When dinner was served in the forward cabin Beth relieved Maud and after the evening meal Dr. Gys made another inspection of his patients.  All seemed doing well except the young Belgian.  The condition of the French sergeant was still unchanged.  Some of those with minor injuries were ordered on deck for a breath of fresh air.

Patsy relieved Beth at midnight and Maud came on duty again at six o’clock, having had several hours of refreshing sleep.  She found Patsy trembling with nervousness, for the sergeant had passed away an hour previous and the horror of the event had quite upset the girl.

“Oh, it is all so unnecessary!” she wailed as she threw herself into Maud’s arms.

“We must steel ourselves to such things, dear,” said Maud, soothing her, “for they will be of frequent occurrence, I fear.  And we must be grateful and glad that we were able to relieve the poor man’s anguish and secure for him a peaceful end.”

“I know,” answered Patsy with a little sob, “but it’s so dreadful.  Oh, what a cruel, hateful thing war is!”

From papers found on the sergeant Uncle John was able to notify his relatives of his fate.  His home was in a little village not fifty miles away and during the day a brother arrived to take charge of the remains and convey them to their last resting place.

The following morning Captain Carg was notified by the authorities to withdraw the Arabella to an anchorage farther out in the bay, and thereafter it became necessary to use the two launches for intercourse between the ship and the city.  Continuous cannonading could be heard from the direction of Nieuport, Dixmude and Ypres, and it was evident that the battle had doubled in intensity at all points, owing to heavy reinforcements being added to both sides.  But, as Maurie had predicted, the Allies were able to hold the foe at bay and keep them from advancing a step farther.

Uncle John had not been at all satisfied with that first day’s experience at the front.  He firmly believed it was unwise, to the verge of rashness, to allow the girls to place themselves in so dangerous a position.  During a serious consultation with Jones, Kelsey, Captain Carg and Dr. Gys, the men agreed upon a better plan of procedure.

“The three nurses have plenty to do in attending to the patients in our hospital,” said Gys, “and when the ship has its full quota of wounded they will need assistance or they will break down under the strain.  Our young ladies are different from the professional nurses; they are so keenly sensitive that they suffer from sympathy with every patient that comes under their care.”

“I do not favor their leaving the ship,” remarked Dr. Kelsey, the mate.  “There seems to be plenty of field workers at the front, supplied by the governments whose troops are fighting.”

“Therefore,” added Jones, “we men must assume the duty of driving the ambulances and bringing back the wounded we are able to pick up.  As Maurie is too stiff from his wound to drive to-day, I shall undertake the job myself.  I know the way, now, and am confident I shall get along nicely.  Who will go with me?”