Kitabı oku: «The Woodcraft Girls at Camp», sayfa 13
Miss Miller gasped at the revelation of the foolish mother's advice. "Why, Nita, dear, you are only fourteen! You mustn't even think of a husband yet!"
"But every one says I seem much older; even this Jack Everton looked surprised when he asked me my age."
"Poor, poor child! What a joy and blessing you have missed by being so old while still so young! Now, we will remedy this loss and show you how to really enjoy youth!" Miss Miller had tears in her eyes as she spoke.
Nita looked at her for a moment, then obeyed the impulse to hug the woman who had been fearless enough to show her the light on the way.
They sat quietly holding each other for a short time, until the voices of merry girls reached them from the ravine.
"There, dear, run down and find the letter for me. When you return your face will be cool and natural again."
Nita hurried away and Miss Miller ran into her tent and threw herself beside her cot. "Oh, thank you, God! thank you, thank you! I am so happy over this one lamb found on the steep mountain-side! Safe in the fold, she will grow to love purity and truth better than evil."
The girls were bubbling with delight over their walk – the bugs, the birds, and even a snake, had been watched and admired.
"Didn't Nita come back yet?" asked Zan, after a short interval, and no sign of the girl was to be seen.
"Oh, yes, Nita and I have had a long talk and we are going to be the best of pals after this," replied Miss Miller. But her tone gave the girls to understand that not a word of the girl's escapade would ever be mentioned again.
Nita returned and took the dirty letter to the Guide's tent, leaving it on the cot.
Later in the afternoon, Miss Miller took the letter and read it with deepest pity for the girl.
"To think that she read this! No wonder the girl cried that day!"
The letter said that Mrs. Brampton had had her whole life filled with worry and disappointment over her only child's waywardness. That she intended trying a different method of training. She knew how Nita continually lied to her, and that the past year she feared that she was actually meeting young men slyly when she should be visiting friends, or at home practising music and studying school lessons.
Mrs. Brampton said she herself had so many social engagements to keep that she could not be expected to stay home to watch a wayward daughter. But she had at last decided to do something her dearest friend had suggested. Nita would be sent to a reform school – a very select and expensive place, but a reform school, all the same. Of course, she would have to meet other girls there, perhaps much worse than she, but at least Mrs. Brampton would not have to bother about her child's running about the streets.
As long as Miss Miller kept Nita on the farm, it would be all right, as far as she (the mother) was concerned, but the moment Nita was sent home, she would be packed off to a safe place.
"No wonder the poor child displays the weaknesses she does. It is our duty to train her for a better life than the one her mother can aspire to. I think I would have buried this letter, too, had I been the daughter of such a mother!"
The letter was destroyed and Nita saw the Guide throw the tiny pieces in the fire when supper was started.
That night the camp sat about the fire telling stories and recalling funny things of school-life. It was an atmosphere of unity, and Miss Miller felt for the first time since they started the Camp that she would be fully repaid by the improvement of the members, and the womanhood they would eventually reach after striving for ideals, one just a bit higher than the other, year after year, until the goal appeared.
Finally, Zan exclaimed, "Oh, we forgot the Thermos bottle with the indigestion in it!"
Every one laughed, and Miss Miller hurried to her tent to get the bottle. It was brought over to the fire and the Guide lit a candle to enable the girls to see with ease the thing she was about to show and explain to them.
The two tubes were taken from the warm water in which Miss Miller plunged a thermometer to assure the girls that the temperature was the same as the evening before.
"This is the tube in which we put a little whiskey – see the effect the alcohol has had on the egg? It is shrivelled and even harder than when it was first placed in the tube, although it has had the same advantage of digestive fluids and acids that the other tube and our stomachs have.
"Now look at this other tube in which nothing but digestive juices were left. This uniform pasty mass at the bottom of the tube is the digested egg. This ought to prove infallibly what a drink of any alcoholic liquid will do to your digestion, and after a time, to your whole physical system."
The girls stared with amazement at the result of the test on the contents of the two tubes, and then looked up at the Guide with an expression that plainly said, "No alcoholic drink for us, no matter how alluring or in what company it is presented."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN CAMP
As the days sped, the Guide felt the secrecy most evident when she came unexpectedly upon the girls. Surprised screams, and hurried hiding of bulky articles, caused her finally to realise that it was for her birthday. Hints had dropped at various times, that some gala day was approaching, so the Guide determined on her part to give the girls a great surprise also. She took Bill and Mrs. Sherwood into her confidence and the result was that everything prospered for her plan without the girls having the slightest thought of what would occur.
The day before the birthday, Mrs. Sherwood spent the whole forenoon baking and preparing a feast for more than a score of people. Bill was away at Hamilton's to see about a large carry-all that Hamilton owned but seldom used. The Guide was most concerned about having the tents all in order, and the ceremonial robes in perfect condition.
It appeared that the girls had completed their work, for they had nothing better to do than watch and offer suggestion for the Guide. Finally, she called them together and said, "Are you all quite sure of the dances?"
"Of course, didn't Nita teach us how to do the War dance, the Snake dance and the Caribou and Scalp dances for coups just as soon as she perfected herself in the steps, and haven't we got most beautiful wooden horns and war-clubs?" said Zan.
"Well, let us try them to-day – to-morrow I want to spend the day in another quest. Something I haven't mentioned before, but which I have given much thought to," said Miss Miller, seriously.
"To-morrow! Oh, Miss Miller, not to-morrow! That is our regular ice-cream day, and if you take us away on a hike or nature-study we won't be here to freeze the cream!" argued Zan.
Miss Miller admired Zan's clever acting but she, too, felt she must act a part or the sly girls would discover her secret. So she said, "Oh, ice-cream can be enjoyed the next day just as well as to-morrow."
The girls looked at each other smilingly, but seemed agreed upon humouring the Guide with the dances. They always enjoyed these, as they were so unusual, so now they soon entered into the sport with a zest and energy not to be found in common dancing.
Miss Miller was thoroughly satisfied with the exhibition and clapped approvingly. While the girls sat down, panting, she said, "Each one of us can take down and put up a tent in the required time; we can make fires with wild-wood materials only, we can show city folks how to make the finest bed possible, and teach some how to give first aid when needed. What with our sets of rubbing sticks made by hand, our bead-looms, butterfly nets, and Tally Books, I think we have a mighty fine showing for a month's work, don't you?"
"Not only that, but just think of all we can do now, that we never dreamed of knowing! Hitch a horse and repair the harness, make or patch garments, cook digestible meals, use a knife and hatchet in the woods, and build an article of lumber," added Zan, proudly.
"In fact, we have learned so much that it will take a review of our Tally Books to prove all that has been done," said Jane.
"Yes, girls, I am highly complimented by the progress you all have made, but I regret deeply that no one is here to enjoy our work as we do ourselves," sighed Miss Miller.
"Oh, don't worry over that, Miss Miller; toward the end of summer we will invite a crowd down and take the day in showing off. That will be a fine time to get a crowd of our schoolchums here and see how they take to Woodcrafting, eh?" said Zan, looking about at the others.
"That's so! And by the time we get home we'll have a swarm of girls buzzing about waiting to be admitted," giggled Hilda.
"I bet there's a lot of them sorry this minute that they didn't join when I invited them to!" said Zan, decidedly.
"Well, girls, I have an errand at Sherwoods' so I will run down, but I'll be back inside of an hour," confessed the Guide, as she started down the slope.
The girls smiled as soon as she had disappeared and Zan said, "Now, let's wrap them up and fix things up before she gets back."
Thereupon, the four girls ran to their tents and were noisily occupied for a time while Nita quietly took a package from under her cot and wrapped it also, using a narrow baby ribbon to tie it up.
Hilda was astonished, as she had no idea Nita had made a gift for the Guide, although she had spent many hours by herself during the past week. She had showed a desire to join in the gift-making when Zan and Jane told her of the decorated bead-loom and the butterfly tray they were making, but she gave no further sign of personal interest in their gifts. Hilda had not been able to see just what Nita made but she knew it was something that was made by hand. Believing that she wished it kept secret, Hilda whispered to Nita that she wouldn't tell!
The following morning the sun shone brightly down through the leaves of the trees, causing Wickee to blink his eyes before any of the Band were stirring. Being unduly awakened, Wickee decided it was high time for the others to be up, so he jumped upon the cots and pulled the sheets about until the girls shrieked at him to desist.
Miss Miller had, for some unknown cause, set her alarm clock and now it began ringing its warning to get up. Soon every one was out and wishing her many happy returns of the day. The breakfast was under way before any hint of unusual things occurred. Then, as the Guide hurried to the place where the cloth was spread she almost collided with Zan carrying a long mysterious parcel. Both laughed, but the Guide returned to the fire while Zan placed the gift on the grass where Miss Miller sat.
Jane and Elena added their gift, and Nita sidled over sheepishly and laid down a wrapped gift, much to the delight of the other girls. Then all ran over to assist in serving the breakfast.
Miss Miller was highly pleased and seemed greatly surprised at the unexpected gifts, but, upon opening them, she was most sincere in her exclamations of pleasure.
Not only had Jane and Elena won coups in finding and properly mounting beautiful butterflies and insects, but they had chosen the finest specimens and arranged them in a tray as they had planned. With the feathery grasses and a few leaves on the pure white cotton, they made a dainty gift when securely covered with glass and framed with cherry-wood having a brass handle on each end of the tray.
They finished the tray and found there was ample time to make a large picture of blue-prints of natural flowers and frame it. The delicate veining and tiny picoted edges of the leaves stood out in wonderful contrast on the dark-blue paper. This group had been framed in moulding sawed and joined and rubbed with oil by the two girls. Later, they confided to the others that they had scoured the tool-house for bits of moulding and Bill was well-nigh crazy showing them how to join the corners.
Zan and Hilda made a beautiful bead-loom – a work of art. The design burnt in on the top of the flat board was executed most artistically, and the uprights, wheels and winder, were accurately fitted to work smoothly.
Beside this, the two girls wove a braided mat similar to those in the farm-house, to the manufacture of which Mrs. Sherwood donated cut strips of rags.
But the gift that gave the keenest pleasure to the Guide, because made by Nita, proving her change of consciousness, was a Tomtom, beautifully decorated. So meritorious was it that Miss Miller exclaimed upon seeing it, "Why, Nita, I believe you can win a grand coup for this beautiful work!"
Nita was delighted and explained how she made it. How the frame was made of the circle of an old bentwood chair, the pieces of which were found in the barn. How Bill stopped at the saddler's in Junction and obtained a piece of raw-hide for her. How hard it had been to lace the raw-hide to the frame and the difficulty she had in decorating the Totem on the Tomtom.
True admiration was so rare a thing in Nita's experience of life that she felt embarrassed at first, but the Guide made her feel more at ease by seeking diligently for her handkerchief and not finding it. Before anything could be done to relieve the tension of the situation, the tears rolled from under Miss Miller's lids and trickled over her cheeks. At a sudden gurgle from Zan, every one burst out laughing hysterically.
"Well, I don't care if you did catch me crying like an infant!" declared Miss Miller, still laughing. "But they were tears of gladness at the demonstration of your love and sacrifice."
"That Tomtom isn't all, either, Miss Miller!" cried Nita, eagerly. "When I saw the others make two things, I said I would, too, so I wrote to the doctor for the things I couldn't get here."
"Oh, do let us see what it is! We will promise to wait patiently for you to finish it!" exclaimed the Guide, eagerly.
Only too glad to show it, Nita ran to her tent and drew a long package from under the cot. Running back with it, she displayed a target half-finished and a long paper parcel which proved to be a bow and some arrows sent down by the doctor.
"Girls, I believe Nita made and thought of the best of all our gifts!" exclaimed Elena, carefully testing the bow.
"Well, one thing is certain! We can all enjoy the target and the Tomtom will help us in dancing," added Miss Miller.
"That's what made me think of making one – I just hated to dance without music or rhythm to step by!" said Nita, happily.
A shout from Sherwoods' cottage reminded Miss Miller of some important duty she was delaying, so she hurried away after saying that she would be back in half an hour.
The moment breakfast dishes were washed the girls tried a dance while one beat the Tomtom. Then Zan suggested that they try the bow and arrows.
"Maybe we can practise and win an archery coup soon!" exclaimed Hilda.
"We hadn't thought of that – yes, let's try for it!" added Jane, as they hurried to select each one an arrow.
As Miss Miller returned to the Bluff her face was happy and smiling, so that Zan asked, "Well, what have you planned now to celebrate the day with?"
"What do you girls want to do?" asked she.
"Take a long ride to Junction and do some buying at the stores!" replied Nita.
"Oh, mercy me, no! Better hike over the hills and hunt for more wild flowers to finish our collection for a coup!" cried Elena.
"I'll tell you what, girls! Let's stay right here and work on the new bead-loom and make a few bead-bands!" said Jane, watching Miss Miller suspiciously.
The Guide appeared to be most anxious at that and said, "How foolish to waste a perfect day about camp! Let's take the morning for the woods, and spend the afternoon in camp!"
At that, Jane felt sure she had stumbled over the Guide's secret but she kept it to herself, and eagerly abetted all effort to get the girls away from the Bluff as soon as could be.
During the walk that morning they found enough wild flowers to make their fifty varieties so that each could claim a coup. Jane determined to keep on and find fifty more to win a grand coup.
On the return walk, Miss Miller found some splendid rushes and the place was marked so that it could be quickly found again when they had more time to stop and cut the rushes.
"We ought to be able to make some lovely mats and baskets from them, don't you think so?" asked Nita, eagerly.
"Yes, indeed! But we have other work for to-day, and rushes will wait better here than at camp," replied the Guide, who appeared to be very anxious to get back to camp. She frequently consulted her watch and felt impatient when one of the girls wanted to stop and examine a plant or leaf.
"You're sure you all have your Tally Books up to date?" queried Miss Miller, as they drew near the Big Bridge.
"Sure! Didn't you ask us to bring them right up to yesterday's Council!" wondered Zan.
Jane almost laughed aloud at the puzzled expression of the other girls, but she held her peace like a martyr.
Just as they passed through Sherwoods' grass-plot Zan spied the carry-all from Hamilton's, standing in the road. Two heavy horses were hitched to it, but they were tied to a post while their noses were buried in feed-bags.
"Well, I'm daffy! If I can see what that rig is doing over here!" exclaimed Zan.
Miss Miller had hurried on up the slope but Jane exploded with pent-up mirth. Zan looked at her keenly for a second, then ran after the Guide. The other three girls followed, conscious of the subdued excitement in the air.
Arrived on the Bluff, the girls were dumbfounded to find a grand feast spread out on the rocks. Mrs. Sherwood was busy by the ice-chest placing some dish inside, but the rest of the birthday feast was waiting on the cloth: four had to be used to make a large enough place. About the outer edges of the linen were more than two dozen plates and silver for each.
The girls turned to question Miss Miller and found her laughing heartily at their surprise. Before anything further could be done, Zan caught sight of some familiar form in her tent. With a shout of "Daddy! Daddy!" she rushed madly over and found herself surrounded by her entire family.
They came out laughing at the faces of the other girls. In another moment, Jane's family appeared from behind a tent. That gave the cue to others, and soon, Elena's mother and Hilda's brother came over to join the others. The doctor explained that her mother could not leave a serious case she had but sent a letter instead for Hilda to enjoy.
Every one saw the consternation Nita felt when she eagerly ran from tent to tent seeking for some one from her family, but nothing in shape of father or mother, or letter was found.
Miss Miller suddenly grasped the doctor's sleeve and whispered frantically in his ear. He quickly went over to the tent where Nita stood breathless, ready to break down at the awful suggestion that either her people were not invited or else they cared so little for her that they never bothered to write!
"Oh, Nita, dear! Come here – I forgot to give you a message from your mother! I was so delighted to see Zan, I almost overlooked you!" said Dr. Baker, smilingly, although he felt like murder in his heart.
Nita looked up with eyes full of unshed tears.
"Miss Miller's party was so unexpected and sudden that every one had the greatest difficulty in reaching each other. Now, I tried again and again to reach your folks by 'phone, but I heard your father is away on a business trip and your mother is spending a few days with friends at Newport. So, you see, Nita, how dreadfully disappointed they will be when they hear all about this party!"
As he spoke, the doctor led the girl back to the others, taking all the blame upon himself for not being able to find her parents. But he never mentioned to any one excepting the Guide, that Mrs. Brampton sneered at the suggestion of giving up a Newport trip for a visit to the farm, and left in high dudgeon when her husband declared she was no human mother!
He had to go on a business trip but the doctor said it might have been postponed if he had really wanted to do so. But Nita was comforted at the report the doctor gave, and if there lurked a semblance to untruth in his meaning, the recording angel overlooked it, for his motive was high and holy.
The great feast went off with wonderful ease, considering the scarcity of cutlery and glassware. Mrs. Sherwood acted as Chief of the Kettle, while all of the girls assisted in serving their guests from the city. Bill occupied himself rigging up the unfinished target, and attending to other things the visitors had no idea of.
When the dinner was over and everything presented a look of order again, the doctor excused himself while he went to Bill's cottage to meet the postman who could be seen driving along the road. No further thought was given to this, however, as the young hostesses were fully occupied showing their collections of flowers, insects, and Tally Books.
When every one had admired the hand-craft and woodlore the Band had learned, they were invited to sit in a wide circle while the girls entertained them with dancing and fire-making. At just this time, the doctor returned accompanied by a stranger. He brought the man directly toward Miss Miller who smiled and held out her hand in greeting.
Then it became known that the visitor was a Medicine Man, an old friend of the doctor's, who was also a member of the High Council of Guidance. He had mentioned to the doctor that he expected to visit Hamiltons' kennels that week and Dr. Baker persuaded him to make it the same day that they all intended going to the farm, thereby having him present as guest at the Woodcraft camp. He gladly acquiesced to the plan and thus he was able to see the work accomplished in a month by a Band hitherto untrained in the ways of Woodcraft lore. To say he was delighted would be to express his pleasure in too weak terms.
The girls acquitted themselves admirably in dancing while the Guide beat the new Tomtom. The Medicine Man gave them valuable hints about the true Indian Dancing, and complimented Nita on her teaching, then they made fires in required time, they did various kinds of swimming in the pool, and in every possible way entertained the visitors in a most unique and enjoyable manner. The Medicine Man took charge of affairs, and at last, when everything had been finished, he suggested that he pin the honours on their ceremonial robes. This was a treat unlooked for, as Miss Miller thought they would all have to wait until their return to the city before being awarded the honours.
The blanks for coups and honours, which had been sent from Headquarters, were soon filled in and witnessed, and the Band highly flattered by the speech the Medicine Man made to them before taking his departure.
Dr. Baker accompanied him to the cottage, where Bill waited to drive him back to Hamilton's place, whence he could catch a train homeward. While shaking hands with his friend, the visitor said earnestly: "Doctor, I did not see those girls before they went to camp, but they certainly are a wonderful group of Woodcrafters now, and I shall have particular pleasure in speaking of them to my associates at Headquarters. A sight like the one I enjoyed this afternoon is one of the best tonics in our work, and it encourages us to progress and expand."
"Well, if you saw some of those very girls when school closed, a month ago, you would swear some witchcraft was working for them! I never saw such improvement in girls in so short a time," declared Dr. Baker emphatically.
By the time the doctor returned to the Bluff a lively chase was ready to begin. Zan's two brothers thoroughly enjoyed the plan, and Fiji was to be Master of the game. He was expected to run away with a stuffed burlap bag that represented a deer, and hide it in some out-of-the-way spot where a deer would be apt to find refuge from a clan of hunters. He had to drop corn for the trail, so the hunters could pick up the scent and follow. These scents were supposed to cross each other or run off in a far different direction from which the deer eventually follows in order to hide itself.
The moment the doctor arrived the signal was given, and Fiji started off with the deer under his arm. As the animal had been made that morning, in a great hurry, Miss Miller used a burlap bag stuffed with straw, and painted the features on its head. Fiji's pockets were filled with corn, and he was admonished not to take it to rocky ledges or steep mountain-sides, as the hunters would not have time to stop and hunt for lost arrows in the dense undergrowth of the ravine.
After about ten minutes' start the hunters followed after the deer. The doctor felt like a boy again, taking part in the simple sport. Every one was provided with bows and arrows, and was expected to do their best in hitting the deer in the heart.
More than an hour was spent in finding the spot the deer had for a refuge. Then, Zan being the first to lead, gave the signal that the deer was found. They all trailed along the corn scent until they met near the entrance to the cave. Here, against the opening, stood the brave burlap deer, and Zan soon had the satisfaction of chasing Fiji down the hill-side, fleeing from her arrows, which she aimed at him in punishment for doing the very thing he had been told not to do. The doctor picked up the helpless deer and laughingly carried it back to camp.
"I think Fiji is too mean for anything, Miss Miller, because we might have won another honour if he hadn't made a mess of the game!" complained Zan.
But the others laughed heartily, and averred that they enjoyed the hunt just as much as if the deer had been killed.
All too soon came the time to bid the visitors good-bye, and the girls heard with pride their parents commend Miss Miller on the wonderful improvement in them all. The great carryall was waiting at Bill's, so every one ran down the slope, the visitors climbing in, and the campers watching and advising, until Bill flourished his whip and rattled off along the road to Junction.
Gathered about the rock where Council generally was held, the girls reviewed the exciting times of the day.
"Miss Miller, that was the finest party I ever attended," laughed Jane.
"I smelled a rat when I saw that carryall by Bill's door, but I never dreamed that Miss Miller had planned it. I thought perhaps some of our folks were coming down to surprise us, and I was delighted to think it fell on your birthday," said Zan.
Then the Guide told how she first got the idea to surprise them in return for their secrets.
"Well, the doctor seems thoroughly pleased with our experiment, doesn't he?" said Hilda, remembering the wondering looks of all of the parents.
"Indeed he is! He told me, just before leaving, that the remarkable improvement in Zan and Nita far surpassed the others," said Miss Miller.
"Me! Why, I am always all right! What did he mean?" questioned Zan, astonished.
"He missed a most familiar habit, and said that the improvement was to be continued," laughed the Guide.
"Ha, ha! Zan, he meant your slang!" cried Elena.
"Oh, but I haven't quit that yet! I shall some day!" added Zan.
"You have dropped so much of it that it is remarked by those who have not heard you in a month, but to yourself it may not seem such an improvement," explained Miss Miller.
"What was it about me?" queried Nita timidly.
"He said he had never seen you in such fine health. He said that your very hair sparkled with better vitality, and your eyes were a rested blue now, where they used to be so tired. Then, too, he spoke of the improved poise in your general manners," said Miss Miller kindly, patting Nita on the shoulder.
"I'm so glad, but I really did feel badly, Miss Miller, when I found it was impossible for my family to be here with the others. I am sure mother would have been proud to see how well I am, and father would take great pleasure in seeing me do all the things I can do now," said Nita wistfully.
At that admission, the Guide thanked goodness that she had urged the doctor to make an excuse for Nita's parents, and she vowed that never a word of the truth would reach the girl from her. Time, she knew to be a kind healer, so it would not hurt as much should Mrs. Brampton ever mention it. But Miss Miller thought she understood Nita's mother well enough to know that of her own accord she would never touch upon an unpleasant subject.
The Band were so fatigued that immediately after a light supper they sought their cots, and were soon sound asleep.
