The only one who was not absolutely and completely and deliriously
happy was Betty. For the other three boys were there, but Allen had
not come!
As though reading her thought, Will, who was much handsomer and more
manly than when he went away, put an arm about the Little Captain's
shoulder big brother fashion and drew her aside from the rest.
"You are wondering about Allen," he said, and Betty nodded eagerly.
"You see," continued Will, his face lighting up in a smile that would
always be boyish, "since Allen became one of the big bugs-- which is
another name for officer, you understand-- he had to pay the penalty
and stay over there with them for a little while longer. He will
probably be over on the next transport, although of course you can
never be sure about that. Oh, and I forgot," he put his hand in his
pocket and drew forth a pocketknife, a wad of string and-- a little
three-cornered note. "He asked me to give this to you as soon as I saw
you. So now you can tell him that 'I seen my duty and I done it
noble.' "
With a twinkle in his eye Will turned back to the others and Betty was
left to open her note.
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