’s as she spoke. “Remember Dr. Townsend’s sermon last Sunday. We must keep sane; it is the only way to help. I want you to be just as cheerful and happy as you can on this visit. We none of us know what may be before us, and we must be strong and ready to bear whatever may happen, but in the meantime there is no reason why we should not be reasonably happy.”

Gretel felt somehow comforted by her sister-in-law’s words, and it was a very bright face which greeted the Barlow twins and their mother at the station. They had been watching for her at the entrance to the big waiting-room.

Mrs. Barlow was a pale, nervous little woman, and when Gretel and her sister-in-law arrived, she was in the midst of a long list of admonitions to the twins, who, truth to tell, were not paying very much attention to their mother’s warnings.

“You will be careful about bathing, won’t you, Jerry?” she pleaded, “and promise me not to swim out too far? I am so afraid of those motor-boats, too. I know the Chesters must have one, so many people do. I wish you would promise not to go in it, but I suppose there isn’t any use asking you to. Aren’t you afraid of motor-boats, Barbara?” she added, turning to Mrs. Douaine.

“Not a bit,” her friend answered, cheerfully. “Besides, both the twins swim like fish, so why worry? I am sure the Chesters will take good care of their guests.”

Mrs. Barlow looked somewhat relieved, but not altogether satisfied.

“I hate to have the children go away again so soon,” she complained. “I never would have given my consent if Mr. Barlow hadn’t been so busy with war work that I don’t see much prospect of our getting out of town for ages.”

“I do wish Mother hadn’t given up Mental Science,” Geraldine whispered to Gretel. “We were all so comfortable while she was a Mental Scientist. She gave it up after Jerry had pneumonia. She said he never would have had it if she had taken better care of him, and made him wear rubbers in bad weather. Oh, here comes Mr. Chester. I saw him at Molly’s party last Christmas.” And Gretel hurried forward to announce their arrival to her friend’s father.

Mr. Chester, a gray-haired gentleman with spectacles, greeted the party very pleasantly, and after a few moments of chatting with the ladies, carried the three young people off to the waiting train. As they passed through the ticket gate, Mrs. Barlow’s last “Now do be sure to take good care of yourselves, children,” was still ringing in their ears.

It was just as the train was moving out of the station that a sudden recollection caused Gretel to utter an exclamation of dismay.

“Good gracious!” she gasped. “I forgot all about FrÄulein.”

“What about her?” inquired Geraldine in surprise.

“Why, I was to have gone to tea at her aunt’s this afternoon. I never once thought of it since Molly’s invitation came. Oh, what shall I do?”

“I don’t see that you can do anything about it except write a note, telling her you are sorry you forgot,” said Geraldine. “Don’t look as if something tragic had happened. It isn’t such a terrible crime to forget an invitation to afternoon tea.”

“I think it is rather tragic, though,” said Gretel, smiling ruefully. “I ought to have telephoned yesterday. FrÄulein is so sensitive; she will be sure to think I did it on purpose. The worst of it is, I really didn’t want to go in the first place, and I am afraid she noticed it.”

“Well, it can’t be helped now, anyway,” said cheerful Geraldine. “You can write a note this evening, and she’ll have it to-morrow. Isn’t it great to be off on a journey by ourselves, and going to Molly’s? I’d rather visit Molly Chester than any girl I know except you. Wasn’t it dear of them to ask Jerry?”

Gretel said no more on the subject, but she still looked rather grave and troubled. She had a very kind heart, and the thought of having hurt any one’s feelings by any carelessness or neglect of her own, was really painful to her. But it was impossible to resist the high spirits of the Barlow twins, and she was soon chatting and laughing as much as any of the party. The journey proved a very pleasant one, for Mr. Chester was a most agreeable traveling companion. He seemed what Geraldine described in a letter to her mother, “A very understanding person.” He told amusing stories, bought chocolates from the man who sold candy on the train, and treated them all to ginger-ale from the dining-car. Before they reached their destination, Jerry had confided to his sister that their host was “a jolly good sort,” and that he considered Paul Chester a mighty lucky fellow to have “such a sport” for his father.

It was six o’clock when they reached New London, and found Molly waiting for them at the station.

“This is just too nice for words,” she exclaimed, leading the way to the Chesters’ big touring-car, after giving her friends a rapturous greeting. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t be able to come at such short notice. Kitty is coming to-morrow. Her family are going to motor her over from Stockbridge. You have no idea how excited Paul is about your coming, Jerry. He would have been at the station, but he has to study with a tutor every afternoon from four to six. He had scarlet fever in the spring, you know, and it put him back in his lessons.”

The Barlows had been to New London before, but it was Gretel’s first visit to the old town, and she looked about her with eager eyes, as the car rolled through the narrow streets.

“I love the salt, fishy smell,” she declared. “It makes me think of ships, and traveling, and all sorts of interesting things.”

“I hope you don’t think it’s all as ugly as this,” said Molly. “It’s quite different out at the Point, where our house is.”

It certainly was quite different, and as they turned in at the Chesters’ gate, and saw the beautiful harbor lying almost at their feet, not only Gretel, but the twins as well, uttered an exclamation of delight.

“I didn’t know any house could be quite so close to the water,” said Gretel. “Why, one could almost throw a stone off the piazza into the harbor.”

“Is that a battle-ship right out there?” Jerry inquired, with deep interest. “Yes,” said Molly. “She has been there since yesterday, and it’s very interesting, for we can hear the bells on board, and the bugle calls, too, and see the sailors drilling. There are Mother and Paul on the piazza.”

Mrs. Chester was a bright, sweet-faced woman, with a cordial, winning manner, which put people at their ease at once, and her greeting to the three guests was so hearty that, even if they had been disposed to feel shy, their shyness would have been speedily dispelled. Jerry was promptly carried off to the third floor by Paul Chester, a bright-looking boy of twelve, and his younger brother Frank, and Molly took her two girl friends to their room.

“We are going to have you room together,” she said, pausing at the door of a large, pleasant room on the second floor. “The house isn’t very large, so we have to double up. Kitty will room with me, and Paul is to be with the boys in their own special sanctum up-stairs. There is another guest-room, but we are expecting Aunt Dulcie on Saturday.” “Is that the aunt who writes books?” Gretel asked.

“Yes, and she is the dearest person in the world. I know you will both be crazy about her. She is Stephen’s mother, you know, and she is coming here so as to be near him while he is at the naval station. She is so full of fun, and so interested in everything we do, you would never suppose she was so awfully clever.”

“Mother has just been reading her new book,” said Geraldine—“the one that went into so many editions, you know—and she said it was wonderful. I have never met a real author in my life, have you, Gretel?”

“No,” said Gretel, “but I have met a good many musicians, and they are not very different from other people, so I don’t suppose authors are, either, when one gets to know them. I shall be very glad to meet Molly’s aunt, for everybody says her books are delightful.”

“How far is the Godfreys’ house from here?” Geraldine inquired, going over to the open window for another look out on that fascinating harbor.

“Only a few houses away,” Molly answered, “but you can’t see it from here. Ada stopped in for a minute this morning, to find out if you girls were coming. You will see her to-morrow when we go over there to do Red Cross work. Mother said she was sure you wouldn’t mind helping.”

“Of course we won’t mind,” declared Geraldine, and Gretel added:

“I am so glad there is some work we can do.”

“Oh, there is plenty to do,” Molly assured her. “Everybody is doing something. One old lady knitted all through the sermon last Sunday, and the clergyman didn’t object at all. They say he gave out in church a few Sundays ago that if the ladies wanted to knit during the service, he was quite willing, but Mother says if we work in the mornings we may have the afternoons free to do just what we like. She thinks we are entitled to a little fun after studying so hard all winter. Now I am going to leave you to wash up while I change my dress for dinner. We dine at seven, and Steve is coming over from the naval station. I’m crazy to have you both meet him; he is such an old dear.”

“Aren’t you glad you’re here, Gretel?” exclaimed Geraldine, drawing in a long breath of the delicious salt breeze, as she joined her friend at the window a few minutes later. “It reminds me a little bit of Old Point, doesn’t it you?”

“A little, but not very much. Geraldine, do you suppose the men on that ship out there really want to give their lives for their country?”

“I don’t know, but I suppose a good many of them do. How plainly we can see them. It’s very interesting, but if we were Germans I don’t suppose we would be allowed to come here. We might find out things, you know. I read in the paper the other day that the Germans are to be debarred from all water-fronts.”

Gretel was silent, but stood gazing out over the water to the opposite shore. It was all very lovely and peaceful, but those men on the battle-ship—were they going to kill and be killed? Involuntarily she gave a little shudder.

“What’s the matter?” Geraldine inquired in surprise.

“Nothing, only—Geraldine, I’m afraid I’m a dreadful coward.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Geraldine. “Jerry wouldn’t have any use for a coward, and he thinks you the nicest girl he knows. What ever put such a silly idea into your head?”

“I don’t know. I hope I should be brave when the time came, but if I had a father or brother going to the war, I don’t believe I could bear it. Why, even saying good-bye to Peter Grubb made me terribly unhappy. I don’t like even to think of those strange sailors out there going to fight. I’ve been a coward all my life about everything. Why, don’t you remember when I was a little girl, and found out that I had taken Barbara’s opera ticket, I was afraid to confess, but wrote a silly letter, and tried to run away.”

“You were only a kid then,” said Geraldine. “A kid might do anything silly. You may think you’re a coward, and perhaps you aren’t very brave in little things, but if anything really big ever happened, and you had to show courage, I am perfectly certain you’d be all right. Here comes the express wagon with our trunks. I’m so glad, for now we shall be able to change our dresses before dinner.”