And now there were rumors of new soldiers arriving at the camp and of more than enough work for the girls at the Hostess House to keep their minds continually occupied.

And, in fact, it was to discuss that very situation that Mrs. Watson had called them to her this morning.

“Well, girls,” she said when they had seated themselves in characteristic attitudes about the room, “we’ve had a little breathing spell now, just enough time to rest up before the next onslaught.”

She paused over the word, smiled, and they smiled back at her.

“Of course that means,” Betty interpreted, “that not only the boys but hundreds of their relatives and friends are coming to be entertained and housed and amused.”

“Exactly,” nodded Mrs. Watson.  “And, of course, the work that you girls have done—­”

“And you,” Betty interjected loyally, but Mrs. Watson brushed the interruption aside with a wave of her hand, though she flushed happily.

“Of course I’ve done my part of it,” she agreed modestly.  “But equally of course I couldn’t have done it if you girls hadn’t stood shoulder to shoulder with me.  And,” she added, enthusiastically, “it has been more the spirit with which you did the work than the actual work itself that has won such a reputation for our Hostess House here.”

“‘Reputation!’” repeated Mollie wonderingly, then added with an impish inflection:  “Oh, have we one of those things?”

“We have,” responded Mrs. Watson, with an indulgent smile.  “And, whether deserved or not, modesty would prompt us to say that it is not, of course—­” and the girls laughed amusedly.  “Our reputation is unusually good and unusually widespread.  So good, in fact, that the boys are glad when they find they are to be sent to Camp Liberty.”

“Yes,” Betty nodded thoughtfully, “several boys have told me that, but I thought they only said it in a spirit of gratitude, or perhaps, as flattery.”

“That is modest,” said Mrs. Watson with another smile.  “But,” she added, leaning forward in her chair and speaking earnestly, “I honestly think that you girls don’t even begin to realize what a wonderful work you have been doing right here in this little city that sprang up over night.  It isn’t a small thing, you know—­sending thousands of our boys away cheered and strengthened, armed to meet the future—­better men, just for having met you.

“And the mothers and wives and sweethearts who have been entertained so royally and permitted to say good-bye to their loved ones under the very best and cheeriest conditions possible—­why, they have spoken to me of you with tears in their eyes!”

There were tears in their own eyes as the girls smiled happily at her.

“But it’s been such fun,” Mollie protested, “just seeing how much you can make people forget their troubles.”

“That’s it,” Mrs. Watson broke in quickly.  “That’s the spirit that has made your work here such a wonderful success.  You’ve done it—­and whether you will admit it or not, sometimes we’ve all been so tired at night we’ve ached in every joint and muscle when we’ve crawled into bed—­because you loved to do it and because it was ‘fun’ to make people forget their troubles, if only for a little while, and be happy.