finished and presented a very artistic addition to the room. But it
became so much smaller as it rose higher, that at the top it was only
large enough for a tiny opening for the escape of smoke. Unfortunately,
this caused the fireplace to smoke dreadfully when a fire was started,
but once the bed of embers was well started, an additional bit of wood
judiciously used did not cause every one to choke and run from the room.
In one of the hikes, the scouts had found a wild grapevine, but it had
been severed from the root, and hung from the tree-trunk without leaves
or fruit. It was more than an inch thick, so Mrs. Vernon had the girls
carefully cut it down and carry it back to camp.
"The graceful curves of this twisted vine will make the prettiest chair
imaginable, with back, arms and legs entwined, and holding up the seat
of boards. Smaller bits of the gnarled vine will make flower-brackets,
rustic hanging-baskets, and also a cord by which to suspend the
signboard of Dandelion Camp," remarked the Captain.
"If we only had a Turkish rug for the floor, our hut would look
wonderful!" sighed Joan, admiring the latest additions.
"Why cry for the moon when you can have the sun?" laughed Mrs. Vernon.
"What do you mean? Did you bring a rug?" asked Joan, quickly.
"Oh, we forgot that crex mat, didn't we? Do you suppose it is still down
in the bushes?" asked Betty, anxiously.
"I quite forgot it myself, girls. But that was not what I meant just
now. The moment Joan mentioned a rug, I thought of something I read
about in the Handbook. We ought to weave a mat of grass or willows for
that palace."
"If we only could! It would be so in keeping," said Betty, softly, that
her voice would not interrupt the others who were loudly acclaiming this
idea from the Captain.
"I wish to goodness Sunday were a week away so we could finish up all
the fine plans we have started," sighed Ruth.
"Well, Ruth, only _our_ folks are coming out this Sunday, you know, and
we needn't mind them much. If it wasn't that we needed 'Liza's cake and
bread and other things, we could have postponed the call for a week,"
said Betty, condolingly.
As usual, Betty's candor made them laugh, and Mrs. Vernon said: "Yes, I
fear our invitation had an awfully big string to it this week."
CHAPTER TEN
A FOURTH OF JULY OUTING
Saturday night the scouts and Mrs. Vernon planned the dinner for the
next day.
"We'll use some of those onions, and cut potatoes into dice to add to
them; then I'll take a small can of tomatoes, some rice and a bit of
bacon, and make a good chowder of the whole. If we only had a few of the
little fish Joan caught the other day, they would give it a fine
flavor," suggested the Captain.
"You said we might open a jar of our strawberry preserve, Verny,"
reminded Julie.
"Yes, but not for a course; it is too precious for anything but
dessert."
"After the chowder, what can we have?" asked Ruth.
"We'll boil that artichoke root we dug up this morning. When that is
seasoned it tastes just like salsify. If Eliza doesn't bring any meat,
we can run along the mountain-path and cut one of the beefsteak
mushrooms I showed you yesterday. I doubt if your folks will be able to
tell the difference between it and a tenderloin steak," the Captain
said, chuckling.
"My, won't they be surprised when they see all we have learned in two
weeks!" exclaimed Betty, proudly.
"I hope it doesn't rain to-morrow," ventured Julie.
"Yes, 'cause we've got to have Eliza's supplies!" added her twin sister.
"Can you think of anything else that's novel, Verny, for dinner?" asked
Joan.
"We can cut enough dandelion leaves in the morning to have a salad";
Mrs. Vernon glanced doubtfully at Ruth as she spoke.
Ruth caught the look and laughed: "Are you afraid I am going to boil
over because you mentioned dandelions?"
"Well, I didn't know how you might take it?"
"I'll confess; I'd just as soon call the camp 'dandelion' as anything
else, for now I appreciate what that digging did for us."
"I'm so glad, Ruthy; now I can paint that sign. Do you know girls why I
refused to hang out the sign you wanted? It was because we were not
unanimous in the selection of a name. As Ruth's objection is removed I
will have the sign ready for next Sunday when the Allisons and Bentleys
visit us."
"Did you save that fine ash board you selected the very first day we
came here?" asked Ruth.
"Yes, and to-morrow I'll show it to you--ready to burn."
"Burn?" came from four girls.
"Yes; I am going to etch the name 'Dandelion Camp' in the wood with a
red-hot poker, and sketch the dandelions about the name in pyrography,
also. Then we can tint the flowers and leaves. You haven't any idea how
soft and beautiful the burnt tones blend with yellow and green paints."
"It sounds fascinating--I wish I could do it," said Joan.
"You each may practice and when you can handle the iron well enough, you
might try to do little things like book-ends or wall-brackets."
"We got as far on the bill-of-fare as dandelion salad, Verny, and then
switched off on something new--as usual," laughed Julie.
"That was the end of my menu, as far as I could provide any," returned
the Captain.
Sunday morning it was decided to go for the beefsteak mushrooms and cook
them for dinner, even if Eliza brought meat. In that case, they would
keep the meat for dinners the following days and give the visitors a
treat by having tenderloin steak (?).
Ruth proved her statement that she had outgrown her dislike of
dandelions by offering to cut enough plants for the salad. When she
returned to camp she had a fine mess of young leaves, and after washing
them clean, left them in cold water until wanted.
Joan and Julie had offered to get up early and go for berries. Mrs.
Vernon was dubious about berry-picking being in order for scouts on
Sunday, when there was enough dessert already on hand.
"But why not? It is wholesome study of nature's own fruit, you know,"
argued Joan.
"Verny, we really must have a dessert for those who do not like
preserves, you know. Otherwise father will eat the whole jar of our
strawberry preserves," added Julie.
So the two girls prevailed over the Captain's mild scruples and hurried
down the road to the strawberry field. Before the Lee family arrived,
everything was done and ready for their reception.
Eliza, as anticipated, had smuggled a host of good things into the
surrey, and when Mr. Lee and May were listening to all that the scouts
had accomplished during the week, she transferred the larder hidden in
the harness box of the surrey to the camp-larder in the old hut.
As they sat down to dinner, John began showing symptoms of disapproval
of his soup (chowder, the scouts called it), and carefully placed his
dish upon the rock before him.
"The chowder smells delicious, girls," said May, as the aroma rose to
her nose.
"It's just as good as it smells, too," said Julie.
"Is every one served now, Jule?" called Joan, who was waitress for the
day.
"Yes, and all anxious to begin--hurry and sit down," Julie replied.
Joan took her plate and sat down nearest the board from which she had to
serve the dinner. John waited smiling knowingly as he sat and watched
the others.
Mr. Lee was the first to take a spoonful of chowder. He frowned for a
moment, then took a second taste. His mouth puckered and he looked
questioningly at Eliza as if to ask her what was wrong with it.
May had already taken her spoonful and immediately cried: "For goodness
sake! Who cooked this chowder?"
"Verny--why?" hastily asked the girls.
"Why? Well just taste it!"
Every one had had a good mouthful by this time and every one looked at
the Captain reproachfully.
"Really! I'm sure I didn't salt this chowder as heavily as this! I
tasted it just before you arrived and it was delicious," exclaimed Mrs.
Vernon in self-justification.
Joan now looked dreadfully concerned. She tasted the soup and then made
a wry face. But she was not going to have any one falsely accused, so
she spoke up:
"Verny, you know when you told me to salt something-or-other, I thought
you meant chowder; so I put in as much as I felt it needed. Maybe I
misunderstood you."
"Oh, Joan! I called to you and said _not_ to salt the chowder because I
saw you seasoning everything you could find!"
Joan looked so woe-begone that every one laughed, and Betty said
regretfully: "It's too bad, Joan, 'cause the chowder was cheap so it was
to be the filler, you know. Now we won't have enough dinner without
eating our preserves."
That made every one scream with merriment, and the salty soup was passed
by without further reproach. While waiting for the steaks (?) John
cleared his throat as a signal, and said:
"You won't see _me_ here again this summer."
"Why not?" queried his sisters.
"'Cause I'm going to camp on Wednesday--Daddy fixed it with the Master at
our gym."
"Going to wash dishes?" teased Julie, winking at Eliza.
"Nope! But I'm going to keep the grounds clean. I have to pick up papers
and see that nothing is littered around. Every time I leave trash about,
I get fined, so I'll have to be awake."
"What splendid practice that will be for you, Johnny. When you come back
home, you ought to have the habit so strong that Eliza won't have to run
after you at every step," declared Julie.
"I know John will make a fine scout for that work," added Betty.
Being a regular boy, John wouldn't thank Betty for her kind words but he
mentally decided that she was a bear!
The beefsteak mushrooms were a great success and no one could tell what
they were eating. Boiled potatoes, artichokes, dandelion salad with
Eliza's French dressing, and a gravy of browned flour, made a fine
dinner to go with the steak. Then followed the berries and generous
slices of fresh layer cake brought from home. When dinner was over, John
frowned and said: "Is this all we get?"
"All! my goodness, isn't it enough?" demanded Julie.
"Not for Sunday's dinner. I bet we'll have a regular feast at _our_
camp, all right!"
"You couldn't have such cake if you baked for ages!" retorted Julie.
"Cake--pooh! Fellers don't want cake. We want man's dinners," bragged the
boy.
"I noticed you ate every crumb, just the same!"
"That's 'cause I am hungry and had to."
"Seein' es how yuh despise my cake, I'll see you don't have to eat none
of it whiles you are at camp," said Eliza, at this point of the
altercation between brother and sister.
John gasped, for he had already boasted to his boy-chums who were going
to camp with him that _he_ could have cakes and lots of goodies sent to
him every week!
That afternoon the visitors were escorted about the woods; every
beautiful nook and dell was duly admired, and when it came time for
good-bys both sides felt that they had had a fine visit.
"We'll look forward to coming again _when_ it is our turn," observed Mr.
Lee, as he climbed into the surrey.
"We'll be looking as anxiously for you as you will for us," Betty
replied.
May grinned, for she understood why they would be welcomed. But Ruth
said hurriedly: "S-sh! My mother's coming next and she won't let your
family outdo her in bringing goodies. May, do tell her all you brought
to-day."
Every one laughed at that frank confidence, and the Lees drove away
feeling happy and proud of the way their girls were improving under the
scout life.
As they trudged back up the hill, Joan said: "Is any one expected for
the Fourth?"
"Not that I know of--I forgot the Fourth comes this week," Mrs. Vernon
replied.
"What can we do, Verny? We haven't any fire-works," said Betty.
"We'll have to think out a suitable plan with which to celebrate the
National Birthday."
That evening about the camp-fire, it was discussed and finally voted
upon to go for a long outing on the Fourth.
"But where? We don't want to go down into civilization, you know," said
Ruth.
"Can't we pack up a dinner and go away off somewhere?" suggested Joan.
"We can drive Hepsy and ride in the buckboard," added Julie.
"Hepsy hasn't had much exercise lately, and she's getting too lazy; it
will do her good to thin down somewhat," laughingly said Mrs. Vernon.
"Verny, did you ever hear of Bluebeard's Cave, 'way back on this
mountain?" asked Julie, glancing slyly at her companions.
"I have, but how did you hear of it?"
"Now you've got to tell her!" exclaimed Betty, while Joan and Ruth tried
to hush her.
"What does this mean--what is there to tell, scouts?" asked Mrs. Vernon,
seriously.
"Oh, it isn't anything--much. Only a little joke we had on you a long
time ago," began Joan, stammeringly.
"Better tell me all about it and end it," advised Mrs. Vernon, not a
little surprised, for she wondered if the girls had ever tried to find
the cave, which she knew to be dangerous without a grown person or a
lantern to guide them.
"Do you remember the day we built the roof on the hut?" asked Julie,
giggling.
"Yes, it was the neatest work you ever did--before or since."
"But we didn't do it!" exclaimed Ruth, also giggling.
"You didn't! Then who did!" gasped the Captain, amazed.
The girls laughed merrily. This was just the sort of a surprise they had
looked for. They never thought of the danger in the cave that had
worried the Captain, so there was no reason why they should not laugh
and enjoy the joke.
Mrs. Vernon saw immediately that there was no ground for her fear, so
she managed to laugh too. "What is the joke, girls?"
"You had no sooner gone, that day, when a young woodsman came across the
plateau. He lives way back on the last crest," began Joan, eagerly, but
Julie interpolated with: "In winter he traps fur-bearing animals and
sells the pelts. He was out hunting that day. He had a gun in his hands
and a loaded revolver in his belt."
"He asked us if we weren't afraid to camp here alone," added Betty.
"And we laughed at him. We told him you were always with us, so we were
not alone."
"He then said, we ought to have a big dog to keep away tramps, but we
said he was the first stranger we ever saw about. Then we showed him our
hut and the roof we had to make. But he laughed."
"Yes, he laughed, because he said we were doing it wrong. Then he leaned
the gun against a tree and showed us how to roof the place properly,"
said Ruth.
"He told us always to place a gun with the barrel aiming up or down.
Never to lean it sideways or lay it on the ground. He told us how many
hunters are accidentally killed through carelessness in handling their
firearms," explained Betty.
"He said he wanted to see you and tell you something, so he waited
around, but finally he had to go. We made each other promise not to tell
you that day as we wanted you to think we did the fine roof," concluded
Julie, laughing merrily.
"Do you know what he wanted to see me for?" asked Mrs. Vernon, finding
an entirely different cause for concern, since she heard this story.
"Nothing, I guess, unless he wanted to get orders for a fur coat next
winter," said Joan, smiling as if to invite a laugh at her wit.
"Oh, no, Joan. He didn't look like that at all," said Betty,
reprovingly.
"I think he wanted to tell Verny where there might be dangerous places
in the mountains, 'cause he warned us not to stray away alone at any
time; but we don't need him for that, 'cause we don't wander off, like
he does," added Julie.
"And he told you about Bluebeard's Cave, eh? What did he say about it?"
"We asked him if there were any wonderful places in this mountain that
we could visit some day. He told us of a place known as 'Bluebeard's
Cave' that was about twelve miles away, but he said we ought to make a
day's trip of it, 'cause it was so fine," explained Joan.
"We'll consider going there some day, but I do wish this young man had
waited to talk with me," murmured the Captain.
The days preceding the Fourth, the scouts completed a rustic book-shelf,
several original ornaments such as no one could possibly name, and
having woven a small grass rug, they felt that the hut was better than
any king's castle.
The morning of the Fourth was cloudless and the scouts were up earlier
than usual. It had been decided upon, before going to bed the night
before, that the trip to Bluebeard's Cave would be an interesting outing
if the party got away in time to have a full day for the outing.
Hepsy was feeling most frisky because she had had so little exercise the
past week; two of the girls led her to the buckboard and hitched her
securely, while the other two slid the adjustable rear seat into the
grooves meant for it along the sides of the vehicle. As they did so,
Joan noticed the edge of one groove seemed splintered.
Mrs. Vernon and the scouts had packed the hamper with a good luncheon,
and now the Captain placed the basket in front of the three girls who
took possession of the back seat. The other scout sat on the front seat
beside the driver.
Hepsy jogged along at her own sweet will, and all the chirruping and
switching of the reins failed to bring forth one added bit of speed.
"I think Hepsy's awful mean to go so slow! We'll _never_ get there at
this rate," complained Ruth.
"And after the royal way we have treated her, too! Why, one'd think the
old nag was tired to death!" added Joan.
"I wish we had tied a feed bag to her nose--then she'd show some speed,"
laughed Julie.
"Maybe the climb is too steep for her. I know I wouldn't want to pull
five folks and a wagon up this grade," said Betty.
"Oh, pshaw! If Hepsy thinks this is steep what will she do when we come
to the last mountain climb," asked Mrs. Vernon, exasperated with urging
the horse onwards.
Julie laughed as she said, "She'll let the buckboard run backwards on
that hill."
"Serve her right if we pull her over on her haunches and drag her down
with us," added Joan.
With such complaints and banter, the scouts reached a steep ascent.
Hepsy brought the party to the foot of the hill and then stopped. All
the urging and switching failed to make her move a foot.
"Girls, you'll have to get out and walk up--Hepsy used to play this trick
on us long ago, but she has forgotten it during the last few years; or
perhaps, she hadn't the occasion to use it until to-day," laughed Mrs.
Vernon.
The scouts joined in the laugh, but jumped out to see if Hepsy would
start. The wise old horse turned her head, and finding several of her
passengers were out of the buckboard, continued on up the grade.
When they came to the level again, the horse would stop long enough to
allow the passengers to get back on the seat. But they had to jump out
again when Hepsy reached the next grade.
This amused the scouts tremendously; they laughed and enjoyed the way
the wise old animal balked about pulling them up the hills. But Mrs.
Vernon had an idea.
"Girls, the next grade we come to, you three jump out and wait for Hepsy
to start on her way, then instantly climb up on the tailboard and sit
there. We'll see if she minds the extra weight, or if she is just
whimsical."
So Hepsy halted as usual when she came to the next grade and the scouts
did as the Captain suggested. They sat on the back of the buckboard
floor, swinging their feet and laughing wildly at the way the horse
jogged on up the hill, believing that they were walking.
Having reached the top, Hepsy waited, as was her custom, for the girls
to climb in, but they merely crept over the back of the seat and then
shouted: "Gid'dap!"
Perhaps it was this pulling and scrambling that moved the seat from the
splintered groove, or perhaps it had not been securely slid into place
when the two girls adjusted it. No one knew it had worked its way out of
the slot and now was merely sitting on top of the side-rails; but the
combined weight of the three girls held it firmly while the buckboard
ran over level ground.
So elated were the scouts over the success of their hoax that they
determined to repeat the trick at the next ascent. They sang and shouted
with exuberant spirits, so that Mrs. Vernon had to hold her ears with
both hands, while Betty drove.
But Hepsy became annoyed at such unseemly hilarity, and switched her
tail impatiently several times. Still the scouts kept on laughing and
shouting, so Hepsy expressed her irritation in starting to run.
The added speed only made the scouts laugh and shout louder, and Hepsy
ran faster. As this was exactly what they all had wanted for an hour
past, the girlish voices rang merrily over the hills and came back in
mad echoes.
Now Hepsy determined she would not stand for such nonsense, but there
was the steepest ascent of all just ahead. It was the last, but longest,
on the mountainside.
Hepsy's run turned into a gallop that rocked the vehicle from side to
side, so that Betty could not control the animal. Mrs. Vernon hastily
took the reins and tried to soothe the horse, but it seemed as if Hepsy
said: "No, you laughed at the way I was fooled, so now I will have my
turn!"
The three girls on the rear seat had to cling to each other to avoid
being rolled out of the buckboard; still they never dreamed that much of
the swaying was due to the seat being free from the clutch of the
grooves.
Just ahead, Mrs. Vernon saw a huge flat bowlder which would prove an
awful jolt unless Hepsy could be guided so as to avoid it. The Captain
tugged with all her strength on the left rein, but the stubborn horse
kept straight on.
Suddenly the front wheel struck the rock and the vehicle went up on one
side and down on the other. With the mighty lurch, the seat toppled
over, and the three occupants were shot into the bushes and grass
growing beside the woodland path. The hamper rolled off afterward and
stood upside down in the road.
Once over the obstacle, however, the buckboard righted itself again, and
Hepsy kept galloping on as if her life depended upon it. All the
shouting and yanking at the reins, that the Captain was capable of, had
no effect on the animal.
She climbed the ascent in a galloping pace, and never stopped until the
pathway ended in front of the Cave. Then she stood heaving and breathing
as if every gasp would be her last.
Mrs. Vernon and Betty jumped and looked with fear and trembling at what
had happened to the three scouts so unceremoniously tipped into the
woods.
At the foot of the steep climb, the three girls were seen struggling to
carry the hamper up to the Cave. But they were laughing so they could
not lift the heavy basket.
The Captain made a megaphone of her hands and shouted: "Never mind!
Leave the hamper. We can have dinner down there."
Thankfully then, the scouts placed the hamper in the ferns beside the
road, and climbed up to the height where the others stood.
"I never saw such an old fraud in my life!" exclaimed Mrs. Vernon, when
the girls came within hearing of her voice.
"Are you all right, girls?" asked Betty, anxiously.
"Yes, but weak from laughing," shouted Joan.
"Oh, if I ever get a chance to pay Hepsy back!" threatened Ruth,
angrily.
"Verny? I'd give my hat if we could only have had a movie taken of this
whole episode," added Julie, still giggling.
"I shall never accuse Hepsy of being a silly beast again," said Mrs.
Vernon, once she was satisfied there were no bruises or other injuries
to the girls.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
IN BLUEBEARD'S CAVE
The buckboard was drawn out of the path and left beside the cave; then
Hepsy was unhitched and tethered to a tree with enough rope to allow her
to graze. But she kept turning her head to look quizzically at the
scouts, as much as to say:
"Huh! you thought you had played a trick on me, but I managed to turn
the tables, after all!"
"Verny, Hepsy's got a wicked gleam in her eyes, just as if she dumped us
out on purpose," laughed Julie, slapping the horse on the shoulder.
Mrs. Vernon was too busy unpacking a pasteboard box to reply, so the
scouts stood about her asking questions about the package.
"I brought a number of thick candles and a box of matches. Each one of
you girls must carry a candle, while I go first and carry the electric
flashlight," explained Mrs. Vernon.
"How exciting!" cried Joan, trying to light her candle.
"Just like explorers in an unknown jungle," added Julie.
"Caves, I should say, Jule," corrected Ruth, laughingly.
"Well, are we all ready?" now asked the Captain, seeing that each scout
had the candle lighted.
"All ready for the great adventure," laughed Julie.
In the first lap of the exploration nothing unusual occurred as the
footpath ran over smooth stone and sand, while the vaulted ceiling and
sidewalls were far enough away to make the cave seem really larger than
it was.
"It doesn't make one feel very spooky," said Ruth.