As the war intensifies,Maddy's bragging about her dad backfires. When news of the victorious Battle of the Coral Sea reaches the papers, Maddy tells Johnny that her father was probably in it, even though she doesn't know that. Then a boy comes to the door of the boarding house with a telegram. It says that Maddy's father has been critically wounded in battle. That's all it says.
Weeks go by with no more news.
Maddy and her mother don't know whether he's dead or alive, or how he was wounded. Suddenly the war isn't excitement and doing wonderful things to help the fighting men anymore. She's obsessed with waiting for more news about her father. So she resigns from the club. Johnny is mad at her.