The Woodcraft Girls at Camp

"No, indeed! Each must make her own set to use and never borrow mine!" laughed the Guide, placing the set behind her as she sat on the council seat again.

Hilda was elected fire-keeper for the occasion and the others all sat down on the grass again.

"This time, girls, I believe we have followed first rules, so that we can go on with our other business affairs," said Miss Miller.

Zan had been looking over the Manual and suggested, "We haven't chosen a Wampum Keeper yet! I know a good one!"

Miss Miller smiled. "I guess she is the one I had in mind."

"Girls, have you any choice – a Wampum Keeper acts as treasurer you know, as well as sees that our beads and other details for ceremonial councils are in order," explained Zan.

The girls looked at each other for a moment only, then Elena said, "Hilda is the best house-keeper of us all, and she is exact in keeping accounts, too, so I think she ought to be Wampum Keeper."

"I think so too!" added Jane.

"Just what I thought," agreed Zan, looking at Miss Miller. The latter nodded smilingly, but Nita said nothing.

"Hilda is chosen by all but you – have you any other one in mind?" asked Zan, turning to Nita.

"Oh, no, I s'pose one's as good as another, but I don't see why Hilda should be given charge of the money belonging to our Band. She never handles much and is not accustomed to it," retorted Nita, showing jealousy in every tone.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Jane, angrily. "I guess Hilda has charge of more real money than you ever saw! She runs the house for her mother, you must remember, and she pays cash for everything and enters it in her book, too!"

Zan felt like adding something disagreeable but remembered her promise to her father, so Jane's answer delighted her. Nita flushed unpleasantly as most of her friends knew that her household was conducted on "charge accounts" and merchants had great difficulty in collecting bills. She hastily agreed to Hilda as treasurer after Jane's remark, and the Guide continued.

"Now, as Zan has had more real experience in rural life than any of you, I suggest her for Big Chief of this Band."

This was unanimously voted upon and it became Zan's privilege to select a Little Chief to act in her absence. Zan, without hesitation, chose Nita.

There was a second's pause as if the choice was a surprise. Zan glanced toward Miss Miller and found her eyes beaming, for both recognised the silent vow of the other to do all they could to wean Nita from her past temptations and open before her desires, a wider and higher plane upon which to grow.

Nita was so delighted at being elected Little Chief that she forthwith began "preening her plumes." The other girls seemed not to like the choice but Miss Miller hastily changed the subject by introducing one of great interest.

"Girls, I have so many things to say that it is hard work to keep to one subject, but I will try. Now, we ought to try for all the honours and coups we have opportunity to win. I know of no spot where so many advantages combine to offer us these opportunities as this section of New Jersey. Flowers, birds, trees, insects, trails, reeds, – in fact everything, we find at hand to study. We are given the farm to use during our ten weeks' vacation, and sleeping in tents all summer means we win a coup for fulfilling the sixty nights sleep out of doors! Then, there are coups and grand coups staring us right in the eyes, for the simple act of taking hold of them! Just think of it! We can win coups for dancing, for weaving, for star gazing, cooking, building, rug making, and lots of other things. I shouldn't wonder, what with the talent of each one used to teach all the others, that we might aspire to becoming an honour Tribe before the year is out!"

"Oh, Miss Miller! You should have had a coup this very day for making that fire, shouldn't you?" asked Zan.

"No, I'm afraid I can't claim that, as Elena found the nest, and the others gathered the fire material; but I am glad I know how to do it, as the next attempt will be easy. For every claim for an honour or coup you must be sure to have three witnesses so that our claims will go to Headquarters properly made out and signed. I should hate to have them send us back our papers for lack of attention on our part," said the Guide.

Zan had been glancing through the lists of coups and honours, and now exclaimed, "Why, I can win a coup for swimming and one for walking, as easily as rolling over on this grass."

"Yes, all these things count when done rightly, and I am most enthusiastic over the promising future for us," said Miss Miller.

"Well, let's get going on something to win our first coup," cried Jane impatiently.

"If all are agreed, I will read the Law from the Girl's Manual aloud, and then adjourn the meeting with the Zuñi Sunset Song," ventured the Guide.

"Ho, Miss Miller! Wait a moment! Jane wants to get busy too soon! I see a very important thing here in the Manual that we ought to hear before adjourning," cried Zan, holding the book open for the Guide to read from.

"This is very important, girls, so I will read it," admitted Miss Miller, as she glanced over the page. "For our first summer we will be styled 'Wayseekers' (Tiopa) and we must qualify as such. Also, we must begin to perfect ourselves in fifteen of the twenty-three qualifications needed to promote us to 'Pathfinders,' (Mikana) as shown here."

The Guide then proceeded to read the different articles set forth in the Manual, and some time was given to the discussion over each item. The girls began to realise that there was much more in being a Woodcrafter than mere fun-making, and the deep meaning of the work began to be understood.

"From present appearances, it looks as if it would take us a life-time to accomplish all of those tests," said Jane impatiently.

"It's only one at a time, dear! If you were country-bred and were accustomed to wild life, you would exclaim at the simplicity of the work," said Miss Miller kindly.

"I guess that's so! It is merely our ignorance of ways of rural life. Just as soon as we really get down to business we will be astonished at our progress. I remember how it was with our classes in school. From the books it seemed too hard to master, but whenever we took a trip to the woods to study botany, and other things, it just became so easy!" added Elena.

"All right, let's go to it now!" cried Zan.

"Zan, if I was a member of the National Council I would surely exile any one who used slang as much as Hilda and you do!" remonstrated Miss Miller.

"I just bet more than half the girls would be exiled then!" retorted Zan.

"I find on page 20 of the Manual that one must abstain from a besetting sin for one moon! I reckon that covers the difficulty with you girls – slang is your besetting sin, so you will surely have to abstain if you are to qualify."

As Miss Miller said this, the girls laughed at her clever manner in reaching the delinquents through the Manual.

"Well, Tribal friends, I'm growing stiff in the 'jints' as Mrs. Sherwood would say, from sitting in one position so long! Is there anything more to do?" said impatient Zan.

"Why, of course! we haven't been baptised yet!" laughed the Guide.

"Oh, that's settled long ago, as most children's names are. We will be called Wickeecheokee Band," replied Zan.

"Such a mouthful! Do you really yearn for that name, Zan?" asked Jane plaintively.

"Not if there's a better one!" returned Zan.

"We might use a short name for our Band and later when we are a Tribe use Wickeecheokee for the Tribal name," suggested Hilda.

This was declared a good idea so silence reigned for a long time while all sorts of names were considered. After many suggestions and much debate the name of Wahko Nia, meaning springs of water, was cut to Wahko for everyday use. The long Indian name could be used for impressive occasions if needed. So the name of Wahko Band was entered in the Tally Book.

With a song the meeting adjourned, the girls jumping up stretched themselves with sighs of relief. The next words from the Guide changed their contentment to consternation.

"Girls, some of our food is still at the house!"

"Mercy! Why didn't we bring it over when Nancy was working?" asked Jane.

"I simply won't trail back there to-day!" whined Nita.

"If some of us are willing, it seems that all of us should help, or go without supper," said Miss Miller gently.

The other girls started off without another word, and the Guide waited a few moments to see if Nita would join her. Instead, Nita wandered toward her tent saying, "I am going to lie down and rest!"

Miss Miller felt discouraged at the failure, so soon, in the attempt to help Nita, but she trudged after the others without further coaxing of the stubborn member. At the house, the food was soon packed in baskets, and every article that might be found necessary was tucked in at the sides. Just as they were ready to return, Nita was seen sitting on the edge of the porch with a huge basket of things she had voluntarily gathered in the garden without a word from the others.

Of course it was entirely unnecessary for that day, but the Guide felt that it was Nita's peculiar way of showing how sorry she was for her recent behaviour, so the basket of vegetables and fruit was accepted with delight.

On the trail back to camp the fruit was devoured by the hungry girls, then Zan began nibbling at some crackers she found in her basket. The others wanted to sample the crackers too, so Miss Miller had to interfere.

"If you eat sweets now you won't want to have any supper when it is ready."

"Oh, won't we though! It is very evident, Miss Miller that you never camped with hungry growing girls before!" laughed Hilda.

As the Bluff was sighted the girls felt eager to end their journey, so put on an extra spurt of speed.

The baskets were placed upon a high flat rock to be out of the way of insects, and Miss Miller looked at her watch.

"If you are not tired, girls, there is just time for a swim before starting on a hike – or would you prefer a walk first and then the swim?"

"Oh, goody!" cried Zan, running toward her tent.

"But, Miss Miller, we haven't any suits yet! They have not come from the city!" said Elena disappointedly.

"It wouldn't injure the fabric in your union suits to wear them – not this once! And each one of you brought a heavy suit with you in case of need!" ventured the Guide.

Nita and Jane laughed hysterically at the idea, but the other girls clapped their hands and agreed that the suggestion was great! Without further objection, the two former girls also started to find their union suits in the baggage that was packed in their trunks inside the tents.

While they were dressing Miss Miller called out, "How many of you can swim the required hundred yards and win a coup?"

"I can – or at least I could last summer," replied Zan.

"I can swim some, I don't know how far!" said Jane.

"I can swim a stroke!" exclaimed Hilda, and the other two girls admitted the same lack.

"Dear me, girls! don't tell me that you three can't swim at all!" cried Miss Miller, amazed.

"What opportunity has a city girl to swim?" asked Hilda wonderingly.

"Why, child! In winter there are a number of good Municipal Bathing houses open for girls, and everything is kept in splendid order too. Then, in summer there are plenty of summer resorts near the city where one can bathe and learn to swim!"

"But a girl can't visit them alone, and parents haven't much time to escort one to such resorts – so there you are!" replied Hilda.

"Yes, that's true! Well, with fine camps started, girls, as well as boys, will be able to enjoy the woods as well as the waters of the country, without cost of time or money for parents," said Miss Miller, as she came from her tent dressed in a neat one-piece bathing suit.

The others were waiting for her, looking self-conscious in their union suits. The Guide saw this and decided that they must be made to forget themselves at once. So she proposed a race from the tents to the willow tree that stood by the pool. The winner to have an extra cookie for supper.

The scramble that followed proved just the thing to distract their thoughts from their appearances, and by the time all reached the tree, they were laughing, and gasping for breath.

The pool, in summer-time, was nowhere more than four to five feet in depth. Possibly, just under the Falls the water might measure six feet, but no one ever went there. From the Falls the water spread out in a circle-like basin until its centre measured about thirty feet across. It gradually narrowed again toward the willow where the stream formed the outlet of the pool. The entire floor of the pool was of rock, worn smooth by the water. This smooth surface and the Falls creating an ever-flowing current, kept the pool clean and the water as clear as glass. It was partly due to the bed-rock that made the water so transparent, that the Indian name for Crystal Waters was given the place.

Miss Miller urged the girls to jump in but Nita dipped her toe in at the edge and screamed, "Boo! but it's cold!"

"That's not the way – do this!" laughed Zan, plunging in and immediately submerging her whole body.

"My, what a wet mess your hair will be!" called Hilda.

"The sun'll soon dry it again. Don't bother about your hair! Half the fun in swimming is ducking your head!" sputtered Zan.

Miss Miller plunged in next and took a few strong strokes that carried her halfway across the pool.

The girls on the bank watched her admiringly.

"My! Miss Miller, you sure can go it!" cried Elena.

The Guide's example encouraged the three girls who hesitated on the verge of the pool. Jane had been swinging on a pliable branch of the willow, enjoying herself immensely. Zan now called to her to come in with them and show how far she could swim. Jane in her eagerness to race with Zan, let go the willow before her footing was quite firm on the bank, with the result that she stumbled and fell against the three girls huddled on the wet grass. Before any one knew how it all happened, Jane, and the three girls, went pell-mell into the water, creating a mighty shower of water everywhere.

"O-ooh! Help! Murder! S-swish – sc-cswash!" and other queer sounds came from the struggling group of girls. Miss Miller had just gained the opposite bank and had seated herself on the grass when the funny accident took place. Zan had been treading water and had missed the slide, but jumped up at the shouts.

"Oh, what a funny motion picture that would have made!" gasped the Guide as soon as she could speak.

Jane was swimming over to join Zan, and the three soaking non-combatants, tried to force their fists into their eyes vainly hoping to expel the water. Ears were singing, and noses snuffling and they looked like anything but joyous pleasure-seeking maidens.

After a few minutes, however, the fear of drowning faded with the sense of feeling their feet on the rock which was only a depth of a foot or so, where they had scrambled up. The wild laughter of Zan, Jane and the Guide did much to reassure them that life still held on with a firm grip for them.

"As long as you're all soaked, why not come in gracefully?" called Zan, taking a dive and swimming under water to the spot where Jane rose to rest. In a few seconds Jane gave a frenzied scream and went head down, heels up, in the water.

"Oh, look! Jane's sinking!" cried Elena.

But Zan's head appeared alongside Jane's heels, and in another moment, the victim of Zan's mischief bobbed up.

As her head appeared again, Miss Miller called, amid spasms of laughter, "Right position! Front! Mark time!"

Zan was the only one who thoroughly enjoyed the command so often obeyed at school, while Jane snuffed angrily, "Just wait!" The three deluged girls were too busy trying to lower their bodies gradually, and still keep their feet flat on the rock.

"Oh, here! Nita, hold on to my hand while you let yourself down flat on your stomach! Then try and kick out as Zan does," advised Hilda.

Nita obeyed and held clutchingly on Hilda's hand. Just as she felt herself touching rock-bottom and experienced the delightful sensation of being buoyed up by the water, Elena, who had been experimenting alone, splashing out arms and legs, suddenly came in contact with the timid beginner and shoved her under water. Nita excitedly caught hold of Hilda's foot and a second unexpected dive took place, with Hilda, the heavy, on top of Elena, the light.

More cries and shouts from the tobogganed beginners, and yells and laughs from their audience. Then, the Guide started across to show the three girls how to begin.

After fifteen minutes more of practice, Miss Miller said, "Time to come out, girls. We've been in over half an hour, and that is quite enough for the first dip."

"Dear me, at this snail's pace, we will be Wayseekers all summer!" grumbled Hilda.

"Oh, no you won't! In a week's time you'll be swimming a few strokes and in another week probably you can do fifty yards. Your power of endurance will determine how soon you can swim the hundred yards," said Miss Miller, as they reached the camp, and went in to dress.

"Not one of us remembered to count our hundred yards, although I'm sure I did fully five hundred all told," said Zan.

"Counting that under-water trick – yes, maybe you did!" replied Jane, giving Zan a look that boded no peace for the future.

"How does every one feel! Weary – or right for a short tramp up the ravine?" came from the Guide who dressed first and was waiting on the Bluff for the girls.

"Weary – I should say not!" cried Hilda enthusiastically.

"I'm as fresh as a daisy! Could climb a dozen ravines," added Elena.

"I'm not tired, but why do any more now?" sighed Nita.

"Because we want to drive that lazy spirit out of you!" retorted Zan, dragging the girl up to her feet.

"I thought we might take a hatchet and whittling knife with us on the hike and put them to use for our third test," suggested Miss Miller.

"We'll have to get a hatchet, or small axe at the house," answered Zan, with a frown at the idea of walking to the house again.

"No, I placed one of the hatchets in my tent after we had finished driving the stakes. Bill took his home I see, and Zan carried the one from the house back to the tool-house, for I watched her and mentally gave her an honour mark for placing things where she found them," commended Miss Miller, as she went to her tent and brought out a small hatchet and displayed the knife called for by the rule.

"Aren't they dear! Where did you get them, Miss Miller?" questioned Zan, as the girls crowded around the Guide and admired the new tools.

"I wrote to Headquarters and found out where I could purchase outfittings," replied the Guide, leading the way toward the hill. All of the girls wore khaki bloomers and soft shirts, with heavy stockings and rubber-soled sneakers protecting legs and feet, so that the hill-climb presented only a Nature test to be thoroughly enjoyed by them after their invigorating bath.

CHAPTER FIVE

SOME AMAZING THINGS IN NATURE

"Girls, as long as we are off for a hike, why not make something worth while of the time?" asked the Guide looking at her companions.

"Anything you say goes with us, Miss Miller!" said Zan emphatically.

"Well, then suppose we try to identify our native trees – as many as we find in this section of the country – and begin to gather wild flowers and plants, for Jane to make blue prints from. At the same time we can study their botanical features and arrange them in groups for use in trays, or pictures."

"Why, that is a novel idea! How did you think of it, Miss Miller?" cried Elena, her artistic nature roused.

"I love wild flowers, and I always did think they would make beautiful decorations if properly treated so they would retain their lines and details," replied the Guide.

"It's too bad you didn't mention it sooner, so I could have brought a basket or something to keep them in," said Jane.

"Why carry a basket when one can be had for the picking!" laughed Miss Miller.

Again the girls were mystified, and waited for an explanation. It was slow in coming for the Guide seemed very intent upon seeking for something she could not find.

After ten minutes' walk she exclaimed, "Ha! I thought so! The kind of grass I wanted always grows near the hill-tops."

She motioned the girls to sit down while she gathered a few handsful of long wiry grass and showed them how to weave a fine grass basket. It was a small model but very compact and strong. They watched eagerly while deft fingers flew and the grass strands went in and out, until the roll on top was finished. The handle was another matter, and Miss Miller said she would make that another time.

"But this is so dainty it will never hold plants or roots!" said Elena.

"Not this sample but we can make others on the same lines and use other materials. Perhaps Zan can show us where we can find some rushes, or wand-grass. Then too, willow makes good strong baskets."

"Why, sure! Right down by the Bid Ridge we can gather all the rushes we want, and a whole group of young willows grow over by Pine Nob – that's a giant hill back of Hamilton's Farm," exclaimed Zan eagerly.

"Some rainy day, then, we will sit by the fire and make some rush mats," added the Guide.

"Oh, stop! please don't mention any more, or my head will whirl off!" laughed Jane, holding down the top of her head, but with eyes sparkling with anticipation of all the coups waiting to be won.

Miss Miller smiled as she started on up the hill-side. "Don't wait for me to point out a tree – take the first one you see. The same with the flowers and shrubs."

"But here's some grass that ought to make a strong basket!" called Nita, who was a few paces ahead.

"Yes, let us gather some and construct a carrier in case we find some plants we want to dig up, root and flower," advised the Guide.

They were all eagerly engaged in their first attempt at weaving with grass and found it not nearly as easy as it seemed when the Guide was doing it. Sometimes the grass slipped, sometimes it broke; then, it would refuse to slide up or down, and again it would cut into tender flesh if it was pulled too hard.

After a time, however, a sort of a misshapen bowl-like article was finished by Hilda who declared it looked just like an Eskimo's treasure. The other girls decided to carry their material and half-finished shapes with them and wait for another recess in the hike before weaving more.

"I see a maple!" exclaimed Elena, as they climbed.

"Pshaw! every one knows a maple tree so there can't be anything new worth hearing about a maple," said Nita.

"How do you know but that we may discover some new feature about a maple that you never dreamed of before?" asked Miss Miller.

"Hitherto unpublished – exclusive rights claimed by Wickeecheokee Band!" added Zan.

"Not so many moons since, I met a group of girls who were greatly surprised to find that sugar came from maples!" added Miss Miller, smiling at Nita.

"Oh, that was different! What I mean now, is, that every one knows a maple when they see one, and it's nothing new."

Miss Miller examined the maple thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "How many of you know what kind of a maple this is?"

"We have one like it on the front lawn and Dad always calls it "the red maple,"" replied Zan.

"Yes, it is a red maple. Acer is the Latin name, while maple is the common name. Now look at the height of this tree and tell me how tall it will grow before it reaches its full growth?"

"This one is not twenty feet, is it?" asked Elena.

"No, about twenty – I should say."

"The red maple on our lawn is at least thirty feet high, Miss Miller, and Dad says it is an old tree," said Zan.

"About thirty feet is the average height. Now, tell me, do you think this tree will thrive best on this hill-side or down in the glade beyond the bridge – where the ground is low and moist?" continued the Guide.

"I don't know – do you?" said Jane, looking at the other girls.

"Give up! There's another item we failed to know," replied Zan.