The Woodcraft Girls at Camp

"Hold on, Zan, we're coming with you!" shouted Jane and Elena.

That left Hilda standing sulkily watching her three friends while Nita went inside the tent apportioned to her use. Hilda turned to the Guide and caught a glimpse of her face. With a smile creeping into her own face she ran over to Miss Miller.

"Aren't you awful mad?" wondered Hilda.

"No, dearie, this is just what I expected when I suggested that Nita accompany Zan on the walk. It is merely another 'dish-wash' lesson in another form, but Nita hasn't had it applied to her individual need as Zan and Jane have. If she rises bravely to the call she will have her blessing hereafter."

"Oh, Miss Miller, how clever you are! I hope I will 'rise' to my call when it comes!" sighed Hilda, her admiration shining from her eyes.

The Guide laughed merrily as she replied, "I would rather no one else heard of my little plot – just keep it a secret!"

"I will, indeed, I will!" promised Hilda eagerly. Then, "What had I better do – help you at camp or go to the house?"

"Well, you see it is this way. I am only Guide. I tell you what I think ought to be done and Zan, as Big Chief, orders the camp. She has exactly the right idea of government and she will make a splendid organiser some day. I am so pleased at the attitude she took just now for Nita is her friend and she did not permit personality to interfere with duty. I also am delighted to find how she grasps the meaning of Woodcraft and hope this little lesson will prove beneficial to us all."

"Well, Zan said for Nita to take with her any of the girls she chose. Jane and Elena have gone to Sherwoods so Nita cannot choose any one but me."

"And has Nita gone?" queried the Guide, giving a look toward the tents.

"Why – n-oo!" returned perplexed Hilda. In another moment, however, light dawned and she smiled again. "I see! You will wait for Nita to make the first move."

Miss Miller nodded her head affirmatively and knelt down on the rock where she intended building her fire. Hilda waited.

"Please hand me those two green logs, dear – just behind me," asked the Guide.

Hilda took up one log after the other and gave them to Miss Miller, who placed them carefully in position.

"Now, watch me, Hilda, and then you can see how to build a good fire-place."

The logs were placed so that they formed a "V" with the wide part about twelve inches apart. As the logs were about three feet long and six to eight inches thick, their position left a three-cornered hollow between.

"Now those two forked saplings."

Hilda found the required articles which Miss Miller had cut down with the hatchet on the tramp that afternoon. They were straight young trees with the first branches forming the forks. The leaves and slender twigs had been lopped off leaving a stick of about four feet in length and having two sharp forks at the top. These saplings Miss Miller now chopped off at the bottom until she had formed a sharp spike on each end. She carefully prodded with one until she found a crevice in the rock where the point could enter. Then she bore down with all her strength and drove the stick into the ground.

"Why, you've got it close to the point of the logs!" exclaimed Hilda wonderingly.

The Guide laughed and took up the second sapling. This she drove in to the soil at the opposite end of the logs. The forks were broadside to the length of the logs. Next, a stout but supple willow twig was selected from a small bundle, and laid across the top between the forks.

"Oh, my! Now I see what it is for!" cried Hilda, clapping her hands delightedly.

The utter ignoring of her presence and the clapping of Hilda's hands proved too much for Nita's disposition and she came out of the tent and walked down to the fire-place.

"What shall I do toward supper?" asked she sulkily.

"Oh, I thought Zan asked you to go to the house for her! Haven't you started?" asked Miss Miller in surprise.

Nita shrugged her shoulders and watched the interesting construction of the camp-fire.

"I'm too tired! Let Hilda go."

"But Hilda is helping me."

"Well, then let Zan go when she gets back. I'll start to spread a table-cloth on the flat rock over there shall I?"

"I really cannot change Zan's orders, you know. She is Big Chief, and I am only Guide."

"That's all nonsense, Miss Miller, and you know it! You have the right to order us to do just what you think best," snapped Nita.

"You're just a little bit mistaken about the law and order of a Woodcraft camp. Each one obeys!"

"Then Zan has failed!" exulted Nita. "She was told to go to the house and she went to Bill's instead. I should have loved to pick strawberries as well as she!"

"I hardly think you can call Zan's act one of disobedience. It was rather one of discipline," remarked the Guide.

"Who did she pretend to discipline – me?" sneered Nita.

"That had best be asked each one of herself. I can ask myself and truthfully say, "Yes, Zan has given me a good lesson in discipline for my future guidance.""

"Oh, pooh! You're only avoiding an unpleasant conversation with me! I know as well as any of you, that the whole plot is directed toward me. I wish to goodness I had never come with you!" And Nita flounced away in a temper.

"Why! Nita!" gasped Hilda in consternation, as she watched the retreating figure of her friend.

"Don't 'Nita' me! You're as thick with the rest as you can be! I always am selected to act as the scape-goat for anything you don't want to do yourself!" Nita flung back at Hilda.

The Guide kept on with the fire-building as if nothing had interrupted the lesson Hilda was receiving. She selected the driest bark and twigs in the heap of wild-wood and heaped them loosely in the pit formed by the two logs.

"Now, Hilda, you can fill the kettle from the spring up above here, and slip it over the willow until it hangs in the centre over the fire-place."

"I never knew what fun a camp-fire could be! Will it burn, do you think?"

Miss Miller laughed. "It wouldn't be a credit to me if it didn't!"

"But I can't see why you didn't lay the logs parallel?"

"I'll tell you. We have a small sauce-pan, a medium sized frying pan and a rather large pot. Now, the small pan goes on the narrow end, the frying pan on the centre where it fits, and the pot on the wider place. Then too, we can poke wood in and rake debris out of this wide mouth while the embers remain piled up at the corner inside. The judgment in using green wood comes from experience. Green wood does not burn, but reflects the heat of a fire, so that you get concentrated heat from embers piled up in a pit surrounded by green logs. Also, the top of green wood will hold pans and pots firmer than stones will, and a slippery stove is anything but desirable when potatoes are boiling or fat sizzling in a frying pan."

"Here comes the three girls! And I haven't done anything toward the supper," cried Hilda, running to the basket where the cutlery and dishes were kept.

"The loveliest berries, Miss Miller! Bill had some all ready for us and Mrs. Sherwood baked some of the dandiest biscuits when she did her own!" shouted Zan, as she climbed up the grade.

"How delicious they look!" exclaimed the Guide as she inspected the brown dainties.

"What's that?" asked Elena, spying the camp-fire.

The girls ran over and Miss Miller had to demonstrate the interesting construction. This over, Zan looked about and asked, "Didn't Nita get back yet? But say, who went with her?"

Not a word came in reply and Zan immediately comprehended matters. "I'll go now – will some one come with me?"

The two other girls offered and Hilda looked at Miss Miller. For answer, the Guide said, "Any two of you can help Zan. One will do for me."

"Let me stay now, Hilda, you were here when the fire-place was made," begged Elena.

"Zan, I think it may be wiser to get what is absolutely necessary to-night from Sherwood's. You have already done more than your share of duty and another walk to the house and back is taxing the physical too much at present. A trip to the farmer's cottage will not over-tire any of you," suggested Miss Miller.

The girls sighed with relief, and started for the slope. When they returned to the Bluff with the required articles, the camp-fire had burned up and deposited a pile of red-hot embers in the pit to cook by. The potatoes were boiling noisily and a lump of butter was melting in the pan. The cloth had been spread and Elena was hulling berries.

"Where's Nita?" Zan whispered to the Guide.

"In her tent. She has not appeared since her last display of temper."

"Had I better go and tell her supper will soon be ready?" queried Zan.

"No – leave her absolutely alone. If she comes out of her own accord, the humiliation of accepting food she refused to help prepare, ought to humble her enough. But, Zan, to-morrow at our Council, we must speak of discipline and take up the matter of punishment and fines as outlined in the Manual. I had hoped this would be unnecessary in a small camp such as ours seemed to promise. However, all future mutiny must be provided for."

The supper ready, Miss Miller cheerily took her place and the four girls sat down about the cloth, leaving a vacancy where Nita should have been.

Before any one had had time to take up their napkin Miss Miller spoke.

"One thing I consider of paramount importance in any circle, or alone. It is not obligatory to any of you, merely a suggestion. I am not aware of the religious belief of any of you and it is not necessary to inform me, or discuss it with each other. I have found that discussion of religious beliefs generally leads to a difference of opinions that eventually create a bitter strife. True religion has no enmity in its teachings but produces harmony and happiness for all.

"I think that any one can find God by simply following the highest leading of their conscience. Gratitude to the Great Spirit is one of those leadings, but few take time to follow that light. I wish to ask that I be permitted to follow my sense of gratitude for all the good bestowed this day, and before partaking of the evening meal, I will close my eyes in silent prayer to the Giver of all my blessings. Each one of you can do as you feel is right about this idea, but do not speak or disturb any other's communion. In the morning, when we are gathered for breakfast, I shall ask for the same silent interval, to give gratitude for protection during darkness and sleep."

As she concluded, Miss Miller quietly closed her eyes and remained absolutely silent for several minutes. The girls looked at her and at each other without saying a word, then one after another closed her eyes and also gave thanks to God.

The Guide opened her eyes and waited reverently for her companions to finish their private thanksgiving and communion. Then, as all had concluded and opened their eyes again, she drew attention to a nearby tree by saying, "Hungry, Nita?"

Hiding, with a shame-faced expression in her eyes, Nita stood back of a tree near the supper. She advanced at the question.

"Your place is waiting, dear," added the Guide.

With an air of bravado, Nita sat down and began telling of a boy-cousin who had visited in the Rocky Mountains and had built a fire-place exactly like the one Miss Miller constructed.

The other girls seemed abashed at Nita's presence for a short time, but the Guide replied to the girl's hurried talk and soon the others were drawn into the general exchange of fun and story-telling.

"I'll wash the dishes," eagerly offered Nita, as the Guide rose to visit the fire and see if the water was boiling.

"All right, Nita, then the three girls who did double duty by going back and forth twice to Bill's can lay down on the moss and rest," assented Miss Miller, and that was all that was said to Nita about her habit of getting out of anything she was not inclined to do. The girls took their cue from the Guide and rolled over on the grass and watched.

"Elena, after the cloth is shaken fold it carefully in the right creases. That keeps it smooth and tidy. If it is folded regardless of ironed folds, it soon looks mussy and soiled. I will take charge of the left-overs from supper – thank goodness there isn't much – and Nita will wash and wipe the dishes."

The atmosphere of the camp resumed a serenity fully appreciated by all, for anger displayed by one made all wretched.

"Girls, we will try to get up at the hour we want to rise every morning this summer – five o'clock. It is now seven-thirty. Whenever you are ready to retire say so and we will sing a camp-fire lullaby," said Miss Miller, as the girls sat about the dying fire too tired to talk.

"I'm ready for bed now," ventured Elena.

"I feel as stiff as anything! My back feels as if it would break!" added Hilda.

The Guide laughed. "That's from swimming. You'll soon get over it if you practice every day."

"I hope to goodness I can swim to-morrow. The way I feel now, I should say I couldn't move in the water!" laughed Elena.

Nita said nothing but she must have felt as lame as the other beginners; as all seemed to long for bed, Miss Miller rose and smothered the few red coals by covering them with dead grey ashes.

"Never leave a camp-fire with a spark of fire in it. At early dawn, or at least past midnight, fire always revives and, unless its flame has been choked by outside means, it flares up and consumes anything in its reach."

"Miss Miller, I wonder why it is that, without apparent fuel or fanning, fire will renew itself during the wee hours of the night!" exclaimed Zan.

"I never heard, but it is an interesting suggestion, Zan. We'll have Elena make a note of that in her book so that we will remember to ask that question at Headquarters when we visit there."

"Do you ever expect to see them?" asked Hilda, meaning the officers of the Woodcraft Indians.

"Why, certainly! Don't you?" returned Miss Miller.

"I didn't know but that we'd be a nuisance. So many members call, I suppose," replied Hilda, with consideration.

"Hilda, that's very good of you. If every member was as thoughtful of the time of the Founders, how much better it would be."

No one stirred that night, for every one was healthily tired and repose was natural. Even Miss Miller set a small alarm clock to awake her at five, for she thought she might over-sleep during the cool hours of early morning.

At five, the ringing of the alarm awakened every one; while the girls yawned and wished it was midnight, the Guide jumped out of bed and looked at the wonderful appearance of Nature. Dew-drops sparkled in the rising sun, and the Falls sent forth a new note in its musical repertoire. Even the grey surface of rock seemed to be of warmer and softer material than it had been in the twilight.

"Girls! Up – up – up! The day is glorious!" called the Guide.

"So is the bed!" returned Hilda, yawning aloud.

"I just heard a crow laughing at you!" retorted Miss Miller.

"'He who laughs last laughs best,' I've heard said!" came from a smothered voice in Hilda's tent.

By this time the girls were thoroughly aroused and soon the talk consequent upon beginning a new day, came from the tents.

"Miss Miller, are you going to take a dip this morning before breakfast?" called Zan.

"No, I've already used the modern wash-basin by the creek," replied the Guide.

Nita and Elena came out and found Miss Miller brushing her hair before a tiny mirror that had been hung from a stump of a bough near her tent.

"Where's the basin you spoke of?" asked Hilda, also coming out.

"Over there by that laurel bush: I think it is Tennessee marble – it is veined exactly like it," said the Guide.

The girls ran over laughingly and found a great round stone partly in the water, and in the top of the stone, a nicely hollowed place about the size of an ordinary wash-basin. At one side a tiny hollow made an admirable soap-dish.

"How did you get water into it?" cried Nita.

"You'll find a tomato can near the bush!" replied Miss Miller.

"That's easy – but how under the sun did you empty out the water afterward?" called Zan.

"I didn't carry the basin to the woods and turn it over, I assure you," laughed Miss Miller; "I took a handful of dried moss and let it soak up the used water. You'll see how nicely it absorbs the moisture. Then take a handful of clean moss and wash the basin out."

"You are too fastidious for me – I'll wash in the brook!" said Zan, comparing the amount of work necessary in using the rock-basin, to the easier way of dipping in the creek.

"Guess we'll choose the brook!" said Hilda.

Miss Miller watched the five girls bending over and joyously splashing water at each other, as well as over their own faces and necks, and thought to herself: "Yes, I took a lot of trouble to use that basin, but they will always remember that dry moss will soak up moisture if a dry condition is required."

For breakfast that morning, the Guide mixed some batter for pancakes. The girls heard the beating of the spoon and gathered about curiously.

"Batter cakes, girls. I'll mix them this time, and one of you can watch them bake. The others can look after other work. I'll prepare some cocoa, if you like."

"Oh, yes! We all like cocoa, Miss Miller," said Hilda.

"Here comes Bill Sherwood – he's got something!" announced Elena, who had been standing on the rock above the fire.

The others craned their necks and Zan added, "Bet anything it's something good to eat!"

And so it was. Bill bobbed his head smilingly to the girls and offered Miss Miller a plate covered with a home-spun towel.

"The old lady fried some spring chicken for breakfast an' we said we rickoned it might taste good t' yuh – so here it is!"

"Broiled chicken! But, Mr. Sherwood, you must allow us to reimburse you for the chickens. It would not be right for us to eat your broilers!" said Miss Miller, deeply obliged.

"We likes t' make th' camp enjyable t' yuh all! Mebbe you'll git straightened out so's yuh kin prepare your own things pritty soon," explained Bill.

"Why, we cooked supper last night – and a fine one it was," said Zan, pointing to the camp-fire.

Bill's lower jaw dropped and he stood staring at the novel cook-stove. "Laws me! That beats th' Dutch!" ejaculated he.

The girls all laughed and he went over and watched the kettle singing and the batter cakes baking. "I'll have t' send my ole woman up t' see these stunts!" said he, starting off again.

Batter cakes tasted fine with broiled chicken done to a crispy brown, and cocoa was just the right drink with which to conclude the jolly breakfast party.

Mrs. Sherwood had not yet visited the camp but she put in an appearance soon after breakfast and Zan introduced her to all of those present. She inspected the fire-place and looked sceptically at the cots, saying, "How kin yuh rest on them hard things. Now, I have to have feather beds all year 'round. And it's s'prisin' how my bones rest! I never kin go visitin' where folks haven't feathers!"

Miss Miller felt a deep sympathy for the poor deluded woman, and wondered if it would be possible to convert her to the idea of using a mattress and hair pillow in preference to feathers.

As their early visitor went back home, Zan said, "Fancy! feather-beds in this enlightened age!"

CHAPTER SEVEN

WINNERS IN HOME-COOK AND MOKODASSO-WININI DEGREES

During breakfast, the girls commented upon the ability of the Guide to do anything and everything. As neither of the five girls had taken an interest in cooking while at home, the experience shown by the teacher, in preparing meals, astonished them.

Miss Miller tried to make everything she did an object lesson for the girls, so she mixed the simple batter for the cakes to show them how easy a matter a nicely browned cake really was. This, she deducted, would arouse a desire to know more of the cookery art. If she had selected a difficult dish to prepare the girls might have been frightened by the process of mixing many ingredients.

"I wish I could do some baking!" said Jane.

"Why not learn now – never a time like the present," said Miss Miller, smiling at the eager face.

"S'pose I burn something?"

"Then, try again. It is not with the first trial that we always meet success. Sometimes I have had to do a thing over and over before it was right," replied the Guide.

"It seems like an imposition to ask you to show us how to cook after all the other things you are doing for us," remarked Jane.

"Sometimes a little gratitude expressed in consideration for all one has done before, urges the donor to greater effort. And both giver and receiver are blessed accordingly," said Miss Miller.

The girls were thoughtful, so she continued, "I am so glad to find you appreciative of the little I am doing that I am eager to do more; the lesson in cookery will be one of my expressions of love toward you."

"Maybe we can all watch and learn how to do the biscuits," suggested Zan.

"Of course; as many of you as wish to take the test in cookery can begin this morning," replied Miss Miller.

"Right away?" clamoured a few of the girls.

"Hardly; I thought we would clear up the tents, do the chores, and try the use of the hatchet and knife; when it gets near time for noon-day meal we can prepare some fish for dinner. Hereafter, I think it wise to have dinner at twelve and supper at six. That gives us a long afternoon and a pleasant evening."

"We're ready for anything – where shall we tramp to-day to use the hatchet and knife?" said Hilda.

"We'll not tramp – we'll stay right here and build a cupboard to hold our edibles as they should be kept."

"A cupboard! What Humph!" and other exclamations showed the surprise the Guide's words gave.

"Are we to chop down a few trees and lop off branches to secure the necessary lumber for the closet?" asked Nita, wondering if the idea would prove irksome or unpleasant.

"Not at all! I may decide to make lumbermen of you before the season ends but I'll not undertake it while you all feel so disinclined to do anything except what your idle fancy suggests. It will take a better understanding of the Law before you start on timber work."

The Guide spoke in a joking way but her words were aimed at Nita's habit of laziness and shirking duties.

"I wonder what Daddy would say if he could see us sawing wood and hammering nails?" said Zan, chuckling.

"My father would say, 'Here, Jane, don't spoil a perfectly good nail! A girl can't strike it on the head, ever!'"

"I never held a saw in my life," commented Elena.

"Can you saw wood?" asked Zan of the Guide with such vim that the others laughed heartily.

"Is that some of your slang or was it fact?" asked Miss Miller.

"I meant it – but it is slang, isn't it?" laughed Zan.

"Well, I'll reply – yes, I am very fond of carpentry. At home, I have a book-shelf, taborette, lamp-stand, and many little articles that I have made at different times."

"Well, come on, friends – let's get busy on Miss Miller's cupboard," said Hilda.

"Better finish the camp work first. If you girls think you can spare Zan and me, we will go to the house and find some suitable boards. I saw the tools necessary in the tool-house yesterday," Miss Miller said.

"Why, yes, we have lots of good boards in the cellar, and besides, there are some pieces of moulding and quarter-round in the hay-loft. The boys stored it there some years ago when they wanted to build some rooms in the loft. They never found time, as every day had some adventure for us when we were first here," explained Zan.

"And you girls can come to the house and help us carry the material to the Bluff, as soon as you finish the dishes and beds," said Miss Miller.

Zan and the Guide were soon in the low-ceiled cellar sorting pieces of lumber from a huge heap left there by the contractors when the old house was renovated. A number of desirable pieces were selected by Miss Miller who said, "We can take these pieces up to the back porch and take them to camp whenever we have need of them. I think we can make a number of articles that will prove useful."

"My! but you have some long boards there!" said Zan, her head on one side as she surveyed the load the Guide had piled up for use.