"
The time dragged to Jack, naturally, but he felt he had no reason for
complaint after such wonderful good fortune. At last their train came
along. What if it was ten minutes late? That would only shorten their
wait at the junction.
"So long as we reach the old town by nine tonight I'll be satisfied,"
Jack had bravely committed himself by saying; and indeed it was just
about then they did jump from the steps of the car at Bridgeton, for the
second train had been two hours late.
Nevertheless all of them were united in thinking they had made a swift
trip from the American sector of the fighting front in France to the town
of Bridgeton in the Old Dominion in just _four complete days_.
Jack led the way, though, of course, Tom would have been just as
competent a guide, since this was also his home town.
How those blinking lights in the well-remembered windows of the Parmly
home held Jack's eyes, once he sighted them! Never before in all his
life had he felt such a delicious thrill creep over him from head to toe.
Knocking on the door he and his chums carried out their pre-arranged
plan. Jack and Tom were to keep back out of sight, leaving Lieutenant
Beverly to break the glorious news first and prepare the family, so there
might not be so loud an outcry as to arouse the neighbors and breed the
excitement in the community that neither of the returned fighters wished.
Jack's aunt, who, a widow herself, made her home with her widowed
sister-in-law, came to the door, for some reason or other.
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