comfortably carried, and followed in the footsteps of the teacher, who
was at least twenty feet in advance.
At the Bluff, the heavy luggage was dropped with sighs of relief. Miss
Miller left the girls to either think or go back for the rest of the
canvas and cots.
"I am going down to Bill's for the stuff that came out by express a
few days ago. The cases are down in the Sherwood's barn. Bill offered
to open them and help me take the stuff out. While you girls see that
the other things are moved over here I will attend to moving up the new
things." With this the teacher started down the slope.
"Hey! Miss Miller, won't you tell us the secret in moving without
moving?" laughed Zan, catching hold of the teacher's short skirt as she
passed.
"I find that a child that depends upon the mother to help it out of
difficulties never advances like the one who has to work his own
problems. I believe that one reason our city newsboys are so clever is
just because they must depend upon their own wits. It puts a sharp edge
on wits--using them for oneself."
As soon as the teacher had disappeared about the corner of Sherwood's
cottage, Zan suggested a plot to trap her. The other girls laughed
merrily and jumped up to follow Zan into the woods.
The boxes and bales at Bill's barn were soon unpacked and Bill stood up
wiping his brow with a red bandanna. He took a calculating glance at
the steep slope and remarked, "Some haul!"
"Oh, not for a strong plough-horse that has been idle for two days!"
replied Miss Miller, innocently.
Bill flushed and his eyes shot fire as he said, "Meanin' jus' what,
ma'am?"
"Why, you told me how Nancy ate her head off since the family were not
coming down and no extra work could be found for the horse to do. I
thought she could drag these things up to the Bluff for us," replied
Miss Miller, finding it hard to control a strong inclination to laugh.
The farmer's face underwent a sudden change as he smiled broadly and
replied, "Oh, ya'as-sam! Of course! Nancy is a powerful beast!"
The two went to the barn to request Nancy to come forth and take her
part in the day's work, when Miss Miller spied a queer steel-barred
frame lying on a rubbish heap by the side of the barn-yard fence. It
looked like a skeleton of a huge cradle without rockers.
"Bill, what is that strange thing over there?"
"That? Oh, that's a section of an old harvestin' machine we hain't used
fur years! They've got better ones nowadays. That one is on'y good t'
sell fur junk!" explained Bill.
"Then we can have it now, can't we? Have you a piece of strong rope?"
"Sure! but I don't see what yuh want with this ole cradle," mused Bill.
"You'll see!" said Miss Miller, as she tied one end of the rope
securely to the steel cradle and hitched the rope to Nancy's harness.
The cradle was dragged across the grass to the pile of articles
awaiting transportation. The cradle was soon filled and Nancy started
up the slope. At the Bluff the goods were deposited and Bill sent back
with Nancy for the rest.
Miss Miller stood sorting out the various things when a loud laugh
sounded from the trunks of some nearby trees.
"Ah-ha! We caught you shirking work!" called the girls as they ran out
and surrounded the teacher.
"Oh, no you haven't! You merely saw the effect of some common sense
thought!" retorted Miss Miller.
"Hum! So that is what you meant when you wanted us to think of an
ordinary way to move?" laughed Zan.
Miss Miller nodded while the others stood about with nothing to say.
When Bill came up with the second load he smiled at Zan as he remarked,
"Miss Miller is some conniver, eh? But I rickon she ain't strong on th'
house-work idees. Ef she was, she'd be a powerful help to my ole lady
who gits laid up regerlar ever winter with stiff jints, so thet mos'
th' house-work comes on me."
"Bill, maybe I can show you both some things this summer that will not
only make living a joy but keep stiff joints out of your experience
entirely," replied the teacher.
"Say, ef you kin do that! The doctor tried en failed wid his medicine,
an' him's a smart doctor, too!"
Zan laughed appreciatively at the comparison and turned to Miss Miller.
"Now, you have to show Bill or lose your reputation as a 'conniver.'"
"There goes Nancy--down the slope toward her feed-bag! If you girls
want to take advantage of my patent moving-machine, you'd better run
after and catch her!" laughed Miss Miller.
This put an end to health discussions at the time, and the girls raced
after the horse before she could get too far away from them. It was a
simple matter to haul the outfit from the barn to the Bluff, and Zan
plumed herself upon the idea that made them hide behind the trees to
watch the teacher and discover her plan to move the baggage to the
Bluff.
All assembled about the heap of baggage on the Bluff, Miss Miller
suggested that each one select a spot for her tent and start erecting
it.
"Why, the Bluff here is the very spot!" said Nita.
"Couldn't be better!" added Elena.
"It has a lovely view, hasn't it?" said Hilda.
"I don't see how it is practical!" objected Miss Miller.
"Why, do you know of a lovelier place?" asked Jane.
"Oh, no. The _beauty_ goes without saying."
Zan pondered the accent on the word "beauty" and the way the teacher
spoke of practical. She waited for further developments.
"Well, then, girls, let's shove these bundles off of the Bluff and
drive our stakes!" ordered Nita, taking for granted that every one
would do as she said.
"If you have no objections, I think I will pitch _my_ tent over by the
edge of the forest trees," ventured Miss Miller.
"Of course you can camp where you like, but I don't see why you'd go
way back there when this wonderful view can be had as we lay in bed and
watch the sun rise!" remonstrated Nita.
"Guess we won't spend much time in bed watching the sun rise, and the
view is just as fine out of the tent as in it," replied Miss Miller, as
she picked up her canvas and ropes and started for the grassy ground
near the trees.
The girls began with mallets and pegs, but the stakes would not
go down. The moss was only an inch thick and scarcely any soil lay
underneath in which to hold the pegs. Here and there a crevice in the
rock would permit a stake to enter a bit and snap it off short. The
girls grew hot and angry at the futile work but Miss Miller seemed to
be very successful in pitching her tent.
The girls stood and watched for some time, as she drove some stakes
in the earth quite easily, then fastened some ropes from one tree to
another to give extra security in case of a blow.
A few smaller twigs and saplings had been cleared out of her way,
leaving a delightful shady spot where the tent stood. Zan swallowed her
pride and went over to look at the completed work.
"The view isn't so very much when you come to think of the fact that we
won't be in our tents very much!" ventured Zan.
"I don't expect to use mine except for sleeping, and one can't see the
view in the dark," returned the Guide.
"Miss Miller, did you know we'd have hard work trying to drive pegs in
the Bluff when you stood there waiting for us to _think_?" asked Zan,
smilingly.
"Yes, dear, and I would have liked to save you the work, but that isn't
helping you. Charity never helps, it hinders."
Zan ran back to tell her companions, but found them all in a
quarrelling mood because they had been so unsuccessful in accomplishing
their own intentions. Nita was saying disagreeable things to the
others, and Jane had just told Nita what a little cat she was. Hilda
had rolled over in the freshly pulled moss, her face buried in its
cooling green. Elena sat pouting on the edge of the Bluff swinging a
mallet back and forward, threatening to strike Nita's angry face every
time it swung back.
"Girls, we're a lot of idiots! Miss Miller is the only one with sense.
Go over and look at that tent, then come back with sugary smiles and
drag these tents over next to hers. I have just learned to parse the
word beauty as she pronounced it when she said, the _beauty_ of the
Bluff went without any contradiction. In parsing, I find that beauty
is not always the desirable object! It's well enough in its way, but
for driving stakes to hold down canvas tents, give me a good old solid
chunk of ground!" said Zan, decidedly.
"Well, anyway, I'm not going to hide myself way back as far as she is.
We can find plenty of ground nearer the Bluff and not feel cooped up by
the trees," ventured Nita, as the other girls followed Zan's example
and carried their paraphernalia over to the trees.
Thus it happened that Nita's tent stood first from the Bluff, a few
feet to the side of the trees. Hilda and Elena chose a site a few feet
back from Nita's and near enough to a tree to utilise its trunk for the
ropes. The third smaller tent was quite close to Miss Miller's but not
as far back as hers.
"The stakes do not go down as deep as I think they should, girls, but
you can change them this afternoon if you decide to move back where my
tent is. As they stand now, a strong wind may tear them down."
"Oh, they'll hold all right! What's the next thing to do?" said Jane,
who was tired of bothering with tents.
Miss Miller looked at her watch. "It's only ten o'clock and you girls
have been up since five. Maybe you'd like to walk to the house for a
piece-meal?"
"Would we? Well, I just guess there'll be no dissenting voice on that
proposition!" laughed Hilda.
"I must confess, my appetite says it must be nearly supper time," added
Jane.
Without further ado, the Clan started for the house to pacify a gnawing
that interfered with work or play. On the steps of the front porch, a
veritable feast was soon enjoyed. Although it consisted of bread and
jam sandwiches, with water as a stimulant, never did the five girls
taste anything so delicious. When all the delectable bread and crumbs
disappeared, sighs came from five hearts.
"Dear, why is it that good things never last half long enough!"
wondered Zan, aloud.
While the others laughed, Miss Miller arose from the floor where she
had been sitting, and walked out to the grass at the side of the house.
"What do you see, Miss Miller?" called Elena.
"I thought we might have a little visit in the garden. We will like
some edibles at camp to-night, and the garden is so near, we may as
well see what we can find."
The girls eagerly assented to the plan and were soon on the path
leading to the garden, pails and baskets swinging as they went. They
were passing a patch of early potatoes when the Guide called their
attention to the humble vegetable.
"Doesn't any one here eat potatoes?"
"Of course we do, but we can get them on our way back," replied Hilda.
"How many of you know whether a potato is a root, fruit, or stem?"
asked Miss Miller, as she stood near a healthy plant.
"Wh-y, it's a fruit, isn't it?" replied Jane.
"No, it's a root," added Zan.
"'Tis neither," said Miss Miller. "A potato is a swollen stem that
sends up shoots above ground to bear leaves. I will show you," and the
teacher dug up a small potato.
"As the potato grows these small eyes form deeper folds. It looks for
all the world like an eye with a heavy lid over it. If we want to use
this potato the next year for planting, it is left in the cellar until
time to cut. In early spring these eyes send out tubers, and every
tuber will make a new vine when planted. Sometimes one large potato
will make several good vines.
"The old potato furnishes starch for the new growth to feed upon and
before the young potatoes form under ground the old one is dried up by
the use of its starch. The green leaves send down nourishment in turn
for the young potatoes at the end of the stem, until they have attained
their growth in the Fall.
"Potatoes used to be grown from seed that formed in the small pod
left when the blossoms fell off. But growing potatoes from tubers of
old ones was so much quicker, and saved so much labour, that a crisis
has been reached in the present day. The potatoes are now unable to
produce seed! No seed is to be had for general use. Last year an offer
of several hundred dollars was made for a thimble-full of potato seed,
and do you know, girls, that not a farmer in the United States could
procure enough potato seed to win that prize offer!"
"Why, my goodness! What will we do?" said Zan.
"We'll have to retrace our steps and find a way to accomplish progress
without so important a loss. No one has ever given a thought what to
do in case of a potato famine, for the homely vegetable has always
been so abundant. But its very value is depreciating slowly, for very
few potatoes will keep long, and almost all potatoes have great black
spots in the centre, while many of them have 'dry rot.' This is due
to the manner in which they are grown to-day. Each crop depletes the
nourishing qualities of the new one, and finally they will no longer
flourish."
"Add to this the pest of potato bugs and it looks as if potatoes were
doomed, doesn't it?" added Zan.
"Bugs? Why, Zan, do potatoes have bugs?" cried the girls.
"The vines do! Potato bugs look a great deal like a lady-bug only I
think they are prettier," replied Zan.
"But they are not as harmless as the lady-bug," added Miss Miller. "A
potato bug will soon destroy a vine if it is left to feed unmolested."
"What can one do to them?" asked Jane, curiously.
"Dad pays the boys and me a cent a dozen to carry a small tin can under
each vine and, with a stick, push them off of the potato vine into the
can with some kerosene in it," said Zan.
"Ugh! How can you! I think that is horrid!" exclaimed Elena, her
artistic soul in arms against such a method.
"This summer Bill will have to spray hellebore on the vines, or use
Paris Green to kill the bugs, for I don't want to spend time that way
any more," said Zan, laughing at Elena's expression.
Miss Miller smiled, too, as they continued through the garden and came
to the grape arbour. She gave them a short talk on the habits and
qualities of various grapes and how to distinguish the grape-vine-leaf
of the different varieties.
"Miss Miller, I spy a few cherries left for us by the robins. I will
climb the tree and pick them while you tell the girls about the fruit,"
offered Zan, taking her basket and soon, up among the branches,
throwing down cherries for the Band.
"If we had been a few weeks sooner we should have seen the blossoms
fall off and leave small cups where they have been. This cup dries up
and finally bursts. Inside it, the tiny green cherry has been forming.
This now grows and with the aid of sun and rain, becomes this size,
but it is still green; when it is full-grown it turns a pale yellow,
then pink, and lastly a crimson like this one. At that time, the fruit
is ripe for picking, or the robins will get them before you know it!
Robins are very fond of ripe cherries."
Zan had gathered all within reach and slid down the tree with her
basket. "Hardly worth the bother--there are so few," said she, shaking
them in the bottom of the basket.
"But they are fine and sweet!" remarked Jane, smacking her lips over
one.
"Oh, look quick! See the rabbit over there in that green patch!" cried
Elena, eagerly.
"Yes, it's one of the bunnies I told you of. He knows where the carrot
and cabbage patches are. He's digging for a carrot now. Let's go over
very softly and watch him," said Zan.
But the rabbit was too timid to remain at dinner with a number of noisy
girls watching nearby, and he soon disappeared.
Hilda pulled out the young carrot the bunny had partly dug out and
asked Miss Miller about it.
"The carrot is a root vegetable that is at first a tiny thin string
that grows down into the dark earth. As the leaves grow the root grows
too, and in the fall when the leaves dry and die, the root remains
until it is dug out for use. If it is not used it remains in the ground
until spring when it sends up new leaves and flowers. The blossoms
make seeds and these in turn fall and grow new carrots, then the old
one, its purpose fulfilled, dies."
"Poor old carrot! It works away down in the darkness all its life, and
furnishes flowers for new carrots, and then dies, without ever having
enjoyed the world," sighed Zan.
"But it did its work well, and that is all we are expected to do here,"
said Miss Miller.
"Well, I think I'd like a bit more beauty in my life than the carrot
gets, or I'd rebel," laughed Elena.
As the Band walked through the garden, first noting one vegetable, then
another, they arrived at some fruit trees. "There's a prune, girls,"
said Miss Miller, pointing to a plum that hung in the sunshine from a
slender tree-branch.
"A prune! Why, it's a plum!" laughed Nita.
"A plum that will be a fine prune some day!"
"Are prunes made from plums?" asked Elena, dubiously.
"Yes, but not all plums will make good prunes. A special kind is raised
for that purpose. In California, where most of our best prunes come
from, great orchards of plum trees grow and bear fruit. When the plums
are ripe they are gathered and packed in boxes to be shipped to every
part of the globe."
Zan spied some raspberry bushes after that and ran over to see if
any were ripe enough to pluck. She gathered enough for supper, and
turning back to join the other girls, found Miss Miller pointing out
the difference between red and black raspberries. The girls listened
eagerly to the interesting information that showed them how the
blossoms fell to make way for the green seed. The seeds later, swollen
to the size of a ripe berry, being green, gradually changed to a pale
yellow; the sun and dew still reaching it turned it to a pink, and
at last to the rich crimson with the down on the face. If it should
happen to remain on the stem, it would finally dry up and scatter its
tiny seeds to sink into the ground and start another vine growing the
following spring.
The Band gathered enough lettuce and fruit for supper, and vegetables
for dinner the following day, before Miss Miller started toward the
house.
After leaving the garden, the teacher explained that she thought they
ought to hold a meeting that afternoon at the Bluff. Being only five in
number, they could not have a charter granted by Headquarters until the
customary number were members--ten or more.
"We will try and win our rights by doing the required tests as quickly
as possible, then, when we can take the Fire Brownie's tests without
mistakes, we can call for a second Band to unite under our Tribal
banner. The two can grow side by side until the number--ten--belong
to each Band. After we have two Bands and at least ten members all
told, we will be ready to be initiated as a Tribe by the Council at
Headquarters."
CHAPTER FOUR
TRIBULATIONS OF THE CAMPERS
The girls followed the trail, leading to the Bluff, picking up dry
twigs, bark, and grass on the way. Elena, with customary desire for
artistic effects, had stopped at the house in passing and taken a
Navajo blanket from the settle. This she proposed using for a covering
on the rock where Miss Miller would sit during the first Council.
She ran gaily after the others, calling to them to wait. As they
stopped so many times for handsful of fire-material, Elena soon caught
up with them. The blanket was heavy, so Miss Miller said she would be
exempt that day from duty of gathering fire-wood. Just before they
reached the Bluff, however, Elena spied a hollow old tree. Instantly
divining what might be found therein, she threw down the blanket and
ran over to investigate. Sure enough! From the hiding-place Elena drew
forth an old squirrel's nest.
"Oh, ho! just see what I found, Miss Miller!" cried the delighted girl.
The others crowded about and envied the joy of being the first one in
the Band to find such a trophy.
"Girls, wouldn't it be fun to begin at once and try for an honour in
campercraft? When we finish our organising let us experiment with
fire-making until we succeed according to the book."
The girls eagerly agreed to the teacher's suggestion and were soon
seated in a circle about the upthrust of rock where the teacher sat as
was her right. The Navajo colours made a bright dash in contrast to the
sombre grey of rock and green of forest.
"If there are any preliminary questions to ask, girls, let us attend
to them, as we will want to conduct our first meeting in an orderly
manner," Miss Miller waited, but no one had anything to ask, so she
continued.
"Of course, you all know that I took the degree of Camp Doctor, as
I passed more than twenty of the tests. Being trained as a physical
culture teacher, I naturally understood most of the tests given. Dr.
Baker and Mrs. Alvord stood as sponsors on the application and Hilda
represented the third witness necessary. She intends taking part of the
tests soon, and qualifying for the degree. As Camp Doctor I feel that I
have a right to act as director of this camp until one of you qualifies
in degrees, or otherwise, to take rank as Guide or Chief. How long that
may be in the future only Time will show. Now, your parents all agreed
to choose me as Guide, and I have their signed agreement so to do. This
should go in our Tally Book as part of our first procedure in meeting."
Miss Miller took a paper from the bag that bulged with papers and
books, and showed it to the girls. They recognised the signatures as
being those of their parents, so Miss Miller proceeded with the next
item in order.
"We must have a Tally Book for the general use of the Band, and each
girl ought to have one of her own. I saw one that belonged to a member
of the Council and it was a work of beauty. As Elena is artistic by
natural talent, I suggest that she take charge of our Band's Tally
Book. Each one ought to take such a pride in her individual book that
it shall merit an honour at Headquarters when it is displayed--but this
is a matter for personal ambition. The Keeper of the Tally Book fills
the place of secretary in other organisations, so I would advise Elena
to make a memo of the minutes of this meeting. I have a book made up
for general use, but a piece of paper will do now, to make notes upon.
From that you can copy the minutes correctly and decorate the real book
as elaborately as you like."
The girls approved the choice of Tally Keeper and Elena was delighted
at the opportunity to display her talent freely. Miss Miller referred
to the Manual to assure herself that she was acting according to order.
She gasped and looked up suddenly.
"My! I started off this meeting without the usual ceremony of opening
council with the Omaha Tribal Prayer. I was told that this was an
important function, so, girls, let us sing it now."
Miss Miller arose, motioning the five girls to stand also; then started
singing the words and music of the prayer while the girls tried to
follow as they watched her. This done, she seated herself again, and
turned to Elena.
"Make a note that each girl must learn the words of the song by heart
before our next meeting. I have the printed music in my tent."
Elena scribbled a memorandum and the Guide placed a large book, made of
brown paper pages, covered with natural tanned leather, on her knees,
saying, "We'll enter the names of our members now, and then we can call
the roll properly."
This was the next step accomplished, so that all felt they were
proceeding in a business-like manner when the Guide gasped a second
time.
"Dear, dear! Girls, we should have started a fire the _very first
thing!_ Elena, _please_ do not enter all these errors in our Tally
Book--it is unpardonable! But this is all a new idea for me and we must
all seek together for the result. We will patiently retrace our steps
now, and begin with the council fire. Do any of you understand how to
use rubbing-sticks?"
Each girl looked at the other but no one knew the use of the sticks, so
Miss Miller sought in the bulky bag until she pulled forth a bow and
sticks, then she sought again until the section of wood and a hemlock
knot was brought out. The girls gazed curiously at her as she began.
"You must each start a set of fire-sticks of your own, using models
given in a book I have in my trunk. Now, let me start the first
council-fire and you watch carefully so each can do it when the turn
comes."