“ Mr. Everett met the girls and took them himself from building to building, explaining carefully every process of manufacture. Peggy and Sheila were intent listeners; Keineth, more imaginative than the others, thought that the wheels were like great giants, harmless now as they slumbered! And Renée loved the empty, dusty spaces, the gleaming metals of the engines and dull glow of the furnaces! Pat's most lasting impression was pride that her father should know so much! ”

“ I know everything is going to turn out just the way that will make everyone happy--when Capt. Allan returns!"
Now Pat suddenly grew suspicious!
"You speak just as though you knew something we didn't know, Penelope Everett! What is it? Did you know Renée's guardian before? You've got to tell us every thing!" And Pat, a vision in her mind of romance and mystery unfolded at last, knelt before Aunt Pen and rested her elbows upon Aunt Pen's knees with an air that said: "I'm ready now to hear the whole story!" ”

“ A voice from behind hailed them and Pat saw her father marching with his men.
"Could a day be more wonderful? But I am as hungry as a bear," declared Pat at luncheon. "And, oh joy, chicken and biscuits! What shall we do this afternoon, Aunt Pen?"
"Dear me, Pat, do you think as fast as you talk? For the sake of your digestion I shall keep the plans for this afternoon a secret until you are through luncheon! But it is going to be something you'll just love!" and Aunt Pen imitated perfectly Pat's characteristically enthusiastic tone. ”

“ The snow-ball fight ended in a complete rout of Garrett's army, which put Pat in high spirits, and, although it had not been quite like her dream of the night before, Jim Archer had said to her, to her secret joy:
"Say, you throw as good as a boy!"
The remainder of the morning was spent playing hockey and coasting; the boys allowing the girls to race the bobs down the hill. Renée, quite by herself, steered the beautiful Madcap twice to victory! Perhaps never in her life had she felt so keenly alive or so happy! ”

“ She used to say that America was like a splendid, growing boy! I think she meant that everything here is young and over there in France it is so old! But I love France!" The child's eyes grew dark with feeling. "Only I feel so sorry for France! She's like poor Susette and her flowers!"
"It's Susette's cheery, brave soul that you love, my dear--as we love the cheery, brave soul of France," finished Aunt Pen.
"Well, maybe France has a soul but does she have pancakes like these?" put in Pat, for she felt that Renée and Aunt Pen were growing far too serious for such a glorious morning. ”

“ The discordant blasts of their band was heavenly music to their ears! Old men stepped along like boys; scattered through the lines were hundreds of girls in their working overalls and caps.
Renée was puzzled. These men, many of them, did not look like the Americans she had seen! One of them shouted out in a strange tongue, but he carried a banner that said "We are for the U.S.A." Perhaps, like herself, he had come to America for refuge and was giving now of his strength and loyalty to the mother country he had sought.
"Can't we march, too, Aunt Pen?" cried Pat. ”

“ There are lots of laws but they're the kind you just like to obey. Captain Ricky says the real meaning of scouting for girls like us is service to God and our country; that it helps each one of us to build strong characters that anyone can depend upon! And when girls are scouts why, we don't stop to think that one, maybe, is rich and another poor and one's black and one's white or one's a Jew and one's a--a Baptist--we're just all scouts and loyal! Oh, I love it!"
"Renée, let's be scouts!" cried Pat. "Let's tell Daddy we want to join Troop Six--it's the best in the city!" ”

“ Renée shuddered. "Oh, I can't--not like that!" she cried vehemently.
"Would you rather not be a scout?" demanded Pat. "You never get anything without trying for it and I guess I'm not going to let one failure discourage me!" In the pleasant shelter of the Quinn kitchen she felt very brave! But a threat of tears in Renée's eyes softened her. "Don't worry, Ren, we'll find something! Maybe," she hesitated, "maybe we'd better consult Aunt Pen!"
"Oh, I wish you would!" Renée cried eagerly. Pat's adventurous spirit frightened her a little. ”

“ And Sheila Quinn, a head taller than even Pat, her black hair neatly braided in two tight pigtails reaching almost to her waist, her face and form showing the vigor gained from healthy exercise and simple living, had something both of Patricia's winsomeness, Renée's quiet poise and a happy contentment all of her own which came from the Quinn philosophy of "just make the best of everything, sweetness, there's sure to be some sunshine somewhere!" ”

“ But life, cruelly enough, has hung on and on! I have learned her story from things she has told me; for some strange reason she has seemed to want to confide in me. And Elsbeth, too, has sometimes softened a little and talked about the old days! That is her sad story, my dear! I know, now, how tender you will always be with her and I have often thought that perhaps you may remind her--a little--of the--lost baby, because you are young and like a flower, too!"
Two bright spots of color burned in Renée's cheeks. To herself she was saying: "Wait until I tell Pat!" ”

“ And in its big assembly room, whose windows looked out over the rows and rows of railroad tracks with their solid wall of motionless freight cars, to the river and open fields beyond, the girls of Troop Six held their Christmas party.
Even before the last holly wreath had been fastened in place the guests began to come--whole families at a time, in holiday attire that to Pat made them look like pictures in some fairy-tales; old men and old women, younger men with hands still grimy from their work, younger women with tired faces and babies in their arms ”

“ Quinn loved more than Paddy, except of course her Sheila and her Denny and her Matt and her Dare, were the bulbs that grew each spring in the little border bed along the old fence. Her tulips always put their tiny green leaves up through the earth long before any other tulips; they were always bigger and brighter and seemed almost human, the way they nodded on their silvery green stalks and leaned toward one another as though repeating, like old gossips the stories the robins sang over their heads. ”

“ Pat, feeling now as though she had always belonged to Troop Six, asked, humbly, "if plain Eagles might not have just five?" and helped herself as she spoke!
The girls walked home together, a merry troop! Peggy Lee and Keineth Randolph turned after a few blocks; as Pat, Renée and Sheila went on Pat slipped her hand through Sheila's arm.
She had been deeply impressed by Sheila's modesty of manner. She was certain if she had been awarded such high honor she would have strutted like a peacock!
"Doesn't it feel grand to be a Golden Eaglet?" she asked Sheila solemnly. ”

“ Quinn had taken the old brick house, fashionable in its day, comfortable now, even in its shabbiness, and had rented its rooms to lodgers. With careful economy this slender income would keep them comfortable until the day, to which Sheila always looked forward, when she herself could earn money and give to the boys the advantages of education that she would not ask for herself. To her her own little ambitions were as nothing compared to the big things that must be done for the boys so that they would grow into great men! ”

“ The kitchen was dark; it was a moment or two before Sheila's eyes could make out the familiar objects. Paddy growled and barked again! A sound outside startled Sheila so that she had to clap her hand over her mouth to still a scream! Then she realized it was the lodger going up the outside stairway! Each step creaked under his foot; she heard the door above close and a key turn in the lock!
But Paddy was not satisfied! He did not bark again, for Sheila had soundly rapped his nose, but he ran to the window, and placing his fore-paws on the sill, looked out and whined. ”

“ From the library window Aunt Pen and Mr. Everett watched the two girls, arms interlocked, swing down the walk that led from the Everett house to the street. There was pride in Aunt Pen's face as she watched. Her girls had learned generosity and unselfishness as well as Latin and Algebra! And they had found, too, the joy of fellowship! They were hurrying now to share their happiness!
Mr. Everett was thinking the same thoughts as his sister, but looking slyly at her from the corner of his eye, he repeated teasingly:
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? ”

“ Pat's face reflected Aunt Pen's seriousness. "I just ought to feel sorry for her 'cause she hasn't a mother and a daddy and an Aunt Pen like I have! But, oh, I don't want to ever look another piece of chocolate candy in the face again! And I'm as broke as broke can be and have spent even my Victory money and I'll have to draw more from 'LaDue and Everett' to meet my pledge and save all this month to pay it back," with a groan. "But, Aunt Pen, will we have the sugar-camp picnic just the same?"
"We surely will," smiled Aunt Pen, folding the dress back into its box, "and a good time, too!" ”

“ It was Elsbeth, the queer old servant who lived with Mrs. Forrester. At sight of Renée she turned a face white with distress.
"Oh, Miss Renny, Miss Renny, she's took again! Mis' Lee sent me to fetch you! You must come!"
"What do you mean, Elsbeth--Mrs. Forrester? I'll go with you at once!"
"I think that's mean, Renée! We were going to plan my costume--you know it!" protested Pat.
"Oh, Pat!" Renée's voice pleaded from the depths of the hall closet where she was hunting for her warm coat. "Oh, Pat--you wouldn't want me not to go! The poor thing!" ”

“ Do you think I could sell Christmas cards?"
"What kind, child?"
Renée told, then, of the little cards she had painted and sold in St. Cloud. She ran to her room to bring a few that she had. Penelope exclaimed with real admiration over them:
"Why, my dear, they are beautiful! Of course you can sell them! And you must make more! And dinner cards, too!"
"Then valentines!" cried Pat. "And I'll sell them, 'cause you see I am bigger! We can buy your paints and cardboard out of our apple money and--"
"What a business woman you have suddenly become!" Aunt Pen declared. ”

“ The cheering that had been constant suddenly ceased; the circle of spectators sat with bated breath while the ball passed backward and forward, now a basket thrown for the Wasps, in another moment one for the Yellowbirds. Occasionally a particularly good play would bring forth a loud shout only to have it hushed immediately in the suspense of watching. Renée and Aunt Pen sat side by side. Aunt Pen had played basketball in her college days; now she watched eagerly, admiring the splendid guarding of the Wasps as generously as Peggy's swift center work. ”

“ And in one of John Randolph's books he tells us that it is that love for right and justice that will make the real brotherhood of men and nations! Who is going to carry on this ideal as we have found it? Why, our boys and girls--girls like Pat!"
"Pen, your eloquence makes me feel as though I had never known the real meaning of the word duty!"
"Oh, it isn't half so much--duty, Tom, as it is plain common sense. I've often thought that raising girls and boys is something like a garden! ”

“ Her eyes were brimming with tears, but through them she was smiling like the others! Pat was too young to guess the tragedy of sacrifice that might lie behind those tears, but she was not too young to sense the common joy and thankfulness and privilege they shared! So she squeezed the worn fingers and smiled back into the little old woman's face!
"Here come the men from the Works!" cried Aunt Pen, standing on tiptoe to look over the crowd. The shipbuilders had passed on. Along surged the approaching host, fifteen thousand strong, men and women! ”

“ Bong, cong, dong----"
"Now don't you girls tell a soul that I'm going to be a poet!" Pat admonished.
Peggy sprang to her feet. "Girls--let's make a solemn pledge to stick to our ambitions and not let a single thing stop us! And we'll help one another!"
"We must have a pass-word! Let's have it 'Steadfast!'"
"We ought to have a motto, too!"
"I know a Latin one, 'Labor omnia vincit!' How's that?"
"Spliffy! Now to do this right, girls, we must have a ceremony! Stand up--in a circle! Hold hands--thumbs in--like this! Now all say the motto together! What was it, Keineth?" ”

“ And all the while, as the young girl grew toward womanhood, the proud mother was building plans for the wonderful future her child must have! I do not know of just what greatness she dreamed--whether it was of some Duchess Somebody or even a prince's title--I only know that she held money and high social position as the greatest gifts with which a Kindly Providence could endow her flower and lost sight of what makes real happiness in this world! ”

“ She had helped Renée and Renée had left her to fix her own. She had felt decidedly aggrieved. Of course she was sorry for the sick old lady, but didn't Renée love her more than anyone else? Or didn't she?
When a little girl begins to ponder in such a fashion she can soon work herself into a sad state of blues. That was what Pat did! So that when Aunt Pen returned with a feather duster made of the biggest, brightest feathers that had ever grown to grace a young Indian princess, Pat didn't care whether or not she even went to Keineth's party! ”