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[Illustration: "Thus they started in a line, Yhon leading" ... Page 182]
GIRL SCOUTS IN
THE ADIRONDACKS
BY
LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY
AUTHOR OF
THE POLLY BREWSTER BOOKS,
THE LITTLE WASHINGTONS BOOKS
ILLUSTRATED
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
Made in the United States of America
COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY
GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY
_The Girl Scouts in the Adirondacks_
_Printed in the U. S. A._
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE FRIDAY JINX 1
II. ANOTHER DAY OF TROUBLES 24
III. IN THE MOUNTAINS AT LAST 41
IV. A VISIT TO GREY FOX CAMP 60
V. A STORY OF CREATION 72
VI. LOST ON THE TRAIL 91
VII. A LITTLE BUSINESS 106
VIII. JAKE'S INTERVIEW WITH A SKUNK 127
IX. LESSONS IN TRACKING 139
X. THE GIRL SCOUTS ENTERTAIN 157
XI. A CANOE TRIP 179
XII. FIRST AID 190
XIII. SHOOTING THE RAPIDS--AND OTHER THINGS 204
XIV. THE GRAND SURPRISE 214
ILLUSTRATIONS
"Thus they started in a line, Yhon leading" (page 182) _Frontispiece_
PAGE
"Would you prefer to sit here and dream, Betzy, or go back
with me and eat sandwiches" 16
"We are lost, come find us" 98
"Where--which way did you hear them?" questioned Joan 211
GIRL SCOUTS IN THE ADIRONDACKS
CHAPTER ONE
THE FRIDAY JINX
"Are we ready to start, girls?" called Mrs. Vernon, the Captain of
Dandelion Troop of Girl Scouts, as she glanced at her protegees seated
in two large touring cars.
"Ready! Why, Verny, we've been waiting for you these ten minutes,"
retorted Juliet Lee, one of the original members of the troop.
"And we're just crazy to be off before that black cloud overhead adds to
mother's fear lest I never come home again," added Ruth Bentley, another
of the first four girl scouts of Elmertown.
"Well, then, it seems that all the baggage and outfit we need with us on
the trip is safely stowed away, eh, Jim?" said Mrs. Vernon, looking at
the driver of the other car.
"Everything that I found waiting to be packed when I drove up to the
side door," replied the chauffeur.
"All right! Then we're off, folkses, but we'll send you word the moment
we arrive at Old Forge in the Adirondacks," called Mrs. Vernon, to the
crowd of relatives of the various girls, all gathered to watch the
scouts drive away.
"Good-by! Good-by!" now shouted many girlish voices, and "Good-by!
Good-by!" was shouted back as the two seven-passenger cars started on
the long journey.
Mrs. Vernon led the way in her luxurious automobile, and as they turned
the bend of the road, where the last of the group still watching on the
Vernon lawn was lost to sight, she laughingly remarked:
"I never thought a crowd of girls could get ready for such a long outing
in so short a time."
"It all depends on how badly the girls _want_ to be ready, Captain,"
retorted Joan Allison, the fourth girl of the number who founded
Dandelion Camp of Girl Scouts the summer before.
"Say, girls! I just felt a drop of rain from that inky cloud!" Betty Lee
warned. She was Julie's sister, and they were two who had first
suggested a scout organization.
Mrs. Vernon slowed down and turned to the scouts. "Shall we stop to put
on the rain-curtains?"
"Mercy, no! It's only a sprinkle, and we're not sugar," exclaimed Joan,
glancing at the sky.
The other girls followed her gaze, and Julie said: "See all the blue
sky! Enough to make the proverbial 'night-cap'."
In case the reader has not yet met the four girls who had such a
thrilling time while at camp the previous summer, it will be best to
make their acquaintance now.
As stated before, Juliet and Elizabeth Lee were the two sisters who
planned having a scout troop for girls in Elmertown. Joan Allison and
Ruth Bentley, both schoolmates of the Lee girls, eagerly agreed to add
their efforts to the others' and secure the interest of enough girls for
them to be able to apply for a charter from the Girl Scout Headquarters
in New York City.
Before they closed their camp on "Verny's Mountain" that summer, five
other girls had been admitted to membership in the young Patrol, namely:
Hester Wynant, fourteen; Anne Bailey, fourteen; Judith Blake, thirteen;
her sister, Edith Blake, twelve; and Amy Ward, thirteen.
Then during the winter, other girls who had heard of the good times the
scouts had had in camp that past summer became so insistent to mothers
at home that permission to join the organization was granted them.
Having nine girls in their original Patrol, with Julie as Leader, and
Joan for Corporal, the scouts now felt experienced enough to pass all
the tests required to apply for a Troop Charter. The young scouts were
an active group and when the Charter arrived from National Headquarters
the same day the girls had planned to start for camp, there was great
rejoicing.
True to his promise given the Girl Scouts the summer previous, Mr.
Gilroy had sent word to Mrs. Vernon when the camp in the Adirondacks was
ready for them. When the girls found that Mrs. Vernon planned to use her
large touring car for half of the number in the Troop to go in, and Ruth
Bentley's father had offered his car for the other half, thus saving
them great expense for railroad tickets, and giving them the pleasure of
autoing the whole long distance, the excitement rose and would not be
calmed down again.
So it was not only a happy Troop that shouted good-by to relatives, but
also a flushed, merry group of nine girls who could not keep silent for
long.
Ruth was in the rear seat of her father's car, which Jim was driving,
when she suddenly sat up and called out to the chauffeur:
"I'm sure one of our suitcases on the trunk-rack at the back must be
loose, Jim. I hear it bump about every time you go over a rough place in
the road."
"It can't be, Miss Ruth," returned Jim, trying to peer out and see the
baggage; "I strapped 'em on good and tight before we left."
"Well, it happens to be my suitcase that's on top, and I'm sure I don't
want to lose it," declared Ruth.
"Maybe we'd better stop and make sure about it; we can soon catch up
with Verny again," suggested Judith.
So Jim sprang out to investigate. "The suitcases are all right, Miss
Ruth, but somethin's wrong in the back all right."
At that Ruth jumped out and joined the man. "What is it?" asked she,
anxiously.
"The sag in that spring 'pears to me to say it is about done for. We'll
have to travel slow till we find a garage."
"For mercy's sake! Didn't you and Pa's chauffeur overhaul both the cars
thoroughly when you knew we were going on this trip?"
"Your father sent this machine to the garage in Elmertown, 'cause he
said they'd know how to do the job up better'n us," explained Jim.
"Then it serves Dad right if he has to pay for a new spring! The idea of
trusting strangers with his car at this important time! But here we are
with a wornout old spring on our hands!" cried Ruth, stamping her foot
impatiently.
"Oh no, Ruth, not on our hands--but what is ten times worse--on the rear
end of the car," laughed Hester.
"Well, we've got to go slow, I suppose, and stop somewhere to replace
the old thing," grumbled Ruth, climbing back in the car.
"If 'Liza knew of this mischance, wouldn't she gloat over her 'Friday
Bad Luck' prophecy?" laughed Ann.
Jim started again, but carefully avoided the ruts and bumps in the road
until he came to a large garage. Fortunately for all, they found a new
spring in stock and the men were soon at work replacing the bad one.
"Hurrah for us Jinx-breakers! This bit of luck in finding a new spring
on hand more than offsets a Friday curse," gleefully cried Ruth.
"You young ladies sure are lucky, but it will take some time to do the
work, an' you may as well take a walk and see our nice Jersey town,"
suggested the proprietor of the garage.
The scouts followed this sensible advice and stopped at a shop where
they treated each other to soda, candy, and peanuts. There being nothing
more thrilling to do, they sat down in the Park and ate the plebeian
delicacy and talked.
"I love peanuts, don't you?" Anne asked of the girls.
"Yes, but they have to be enjoyed away from home, or folks will make fun
of you," added Ruth.
"Not any more, Ruth. When a five-cent bag of peanuts, these days, only
contains ten nuts that lifts them out of the cheap class," laughed
Hester.
"And makes them a luxury, eh?" added Judith.
By the time the peanuts were gone, Jim signaled the girls and they
hurried back to the garage. It took but a moment for them to jump in and
urge Jim to hurry after Verny's car, somewhere in the lead.
Mile after mile of beautiful woodland, with now and then a small town,
but with many flourishing farms along the way, were reeled off rapidly
as the machine sped along as if on wings. Finally they reached a
crossroad where the signboard warned them: "All travel limited to eight
miles per hour."
"Slow down, Jim, or you'll land us in a county jail," called Ruth.
"Then Mrs. Vernon must be in jail--'cause she ain't in sight along the
road, and to get as far as this she _had_ to speed," declared Jim.
"It's funny she wouldn't stop to find out what became of us, when we
dropped so far behind," ventured Hester.
"They'll look us up at mealtime, never fear," laughed Anne. "We've got
the hamper with us, you know."
The others laughed at this remark, but they had not gone much farther
along the road before they spied the Vernon automobile waiting under a
great oak tree. When the tardy car came up, both parties began to shout,
some asking where the delinquents had been, and the unfortunates to
demand why folks wouldn't look behind once in a while!
Finally Jim could make himself heard, and he explained about the spring
and where they had to stop to replace the old one.
"Well, _we_ stopped to discuss ways. We ought to decide the route we
want to take before we reach Jersey City," said Mrs. Vernon.
"Which is the route you'd chose, Verny?" added Ruth.
"Well, we can save a lot of time by going along to Edgewater and cross
on the Fort Lee boat. That takes us right to 130th Street and Broadway,
New York. We avoid all crowds and city streets, but you will not see
anything of the life and bustle of New York City."
"How much time will we save?" asked Julie.
"Because we've lost so much over that old spring," added Ruth.
Mrs. Vernon smiled. "From upper New York we can drive right onto the
State Road that runs direct to Albany. By selecting that way we will
save a great deal of time, because traffic in the city is so congested
that every driver has to travel slow and fall in line back of endless
cars. At every corner when the signal holds up the entire line one has
to stop to permit crosstown traffic a chance."
"Then for goodness' sake, let's go through the country on this side of
the Hudson, and cross where you said--Fort Lee Ferry," declared Julie.
Every one agreeing to this decision, the plan was carried out as
outlined by the Captain. Once on Broadway, where it passes Van Cortlandt
Park, the girls called to Mrs. Vernon.
"How about lunch--we're famished?"
"Oh, don't let's stop here for lunch. Let's go on till we find a nicer
spot in the country," returned Joan.
"Maybe there won't be any better place," demurred Judith.
"Oh, yes, there is. After we leave Yonkers we will find lots of spots,
Verny says," called Julie, from the first car.
"We need a shady place where a spring will give us water," said Betty.
"A spring failing to bubble up at the proper place, we may have to be
satisfied with a pump at some farmhouse," retorted her sister.
The two cars sped swiftly along Broadway, through Yonkers,
Hastings-on-Hudson, and Dobb's Ferry. At this last place the Captain
pointed out the famous old Headquarters used by General Washington at
the close of the Revolution.
"Girls, there doesn't seem to be any picnic grounds for us along this
State Road," remarked Mrs. Vernon. "Suppose we take a bite as we travel
along, and cook a regular dinner when we are out in the country
somewhere?"
"We're willing, in fact, I am more than willing to eat," called Anne,
the scout with the healthy appetite.
So they drove on while refreshments were passed around, and every one
admired the river scenes of the ever-changing panorama of the Hudson.
Just beyond Peekskill the road ran under a culvert and a sharp turn on
the other side made it impossible to see what was on the road ahead. The
Captain made the turn very neatly and Jim was about to follow the
leading car, when several shrill cries from the girls ahead caused him
to put on the emergency brakes.
The passengers in the second car could just see what had caused the
frightened shouts from their friends in the first car. A gaunt farm
horse was standing on his hind legs pawing the air madly, while a
rickety old spring wagon seesawed uncertainly on the edge of a deep
ditch beside the road. But the driver of the horse was on the road,
hanging on to the bridle while plying a stout hickory stick freely over
the animal's back.
"Git down! Will yuh come to arth, yuh rascal?" shouted the irate woman
who was garbed in a man's farm hat and a long duster.
"Do you need any assistance?" called Mrs. Vernon, anxiously.
"Not ef I kin git him to plant his feet on arth agin. He ain't got no
spunk left to run away, 'cause he's ben out plowing all day, and it w'ar
a shame to drive him to the store. But it hed to be, 'cuz the ole man
tuk t'other hoss to go to a meetin'."
As the unusual character talked, she tugged at the bridle until she
finally had the horse quieted down again. Then he allowed his long ears
to droop lazily, his spine to sag in the middle, and his erstwhile
springy legs to bend as if he felt too weary to stand up.
The woman with the weather-beaten face and toughened hands was a fluent
speaker, even though she paid little attention to the latest style in
dress for women. She leaned against the shaft of the wagon and plied her
questions to the tourists as freely as she had plied the hickory stick
to the horse.
"Be you-all out fer a lark?" asked she, eyeing the number of girls in
both cars.
Jim thought to move his car gradually along the road so the scouts in
his charge could join in the conversation with the woman. But the moment
the horse saw the automobile crawling towards him, he jumped aside. The
wagon-wheel turned suddenly and the unexpected happened; the woman who
had been leaning heavily on the wheel was unceremoniously dropped to a
sitting posture in the dusty road.
Several of the scouts had to smother with handkerchiefs, a keen desire
to laugh, but the owner of the horse seemed to take the situation
good-naturedly.
"Wal, ef that ain't jus' like Samson! He does the mos' onexpected
tricks, so's that he keeps us guessin' what next."
Jim sprang out of the car when he saw the result of his innocent action
with the engine, but the agile woman was up before he could reach her
side. She brushed the dust from her long coat and chuckled aloud: "I
allus said that animal oughter be called Delilah 'cuz _she_ was so sly,
but my ole man says 'Samson' was close enough to that critter, and this
animal hez such long hair that it suits with the name."
"You've just had him clipped, I see," ventured Mrs. Vernon.
"Not clipped, Captain--but shorn of his locks like Samson," laughed
Julie.
"Maybe that's why he feels so tired," added Joan, quickly.
Every one but the farmer's wife laughed. She seemed very serious over
the conversation, and nodded her head affirmatively.
"Well, we have to drive on, madam, but we're sorry to have frightened
Samson," said Mrs. Vernon, in order to make an end to the scene.
"Say, couldn't you tell us where there is a nice picnic place near
here?" called Jim, as the first car started.
"Yeh--a few miles furder on. You'll find a nice little brook in a grove
of sugar-maples, with green grass on all sides."
Jim thanked the woman, and started his car. Mrs. Vernon was informed of
the grove which was to be a stopping place for dinner, and all were
eagerly on the lookout for the spot that would offer such an ideal
resting place.
But it was the longest "few miles" any of the scouts had traveled, for
the meter showed many, many miles before any grove was seen. There was
no brook in it, but the grass was very green, and the maple grove, which
crowded a knoll a short distance from the road, looked cool and
inviting.
As usual, Julie was the first one out of the cars and over the fence.
She started to cross the very green grass, but instantly sank into the
water that was hidden under the green blades.
"Help! Oh, I'm drowning!" shouted she, struggling to pull her feet clear
of the bog. But she would free one foot, and instantly the other would
sink. Then she tried to drag that one out, but the first one would go
down again. Both together she could not get out.
"Oh, oh! See the mess poor Julie's in!" called one of the girls.
Mrs. Vernon was gazing quickly around for some sort of help to get the
scout out, but the girls stood about the place sympathizing with the
furious scout.
"Is it like that all over there, Julie?" called Betty, anxiously.
"How do I know? Come over and find out for yourself!" snapped her
sister.
The girls laughed at the retort, but Betty added: "I only wanted to know
if it was safe for me to come over and help you out."
Julie straightened up and glared at her soft-hearted sister. "You sound
just like our Sunday school teacher when she reads: 'Come over into
Macedonia and help.'"
Again the audience of girls laughed appreciatively, but Julie was too
busy keeping her feet "treading water" to pay any attention to their
enjoyment. Meantime, Jim had removed some rails from the fence and was
bringing them to the scout's aid.
"Now, Miss Julie, when I shove these over, you manage to work an arm
over each one, and sort of lift yourself out that way. I'll shove others
over for you to step on next, and in that way you can get out and across
to us," advised Jim, working as he spoke.
Finally Julie was rescued from the mire, and then the Captain said:
"Every one walk along that elevated bank, over there, to reach the
grove, as this entire area may be a boggy spring."
But the grass under the trees in the grove was found to be hard and dry,
and they soon began to prepare luncheon. While Mrs. Vernon unpacked the
hamper, the scouts were detailed on various duties: some to build a
fire, some to hunt spring water, some to set table on the grass. But
Julie was excused from all these tasks, as she had more than enough work
to do in cleaning the mud from her boots and stockings.
When luncheon was almost ready, Judith and Amy, who had been sent to
find the spring and bring back drinking water, reported: "We couldn't
find any spring."
Julie looked up and jeered: "You are fine scouts! Couldn't find a spring
when all you have to do is to find the source of all that water where I
went down!"
"Water! That looked like mud," retorted Judith.
"We'll go for the water," volunteered Joan, catching hold of Betty's
sleeve to take her along.
So they started, and as Julie had said, the spring that fed the boggy
spot was not far back in the grove. The water gurgled down from a cleft
in a huge rock, and on either side of the small pool wood violets dipped
their fragrant petals into the sparkling mirror.
Betty sat down upon a flat rock beside the pool to enjoy the scene. But
practical Joan filled the pail with cold water and then laughed at
poetical Betty.
"Would you prefer to sit here and dream, Betty--or go back with me and
eat ham sandwiches?"
"Oh, I forgot where I was," laughed Betty, rising reluctantly to help
carry the pail of water.
"That's what I thought," tittered Joan, "but the rest of the girls
prefer something more solid than dreams."
During the luncheon the Captain said: "Wouldn't it be splendid if each
one of us kept a diary of what happens during this summer's camp? Then
we can rewrite the facts when we go home and make a good story of it.
Perhaps a real publisher will buy it from us and thus give us a fund for
next year's outing--if we have one."
"Oh, that is great!" exclaimed several voices with girlish enthusiasm.
"Well then, when we camp to-night, we'll jot down the episodes of the
day's trip--not forgetting to dwell at length on 'Samson,' and Julie's
side-plays," remarked the Captain, smilingly.
"Has any one thought of a stopping place for the night?" asked Jim.
"Not definitely, Jim; but I hope to cross the river at Poughkeepsie and
drive along the west shore as far as possible. Then we can pitch camp
at any good place we find," replied the Captain.
They had not gone much farther before Ruth called: "It looks as if the
rear tire on Verny's car was flat!"
The Captain slowed up, and every one tried to see the tire. "That's what
it is, all right, Captain!" ejaculated Jim, impatiently.
"Dear me! That means another delay!" sighed several girls.
The car had to be jacked up and Jim went to work to mend the puncture in
the tube, then pumped and pumped until the tire was properly inflated
once more.
As the tourists climbed into their respective seats in the automobiles,
Joan said: "Well, Captain, this wasn't such a bad day after all--in
spite of being a Friday."
"I'm thankful for it, too," sighed Betty, fervently.
The cars made good time after that and passed over the ferry at
Poughkeepsie, to travel northward on the road that ran along the west
shore. They pitched camp in some woods and soon had a fire started to
heat the canned soup they had brought. When all else was ready, the
Captain banged upon a tin pan to call the scouts to dine.
"Um! That tomato soup smells good!" exclaimed Joan, sniffing audibly,
as she saw the contents of the pan that stood over the fire.
"Will you serve it, Jo--you are nearest the pan?" said Mrs. Vernon,
passing the basket that held the tin cups.
"Here! Everybody hold up a mug to fill, while I come around with the
pan!" ordered Joan, taking hold of the pan-handle that had been over the
fire a long time.
"Oo-oouch!" cried the girl, whipping her hand up and down as she danced
wildly about.
"You didn't spill the soup, I hope!" exclaimed Anne, with deep concern.
"What difference would that make--a little cheap soup? But my hand--oh,
it's got a trail blazed clean across the palm!" wailed Joan, showing her
red-skinned hand to sympathizing friends.
"Poor old scout! We have to learn all kinds of blazing, I suppose,"
murmured Julie.
"And the soup _is_ all safe--Jo never dropped the pan!" declared Anne,
with gratification in her tones.
"Here, Miss Jo," said Jim, who had gone for a bottle kept in the kit.
"Pour this olive oil all over the hand and the smart will soon stop."
He hurried to give the bottle to Joan but his toe caught in a bramble
and tripped him. The bottle flew from his hand and struck the root where
Joan sat. The glass shattered and the oil ran out the grass at the
scout's feet.
[Illustration: "Would you prefer to sit here and dream, Betzy,
or go back with me and eat sandwiches" ... Page 16]
"Well, well! it must be the Friday Jinx that still pursues us," remarked
Jim, gazing regretfully at the glistening oil that formed beads on the
blades of grass.
The girls laughed merrily, but Mrs. Vernon seemed serious. She was about
to speak, when Amy asked Joan to pass the crackers. She picked up the
box that was nearest her, and turned to hand them to her next neighbor,
when her foot slipped on the oily grass and she sat down suddenly upon
the stump. The box fell in Hester's lap, but Joan clapped a hand over
her mouth and smothered a howl.
"Goodness me! What's the matter now, Jo!" cried Ruth, seeing the girl's
convulsed face.
Joan shook her head helplessly, but her eyes were filled with tears.
Every one wondered what could have happened, and when the scout could
speak she said thickly: "Oh, that oil! I slipped and bit the end of my
tongue clear off--I'm sure of it!"
"Stick it out and let's see," demanded Ruth.
"That's what comes of having too much of a good thing!" declared Julie,
teasingly.
Every one but the Captain laughed, and she said seriously: "Do you know,
girls, that I've had an idea about all this talk over Friday being a
'bad luck' day. Of course it is perfectly absurd to intelligent people,
but there are enough superstitious folk left in the world who actually
think Friday has some power to bring ill luck with it.
"Now I believe that it is the _fear_ and general belief in the
superstition that carries any weight with it. If we, as good intelligent
scouts, will try to break this silly fear for others, we shall have to
begin with ourselves, by not referring to the superstition with the
sense of its having _any_ power to act."
The girls listened seriously, as they always did when their Captain
started one of her "sermonettes" as Julie called them; and when she had
concluded, Joan said: "In other words, you want us to starve the poor
wraith still more by withdrawing any thoughts from the matter whatever?"
"Exactly! You've worded it better than I could have done myself,"
responded the Captain, emphatically.
When supper was over and everything about camp had been prepared for the
night, Joan suggested taking a stroll down the picturesque country road.
The gloaming was so inviting that the scouts decided to saunter down the
woodsy road. They continued along the inviting footpath for more than a
mile before they noticed a heavy fog settling upon everything.
"Better turn and go back, girls. This fog is obscuring everything along
the way," suggested Mrs. Vernon.
"B-r-r-r! Isn't it damp!" shivered Joan.
"Yes, and it will be worse before we get home," added Judith.
They retraced their steps, but the fog came thicker and heavier all the
time, and before they had gone more than half the way back, it was
necessary for the scouts to go single file in order to keep in the
footpath that ran along the top of a high grassy bank beside the narrow
road.
"It would be so much simpler to hike along the road, Verny," suggested
Hester.
"But there are so many machines traveling back and forth, and we'd have
to scramble up this wet slippery bank to get out of the way every time
one rushed past," explained Julie.
Julie was in front, heading the line. Being Scout Leader of the Troop,
she naturally led in most things. Suddenly she stopped short and warned
those back of her:
"Look out for this big boulder right in the pathway--have to detour
towards the fence!"
"Boulder! Why, there wasn't any boulder here on our way over," argued
Ruth.
"The fog's in Julie's eyes," laughed Joan.
"Maybe we didn't notice a rock before," ventured Amy.
"Maybe we are on the wrong road," said Anne.
"We're right, all right, but I see a boulder in the way. If you don't
believe me, come here and sprain your toe kicking it!"
A few of the scouts crowded in front to peer through the puzzling fog to
see the questionable boulder, but IT unexpectedly got upon its clumsy
feet and started for the girls. In the fog it loomed up as big as an
elephant.
"Murder! Fire! Help! Help!!" came in confused screams from the scouts in
front, as they turned precipitously to flee from this unknown danger.
The confusion, as they fell back upon the scouts behind, while the great
"boulder" still advanced slowly, was awful!
But the soft earth of the bank had been washed out from under the top
layer of roots and grass, and when so many stamping, crowding girls
brought their weight upon the crumbling ground, it caved in with them.
Jumping, screaming, tumbling scouts now went headlong down the slide of
five feet into the roadway.
The Captain and Betty had been far enough in the rear to escape this
general stampede, but they, too, saw the dark object trying to skirt the
newly broken-down embankment, and they slid quickly down the wet weedy
bank to get away from this ghostlike creature that crept towards them.
While brave scouts were getting up from the little ditch where they had
rolled, a plaintive call from the "boulder" above identified the
creature as belonging to the bovine kingdom. A second "Moo-oo," as the
cow passed slowly down the bank to the road, where she hoped to find
some one to lead her home, created a wild laugh from every one.
CHAPTER TWO
ANOTHER DAY OF TROUBLES
Early in the morning the scouts heard Jim rattling the pans while he
essayed to cook breakfast. They were soon up and dressed, and being
ready for another day's adventuring, they offered their services to the
cook.
"Last night after you-all went for that hike, I mooned around some
myself. I saw a little farmhouse over that hill, and I think a couple of
girls might try to get some milk for breakfast," suggested Jim, pointing
over the brow of a slight grade.
"All right, Hester and I will go for it, Verny!" exclaimed Amy.
"Very well, girls; the rest of us will do what we can to help Jim.
Breakfast will be all ready by the time you return, so don't dawdle on
the way, will you?" replied the Captain.
"Take the big thermos bottle that will keep the milk cold all day, and
bring the breakfast milk in this pail," suggested Julie, handing the
girls both articles as she spoke.
Hester and Amy disappeared over the brow of the hill where Jim said the
farm was located, but breakfast was ready and waiting a long time
before a sight of the girls was had again.
Hester carried the pail very carefully, and Amy held the bottle, so it
was evident that they had milk, but why should they seem to laugh so
merrily over something, as they drew near the scouts?
"What do you think happened to us?" called Amy.
"You'll never guess--we got chased by a bull!" added Hester.
"Oh, never!" cried the scouts who had been waiting anxiously.
"Yes, sir! We heard a cow and knew there must be a farm," began Amy
excitedly, but her companion interrupted her and said: "That wasn't a
cow we heard, but the bellow of this bull!"
"Do tell us all about how you escaped," chorused the eager voices of
many girls.
Every one was anxious to wait on the heroines, and after they had been
served everything at one time, they began to munch and talk.
"Well, first we left here and thrashed through those bushes back there,"
said Hester, nodding her head towards the alder bushes, "to reach the
place where we heard the cow--as we thought."
Here Hester choked over the egg, and Amy quickly took up the story: "And
we were halfway across a pasture lot when Hester, who was first, yelled
wildly and waved her arms. I looked up, 'cause I was watching where I
walked, the lot was pawed up into such hummocks, and saw Hester racing
for the low boughs of an apple-tree. Then I heard a thumping, and saw a
big bull charging across the meadow, making straight for us!"
Amy gasped and needed a drink of water, then Hester continued the tale:
"Oh, girls, it was thrilling! I managed to scramble up in the
apple-tree, and turned to see what had become of Amy. There she was,
sprinting like a Marathoner for the barbed-wire fence that enclosed the
lot. She back-trailed over to it, and up over it she went, just like a
swallow flies, but look at her stockings and skirt!"
Every one looked at Amy's apparel and sympathized with her, yet every
scout wished she had had such an exciting time.
"Now they can win a badge for story-telling, can't they, Verny?" said
Betty, glad for her two pals.
"And another one for mending," laughed Julie, vindictively.
"Poor Julie's awful sore about that mud," murmured Amy, winking an eye
at the others.
Every one laughed, but the Captain said: "Go on and finish the yarn."
"Well, I left Hester in the tree--safety first, you know--with the bull
standing under it, waiting for her, while I skirted the lot and reached
the house. When I told the old lady how we happened to be in such a fix,
she threw her gingham apron over her head and sat down on the doorstep
to laugh.
"I was beginning to feel offended, when she glanced up. She understood,
and said: 'Deary, that ole bull has to be helped to his stall every
night after a day in the pastoor. He oughter been butchered years an'
years ago, but you see he saved me from a wicked tramp one day, an'
father sayed Bill had earned his life-pension fer that. So Bill's safe
from the slaughter-house, but he sure is a nuisance these days. Why,
this mad run of his'n will keep him wheezin' fer a hull week. Now come
with me an' I'll show you how he's payin' the price fer actin' like a
three-year-old!"
"I followed the old lady to the fence, and there, sure enough! Bill was
sprawled out under the tree, puffing for breath, but poor Hester sat in
the branches wailing because she dared not come down while the bull was
making such a snorting noise!"
The scouts laughed heartily at the graphic picture of Hester crying up
in the tree, but the girl retorted, "Well, isn't 'Discretion the better
part of valor'?"
"Of course it is! We'd have done the same thing," agreed Mrs. Vernon,
still laughing at Amy's story. Then she suggested breaking camp.
After cleaning away all signs of camping, the scouts climbed into the
cars which were soon speeding along. They were keen, now, for something
new that they could write in their diaries, and many interesting things
were seen and dilated upon as they rode past.
As the autos neared Schenectady, one of the scouts began singing; in a
few moments all the girls were singing with her. But a hound ran out of
the gate of a farmhouse and barked at the oncoming singers. Then the
distracted dog sat down and lifted his snout high in the air. His dismal
prolonged howl of protest at such singing effectually ended the song,
and Julie called to the animal, "Wise doggy--to be able to tell singing
from _singing_!"
The weather was all that could be desired, and the two cars were in fine
shape for the run. After they left Amsterdam, where the large
carpet-mills would have offered interesting entertainment had not the
scouts a greater ambition in view, that of reaching camp--they voted to
stop for no sightseeing along the way. So they kept along the road to
Fonda. Here they left the railroad turnpike and went northward to
Johnstown.
At this place Mrs. Vernon made an error in judgment. She should have
gone westerly, through Rockwood, Lascelville, Oppenheim, and so on to
Delgeville. But she took the northward road, which looked better and was
more traveled. Not until she came to Gloversville did she realize the
mistake. Then she stopped and questioned a policeman how to reach her
destination. And he explained about the country road she must follow
due west in order to reach Rockwood, where the state roads would be
picked up again.
This advice was followed, and they traveled over the bad road until a
crossroad was reached. There was no mention made of this spot on the
road-map, and there was no signpost to direct a lost tourist. So the
Captain said, "We'll take the right-hand turn, it looks best."
Further on, the road descended and ran close to a river. "Dear me, I
hope we didn't take the wrong turn, anyway!" cried Mrs. Vernon. "That
officer never told me about a crossroad."
"And it's going to pour, too. Just look at that black cloud," said Joan.
"It hasn't thundered yet," Hester said, trying to be cheerful.
At the same moment a flash satisfied every one that a shower was
imminent, and Jim failed to relieve their fears when he said, "We don't
want to get caught on this low land when it rains. The road is lower
than the river and will soon be flooded over."
That spurred on the Captain, and she made the car fairly fly, in order
to reach higher ground before the shower came. But the storm won out.
"I felt a drop of rain!" called Julie.
"So did I--two drops more!" seconded Ruth.
"We'd better stop to button down the rain-curtains, Captain," advised
Jim.
"Maybe we can reach high ground soon, Jim!" called back Mrs. Vernon,
still speeding along the marshy road.
A loud peal of thunder and inky clouds warned her, however, that this
would be no trifling shower, so she stopped reluctantly for the curtains
to be fastened down over the sides of the cars. The girls got out while
the rain-curtains were sought in the box under the seat, and Jim removed
numerous items before he reached them in the bottom.
"Gee! everything under the sun was piled in here!" growled he. And by
the time he did get the covers out, the rain was falling hard.
While Jim and Mrs. Vernon secured the curtains on the buttons, the
scouts transferred the pyramid of camping necessities back into the
boxes under the seats. Then when all were snugly sheltered from the
rain, the Captain proceeded to start her car. It failed to respond,
however. She tried again, with no success. Then she turned and called to
Jim.
"Something must be wrong, Jim!"
"Mebbe it's 'cause the wheels is sunk so deep in that soft mud," said
he. "It's 'most up to the hubs."
"No--something is wrong with the engine," returned she.
"I'll slip on my oilskin and see," said Jim, finally.
"Oh, Jim! Don't slip on it--just _put_ it on," giggled Julie, the
irrepressible.
"Humph!" was all the reply she got at the stale joke.
"Jim, I'll help you," now offered Betty, willingly.
"You gals just sit still, will you?" growled Jim impatiently, as he
jumped out into the muddy road.
The wind came tearing down the valley that lay between the mountains,
driving shreds of storm-clouds before it. Gusts of rain dashed against
Jim's face as he peered and poked about the stubborn engine, but still
the obstinate machine refused to budge.
"I can't see a durn thing that's the matter with it!" shouted he, trying
to make himself heard above the whistling of the wind.
"Better get back in your car until the worst is over," called back Mrs.
Vernon.
So they all waited patiently for the rain to cease, but the storm grew
worse, while the clouds seemed to fairly empty themselves right over the
stalled cars. Suddenly Jim gave a frightened cry:
"Great Scott, Captain! The river's overflowin' her banks, and this
road's gettin' under water!"
"Then we've just _got_ to get out of this fix somehow!" wailed Mrs.
Vernon, gazing helplessly around for aid.
"I'll try to work my car close up to the other and see if I can't push
you ahead," suggested Jim, starting his engine as he spoke. But this
idea failed to render the assistance they looked for.
"I think you need a good hard impact to send you out of that mud. The
wheels are stuck," called Julie, who had been considering the plight.
"But how can we _get_ an impact? Jim can't crush in the radiator on his
car, you know! And the fender won't do it," said Ruth.
"Let a few of us get some of those stout rails from that fence and shove
them under the back of the machine. The rest of the girls can tie a rope
to the front and pull. Then when we give a signal, Jim can push with his
machine, while Verny throws hers into high--something ought to happen
with all that!" suggested Julie.
Anything seemed better than sitting helplessly while seeing the water
slowly rising in the roadway. So the plan proposed by Julie was put into
operation. Two long rails were shoved, one under each side of the back
of the car, with two scouts ready to apply all their youthful muscle up
on each rail. Four scouts stood in front holding to a rope, ready to
pull. The Captain sat at the wheel ready to speed, and Jim waited in his
car behind, ready to drive on.
"Now, when I yell 'go,' every one strain your muscles fit to crack. It's
the only way we'll get out of this," ordered Julie.
"Tell us when you're going to say 'go'!" begged Ruth.
"I'll shout 'One, two, three--GO'--then _go_!"
Julie braced herself, took a deep breath, and cried, "All ready--one,
two, three--GO!"
Four in front pulled with might and main. Mrs. Vernon's engine chugged
ready to break. Jim almost pushed the radiator in, and the four scouts
pushing on the rails--well, "they were not."
Jim was heard roaring unrestrainedly, while four girls in front were
standing and staring as if at an apparition. All the time, the rain fell
in a deluge, but Mrs. Vernon jumped out into the mud to see what had
happened at the rear. Then she, too, gasped.
Both the rails were completely worm-eaten, but how should girls have
known that? They were placed under the car at a dangerous angle for
their future use in the fence, and when the good strong muscles of four
scouts brought their weight upon the rails to lift the car somewhat, the
timber quickly split up and precipitated the four boosters, face
downward, in the mud.
"Oh, dear me! This is the last straw!" moaned Mrs. Vernon.
"No--the last rails!" sputtered Julie, trying to laugh.
"Girls--hold your faces up to the rain and it will wash the mud from
your eyes!" yelled Judith, who waited on the running board for further
developments.
She had hardly spoken when a swift shaft of blinding light and a
deafening crack of thunder sent a panic into every one. They were
stunned for a moment, and then such a howl as went up from nine lusty
throats!
"We're struck!" yelled some.
"Oh, we're killed!" added others, but it took only a second after they
had caught their breaths to pile, willy-nilly, into the cars, where they
huddled until the fright had subsided.
Shortly after the lightning had struck a large tree further up the road,
the rain suddenly stopped and the sun shone out as hot and bright as
ever.
"My! I feel like Pollyanna would," sighed Julie. "'I'm glad, _glad_,
GLAD' we weren't standing under that tree!"
"We can only die once," responded Ruth, sighing as she gazed down at the
flooded road.
"Ruth thinks she'd rather die quickly, than by slow degrees in being
choked in this mud," laughed Julie, catching Ruth's thought.
Every one laughed and that made them feel more cheerful. Then just back
of them came the sound of horses' hoofs and a kindly voice called out,
"Well, well, this is some plight you-all are in, eh?"
They turned and beheld a nice old man sitting astride one plow-horse and
leading a second.
"Reckon you didn't know this was one of the worst roads in the county
when it rains."
Mrs. Vernon explained how it came about that they were there, and the
old man said, "Fortunately, I cut across that field in order to reach
home. I was late and, as this is meeting night, I have to leave home
earlier than usual. Now I can help you pull out, 'cause my team is
pretty powerful."
He hitched his horses to the front of the stalled car, and it was soon
pulled up on higher ground where Jim could crawl under and see what was
wrong with the works.
"We are most grateful to you, sir, for your timely help," said Mrs.
Vernon. "How much do we owe you for this great service?"
"I'm glad I could help, madam. I am the parson of the district,
hereabouts, and I try to do good by the wayside as I walk this
life-road."
"Then, if you will not accept a gift for yourself, you cannot refuse it
for your flock. We will give to any needy one in your parish," said Mrs.
Vernon, handing him a folded bill.
Being sent along the right road with the minister's directions and
blessing, the cars soon reached Rockwood, and from there, followed the
usual route to Delgeville. The highway now ended, and a pretty country
road took its place as far as Salisbury, where a turnpike road began and
continued as far as Middleville. From the latter town onward, the roads
were indifferent or bad as far as Gravesville.
There were many interesting experiences for the scouts to write up in
their books later on, such as running into a balky herd of cows and
being threatened for damages by the farmer; holding their breaths when
Mrs. Vernon ran over a lot of broken glass sprinkled across the
road--but the tires held and no damage was done; stopping to bargain for
a string of fish that a little freckled-face boy had for sale; and last,
but not least, just before reaching Gravesville, being warned by a girl
of twelve of a masquerading constable, further up the road, who arrested
more speeding drivers than any other constable in the county.
When asked why she showed the scouts this partiality, the girl said:
"Because I'm going to be a scout myself, as soon as that new Manual gets
here. I wrote fer it t'other day, and I've got five schoolgirls ready to
start with me. Maw says she will ask the teacher to be our Captain."
Thereupon followed a good scout talk by Mrs. Vernon, the country girl
listening with all her wits alert.
"How'd you know we were scouts?" asked Julie, curiously.
"By that pennant flyin' in front, of course!" retorted the girl.
As the scouts drove away, Mrs. Vernon said, "She'll make a first-class
scout, because she uses her eyes and other faculties."
After leaving the town of Gravesville, the scouts took a short cut to
Prospect, but the roads were steep and rough, and it was all the engines
could do to mount the grades. Then the opposite down slopes were so
steep and sudden that it was necessary to put on all brakes and shut off
the engines.
One of these down grades had a sharp turn at the bottom, with a purling
stream running under a rustic bridge immediately at the base of the
mountain. On the other side of the bridge, the road rose abruptly up the
side of another mountain. The descent was made nicely and the Captain's
car crossed the bridge, but Jim's car stopped unexpectedly just as it
reached the bridge at the foot of the mountain.
"Another case of push!" laughed Julie.
"All out!" ordered Jim.
"What now?" called Mrs. Vernon, as she also stopped her car to ask what
was wrong.
"If only your car was behind, you could shove us across the bridge, but
there isn't enough room in this trap to do anything."
"Every one will have to help, Jim; the girls can push and pull the car
back to the grade, while you work the engine. Maybe it will start that
way," suggested Mrs. Vernon, waving her passengers out to help the
stranded car.
After half an hour's work, Jim suddenly called, "My! what a lot of
cotton-heads we are! Here, Captain, just back up and give us a tow
across the bridge--that's all!" At this simple remedy every one laughed.
The steep climb of the mountain was accomplished without trouble, and
there the road wound back and forth like a serpent's trail. Rocks,
weighing tons, overhung with lovely vines, jutted out from the sides of
the cut-out road that edged the cliff. Again, mossy dells where
maidenhair fern waved fragile fronds at the girls, nestled under giant
groups of pines. The chorus of wild birds mingled with the subdued music
of falling water, to the keen appreciation of the tourists who delighted
in this impressive scene as only scouts can.
The cars continued slowly through this peaceful place, but Jim's engine
suddenly stopped short again. He frowned and got out to examine it.
"Gee, Captain! the tank needs gas and no place at hand to buy the feed.
What shall I do?"
"We didn't cross that other bridge until we came to it," giggled Julie,
quickly.
"I suppose I've got to tow you along until we find gas, somewhere," said
Mrs. Vernon. So the second car was harnessed to the leader and they
started again.
In this manner they traveled until they came to a small settlement that
boasted an "Emporium" where all the "latest styles and goods were
sold." On the front porch of this store, in a low rocking-chair, sat the
owner, a lady of doubtful years. She jumped up spryly when the cars
stopped at the steps, and smiled invitingly.
"Do you sell gasoline?" asked Mrs. Vernon, politely.
"I guess I kin oblige you," replied the lady, going indoors.
Jim jumped out and began to unscrew the plug on the tank.
"Now who'd a thought we could get gas in this little shop?" declared
Ruth, surprised.
"You never can tell! I s'pose she wants to make all she can in every
way," added Hester.
Meantime the lady returned to the door and called out, "Won't you please
step this way?"
Jim thought she had to fill a measure from some barrel in the back, so
he went in. But the lady was searching diligently along a shelf of
bottles until she saw the one she wanted.
"Here they be--I knew I had 'em somewhere. One's ten cents, and the
other's a twenty-five cent bottle. But you have to take keer of fire,
you know."
Jim scratched his head, as he said, "I'll take a five-gallon can,
please, ma'am."
For a second, the old lady was amazed, but she rose to the occasion and
showed herself a true business woman, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm just out of
that size to-day, but can't you come back to-morrow--I'll have it
then?"
Jim laughed. "I need it for the tank. The car won't go on nor come back,
unless I get some gas for it."
"Oh! I thought you wanted some to clean gloves, or shoes. That's the
only kind I keep on hand."
"Maybe you can tell us where we can get a gallon or so," said Jim,
trying hard to keep a straight face.
"If you kin wait until Jed gits back I kin send him to Prospeck Junction
for a gallin. He can't carry five gallins, I fear."
Jim started out and the shopkeeper followed as she spoke. So Mrs. Vernon
asked, "Where is Prospect Junction?"