who enjoyed the work immensely.
"And Elena, Nita, and May ought to go, too," added Miss Miller, admiring
the dainty work done by these girls.
One afternoon the Guide said: "Girls, have any of you entered blue
prints in your Tally Books?"
No one had, so she added: "Just as soon as Spring comes with its first
flowers, I want you to start a blue print album. I think it is one of
the most interesting and instructive of pursuits. I have a book that I
completed during a trip through the Canadian Northwest, and I wouldn't
sell those blue prints for any price--they are so beautiful and the wild
flowers so interesting."
The Saturdays during November were spent in New York, the Guide taking
the girls to the splendid public libraries; lectures illustrated with
motion pictures were given by white men who had spent many years with
the Indians; and the unusual series of talks given at the Museum on
Central Park West and 79th Street proved most interesting. Here also the
Woodcrafters saw life-sized groups of Indians in wax, the individual
costumes and customs of each Tribe being faithfully depicted by the
clothes, items of camping outfits, and other things. In these
exhibitions the girls found many suggestions that they could apply to
pottery work, bead work, and other things pertaining to Indian life.
One afternoon, while visiting the large library on the corner of Fifth
Avenue and 42nd Street, Miss Miller said: "Who knows where the first
public library was founded--and when?"
No one knew, so the Guide told them.
"The first on record--there may have been private collections then as
now, but it was not recorded--was founded at Athens by Hipparchus in 526
B. C.
"The second of note was founded at Alexandria by Ptolemy Philadelphus,
but it was burnt when Julius Caesar set fire to Alexandria in 47 B. C.
It is said that 400,000 rare and valuable books were destroyed in that
disaster.
"A second library was formed from the remains of the books in this first
one, and this second was reputed to have held over 700,000 volumes, but
this was captured by the Saracens who used the books for fuel instead of
working to gather wood.
"In 1446 A. D. the next large library was formed and from that time on
collections of important books were made and offered to the public for
free use."
Such comments by Miss Miller always made the visits to public buildings
very interesting to the girls, who acquired a general knowledge of
things worth knowing in this manner.
One Saturday before the weather was too cold, they all went to Bedloe's
Island, now renamed Liberty Island, in New York Harbour. Here they
climbed the endless round of narrow iron steps until they regretted
having started the ascent. But there was no turning back, as the descent
was on the other side and no one could go down when once started up.
Having wearily climbed to the crown of the head in the Liberty Goddess
Statue, they were disappointed at not finding the view any better than
that seen from the balcony where the elevator stopped, but which was
wonderful from that vantage point. From the Statue they walked about the
Island and then took the small boat back to Battery Park.
The Aquarium was visited next, and here the girls found many odd and
interesting fish. One funny fish, grey in colour and about fifteen
inches in length, kept bumping his nose against the glass side as if to
come through. At each bump he slid back in the water and tried again.
"'Constant dripping wears the rock away,'" said Zan, watching him come
back again and again to strike the glass.
"He is only playing tag with his nose," explained Jane.
"But why should he always keep his mouth open half-way, as if he had
difficulty in breathing?" asked Nita.
"Maybe he has--that constant bumping on his nose will cause a swelling
and close up the nostrils," ventured Elena.
"Oh, I have it!" cried Zan, nodding her head vigourously. "The poor
thing has asthma from that damp atmosphere! He gasps through his open
mouth and tries to break down the screen of glass to get more air!"
This explanation brought a laugh not only from the girls who crowded
about the glass case, but from some observers who also stood watching
the queer fish.
Just before Thanksgiving, Mrs. Remington invited Wickeecheokee Band to
spend the week-end in camp in the woods back of the house. Fred's Tribe
would also camp there, and it was thought a good time to hold contests
between the boys and the girls.
The girls hailed the treat with many varied expressions, but the days
immediately preceding the Holidays grew so cold that most mothers
objected to having the girls sleep out in the open.
"They can camp in the Council House," said Mrs. Remington over the
telephone, when Miss Miller told her of the trouble.
"Oh, yes, yes!" cried everyone at that.
Beaded Ceremonial Costumes were finished but had not yet had an
opportunity to be worn, so these were packed in the suit-cases with
head-bands, moccasins, _coup_-sticks, and many other fine articles of
Indian costume.
Wednesday was a beautiful day but so cold that Dr. Baker said he was
relieved to know the girls would be in the Council House at night. The
boys refused to be so molly-coddled, they averred, and so they camped
out in the woods. However, Mrs. Remington whispered to the girls the
next morning that Fred had made use of two Sibley stoves brought from
Maine for camp use.
"There will be skating on the lake if we have another day and night of
this cold," said Mr. Remington, rubbing his ears to keep up the
circulation as he stood in front of the Council House early Thursday
morning.
"I say, girls! Want your picture took? Get into your robes and pose out
in the sun, if you do!" shouted Elizabeth, from the porch of the house.
It did not take long for the Woodcrafters to change to their Woodcraft
costumes and when they ran over to the group of pine trees where
Elizabeth stood waiting, they found the boys had decorated the place
with totems, shields, and _coup_-sticks to create a genuine Woodcraft
atmosphere.
Zan's costume, with its picturisation of the camp on the farm, was
pronounced the handsomest of all, although Elena's ran a close second.
So these two girls were selected for individual pictures which could be
used in the Tally Book of the Tribe. Zan held Elizabeth's _coup_-stick,
her own only having a few feathers on it, and the former being
well-decorated by marks of achievement, for Elizabeth was a zealous
Woodcrafter.
Thanksgiving dinner was not to be served until four that afternoon, and
it was only ten when many of the campers began to wish it was late
afternoon. Mrs. Remington was a perfect hostess and, having five healthy
children, she suspected the gnawings under many belts. Hence her next
suggestion:
"Fred, why don't you boys invite the girls to dinner at your camp in the
woods?"
"How!" eagerly chorused the girls.
"Why, so we will, if the girls will bring the grub over from the barn.
We haven't enough to go around such a crowd."
Everyone laughed, and Mrs. Remington added: "If I was a Black Bear, I'd
scout for victuals and not expect the squaws to bring their own feast!"
Fred understood his mother only too well, and he quickly took the hint,
calling Fiji to help him. In another moment the two had disappeared in
the woods and were seen no more for some time. The others walked slowly
back to the Council House to change the beaded costumes to camp clothes
again.
About the time the girls were ready to follow the hosts to the camp in
the woods, Fred and Fiji were seen crossing the field, carrying heavy
baskets on their arms and bags suspended over their shoulders.
"They must have scouted, Mother!" laughed Mr. Remington.
And "mother" nodded understandingly and laughed also.
At camp the Woodcrafters found Fred and Fiji unpacking boiled ham,
potatoes, pickles and preserves, bread, a pie, and other edibles. In the
bag that had been slung over Fiji's back was a stone crock filled with
delicious cookies still warm.
"There girls, the cookies will hold you together while we roast potatoes
and get the lunch ready," said Fred.
"Um-m! I want this recipe from someone to put in our book. These are the
best cookies I ever tasted," said Elena.
"Someone can tell you the recipe right now, Elena. It happens to be my
own that Mrs. Remington tried," laughed Miss Miller.
"Tell us, then, while I write it down," urged Elena, with a pencil and
scrap of paper ready for use.
"To one-half cup of butter I use one-half cup of lard and one-half cup
of sugar. Two eggs, one level tablespoon each of ginger, cinnamon, and
soda, with enough flour to roll out the dough easily.
"Cream the butter and lard together first, then add the sugar gradually.
When the eggs are well beaten I add them. The spices and soda are mixed
with two cups of flour and sifted into the batter. I use enough flour so
the dough will roll out well. Cut them with a biscuit cutter and bake in
a quick oven. Last of all, lock safely away in a secret vault where
children cannot follow the scent and eat them up before the cook has
washed the tins that the cookies were baked in."
The girls laughed at the last part of the recipe and Fred said it was
the most important if cookies were to be kept on hand.
After the stolen provender was thoroughly enjoyed by the hosts and
guests in camp, the boys entertained the girls with relay races, Deer
Hunts, Bat Ball, and a Bear Spearing Contest.
Just as the bear was killed by Fred, the gong sounded from the house
calling the people to the Thanksgiving Dinner--the greatest contest of
the day, Billy said.
The wide rear verandah of the Remington house was inclosed in glass in
the Winter, and being ten feet wide and extending across the entire back
of the house, it afforded an excellent place for the dinner. The table,
made of four fifteen-inch-wide planks eighteen feet in length, placed on
wooden horses, was covered with two long table-cloths. Benches made of
wide planks also resting on boxes provided enough seats for all.
Mose, the family fixture who plays so important a role in the "Woodcraft
Boys at Sunset Island" (the island being the Remingtons' Summer resort
off the coast of Maine), bossed the serving of the dinner. He had been
given charge of Mary, the upstairs girl, and Katy the kitchen maid, and
these, with Anna the governess, proved efficient to wait on the hungry
horde of children.
Strange, however, that after that dinner not one of the Woodcrafters
felt like dancing an Indian War Dance to entertain others!
During the night the temperature grew warmer and the sky clouded over
with snow-clouds. Early Friday morning a very light snow began falling,
but grew heavier until noon, when great gusts of snow were swept across
the valley at every fresh hurricane of wind. All day Friday and most of
Friday night, the snow continued falling, but the Woodcrafters cared
little about that when they were having such a jolly time indoors. They
were entertaining the Black Bears in the Council House, and many a wild
shout echoed up through the loft, as a Bear caught a Wako Triber in a
war-dance.
Before ten o'clock the boys were summoned to go to camp, and much
against their inclinations to leave the cosy fire in the chimney-place
of the Council House, they started out in the driving snow to plough
over the field to their cold and cheerless camp.
In the early morning, however, the sun sparkled on the glistening snow
and the Woodcraft girls were awakened by a fusillade of snow-balls
striking the side of the barn, some of the soft snow falling through the
opened windows and scattering over the faces of the sleepy girls.
They were soon up and dressed and out-doors to return the cold welcome
given by the Black Bears. The snow-balls flew back and forth rapidly,
until Fred had an idea.
"I say! What's the matter with having a regular fight! Build a fort and
choose up sides?"
"Down on the flats by the road-side!" added Billy, pointing to the
low-land that fronted the lawns by the private road.
"Just the thing!" exclaimed Fiji.
"Will you girls help?" asked Jack Hubert.
The girls looked at the Guide for approval, and she, seeing the gleam of
battle shining from those many eyes, laughed.
"No ice to be packed in the balls, remember!" warned the Guide, trying
to be severe.
"Of course not!" agreed Bobby Baker.
"And no hard-packed snow, either. Just the soft feathery kind that gets
down your back and blinds your eyes," added Miss Miller, knowing well
how to disguise her advice and make it sound enticing to the boys.
It took full two hours to complete the great fort and build refuges like
pockets in the snow-wall, where daring scouts venturing away from the
army could find temporary protection. While the boys were building the
fort the girls rolled great piles of snow ammunition for both sides to
use when the battle should rage.
Then came the commandeering of the two sides. Fred gallantly offered his
services to Wako Tribe, while Fiji Baker undertook to command the boys'
side. As there were but eleven girls and seventeen boys, some of the
surplus male contingent had to come over to join the girls' side.
Then began preliminary tactics, followed by an engagement of the main
armies. This was followed by the most active fighters running back and
forth to plant a well-aimed shot whenever they discovered an unprotected
head or body for a target. The battle waged for more than an hour, first
one side winning a victory, then the other side, but at last Fiji's side
showed signs of defeat, and soon was retreating at full speed. The shots
fell so fast and furious at that, that the boys were almost routed when
Fiji made a grand rally.
To have it said that a lot of girls were victorious over the Black Bears
or Grey Foxes was not to be thought of, so the General spurred his
fighters back again to try and win the lost trench, but Fred was a fine
general, too, and he was quick to take advantage of the other's mistake
in leaving the protection of the fort.
In less than half an hour's time after Fiji rallied his men, the fort
was demolished, most of Fiji's men were prisoners, and the girls were
triumphant! The captives then had to submit to having their faces well
washed in the soft cold snow.
That was a glorious day and one to be remembered, for not only were
merry faces as red as Baldwin apples and hands swollen and purple from
handling much snow, but the Remington larder suffered from such secret
raids that the cook finally stumped up to the library to "give notice."
Mose intercepted her, however, and tried to pacify her with the news
that the visitors would soon go home, and "anyway, Thanksgivin' onny
comes once a year, Maria!"
"Agh! G'wan! Don't Oi know this fam'ly? It's foriver havin' comp'ny an'
eatin' me out av iverything Oi cook! It's cook, _cook_, _COOK_ aul the
toime an' niver a crumb to eat!" declared Maria.
"But just think, Maria, how soon this thing will have to stop. The high
cost of livin' and the laws made by the President won't let us eat much
anny more, an' you'll have an easy time, then," said Mose, trying to
placate the angry cook.
"An' it's good wages an' plenty of my friends to visit me to tay," said
Maria, thoughtfully, so Mose knew he had won a different kind of battle
than the one fought on the Flats with snow.
After a red-hot luncheon that partly thawed out the half-frozen
warriors, Mrs. Remington asked if they would like to take a sleigh-ride
in a great farmer's sleigh that afternoon. The man called twice a week
to deliver eggs, butter, and chickens from his farm some miles in the
country, and would be glad to have the extra fee offered for driving a
party of young folks on a joy-ride.
That evening was spent in quiet ways, as everyone felt weary and ready
for bed the moment it could reasonably be suggested.
The rest of the visit was devoted to indoor pastimes, as a thaw set in
and made the ground too wet and muddy for any games or fun on the lawn.
Then came the time for good-byes and the Woodcrafters were carried away,
leaving a sense of loneliness with the family where they had had such a
good time.
December came in with much wind and snow so that all hope of week-end
camps was at low ebb. But the girls found plenty of work to do and the
applicants for the second Band were ready to qualify, and attention had
to be paid to this important matter.
Most of the girls applying for membership were so anxious to belong to
Wako Tribe that it seemed hard to deny any one of them. But the rules in
the Manual were to be followed and some had to be left out. Hence the
choosing of the crowd of girls that had asked for admission was to be
done by drawing lots.
The names of the girls were written on slips of paper and these were
folded up into small cubes, then shaken well in a covered tin. The Guide
drew forth the first ten papers and these were the ones drawn to form
the second Band--Suwanee, it was called.
The ten girls selected were delighted, but the others half cried with
bitter disappointment, so that the Guide agreed to ask Mrs. Baker to
start a new Band for them which would eventually grow into a Tribe of
its own. And this promise soothed the wounded hearts of the unfortunate
ones.
Although the improvement in Eleanor Wilbur had been so slow that none of
her daily associates had noticed it, still it was constantly going on,
so that when Ethel Clifford returned from the Californian trip she
exclaimed at the great change in the girl.
"Why, Miss Miller, it doesn't seem possible! Really, can't you see the
improvement?" said the girl.
"Now that you mention some small things, I can see where she has been
helped, but I almost gave up in despair several times, and I'd rather
you would not let her hear of this conversation as she is not 'out of
the woods' yet, by any means," said Miss Miller.
Nevertheless, it was as Ethel had said: there was a change for the
higher and better life that was making an impression in Eleanor's
character and desires, and these in time would overcome her former
weaknesses.
That Winter, needle-craft was taken up and many practical as well as
beautiful things were made by the girls. The Christmas-tide gave each
one plenty to do, as they planned to make all their gifts this year with
as little cost in money as possible. And these gifts were all beautiful
and artistic, as well as sensible and useful articles.
Not a mother or father of these girls but felt proud to show the gifts
made by their daughters that Christmas, and many a parent thanked Miss
Miller for the patience and time she had devoted to the Woodcrafters to
bring them to this point in their education and improvement of
character.
In January the Guide suggested that an entirely new departure be taken
up before Spring.
"I didn't think there was anything more on earth that we could learn,"
said May, laughing.
"Now that we have exhausted all the foolishness, maybe we will start on
something worth while," said Eleanor.
"Just what I have in mind, Eleanor. I shall have you all start practical
and cumbersome work this time," smiled Miss Miller, but to the eager
questions of the girls, she maintained strict silence, merely saying:
"'Sufficient unto the day'--then you'll see what I have in mind for
you."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN--WINTER WOODCRAFT WORK
"Girls, how many are willing to start making a tent?" said the Guide, at
the next meeting in the gymnasium.
"A tent! Good gracious!" exclaimed Zan, while the other girls echoed
their Chief's amazement.
"Easy as hemming a towel, if you know how," laughed Miss Miller.
"It sounds like a stupendous work, but I suppose Miss Miller will
explain it so that a child like Teddy Remington can sit down and make
one every day," laughed Jane.
"If you will try I will order the material to-day and show you how to
begin the work," urged the Guide.
"All right, go ahead! I'm willing to sew my fingers to the bone if you
say so," sighed Zan, who detested sewing.
The other girls laughed and Miss Miller immediately took up the
telephone receiver and called up a department store. Her conversation
showed that she had already priced materials and had all information at
hand to start the tents without delay.
"Now, then, the stuff will be here Monday morning and we can start any
time you like. We will allow fifteen yards of stuff for each tent. Four
of you can work on one, for the completed tent will accommodate four
cots. There being enough girls to work on five tents, I have ordered the
material for five."
Once launched on this unusual task, the girls felt a certain pride in
saying, "We are making our own tents for camp, you know," and when they
heard the large bundle of canvas had arrived they were eager to work.
"First I will cut two strips of the goods, each strip being thirteen
feet long. Then lap the selvage of one side over the other, about a
quarter of an inch, and sew it down firmly with back-stitching. If we
had a machine it would be better still. There must be a double row of
stitching in case one row breaks in a strain or sudden yank.
"Now we will spread the whole piece out flat on the floor and fold over
each end crosswise of the long strip toward the centre, and about two
feet three inches from each end.
"These seams must be stitched or double-seamed on the folds all the way
down each fold, about three or four inches in from the outer edge of the
fold. As this will be the place where the tent-ropes are fastened, you
can stitch it over and over four or five times, for it will have
considerable strain come on it.
"The two unfinished ends of the strips will then have a narrow hem which
will complete the roof and sides of the tent. "Cut the rest of the cloth
into two strips about two feet and seven inches long for the front and
back ends of the tent. Each of these is to be cut into two pieces with a
slanting cut running from a side two feet one inch at one end to a point
two feet one inch on the other side.
"The sharp pointed corners are cut off by folding over the cloth three
inches from the edge and by cutting the first slanting edge. You can
save these pieces to use for patches when you reinforce the roof at the
ends of the ridge-pole.
"Now lay the two pieces together and lap so the points at the top are in
the same position. Stitch down one selvage for a length of two feet and
then straight across to the other selvage, and up to the top again.
"The section left loose is for a door-flap and tapes are to be sewed at
places a foot from the bottom and also two feet up from the bottom. Hem
each end of bottom and then sew the edges of the sides and slanting top
to the sides and roof of the tent-body.
"For the ropes, you have to cut holes about half an inch in diameter
right through the folds you stitched down on each side of the roof
section. These holes can be bound or button-holed with a string, or
those who prefer can use metal eyelets.
"You will need about eight feet of tent-rope for each pole, and a loop
of rope should be sewed at the bottom of the tent below each hole to
hold down the sides.
"When the tent is completed it should be raised between two straight
tree trunks about five or six feet high, or two poles about the same
height. A pole about six feet long will answer for the ridge-pole. When
these are up, drive some pegs slant-ways into the ground about three
feet away from each side of the tent, to fasten the ropes to, and then
drive more pegs slant-ways for the loops of rope to slip over and hold
firm.
"Now you will have a neat little tent ready for camping, but two
important things still remain to be done--can anyone tell me what they
are?" asked Miss Miller, as she concluded reading the directions she had
written down on a paper.
The girls thought earnestly for a time, but no one seemed to grasp the
need of anything else. Finally the Guide said:
"What would happen in case of a heavy rain-storm?"
"Oh, we must dig a trench about the outside for rain!" cried Zan,
suddenly realising this important factor in camping.
"Yes, and a floor must be laid to keep us dry from the damp ground!"
added Jane.
"I had in mind the gutter for rainwater, but the floor is an important
detail, too. I have a second item that is as important as either of the
others, though," continued Miss Miller.