Girl Scouts at Dandelion Camp, Page 8

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  SUNDAY VISITORS

  Sunday morning was so fine that the scouts declared it was too bad theycouldn't finish the hut, as they felt so full of energy. Mrs. Vernonlaughed, and said: "Bottle it up for Monday."

  "But there isn't anything we can do on a day like this," said Ruth,plaintively.

  "Oh, yes, there is. Girl scouts can hike, visit, or do any of therecreations suitable for Sunday. It does not say that we must sit downand pull long faces," replied Joan.

  "Well, what would you do, Verny?" Ruth asked of the Captain.

  "First of all I would eat my breakfast and hasten to clear away allsigns of it from camp."

  "Second the motion!" laughed Julie.

  "Oh, pshaw! Of course we will do that, but _you_ know what I mean--afterbreakfast," Ruth retorted.

  "If we want something quiet to do, we might sketch that signboard on asheet of paper. I brought heavy paper and pencils. But should we want togo for a long walk, we can do the designing any time. Then there is ourScout Handbook to read--I really want you to become familiar with therules and customs of the scouts," said the Captain, seriously.

  "Suppose we have you read first of all, then go for a walk, and then ifwe are tired we can sit down and plan that sign," suggested Julie.

  So immediately after the breakfast things were cleared away, the groupsat down beside the waterfall and Mrs. Vernon read.

  "On page 9 of the Handbook you will find this important information--itfollows directly after the tenth law of Girl Scouts:

  "'Self-Improvement'

  "'A Great Law of Life.'

  "'One of the most fundamental laws of life is that, in the naturalcourse of things, the influence of women over men is vastly greater thanthat of men over one another.

  "'This is what gives to girls and women a peculiar power andresponsibility, for no Girl Scout or other honorable woman--whether youngor old--could use her influence as a woman excepting to strengthen thecharacters and to support the honor of the men and boys with whom shecomes in contact.

  "'This great law is nothing to make a girl feel proud or superior tomen; but, on the contrary, the understanding of it should make herhumble and watchful to be faithful to her trust.

  "'Be prepared, therefore, to do a true woman's full duty to her men bynever allowing the desire for admiration to rule your actions, words, orthoughts. Our country needs women who are prepared.

  "'Prepared for what?

  "'To do their duty.'"

  Mrs. Vernon paused here and looked at the girls. "I did not read thefull text on that article, because I want you each to buy a Handbook andstudy it yourself. I find there are so many fine thoughts expressed inthis book that I doubt whether it is wise of me to read them aloud toyou while your minds are filled with the novelty of camp-life. It maynot have the lasting impression it should."

  "What comes next, Verny--anything about what scouts do on Sunday?"inquired Joan.

  The Captain smiled as it was evident that the girls were more concernedin doing what they were told scouts might do on Sundays, than they werein hearing about the ideals and aspirations of the scout order.

  "I now have to turn back to page four, where it says: 'It is not meantthat Girl Scouts should play or work on Sunday, but that they may takewalks where they can carry on a study of plants and animals.' This isall it says regarding Sunday occupation. So I suppose the organizersdeemed it wisest to leave it to the discretion of the Captains andscouts in each individual group," commented Mrs. Vernon.

  "If that is all the book declares we have to do, then we are at libertyto obey the rule and yet have lots of ways of passing the day," saidJoan.

  "I should say that reading rules and lessons from the Handbook wasconsidered work," hinted Ruth.

  "Then we won't have any more of that kind of work," laughed the Captain,closing the book emphatically.

  "Good gracious, Ruth! Reading isn't work--particularly if the readingmatter is wholesome as Girl Scout lessons must be. I should as soon saythat listening to the preacher at church is not considered Sundaybusiness, just because he lectures on certain interesting subjectsconnected with the Scriptures," argued Julie.

  "Oh, really, you make a 'mountain out of a mole-hill,' Julie, every timeI open my mouth," retorted Ruth, impatiently.

  But the Captain interrupted this conversation before it gathered anyadded criticism, by saying: "I want to make a note for a bit of work tobe attended to first thing in the morning, and then we will start for anice walk.

  "I find there are a great many wide crevices between the logs of thehut, where rain and insects can enter; especially is this so at the backwall where the timbers rest against the rocky side of the cliff.

  "To obviate this discrepancy in building with uneven logs, we can fillin the chinks with clay. When that hardens it will act like a solidcement between the logs.

  "I prowled about yesterday and found a place down on the bank of thestream, where the clay was of the kind we need to use. We will bringsome of it up to camp to-morrow, and after mixing it with water andsand, fill in the cracks in the walls. As it is now, should there be aheavy rain that would wash the water down over the cliff, the floodswill pour in through the chinks of the log wall that is built againstthe rocks and run over the floor of your house."

  "We'll attend to that first thing, as you say, Verny; but let's hurryup, now, and get started for our walk," Joan said.

  After they had been walking for an hour or more, trying to name thevarious birds they saw, or tell about the peculiarities of woodlandplants they found, Mrs. Vernon thought they had better start back forcamp.

  "It is only half an hour to our usual dinner-hour, and it will take usthat long to reach camp. Before we have our Sunday dinner cooked it willbe an hour later than our usual time on week-days."

  "At least we will be fashionable, then," laughed Julie. "Every one hasdinner an hour later on Sundays--that's why the men always complain."

  "It isn't because of style, Julie, but you know the men-folks never_will_ get up on Sunday mornings, and that sets back all the work. 'Lizasays she's going to strike altogether about cooking Sunday dinnersunless every one will get up just as they do on week-days," explainedBetty, conscientiously.

  Her long harangue was greeted with appreciative laughter, but Bettylooked from one to the other questioningly. Julie ran over and gave hera hug, and cried: "Her was a dear little lamb, so her was!"

  They were quite near camp when Joan happened to remember that she hadforgotten to place the water-cress in the pan of water to keep it fresh.

  "Too late to cry over it now," said Julie. "It will be so wilted thatwe'll have to throw it away."

  "That leaves us without a salad as we had expected," Ruth complained.

  "Why didn't _you_ put it in water, then! You manage to find fault witheverything that goes wrong, but I notice that you seldom do anythingyourself!" snapped Joan.

  "Girls! I hear people talking--the sound comes from our camp-grounds!"exclaimed Mrs. Vernon, stopping to hold up a hand for silence.

  Every one stopped short and listened. Sure enough--there was a minglingof many voices.

  "Some one from Freedom using our camp?" wondered Ruth.

  "More likely a regiment of visitors!" said Joan.

  "That's just about it! All our families and relatives unto the third andfourth generation thereof," laughed Julie.

  "Perhaps they came for dinner!" gasped Mrs. Vernon, her sense ofhospitality having a chill when she thought of the dinner for five only.

  "If they didn't bring their own dinners, they'll have to sit and watchus eat ours," declared Ruth.

  The hikers hastened to reach camp after this, and the first glancecaused them to catch hold of each other for support. There, inpossession of their sacred precincts, was such a crowd of family andfriends that it seemed there could be little room for the real owners.

  "Did you ever! I think they might, at least, have asked if they would bewelcome!" cried Ruth, with annoyanc
e.

  "They must have missed us a lot," laughed Julie.

  The visitors now spied the scouts, and John gave a shout. "Hello! Did wesurprise you? This was my idea, girls!"

  "I thought so! It's just like you," retorted Julie.

  But every one was glad to see every one else, even if the surprise partywas a genuine one for the campers. Hand-shakings and family embracestook at least ten minutes before hosts and guests began to think ofother things.

  "Had you only sent word, we might have prepared dinner," began Mrs.Vernon in apology.

  "Oh, we took care of all that," laughed Eliza, who was in charge of thecamp-fire, with John, and Joan's brothers, to help.

  This attracted the Captain's eyes to her stove. There, on the stone-ovenstood several large kettles, and others hung on the pole over the fire.

  The sight was such a relief that Mrs. Vernon's knees weakened and shesat down on the table-rock to collect herself. The visitors all laughedat her expression, and the girl scouts brightened suddenly.

  "Well, you certainly showed some sense!" exclaimed Joan.

  Every one laughed again. And Betty said in excuse: "You see we ran lowfor dinners this week 'cause we used so much time in building our house.Did you see it?"

  A loud chorus of approval and admiration came from the relatives whofelt a great pride in the achievements of their girls. But the motherslooked anxiously at the daughters when they heard Betty speak ofscarcity in the larder. Still the girl scouts showed no symptoms ofstarvation. They looked fine and must have added a pound each to theirweight.

  "I rather thought such would be the case, with your camp so far from astore, so we brought a stock of food for this week," said Mrs. Bentley.

  "Now that is great, mother, because we can take that much more time inbuilding a stable for Hepsy," cried Ruth, with real gratitude shining inher eyes.

  "Hepsy! Have you got that old nag here?" laughed John.

  "What did you bring her for?" wondered May.

  "To do the chores in camp," retorted Julie, laughingly.

  "What would we have done without her?" sighed Joan, as she rememberedthe hauling of the logs.

  Then the girls explained how they constructed the hut and what partHepsy played in the work. They enlarged on the picnics and drives theywere going to have, with Hepsy to furnish the motive power.

  The boys listened to the first part of the talk, but not being one ofthe party that expected to have the fine outings, they lost interest andran off to see if dinner was ready.

  John came racing back, crying aloud so all could hear: "'Liza saysyou're all to sit down on the grass and hold your plates while's shepasses the soup-kettle and serves you!"

  "Where are the dishes?" asked the girls of Mrs. Vernon, as John spoke.

  "They must have brought them. I see May and your father over there,carrying a wash-basket," whispered Mrs. Vernon.

  So it was. And as each visitor was handed a soup-plate, the advice wasgiven out at the same time: "You've got to use the same plate and spoonfor every other course, so don't look for clean dishes hereafter."

  The boys helped Eliza serve the soup, and when all were engaged ineating, one of the visitors remarked: "We saw quantities of wildstrawberries down by the mountain-road as we walked by."

  "Whereabouts? We'll pick them to-morrow for dinner," said Joan, eagerly.

  The locality was carefully described, and the girls noted it for futureinvestigation. There was so much laughing and talking after this thatmany of the young people forgot what they had for dinner. However, Elizahad provided enough for all, and the scouts were relieved of anyresponsibility thereby.

  "We're not going to spend the afternoon," May said to the scouts afterdinner, "we just thought to surprise you and have dinner, then start forhome again."

  Mrs. Allison added, as May finished speaking, "Yes, and we mothers feltsure you would be homesick after one week of camping. But I think wewere the only ones feeling lonely. You seem to have had plenty to do tokeep you from wanting to come back."

  "Don't worry about our feeling forlorn or homesick, mother. If we canbreak away from here when September comes, we'll be satisfied," repliedJoan.

  Then Mr. Lee stood up on a stump and shouted: "Folks, it's about time tostart back to the conventional ways of living. But before we go we oughtto thank our hostesses for this good time. I only wish I was a girlscout with a summer in camp before me!"

  Every one clapped and, at a signal, gave three cheers for the Captainand her scouts. Then dishes were collected in the big basket, kettlesstacked up in the hamper, and the visitors started down the road.

  Eliza drew Mrs. Vernon aside and whispered: "You'll find a lot of stuffI brought for cookin' this week. We got a peck of onions from a farmer,so I measured out half for youse. I found I could spare a large measureof pertaters, too, and you'll find them with th' onions.

  "I made a cake fer Sunday's supper fer you-all, and the jar of cookies Ipromised every week. Seein' as how there ain't no way fer a butcher toreach you, I packed up the roast lamb left from yesterday, and a sliceof steak ready to be fried."

  "Oh, Eliza! what a wonderful fairy you are! Now we will have enough meatand bones to last a week. I won't waste a morsel!" Mrs. Vernon promised.

  The scouts had accompanied their visitors down the road, so Mrs. Vernonnow walked with Eliza, a short distance behind the crowd. As they went,the maid laughingly explained:

  "That was why I insisted on servin' the dinner. Mis' Bentley and Mis'Allison wanted to help, but I knew they wouldn't be careful ofleft-overs like I would. And glad I am I did!

  "Why do you know, Mis' Vernon, there's enough salad dressin' left in abowl in the store-room hut to last a week. An' soup, too, fer supperto-night fer all of you. Sandwitches--my! you kin eat sandwitches forthree days' runnin'. Every speck of good cake what wasn't teched, I putcarefully in the tin cracker-box, and many a snack the girls kin havebetween meals by that cake."

  "Eliza, I will tell the girls all you just told me, and I know they willbe delighted. _I_ will thank you now, for them, as they will be busysaying good-by to every one after we join them."

  "That's all right, Mis' Vernon. Don't bother about thanks, 'cause it ismy bis'ness to look after them girls' meals, anyway."

  But Mrs. Vernon thought how few maids of the present day thought asEliza did. Would it not be to their own interests to consider their"business" a little more and thus win the gratitude and appreciation ofthe family?

  The visitors had come out in large jitneys hired for the afternoon, andwhen every one was crowded in and the two heavy autos were about tostart, Mrs. Vernon exclaimed:

  "The next time you visit us, it will be at our invitation and expense.We will cook the dinner for the next picnic!"

  And Julie shouted in addition to the invitation: "Yes, but we'll onlyinvite you in installments--not such a crowd at one time."