disappointed love, I think! That silly malady even attacked poor Aunt
Pen, though she isn't like lots of people and doesn't go round with a
broken heart within her bosom and sighing and weeping like they do in
stories! I guessed it when she asked me so many questions about Captain
Allan, Renee's guardian, you know, and she looked so funny and red when
she was asking them just like I do when I'm saying one thing but really
wanting to say another! Then she wanted to see a letter he had written
to Renee and Renee brought it, and I watched her face _and then I knew_!
It turned fiery red and then white and she did the _queerest_ thing--she
_kissed_ that letter, real quick--just a plain letter he'd written to
Renee! I couldn't believe my eyes that it was Aunt Pen! She _knew_ I
saw her and she began to laugh and then to sort of cry! She told us
that she was _sure_ it was a Mr. Allan she had known her senior year in
college! I begged her to tell more but she just said 'there isn't any
more to tell!' and we couldn't get another word out of her! Of course
Aunt Pen has a right to hide her own secret sorrow away but she can't
stop my putting it into a ballad! Only I can't think of anything to
rhyme with 'long'--except 'song' and I've used that!"
"Go right through the alphabet, Pat! Bong, cong, dong----"
"Now _don't_ you girls tell a _soul_ that I'm going to be a poet!" Pat
admonished.
Peggy sprang to her feet. "Girls--let's make a solemn pledge to stick
to our ambitions and not let a single thing stop us! And we'll help one
another!"
"We must have a pass-word! Let's have it 'Steadfast!'"
"We ought to have a motto, too!"
"I know a Latin one, 'Labor omnia vincit!' How's that?"
"Spliffy! Now to do this right, girls, we must have a ceremony! Stand
up--in a circle! Hold hands--thumbs in--like this! Now all say the
motto together! What was it, Keineth?"
Keineth repeated, "Labor omnia vincit!" and the girls said it with her.
"Now, altogether--'Steadfast'--so we'll get used to it!"
"Steadfast!" in hissing whispers.
Sheila was so thrilled that she was moved to oratory! "Girls, I know
some day we're all going to be _great_! I just _feel_ it! And we'll
look back to this afternoon in our youth and say----"
"Steadfast!" giggled Peggy.
"Tat! Tat! Tat! Tat!"
"Sh-h! It's Aunt Pen!"
Aunt Pen, deserted below, had blackened her face and put on her head a
bright yellow turban, to look as nearly as possible like Aunt Jemima of
pancake fame! Now on a huge tray she bore a plate of doughnuts and a
pitcher of cider. A noisy greeting welcomed her into the Eyrie!
That night Renee was wakened by Pat's insistent call in her ear. The
lights were burning and Pat was standing over her, tragedy written in
every line of her face. Alarmed, Renee sat bolt upright, her eyes wide.
"Sh-h! Don't be frightened! It's just--I've _lost_ my ballad!"
Renee thought she must be dreaming--or was Pat stark crazy?
"I couldn't sleep and I was thinking I'd change that 'long' for 'carry,'
'cause there'r so many words rhyme with that--and I looked in my pocket
and it was gone!"
Renee was aghast at the seriousness of the loss! Putting on their
slippers they stole down the stairs and made a thorough search. But
they could find no trace of the missing ballad! At last Renee persuaded
the disconsolate Pat to go back to bed.
"Well, I'll _just_ have to write it again!" she sighed, digging her
tired head into the pillow. "Maybe this time I'll write it in prose
'cause it's _such_ a bother making words rhyme! Only, poets are _so_
much nicer than just authors, don't you think so, Renee? Renee----"
But for the first time Renee failed to meet her friend with sympathetic
understanding--she soundly sleeping!
*CHAPTER XII*
*THE GAME*
"Renee! Aunt Pen! Guess!" Pat climbed the stairs two steps at a time.
"I'd guess that you had been running every inch of the way home,"
laughed Aunt Pen, for Pat's cheeks were scarlet from the outdoor air and
her hair was tumbling down about her ears.
"I should say I had! Such _good_ luck! Or"--she attempted to correct
herself--"of course it isn't exactly _good_ luck, only--True Scott
sprained her ankle and I'm to play guard in the game tomorrow!"
"Oh, Pat, I'm so glad! I _know_ you'll win!" and Renee looked as though
she believed that the Yellowbirds needed only Pat as one of their guards
to rout the Wasps in an overwhelming defeat!
"I'm glad you've been chosen to substitute, for you have practiced so
faithfully," declared Aunt Pen. "It is hard on True, though!"
"Peggy says that maybe it's a kind Providence that sprained her ankle,
'cause True didn't play as well in the last game! Of course, as Peg
says, when you're captain of a team you can't let friendship make a
_bit_ of difference! And she says if I play all right in this game she
thinks I'll be put on the team! You can just know I'm going to _try_ my
best!"
Aunt Pen had decided that Renee was not strong enough as yet for the
basketball practice. Sometimes she went with Pat to the gymnasium,
carefully keeping out of the way of the players but watching with
interest Pat's progress in the game; more often she spent the hours when
Pat was at practice, in painting, working out new designs for her cards,
reading or walking with Aunt Pen. Each day found the little girl
happier, more contented in her new home and more passionately devoted to
her new friends who had brought into her life a wealth of affection and
interests she had never dreamed could exist. Day by day Aunt Pen saw
the fragile body develop into girlish strength and the timid spirit gain
in courage and confidence. The shadow of her sorrows would never
completely leave her, but it had helped in moulding and maturing the
young mind and strengthening it to meet whatever the future held for
her.
Aunt Pen had found a fascination in Renee's quiet company.
"One gets the impression that never a word passes her lips quickly!
Sometimes she makes me feel ashamed of my impulsiveness!" Penelope told
her brother one evening. They had been talking of her work with the
girls. Mr. Everett had asked:
"Well--is our larkspur budding?"
Aunt Pen, taking his question very seriously, had answered modestly: "I
don't know about the Latin and Algebra but I _do_ know that Pat is a
healthier, happier girl than she has ever been before, and we may feel
very proud of Renee when we turn her over to Captain Allan!"
Pat was not there to see the color flood Aunt Pen's face as she said
these last words.
"We ought to hear from him soon! I hope he has been able to find out
more concerning the child. I do not like to question her too closely--I
can see that it makes her unhappy and homesick."
Penelope would have liked to have asked her brother more concerning
Renee's guardian but he began to talk of something else. Often, as she
and Renee sat or walked together, she allowed to creep into her thoughts
a rosy day-dream of that time when the officer would come to claim his
ward!
Pat upset her entire family with her preparations for the all-important
game! She must have her dinner early in order that a sufficient time
for proper digestion might elapse before her bed hour! As authority on
this point she quoted rules which seemed to have been laid down by their
tyrannical captain. She must have eggs, too; for her supper, and could
not dream of eating the steam pudding, rich with dates and raisins,
which Melodia had prepared. It would surely lie heavily in her stomach,
make her restless all night and stupid and sluggish the next day! A
nice custard--Pat detested custards--she must have!
Then for ten minutes early the next morning the chandeliers of the house
rattled in their brackets and the pictures danced on the walls--not an
earthquake, only Pat, guard of the Yellowbirds, "just loosening her
muscles" in a process of gymnastics that included everything she had
ever heard of!
As the hour of the game approached the gymnasium of the Lincoln School
was a-flutter with color and noisy with life. Enthusiastic rooters from
Troop Nine, gaily decked with the green, gold and black colors of the
Wasps, were packed solidly against one side of the room. Equally
brilliant and boisterous were the upholders of the Yellowbirds! As they
sang their troop songs they waved small yellow flags and strands of
ribbon.
An older girl from Troop Nine acted as umpire and Captain Ricky as
referee. Peggy's face was a comical mixture of sternness and entreaty
as she whispered a few last commands to her team. Pat, outwardly proud
and calm, was inwardly quaking! What if she should fail at any moment!
As the game began she was seized with a terrible giddiness--the room
swam about her, she saw only a ridiculous composite of eyes and noses
and mouths and color against the dancing walls! Her feet were heavy
like lead and a long way from her!
Afterwards Pat could not have told at what time or why this curious
sensation left her! She only knew that suddenly everything cleared and
she felt that the only thing in the whole wide world that mattered was
keeping the alert forward, whom she was guarding, from throwing a
basket! And the faces and colors that had whirled a moment before faded
and left these two alone, in deadly combat!
The cheering that had been constant suddenly ceased; the circle of
spectators sat with bated breath while the ball passed backward and
forward, now a basket thrown for the Wasps, in another moment one for
the Yellowbirds. Occasionally a particularly good play would bring
forth a loud shout only to have it hushed immediately in the suspense of
watching. Renee and Aunt Pen sat side by side. Aunt Pen had played
basketball in her college days; now she watched eagerly, admiring the
splendid guarding of the Wasps as generously as Peggy's swift center
work. Renee just sat very still, saying over and over to herself:
"Oh--oh--oh!" with her eyes fastened upon Pat's every move!
At the end of the first half the score stood twenty-four to twenty-six
in favor of the Wasps. Peggy had a whispered word with Keineth who was
playing forward. Her guard was a girl a head taller than she; a little
overwhelmed by this Keineth had been slow in one or two of her plays!
The second half went on with quick, even play, that now and then drew
forth shouts of approval from the spectators. The Yellowbirds scored
four baskets only to have the Wasps, with brilliant team work, recover
their lead with four baskets! The Wasps' center shot the ball with a
low throw to her forward. As she caught it the linekeeper sharply
pounded the floor with an Indian club. "Over the line," the referee
declared. "Yellowbirds have an unguarded throw!" Patricia was given
the ball. Renee shut her eyes--she could not watch! But she knew when
Aunt Pen sprang to her feet that her Pat had not failed. With a
movement quick as lightning she had passed the ball to the other guard
who in turn had shot it back to center! And while Aunt Pen was still on
her feet Peggy had thrown it to Keineth who, with a low, lithe movement
of her body, ducked the wildly waving arms of her guard and threw a
basket!
"A tie! _Now_ for the test!" whispered Aunt Pen, clutching Renee's hand
so hard that it hurt.
For the next few minutes the ball passed swiftly backward and forward,
the guards and forwards leaped and ran! Each player, keyed to the
utmost effort, was everywhere at once, arms waving, eyes alert to the
slightest advantage or weakness in defense! A dreadful stillness held
the room broken only by the occasional low, sharp exclamations--like
pistol shots--of the players. Peggy's face was pale; again and again
Keineth eluded her guard only to find her, in a second, again towering
before her!
The ball passed toward the Wasps' basket; Patricia caught it and threw
it toward the center; Sheila, playing side-center, with a swift leap,
gripped it and threw it to Keineth. But Keineth's guard sent it
hurtling back to the Wasps' center! While the spectators, conscious
that this was the last and crucial moment, rose to their feet in a body,
the Wasps' forward caught it and, swift as lightning, threw it backward
over her head straight down through the basket! The referee's whistle
ended the game--the Wasps had won!
It was always customary, following the Troop games, to have a spread for
the contesting teams. Almost always the players laid aside immediately
all joy of victory, sting of defeat and bitterness of contest and threw
themselves heart and soul into a general frolic! But this afternoon the
atmosphere was charged with resentment! While the triumphant Wasps
gathered noisily in their corner the Yellowbirds sulked in another part
of the room. Captain Ricky and her assistants had gone to prepare the
goodies. There was no one to check the rapidly rising tide of complaint
and criticism!
"She _did_ only have one hand on the ball--I could swear now!" "The line
watchers _weren't_ fair, I _saw_ her foot go over!" and "She just shoved
me!" "Who'd _ever_ expect her to throw over her head!" and "I _saw_ that
center walk _three whole steps_ with the ball and the umpire _never_
called a foul!" The mutterings grew louder and the word "cheat"
penetrated to the corner.
Captain Ricky, coming into the room, heard it, too. She guessed in a
moment, by the expression of the girls' faces, what had been happening!
She drew them close about her.
"_Girls! Girls!_" They had never heard just that tone in their
captain's voice. "What is this spirit you are showing! I have _always_
been so proud of you--so _sure_ of you! And I was very proud to-day!
You played a brilliant game! You were only defeated because the other
team played even a better game! If each one of you feels that she
played her very best, then there is not a complaint that can be made!
You were outplayed--and just because you are the good players you have
shown yourselves to be--why, you should be quick and generous in your
praise of the better work of the other team! I am disappointed, my
scouts! I want you to remember always that I'd lots rather have you
good losers--if you've done your best--than winners! If you will learn
that it will help you years from now when you are playing more serious
and difficult games than basket-ball! And it will teach you to turn
defeat into a real blessing!"
The Yellowbirds had stood with drooping plumage while their leader
spoke. Each one was ashamed. Peggy was the first to speak. Throwing
back her dark head she stalked across the room to where Cora Simmons,
who had played center for the Wasps, stood in a group of Troop Nine
scouts.
"I'm _just_ ashamed of myself!" she cried, "'cause I didn't shake hands
with you the moment the game was over and tell you how well you played!"
There was no questioning the sincere ring in Peggy's voice.
The other Yellowbirds followed her example, and soon there was a babble
of voices going over in most friendly discussion the crucial moments of
the game. Now the defeated players were determined that there should be
no stint to their praise of the work of the Troop Nine girls!
"Let's have a cheer-ring!" cried Peggy, and immediately each Yellowbird
caught a Wasp by the shoulder and formed a close circle. The room rang
with their cheers; Troop Six cheered for Troop Nine and Troop Nine
cheered for Troop Six, and then, they all cheered for the Girl Scouts!
Pat, wanting to free her soul before her whole world of whatever guilt
might lie between it and Captain Ricky's approval, loudly clapped her
hands and demanded that they all listen while she confessed to them that
she was sure she had once even pinched the forward she was guarding and
that "she had been a perfect _peach_ not to tell!"
Pat's declaration caused peals of laughter which quickly burst into
shouts of delight when Captain Ricky's lieutenant called loudly from the
doorway, "_Eats!_" And the afternoon ended with the happiness and
contentment found in good fellowship!
*CHAPTER XIII*
*THE CHRISTMAS PARTY*
Christmas was drawing near with all its promise of joy. And the world
wrapped for so long in the gloom of war, took on a new gladness; weeks
before the holiday, doors and windows were hung with holly, stores
spread out a fascinating array of giftwares; a new light shone in
smiling faces as though "Peace on earth" was ringing through the souls
of the people!
Pat's head was bursting with plans for the blessed holiday. It must be
a different Christmas from any Renee had ever known! For days they had
busied themselves preparing the box that had gone to St. Cloud--a dress
for Susette and some aprons that Renee herself had made, tobacco for
Gabriel and warm slippers and shoes for them both; sugar, coffee, and
canned goods and dried fruits until Renee was sure Susette's neat
shelves would groan under their weight. And in a heart-shaped silver
frame a picture of Renee!
Pat declared that they must have a Christmas tree, for Renee had never
had one! And even though they were quite grown-up they must also hang
up their stockings! Aunt Pen and Daddy promised to hang theirs, too, so
that Pat and Renee spent many an afternoon in secret shopping tours,
returning with mysterious packages which were carefully hidden away in
the Eyrie.
Then a letter from the south, whose usual cheery tone was tinged with a
little homesickness, made Mr. Everett decide to join his wife for the
holiday season. At first Pat rebelled stormily, lamenting that his going
would spoil everything; then for days she sulked like a naughty child
until Aunt Pen came to the rescue! From spending the afternoon with
Peggy Lee's mother, Aunt Pen returned, with a "secret!"
"What is it, Aunt Pen? _Can_ we know?" the girls asked eagerly.
"Yes, you will be _in_ the "secret!" It's a--_real_ Christmas party!
And it will be different from any you've ever heard of before! I'll
tell you the plans we discussed and then we'll get your father's
permission. I know when you hear all about it you'll smile again, Miss
Pat, and declare that this _is_ going to be the best Christmas you've
ever had--even with Daddy away!"
"Will the party be here?" asked Pat, recalling on the instant some very
lovely parties given for her sister which she, because she was too
little to go downstairs, had had to watch over the stair banister.
"No, I don't believe the house would be big enough for this one," and
Penelope laughed at the mystified expression on Pat's face.
Then Aunt Pen unfolded the plans she and Mrs. Lee had made. The girls
of the Troop would be the hostesses of this party and the guests would
be the men, women and children in the neighborhood of the Works. There
must, of course, be a tree, and the girls could arrange tableaux and
then everyone could sing and dance! And there would be sandwiches and
coffee and ice cream and cake and a gift for each one.
Gradually into Pat's face crept a deep interest so that when the last
small detail had been explained the smile that Aunt Pen had prophesied
came back once more. It would be a _wonderful_ party, and could they
begin planning the tableaux right away and couldn't they run over this
very minute and tell Sheila?
So that Mr. Everett's going made scarcely a break in the exciting
preparations, the rehearsals, the arranging of costumes, the planning of
the party "supper" and the gifts for the guests. In desperation Aunt
Pen declared that the holidays might as well begin at once as it was
impossible to hold Pat down to any lessons! And Renee, too, was working
feverishly, completing a rush order for Christmas cards that had come to
"LaDue and Everett" from Miss Higgin's tea room!
On Christmas Eve the Eyrie was emptied of the treasures it had held, the
stockings hanging over the library fireplace were filled and little
piles of tissue paper packages of all sizes were made for Jasper,
Melodia and Maggie. The rooms were filled with a spicy odor of hemlock;
holly hung over window and door.
"Oh, isn't it fun?" laughed Pat, stepping back to survey the bulging
stockings. "Can you _guess_ what's in anything, Ren? And don't you
wish you were little again and really truly believed in Santa Claus?"
"Susette used to tell me stories of the real St. Nicholas--she said he
was the patron saint of children!"
"Well, _I_ like to think of him as a jolly old fellow driving his
reindeers faster'n Watkins can drive the car--and lots of jingling
bells! I think about it and then I can most hear them!"
Renee had gone to one of the windows at the end of the room to peer out
into the darkness. Snow had fallen which dulled the sounds of the city
to a musical tone not unlike distant bells of the good Santa. Suddenly
she called to Pat:
"Come and look--over at Sheila's!"
There on the strip of lawn before the old brick house was a Christmas
tree, hung with tinsel and twinkling with lighted candles that swayed
and blinked in the darkness.
That was Mrs. Quinn's merry Christmas! She and the children had hung
ropes of tinsel, red and gold balls, sparkling hearts and rings and
little candles out on the old spruce that grew in the corner of the
yard.
"To give to any poor body going by that maybe hasn't any Christmas just
a bit of the brightness!" she had explained.
Renee, watching from between the library curtains, thought it very
beautiful! It was like a fairy tree, placed there in the darkness by
spirit hands, breathing from its fragrant brightness a joy that all
could share! Even at that moment they could see a bent old man, leading
a little boy by the hand, lingering to stare at the twinkling lights!
Many years before this the Everett Works had been moved from the modest
factory not far from the Everett home, where it had had its beginning,
to the great pile of steel and concrete buildings distantly removed from
the business center of the city. Immediately there sprang up on the
stretches of fields intervening between the smoky walls of the new plant
and the quiet shaded streets where the Lees and the Everetts and the
Randolphs lived, a community of small, shapeless houses, one exactly
like the other, divided by half-paved streets with their rows of sickly
infant elms and maples; with muddy backyards barricaded by miles and
miles of clothes-line, and thousands of window-panes blackened by the
incessant rain of soot from the belching chimneys. Though the suburb had
the beautiful name of Riverview, suggestive of cool breezes and open
spaces, it was always and more fittingly known as "The Neighborhood."
To the hundreds of little dingy homes had come men, women and children
from every land of the globe--here Liberty offered them asylum and the
Everett Works an honest living. In the center of the community the
Works had erected a splendid schoolhouse and had presented it to the
city. Although its outer walls were soon stained and blackened like the
rows of houses, its interior was as fresh and attractive as clean paint,
pictures and many growing plants could make it! Here the children of
the foreign-speaking parents were taught to be true Americans. And in
its big assembly room, whose windows looked out over the rows and rows
of railroad tracks with their solid wall of motionless freight cars, to
the river and open fields beyond, the girls of Troop Six held their
Christmas party.
Even before the last holly wreath had been fastened in place the guests
began to come--whole families at a time, in holiday attire that to Pat
made them look like pictures in some fairy-tales; old men and old women,
younger men with hands still grimy from their work, younger women with
tired faces and babies in their arms; some eager, some a little shy, all
smiling.
Pat, peeping out from behind the curtain, declared that there were
hundreds there and that they were talking in every language
known--except Latin! But when some one at the piano began to play
"America," in some way or other the strange words melted into a common
tongue--the high treble of the children carrying the song along!
A hush fell on the audience when the curtains of the stage slowly parted
to show the first of the tableaux. Briefly John Randolph, Keineth's
father, told in Polish the story of the landing of the Pilgrims on "the
stern and rockbound coast" while on the stage the Pilgrims, with
painfully suppressed laughter, struggled to keep the _Mayflower_, made
out of old canvas and chairs, from falling to pieces!
The next picture showed the early colonists making treaties with the
Indians. Sheila, grave and dignified in Puritan collar and hat, was
holding out strings of gay beads to an Indian chief, resplendent in
paint and feathers, who carried over his arm the hides that the
colonists needed. Then in simple words Mr. Randolph explained how the
first purchases of land in the United States came about.
Peggy made an impressive George Washington at Valley Forge, while
Garrett Lee and some of his friends sat about a smouldering camp-fire.
Again she appeared with Betsey Ross, who was stitching on the first
American flag, which part Keineth played. But Washington's dignified
manner was sadly spoiled when his wig suddenly slipped to one side, so
that poor Betsey had to bite her lips very hard to keep from giggling at
his rakish appearance! Nevertheless the audience--especially the
children who recognized in the picture a favorite school story--clapped
loudly with genuine enthusiasm.