CAMPING BY THE BIG SPRING
"OH, Blue Bonnet, do hurry!" cried Debby as Blue Bonnet galloped into
camp. "It's the most wonderful place,--we can't wait for you to see
it."
Blue Bonnet slipped from the saddle and flung the reins to Miguel.
"Show me everything!" she cried; and then not waiting to be shown,
went from one tent to another in her usual whirlwind fashion.
"Our sleeping-tent," said Kitty; they were all trooping after the
late-comer, chattering busily and explaining the most obvious
arrangements. "That one's for you and the Señora; this one is the
dining-room--see the table and benches Alec and Knight made! The
kitchen is under that awning. Isn't that the darlingest stove?"
"And the little creek right handy!"
By the time she had completed her survey, Blue Bonnet was more
enthusiastic than any one else. How she loved camping out!
The spot the boys had chosen for them was a beautiful one. Under two
giant live-oaks whose branches interlaced overhead in a leafy canopy,
the sleeping-tents were pitched, between them stretching an awning
that formed both a dining-room and a lounging-place by day. The site
had been used as a camping-ground before and still retained many
conveniences installed by former campers; the underbrush had all been
cut away, and the ground packed hard and level. For the kitchen, a
canvas stretched between the camp-wagon and a convenient sycamore
served as sufficient protection from sun and arboreal insects. The
little sheet-iron stove, set up on a flat boulder, boasted an elbow in
its pipe that could be adjusted to suit the direction of the wind.
A thread of a creek, tumbling down the hillside, ran not ten yards
from the wagon, and at one point a tiny wooden trough had been
inserted, giving the effect of a spout where kettles could be quickly
filled. Alec and Knight had labored diligently to have all attractive
as well as convenient, and really deserved great praise for the
completeness of all details.
"Everything is perfect!" Blue Bonnet declared. "But we must have the
buckboard seats in the--er--living-room. Uncle Cliff sent all three so
that we could use them as easy chairs,--especially for Grandmo--why,
where is she?"
"Here, dear," Mrs. Clyde came up with a tin dipper in her hand. "I've
been having a drink,--such a drink, Blue Bonnet!" She held out the
dripping cup and Blue Bonnet drank from it thirstily.
As she finished she met the Señora's eyes over the brim. "Oh,
Grandmother, I ought to have done that--for you!" She shook her head.
"I wonder if I'll ever think in time?"
Mrs. Clyde smiled and pushed the hair back from the girl's hot brow.
"Where is Carita?"
"She rode on to tell her mother we had arrived. She'll be over later."
Blue Bonnet glanced around the group. Every one looked warm, dusty,
tired. And there was supper to get and beds to make! "What shall we do
first, Grandmother?" Her manner was not exactly eager.
"First, we must all wash and brush up, for we are invited out to
dinner!" Mrs. Clyde departed to suit the action to the words.
"Invited out--?" Blue Bonnet gazed at the girls incredulously.
"The boys of Camp Judson, represented by Knight, have invited us over
there--"
"And we didn't waste any time in accepting!"
"Wasn't it thoughtful of them?" Blue Bonnet beamed on every one. "Now
aren't you glad we brought the pinoche?"
"Let's go and dress," Debby urged.
"Dress?" echoed Blue Bonnet. "What are you going to wear--your pink
panne velvet or your yellow chiffon?"
"Why, Blue Bonnet," said Sarah, "you know we haven't any clothes with
us but these!"
Blue Bonnet groaned. "Then why is that worldly-minded Debby talking
about dressing for dinner?"
"I meant wash and comb our hair," Debby protested.
"Where's the wash-basin, Blue Bonnet? I saw you with it when we were
packing," said Sarah.
Blue Bonnet clapped a hand to her brow. "I think I put it in with the
frying-pan."
"Are you sure it isn't in the bread-box?" Kitty asked.
"I wouldn't be sure it isn't." Blue Bonnet began a hasty search in the
camp-wagon. Box after box was rummaged through, utensil after utensil
picked up hopefully, only to disappoint when brought to the surface.
"There's no help for it," declared Debby, "we'll have to go and wash
in the creek."
"Why, there may be campers below," said Sarah in a shocked tone, "and
they wouldn't like to--"
"You needn't draw a diagram, Sarah," interrupted Blue Bonnet. "A word
to the wise, you know. I'll polish off with cold cream." And she
vanished.
Sarah, armed with towel and soap emerged from her tent a few minutes
later and made her way through the willows to the creek. Blue Bonnet
spying her called tauntingly: "Campers below!"
"I'm only going to wet one corner," Sarah went on calmly.
"Which corner--northeast or southwest?"
"Of the towel, of course." Then a minute later she called, "Girls,
come quick!"
There was an immediate stampede to the creek.
"What is it--lions?" asked Amanda.
Sarah pointed without speaking. There, bending over an old tree-stump,
admirably fashioned for a wash-stand, was the Señora calmly washing
herself--in the basin.
"I found it here all ready for us," she explained. "And see--here's a
nail on this little tree ready for a mirror, and branches just made to
hang towels on."
"Alec and Knight haven't left a thing for me to see to," remarked Blue
Bonnet. "I'm going to stop worrying."
"Oh, you were worrying, were you?" asked Kitty. "We'll know the
symptoms next time."
The washing-up that ensued was very animated, if not thorough. Taking
turns at the basin the girls, wincing under the cold water, "polished
off" the top layer of dust; brushed ruffled locks and retied ribbons;
dabbed talcum on noses and straightened creased middies. They were
just putting on the finishing touches when the sound of cow-bells,
rung lustily and long, came from the direction of the other Camp.
"That must be the dinner-bell," said Blue Bonnet. "I hope they won't
expect us to have dainty appetites just because we're girls!"
A moment later Alec and Knight appeared to escort them in state.
Midway they were met by Mr. and Mrs. Judson,--the latter with two
small boys tugging at her skirts, and a third not far in the rear; a
state of things that was later found to be invariably the case
whenever Mrs. Judson ventured forth.
Blue Bonnet decided that she was going to like the whole Judson
family. She liked the Reverend Mr. Judson with his delicate face and
kind, nearsighted eyes. She liked him particularly because he looked
so unministerial in his soft shirt and blue overalls. She liked Mrs.
Judson, with her sweet, tired face looking out from a cavernous
sun-bonnet. Mrs. Clyde's discerning eye read in the patient worn face
a history of privation and self-denial; and surmised that the
enthusiasm of the missionary was paid for most dearly by this
uncomplaining partner.
It was to the tiniest toddler that Blue Bonnet was drawn most of all;
she adored babies, and this chubby two-year-old was irresistible. She
held out her arms to little Joe, but, to her surprise, he held off
shyly. He scanned the row of ingratiating faces slowly, and not until
his eyes rested on the kindly round countenance of Sarah did he show
any response.
"Pitty lady!" he cried, holding out his arms and making a charge at
her.
Sarah's face flushed pink with surprise and pleasure; and then with a
rush she gathered Joe in a close hug. She had not realized until then
how she had missed the little clinging arms at home.
"He spurns you, Blue Bonnet!" gasped Kitty.
"I reckon he can tell who has had experience with babies," Blue Bonnet
remarked. The glance she gave Sarah was almost envious. "Well, pitty
lady," she said at length, "you might leave a few kisses for somebody
else!"
But Joe was chary and clung tightly to the lady of his choice; while
the other girls secretly marvelled at any one's preferring Sarah to
Blue Bonnet.
Carita made up for her brother's lack of appreciation; running to meet
the girls, she drew Blue Bonnet's arm through her own and gave it an
affectionate squeeze every few minutes.
"I hope the other girls won't mind if I monopolize you a little bit,"
she whispered; "they've had you so long and I'm to have such a short
time."
This sort of incense no one could have been proof against; and Blue
Bonnet was presently glowing.
"Welcome to Camp Judson!" said Knight proudly, as they neared a second
grove of trees.
"Oh, how lovely!" Every one came to a standstill while they took in
the pretty scene.
A model camp was Camp Judson. On a high flat knoll to the right was a
long row of tiny white tents placed with military precision at regular
spaces from each other, and each surrounded by a narrow trench. Among
the trees gleamed other tents, and occasionally a gay quilt hung to
air. Under one huge oak was the dining-room with a red-white-and-blue
awning for a roof. Here were two long tables made of smooth boards
laid on barrels, with rude benches running their entire length. They
were guiltless of cloth and spread with tin dishes, for simplicity was
a law as well as a necessity in this Camp. But a rustic basket of
graceful ferns adorned one table, and the sun, hanging low in the sky,
threw a pattern of quivering light and shade on the bare boards.
The girls had rather dreaded having to meet a dozen boys all at once.
But they found the ordeal not half so bad as they had expected. The
youngest boys were already gathered about the smaller table awaiting
the signal to be seated; while the second table was reserved for the
Judsons and their guests. Standing beside it were three tall lads
wearing towels pinned about them for aprons.
"Smith, Brown and Jones--the three props of the world!" explained
Knight, with a wave of his hand; and the girls acknowledged the
introduction without knowing which was which. "Keep your eye on the
waiters, ladies and gentlemen," Knight continued, "and report all
incivilities to the management. There's a fine for every cup of cocoa
they spill down anybody's neck, and another for every spider they
don't see first!"
Everybody stood beside the benches for a moment while Dr. Judson said
a simple grace. Blue Bonnet noticed that even the smallest boy there
bent his head at once, without even so much as a nudge from his
neighbor. There was a second of absolute quiet after the pleasant
voice finished the short invocation; then a shoving of benches, a
rattle of dishes; and the meal progressed amid peals of laughter and
an incessant clucking as of chickens at feeding-time.
"Talk about chattering girls!" Blue Bonnet challenged Alec with an
amused glance. She found herself seated between him and Knight, an
arrangement that suited all three admirably; while Carita smiled at
her across the narrow table. Some of the older boys were beside Kitty,
Debby and Amanda, and all three girls seemed to be well entertained.
Sarah, with a small Judson on either side of her, was occupied chiefly
in alternately kissing and feeding the youthful pair. Steaming
_frijoles_ in a huge earthen bowl; bass from the Spring, fried with
slices of bacon; baked potatoes, cocoa and doughnuts formed the menu,
which the hearty appetites of all transformed into a banquet; and no
one felt compelled to refuse a second or third helping from motives of
politeness.
"Where's the Spring?" Blue Bonnet asked suddenly. "The only creek
I've seen is about as wide as my hand."
"Just a short walk from camp," Knight replied. "I'm saving that to
show you in the morning."
There fell a moment of silence.
"Did I hear you sigh?" Alec was looking at Blue Bonnet in
astonishment. She had never looked happier or prettier in her life;
sun and wind had painted a rose-blush on her cheeks; the blue eyes
were positively luminous. Yet he had distinctly heard her sigh.
She nodded. "I had to. I'm just too full for utterance--no, no!--I'll
take another doughnut! I didn't mean that literally. But I'm full of
content,--I'd like to purr."
Alec laughed. "It's the best fun I've ever had. I believe I must be
part Indian, and this is the only time I've ever been able to obey
'the call of the wild.' It makes me sorry for all the misguided folk
that spend all their lives in houses."
"Look at Grandmother," Blue Bonnet whispered. "Who would ever have
thought that a Colonial Dame would look so natural eating beans with a
tin spoon? I wish Uncle Cliff could have come, he's a born camper."
"Why didn't Mr. Terry come to dinner?" Knight asked.
"Uncle Joe!" Blue Bonnet's spoon dropped with a clatter. She hadn't
even thought of Uncle Joe! "Mrs. Judson," she stammered, "will you
please excuse me? I'll be right back." Hardly waiting for Mrs.
Judson's surprised "Certainly," she sprang lightly over the bench and
vanished through the trees.
The We are Sevens, used to Blue Bonnet's methods, went on
unconcernedly with their dessert; but the Judsons looked mildly
amazed.
Blue Bonnet found Uncle Joe smoking contentedly before a cosy gypsy
fire on which a coffee-pot was steaming. She burst upon him
breathlessly.
"Uncle Joe--I forgot,--you're invited out to dinner!"
He smiled at her over his pipe. "I ain't got a dinner-coat, Honey."
"But, Uncle Joe--it was horrid of me I know--"
"No uncomplimentary remarks, please," he interrupted; then seeing that
she was really distressed he went on seriously: "Don't you worry about
Uncle Joe, Blue Bonnet. He's used to looking out for Number One. I had
to help Miguel hobble the horses, and that's a job that won't wait for
any man. Now I've got tortillas and bacon and coffee, and I'm that
comfortable I wouldn't stir for a whole company of Texas Rangers!"
As she reluctantly departed Uncle Joe looked after the slim figure
with quiet delight. "Same old Blue Bonnet. Boston folks can't get any
high-toned notions into that little head!"
As Blue Bonnet slipped back into her place, she found an animated
discussion in progress.
"We're trying to decide on a name for our camp," Debby explained.
"We've run through Ashe, Clyde, Trent and the rest, but they're
too--exclusive," said Kitty. "We want one that will include
everybody."
"Why not 'Camp We are Seven?'" asked Knight.
"Too clumsy," declared Blue Bonnet.
"Use initials then," urged Knight.
"Camp W. A. S.--sounds rather like a has-been," remarked the
bright-faced boy beside Kitty.
Blue Bonnet flashed him an appreciative smile. "That would never do
for a crowd as--ahem--up-to-date as we try to be!"
"Let's have something beautiful," said Kitty.
"And romantic," added Debby.
"If you want something typical of this country," Dr. Judson spoke up,
"--there's an expressive phrase often used hereabouts. Those of you
who know the habits of the 'greasers' don't need to be told why their
country is called the 'land of _poco tiempo_.' It means literally
'little time'--but with the Mexicans it usually means 'after a while'
or even 'by and by.' 'Always put off till to-morrow what should be
done to-day' is their version of our old motto."
"That just suits me!" cried Blue Bonnet.
"I love Spanish names," exclaimed Kitty.
_Poco Tiempo_ the camp was straightway christened; and, as they later
proved, its inmates had no difficulty in living up to the name.