But we feel rather as if
the bottom had dropped out of the universe, for none of our volunteers
are equal to the job."
"I can cook," said Norah and Tommy together.
"Can you?" said the little doctor, staring at them as though the heavens
had opened and rained down angels on his head. "Are you sure? You don't
look like it!"
"I can guarantee them," said Mr. Linton, laughing. "Only you'll have to
watch Norah, for the spell of the war is heavy upon her, and she'll boil
your soup bones thirteen times, and feed you all on haricot beans and
lentils if nobody checks her!"
"Dad, you haven't any manners," said Norah severely. "May I cook,
Doctor?"
"You can share the job," said Dr. Anderson thankfully. "I really think
it's more than enough for one of you. This place is getting pretty full.
Of course, I've wired to town for a cook, but goodness knows if we'll
get one; it's unlikely. Come on, now, and I'll introduce you to Sister."
Sister proved to be a tall, capable, quiet woman, with war decorations.
She greeted the volunteers thankfully, and unhesitatingly pronounced
their place to be cooks, rather than nurses.
"I can get girls who will do well enough in the wards," she said, "where
I can direct them. But I can't be in the kitchen too. If you two can
carry on without supervision it will be a godsend."
So the kitchen swallowed up Norah and Tommy, and there they worked
during the weeks that followed, while the influenza scourge raged
round Victoria.
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