plan that may meet with general approval, but that remains to be seen.
Now listen carefully, while I speak, and then do as you like afterwards.
My boys and these girls are willing to teach you how to do what I am
about to propose, and help in any way we can to make every one
comfortable for the time being.
"You have no house to sleep in, and Mrs. Dickens will have no boarders
to help her meet her expenses and loss, unless we immediately find some
way to change all this seeming trouble. So this is my suggestion:
"We scouts are accustomed to sleeping out-of-doors and thus we know how
to make the finest beds out of the material Nature provides. We will
show every one how to weave these balsam beds that are superior to any
handmade spring and hair mattress.
"While you people are completing your beds, we will paddle up to a place
Yhon told me about, where a number of Indians camp. They make and sell
tents to parties coming to the Adirondacks for the summer. Then at the
end of the season they will buy them back and pay prices according to
the condition the tents are in. Perhaps we can rent a number of tents,
as the summer is now half over.
"If enough boarders agree to this plan, and will insure the risk to Mrs.
Dickens by advancing the money necessary to pay for the tents, we scouts
will go after the tents for you and bring them back in our canoes.
"Mrs. Dickens says she can quickly have a pavilion built that will
answer for a dining-room, but any one who does not care for 'roughing'
it in tent-life must find other accommodations. All such can have meals
in the pavilion, but must take second table as boarders remaining in
camp will naturally have first claim on the hostess' service."
After a noisy debate, in which most of the ousted guests found these
plans and future delights pleasant to discuss, the majority voted to
remain and take up tent-life. Thus it happened that Mrs. Dickens was
helped out of the financial ruin that had stared her in the face a few
hours before, and the guests were treated to a rare experience,--living
in the open in the wonderful woods.
The scouts started every one cutting the young tips of the balsams for
their bedding, then paddled after Yhon in the canoes, up the Marion
River to Bear Creek, where the guide knew several of his friends to have
camps for the summer. They had tents to hire or for sale, and were only
too glad to furnish all that were needed for the houseless boarders at
Dickens' Landing.
The tent-outfits were carefully packed inside the canoes, and the scouts
joyfully paddled back, realizing that "What blesses one, blesses all" in
this working out of a good idea.
When the scouts landed with the tents and found that enough balsam had
been stripped for the beds, they began to weave the tips as all scouts
know how to do. Meantime, Mr. Gilroy, Yhon, and several of the men
raised the tents and secured them in such places as Mrs. Dickens
selected. The balsam beds were then made up in the tents, and before
evening, every one was provided with room and beds, thanks to the
scouts.
As the canoes left that shore, they were sped with many blessings, for
they had done a great thing for those standing on the rocks, watching
them depart.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SHOOTING THE RAPIDS--AND OTHER THINGS
"Well, 'where do we go from here, boys?'" called Mr. Gilroy, laughingly,
as he looked back over his shoulder at the scouts.
"Anywhere but home!" exclaimed Julie.
"Why not there? Don't you like my camp-ground?" asked Mr. Gilroy,
teasingly.
"Of course, but after such a night and day we won't want to settle down
again into quiet life. We have to let ourselves down gradually," laughed
Alec.
"Well, then, we'll ask Yhon where to go to-day," agreed Mr. Gilroy.
"Ride the rapids," returned Yhon, as if that was enough said.
Such a shout that greeted this suggestion proved he was right in his
surmise. Finally, when Mrs. Vernon could be heard, she asked, "Where are
they--far from Raquette Lake?"
"Yhon, I suppose you mean those on the route to Forked Lake, through
Raquette River to Long Lake, eh?" said Mr. Gilroy.
"Um! Up Raquette Fall to Corey an' 'en to Sar'nac."
"Saranac Lake! Oh, I've always wanted to see it!" cried Julie.
"Do let's go, Gilly!" begged other voices.
"Shall we take a vote on it?" laughed Mr. Gilroy.
"Why waste time--it is unanimously decided already," retorted Alec for
the boys.
"Yhon, I'm afraid you've let me in for trouble!" cried Mr. Gilroy, but
he turned his canoe just the same, and led the way.
The scouts now followed Mr. Gilroy and Yhon across the mouth of the
Marion River, and rounded Woods' Point. Across Boulder Bay, to Bluff
Point, they paddled, and carefully rounding this point they entered
Outlet Bay. Then the usual route was taken up the bay until they reached
Forked Lake Carry.
They were all in high spirits and the short carry only added to their
enjoyment. The canoes were launched again in Forked Lake waters and they
paddled until the end of the lake was reached. Where it joins Raquette
River was a carry of a mile and a half, and seeing that it was noon and
time for luncheon, Mr. Gilroy said:
"Why not have something to eat first, and carry afterwards?"
"Oh, that will add to the work of carrying," retorted Julie. "Not only
canoes but food!"
But the boys were for eating, so they scanned the shore carefully as
they slowly moved through the water, until Yhon saw a place he
considered suitable for camp. Here a fire was soon started, and the
four boys were sent out to fish. The girls were left to bake the bread
and prepare the rest of the meal.
In spite of their most skillful efforts, the boys did not have good
luck, and returned with but a small catch of fish. Hilarity due to the
way the boys told how they had to fish made up for the lack and for
everything else. When everything was packed neatly again, and all were
ready to start, Jake gave a wild leap and landed too near the edge of
Yhon's canoe. Over it went, staples and outfits all going down into the
water.
"Oh, all our sugar and salt--and everything!" cried Julie.
Yhon never changed a muscle of his face, although he must have been
taken by surprise when he was precipitated into the water. The outfits,
hampers, and other things were quickly salvaged and restored to the
canoe, but Jake sat in disgrace on the bank, and hung his head as if he
understood just what he had done.
So much time had been used in rescuing Yhon, in fishing their food-stock
out of the water, and coaxing Jake back into the canoe, that it was late
when the scouts reached Deerland Lodge.
"What say you, scouts,--shall we stop at the Lodge, or take a chance up
Long Lake until we reach a point where we can strike off to reach
Hendrick Spring, the fountainhead of the Hudson River?" asked Mr.
Gilroy.
"And where shall we camp?" asked Mrs. Vernon.
"It might be nice to camp at the spring," suggested Alec.
"Oh, yes, let's do that, Gilly!" cried several voices.
So they kept right on, paddling swiftly along until they reached a place
on the shore where Yhon said they must land if they proposed going to
Hendrick Spring.
"Oh, I thought we could canoe there," ventured Julie.
"No, we must leave Yhon here to watch the canoes while we hike along the
trail that goes there. We can carry our sleeping-bags and take enough
food for supper, then come back early in the morning for a good
breakfast with Yhon," explained Mr. Gilroy.
"Is there no way we might take to return to Fulton Chain Lakes other
than going back the same route?" questioned Mrs. Vernon.
"No, we shall have to go the way we come, or be willing to _carry_
overland for many miles, from one water to the other."
"Oh, no, that is out of the question," said the Captain.
So each scout took a sleeping-bag and cup and plate, while the boys
carried the extra cooking outfit, and Alec his rifle.
The trail led through a most wonderful primeval forest where lichened
stones, moss-clothed fallen trees and luxuriant foliage of standing
timber furnished homes for countless wild creatures.
They had not gone far before a ruddy-hued fox tried to back out of their
way on the trail, and managed successfully to merge his color with that
of the yellow-brown verdure about him. Further on, Alec suddenly lifted
his rifle and aimed, but the furtive mottled animal that had been
crouching along the mottled limb of a tree leaped back with the least
possible noise or disturbance of the foliage, and was gone!
"That was _some_ wildcat, but she was too slick for me!" said Alec, when
questioned about missing it.
The scouts saw so many unfamiliar birds that they wished they had
carried a bird book on the trip to help them identify all they now saw.
Notes were taken, however, to help them look up and catalogue the
varieties, later, in camp. There were many other interesting living
creatures, also; some half-hid under leaves or twigs, others squatting
daringly in the open, with questioning eyes fixed on these clumsy
intruders.
Finally the scouts reached Hendrick Springs, but to their consternation
the place was already tenanted with undesirable tramps. Mr. Gilroy
politely questioned the three men who claimed to be timber-jacks, but
their empty package that had contained food and the quart bottle that
had once been filled with whiskey, now also empty, belied their story.
Their hardened faces, unkempt appearance, and other earmarks caused a
little apprehension in the hearts of the girls and Mrs. Vernon; but soon
after the new arrivals started their fire to cook supper, the three
tramps got up and quietly left.
Scanty beds of balsam were soon made for the night for the girls, but
the boys preferred to sleep upon the grass. After a few campfire tales,
they decided who was to keep the fire burning all night to ward off any
wild animals, and also to guard against the return of the evil-looking
tramps.
"We girls want to take our turn in watching, as well as the boys,
Gilly!" declared Joan, when she heard how the guard was to be divided up
for the night.
"Oh, you girls need sleep, but we don't," said Bob.
"We are just as hale as any of you boys, and we want to do our bit!"
exclaimed Julie, decidedly.
"Well, then, if you must, you will!" sighed Mr. Gilroy, comically. "Now
I have to begin all over again and figure out this problem. Let's see:
"First, Alec and Bob mount guard two hours; then Dick and Ned guard for
two more; then Julie and Joan; and lastly, all the other girls and
myself. How is that?"
Every one laughed, for Julie and Joan were now getting all they
bargained for. So Alec and Bob went on duty, while the rest stretched
out and fell asleep.
At eleven o'clock the next two boys were called; but at one o'clock,
when it was time to rouse Julie and Joan, Mr. Gilroy crept over and
motioned the boys to let him mount duty for a time. It was nearly three
when Julie woke up and rubbed her eyes. She instantly realized that no
one had called her, so she nudged Joan and got her up. Then they crept
over to the campfire and scolded Mr. Gilroy for breaking faith with
them. He laughed and gladly went back to finish his night's repose.
Having been so sound asleep just before going on duty, and being utterly
tired out with the day's experiences, the two girls sat by the fire
endeavoring to keep each other fully awake. But the Sand Man was too
powerful for them to resist his dreamy influence, and soon Joan dozed
while Julie yawned and did her best to keep her eyelids open.
An hour passed and Joan was sweetly sleeping, while Julie was nodding,
heavy with sleep. Suddenly a crackling of branches behind them caused
Julie to start wide awake.
"Joan, are you awake?" whispered Julie fearfully, shaking her friend.
"Sure--why?" mumbled Joan, sitting up to rub her eyes.
[Illustration: "Where--which way did you hear them?" questioned
Joan ... Page 211]
"I heard some one--maybe those tramps are back to do something,"
whispered Julie, trying to peer through the misty night.
"Where--which way did you hear them?" questioned Joan, now fully awake,
too.
"See those long shadows by the trees, over there?" returned Julie. "I'll
pile a lot more wood on the fire and make it blaze so we can see them if
they come nearer."
So saying, she threw so much wood on the fire that it instantly
smothered the red glow and began smoking like a chimney. The smoke drove
the girls from that side of the fire and caused them to cough violently,
while there was a lively scrambling of feet over by the trees, and both
girls began calling:
"Gilly! Gilly, wake up! The tramps are here!"
That cry brought every one to his feet, and the moment all heads got the
benefit of the smoke, every one began coughing. But they managed to
creep along the ground to the side of the fire, where the two girls
stood gazing at the trees in question.
Just as Alec crept up beside the scouts with rifle up ready to aim at
whatever he found skulking about them, there sounded a frightful
screeching, and hoarse calls came from the lower branches of the tree.
"I knew it! I saw them creep over and heard them climb," cried Julie,
quaking with excitement.
"They planned to drop something on our heads, I guess," added Joan, her
eyes bulging as she tried to see into the foliage.
Just as Alec decided to take aim and fire haphazardly, knowing that he
could not see in the dark but could frighten the tramps, Bob caught hold
of his arm. He was unaware that it held a gun that was cocked ready to
fire.
The rifle went off prematurely, the shot hit the mark without Alec's
trying for it, and a heavy thud informed the scouts that the bullet was
fatal! Instantly, however, there was such a commotion in the leaves, and
such a Bedlam of screeching! Finally a great flock of crows swept out of
the high tree and flew away to find a less dangerous roost.
The first streaks of dawn were penetrating the forest's darkness when
the offended crows left their ancestral tree; and the scouts looked at
each other in surprise. But Alec was sure it was not a crow he had
downed--it was too heavy for that!
So the boys crept carefully over to the place where they thought to find
the body of a tramp, while the girls followed at a respectful distance.
Then the relieved cry from Alec, and the laughing calls from the other
boys, hurried the girls to join their friends.
There they saw a dead wildcat of truly awesome size. In its clenched
teeth it still held the young nestling--the object of its nocturnal
climb into the tree. Alec's unexpected shot had hit true and had done
for the crafty animal.
"Well, this is some trophy to carry back home, eh?" cried Alec
delightedly, as he turned the cat over with his foot.
"I'm glad you didn't kill anything more than the wildcat," added Mrs.
Vernon.
"If you boys intend carrying that back to camp, you'll have to skin it
now and take only the pelt. You can't be bothered with the heavy beast
itself. Leave the carcass for the wild denizens that will be glad to
feed on this, their enemy," advised Mr. Gilroy.
"And do give us the crow! If it hadn't been for Joan and me you wouldn't
have had the wildcat!" exclaimed Julie.
"If it hadn't been for you two imaginative scouts we all would still be
snoozing peacefully beside the fire," laughed Alec.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE GRAND SURPRISE
When the scouts returned to their camp beside Little Moose Lake, they
were impressed anew with the peace and beauty of the spot. The canoe
trip had been delightful and exciting, but all were glad to get back to
a simple life once more.
Having seen the scout girls safely back home, and their canoes in the
lake for future use, Mr. Gilroy sighed and said, "Now I shall take a
long rest and recover from the past few days' work!"
A few days after their return from the "voyage," as they called it, the
scout girls received a bundle of mail. In it were newspapers, many
letters, and other interesting items. The papers were all "marked
copies," and the mail proved to be letters filled with congratulations
and words of praise for the brave girls.
"Why, they must be crazy! Every one's writing about what we did at the
fire!" laughed Julie.
"Yes, just listen to this from 'Liza, every one!" called out Betty. And
she read: "'So I sez to yer Pa, yu've got two fine scouts in them girls,
Mister Lee, and this proves it. Any girl what will climb the side of a
house to save folkses from burning, is wuth a lot of lazy,
good-fer-nothin' boys, I sez.'"
Every one laughed heartily at the praise thus bestowed upon them; but
Betty said regretfully, "It's too bad I didn't do as much as Julie did
at that fire. Daddy won't feel very proud of me, I'm afraid!"
"Oh, but you did, Betty! You ran for the Captain and did all sorts of
stunts we couldn't have done. But not every one could climb like Jo and
I do!" said Julie, soothingly.
"Oh, girls!" exclaimed the Captain, who had been hurriedly glancing over
one of the papers received. "Listen to this from a New York paper. Oh, I
am so proud of you all!" Then she read:
"'At a recent fire that destroyed Dickens' Hotel at Raquette Lake,
Adirondacks, a group of girl scouts known as the Dandelion Troop saved
many lives and did heroic work in saving property. One of the hotel
guests told our local reporter the story and we print his own words.'"
Then followed an account of the fire, and how it started because of a
defective flue in the kitchen chimney. It told in detail all that the
girls did, but the story merely mentioned Alec and _his_ courageous act.
At the last of the story, a full description was given of how the balsam
beds were made, and how the boarders were now enjoying themselves in
tent-life and out-of-door camp cooking. And all this was due, it said,
to the Girl Scouts being able to teach the homeless boarders how to
help themselves with the bountiful supply from Nature.
That morning, Mr. Gilroy came down to the camp to hear the news, for he
also had received several papers with the story of the fire in them.
After the excitement of reading it all over again to him, the girls
quieted down to hear what he wished to say.
"I came to see about your plans for next summer's outing," said he.
The girls looked at him quizzically, for they thought he was joking.
Mrs. Vernon gasped, "Next summer! We're not through with this year yet!"
"I know that, but 'In times of peace prepare for war,' you know,"
laughed he.
"Tell us why you asked?" demanded Julie.
"Because I am planning a trip for my next outing, and I am debating
whether to invite any girl scouts to go with me."
"Where? Aren't you going to stay here next summer?" was the answer from
several girls.
"No, I have had an important letter to-day. And I am going to accept the
offer made me by the Government, but it will cost any girl scout more to
go with _me_ than it did to come to the Adirondacks."
"Then that settles our going! We haven't a cent left over after this
outing. If it hadn't been for those escaped felons last year we wouldn't
have been here, I suppose!" sighed Julie.
"If it had not been the reward for the capture of the two felons that
proved to be the means to bring you to the Adirondacks, there would have
been some other way of finding the supply for you. You see, girls, there
is always plenty of everything for you when the Source is unlimited,"
said Mr. Gilroy.
"Not one of us in Dandelion Troop have such a banker," laughed Judith.
"Then, if this is so, why need we worry about expenses for next summer's
outing with you?" added Joan, in response to his remark.
"I didn't ask you to worry," retorted Mr. Gilroy. "I only asked you to
remember that you have the invitation, but it is up to you to find the
channel of supply and break down the dam, so the supply will run
smoothly and continuously for your needs."
"How much shall we need, Gilly?" asked Julie, deeply interested in his
words.
"More than a thousand dollars for you all, I know that! But how much
more depends upon our itinerary, and that depends on the Captain."
"Oh, does she know about it?" chorused the girls.
"Not yet, but she will, shortly," laughed Mr. Gilroy.
All the coaxings from nine persuasive girls failed to move Mr. Gilroy
from the stand he had taken--not to tell about the next summer's plans.
But a week later, when the scouts were well nigh forgetting all about
his conversation, he brought a pleasant-faced gentleman to the camp to
visit the girls.
"This is Mr. Everard, scouts. He is anxious to meet Julia and
Antoinette, since I told him what clever rascals they are. Do you think
they will do their tricks for company?"
Mr. Everard laughed merrily, and it was readily seen that he had not
come to see the calf and pig do the little tricks which the scouts had
taught them. However, the calf and pig were brought out, and they
performed as they had been trained to do, during many strenuous hours,
and they won the applause of the stranger. Then he spoke of the real
cause of his visit.
"I am one of the investigators of the Carnegie Reward Society, and
having heard of your bravery in the recent fire at Raquette Lake, I was
sent here to ascertain various facts. From all accounts, the rescues you
made were not only courageous and daring, but spectacular as well. It
made a fine tale for the newspapers. One of the leading men on a
metropolitan daily sent us a note asking whether such deeds were not
rewarded by us."
The scouts were too amazed to speak, but Mrs. Vernon spoke for them. She
thanked Mr. Everard for coming, and said how pleased they all were that
others appreciated the deeds performed by the Dandelion Scouts.
"The medal will be given at the same time the reward of money is
presented. So I need the names of the girls who took an active part in
the rescues. Those who rendered First Aid to the sufferers may be
awarded minor medals--I am not sure of that yet," explained Mr. Everard.
"But Alec did as much as Jo and I, Gilly," said Julie, "although they
didn't say much about him in the papers."
"That has been corrected, but you didn't see the papers of the following
day. And Alec is to receive exactly the same reward as you girls,"
returned Mr. Gilroy.
Mr. Everard did not mention the amount of money that was likely to
arrive with the medals, but Mrs. Vernon spoke of it later. The two men
left camp, and Mr. Everard was taken over to Grey Fox Camp to meet the
boys.
"Verny, maybe that reward will be the nest-egg of the supply we must
have to go with Gilly next summer!" declared Julie excitedly, after both
men had disappeared from view.
"I was thinking of that when Mr. Everard spoke," said Mrs. Vernon.
"I wonder how much they give to one--about a hundred dollars, I
suppose," ventured Joan.
"Oh, no! I've heard their cash rewards range from a thousand and down to
five hundred dollars, according to the valor of the deed," replied the
Captain.
"A thousand!" chorused the scouts in amazement.
"Why, that would take us all on Gilly's trip," said Julie.
"Maybe; but we don't know where he plans to go. If it is around the
world, I fear the reward will not carry you all that far," rejoined Mrs.
Vernon, smilingly.
A few days after Mr. Everard's visit at camp, Mr. Gilroy came again.
"Well, scouts! was I right when I told you not to limit your supply to
any old-fashioned mill-pond?"
"You're always right--how could you _ever_ be mistaken?" was Julie's
retort.
He laughed. "Now, this flow of supply from the boundless Source I
preached about will give you the means to accept my invitation for next
year."
"We have already accepted, and are arranging to be absent from home for
the length of time it takes to go to Jericho and back again," answered
Julie.
"Not to the Far East," laughed Mr. Gilroy, "but to the most wonderful
mountains on earth, though the public has not realized that fact,
because they are not yet the fashion. They are fast reaching that
recognition, however. At present one can go there without being pestered
by souvenir peddlers."
"Do tell us where it is, now that you've told us this much," begged the
girls. But Mr. Gilroy shook his head and left them guessing.
The last of August was passing quickly, and the scouts sighed whenever
they remembered that they must close the wonderful camp the first week
of September. There was still, however, one delight in store for them.
That was the County Fair, held the first three days of September. They
had entered Julia and Antoinette to compete for prizes in their
individual classes.