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diff --git a/38608-h/38608-h.htm b/38608-h/38608-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2885a53 --- /dev/null +++ b/38608-h/38608-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8264 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> + <meta name="generator" content="pph (1.17)"/> + <meta name="title" content="The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge"/> + <meta name="author" content="Lilian Garis"/> + <meta name="date" content="1922"/> + <title>The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge</title> + <style type="text/css"> + p.center {text-align:center} + p.caption {text-align:center; margin-left:20%; margin-right:20%;} + h2.chapter {font-size:1.2em; text-align:center; margin: 2em auto 1em auto; font-weight:normal} + div.bq {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge, by Lilian Garis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge + Nora's Real Vacation + +Author: Lilian Garis + +Release Date: January 18, 2012 [EBook #38608] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div style='text-align:center'> +<img id='ilink01' src='images/illus-001.jpg' alt=''/> +<p class='caption'>THE PICTURESQUE FIGURE STOOD IN THE CENTER.</p> +</div> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.6em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:1em;'>THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:1em;'>OR</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:3em;'><i>Nora’s Real Vacation</i></p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:2em;'>By LILIAN GARIS</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'>Author of</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>“The Girl Scout Pioneers,” “The Girl Scouts</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>at Bellaire,” “The Girl Scouts at Sea Crest,”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>“The Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong,” etc.</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:0;'><i>ILLUSTRATED</i></p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:0;'>NEW YORK</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY</p> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE GIRL SCOUT SERIES</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>By LILIAN GARIS</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:1em;'>Cloth. 12mo. Frontispiece.</p> + +<table style='margin:auto' summary=''> +<tr><td> +THE GIRL SCOUT PIONEERS<br/> +Or, Winning the First B. C.<br/> +<br/> +THE GIRL SCOUTS AT BELLAIRE<br/> +Or, Maid Mary’s Awakening<br/> +<br/> +THE GIRL SCOUTS AT SEA CREST<br/> +Or, The Wig Wag Rescue<br/> +<br/> +THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP COMALONG<br/> +Or, Peg of Tamarack Hills<br/> +<br/> +THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE<br/> +Or, Nora’s Real Vacation<br/> +</td></tr> +</table> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0em;'><i>Other volumes in preparation</i></p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, NEW YORK</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:0;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Copyright, 1922, by</span></p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Cupples & Leon Company</span></p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge</span></p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'><i>Printed in U. S. A.</i></p> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:1em;'>CONTENTS</p> + +<table id='toc' style='margin:auto' summary='TOC'> +<tr><td> + <a href='#clink01'>I. Jim or Jerry: Ted or Elizabeth</a><br/> + <a href='#clink02'>II. The Attic</a><br/> + <a href='#clink03'>III. A Broken Dream</a><br/> + <a href='#clink04'>IV. Transplanted</a><br/> + <a href='#clink05'>V. The Woods at Rocky Ledge</a><br/> + <a href='#clink06'>VI. A Prince in Hiding</a><br/> + <a href='#clink07'>VII. Cap to the Rescue</a><br/> + <a href='#clink08'>VIII. The Story Alma Did Not Tell</a><br/> + <a href='#clink09'>IX. A Misadventure</a><br/> + <a href='#clink10'>X. A Novel Initiation</a><br/> + <a href='#clink11'>XI. Too Much Teasing</a><br/> + <a href='#clink12'>XII. A Diversion Nobly Earned</a><br/> + <a href='#clink13'>XIII. Crawling in the Shadows</a><br/> + <a href='#clink14'>XIV. Circumstantial Evidence</a><br/> + <a href='#clink15'>XV. Waif of the Wildwoods</a><br/> + <a href='#clink16'>XVI. Lady Bountiful Junior</a><br/> + <a href='#clink17'>XVII. A Picnic and Otherwise</a><br/> + <a href='#clink18'>XVIII. The Little Lord’s Confession</a><br/> + <a href='#clink19'>XIX. A Deserted Tryst</a><br/> + <a href='#clink20'>XX. The Worst Fright of All</a><br/> + <a href='#clink21'>XXI. Strange Disclosures</a><br/> + <a href='#clink22'>XXII. The Danger Squad in Action</a><br/> + <a href='#clink23'>XXIII. Raiding the Attic</a><br/> + <a href='#clink24'>XXIV. Fulfillment</a><br/> +</td></tr> +</table> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink01'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER I—JIM OR JERRY: TED OR ELIZABETH</a></h2> + +<p>“Do you mind if I call you Jim?”</p> + +<p>“Why no—that is——”</p> + +<p>“And may I call the lady Aunt +Elizabeth?”</p> + +<p>“Elizabeth?”</p> + +<p>“If you don’t mind; I’d love to.”</p> + +<p>“But the fact is——”</p> + +<p>“You see, I have always wanted a man +named Jim to protect me, and now that I’ve +got you I’d love to have you as Jim. Then, I +have perfectly loved the Aunt Elizabeths. +They’re always so lacy and cameo like.” She +stood off and critically inspected the smiling +woman in the most modern of costumes.</p> + +<p>“You’re really too young,” continued the +girl, “but you’ll grow old soon I hope, don’t +you think so?”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid I shall——”</p> + +<p>“Then that’s that. And I’m glad we are settling +things so quickly. Could I see my attic +room now, Aunt Elizabeth?”</p> + +<p>“Attic room?”</p> + +<p>“Isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“Not exactly. We were giving you the yellow +room; it’s so cheerful and pretty.”</p> + +<p>“Well, of course, I don’t want to be too particular, +and it’s lovely of you, dear Aunt Elizabeth, +but all girls taken in are put in attic +rooms, aren’t they?”</p> + +<p>“Taken in?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sort of adopted you know. The attic +always gives the shadowy ghost business.” +There was just a hint of disappointment in the +child’s manner now.</p> + +<p>“We’ve got a first rate attic room,” suggested +the man who was tilting up and down +in a heel and toe exercise. “And what do you +say, Ted, I mean Elizabeth,” he chuckled, “if +we give——”</p> + +<p>“Jerry, don’t talk nonsense,” interrupted +the young woman not unkindly but with some +decision. “I am sure she would rather have +the pretty——”</p> + +<p>“But, please, could I see the attic room?” +came rather timidly the very thread of a voice +from the little girl.</p> + +<p>“It’s ghostly.” This from Jerry.</p> + +<p>“That would be just perfect. Does the roof +slant so it gives you the nightmare on your +chest, you know? And does the moon sort of +make faces in the windows?” Interest was +overcoming timidity.</p> + +<p>“That may be the trouble,” replied the man, +with a chuckle. “But I’ll tell you, little girl. +Suppose we take the yellow room until you +have a chance to inspect thoroughly. You see +your—er—Aunt Elizabeth has had it all planned +and fixed up——”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes. Do excuse me for being impolite. +You see, I’ve been thinking about it so long. +The school was lovely, and the teachers all very +kind, but it was sort of a regular kindness, you +know, and did not have any of my dreams coming +true in it. Do you dream an awful lot +here?”</p> + +<p>“Day dreams or night dreams?” asked the +man.</p> + +<p>“Oh, wake-dreams, of course. The other +kind don’t mean anything. Just stickers in +your brain sort of pricking, you know. But +the wake-dreams can come true, if you plague +them long enough. I guess they get tired fighting +you off and they have to give in and happen. +What do you want to call me?” This +was a sudden digression and marked with +a complete flopping down of the talkative +child.</p> + +<p>“Your name is Nora, isn’t it?” replied the +young woman who seemed rather glad to sit +down herself. They were on the big square +porch and rockers were plentiful.</p> + +<p>“Yes, my name is Nora, and it’s pretty good, +but hard to rhyme easily. Then I would rather +have you call me the name you have always +called your dream child.”</p> + +<p>“Mine was Bob,” blurted the man, “but +Bob wouldn’t exactly suit you.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes it would,” she jumped up again and +left the rocker swaying wildly. “Bob would be +splendid for me. Would it suit you, Aunt +Elizabeth? What was your pet name?”</p> + +<p>“I think Nora too pretty to drop. Besides, +don’t you really think a name is a part of one’s +self and ought to be loved and respected?”</p> + +<p>“That’s just it. I want to—that is, if you +don’t mind, I want to be the self I planned, not +this one I didn’t have anything to say about. +It’s just like religion. When we grow up big +as I am, we ought to be allowed to choose.” +Her manner was even more babyish than her +appearance.</p> + +<p>“Big as I am!” Jerry repeated this to a rosebush.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact she was not much bigger +than a child of eight years might be, but she +claimed a few more birthdays and she looked +about as substantial as a wind flower. Her +eyes were blue, her hair light and fluffy, and +she wore such a tiny white slip of a dress, +socks and sandals and a white lace hat! Grown +up? She looked just like an old-fashioned +baby.</p> + +<p>“Then, shall I be Bobbs?” asked Nora a moment +later, with hope in her voice.</p> + +<p>“Ye-e-s, and if—the auntie wants to soften it +she can call you Babette,” ventured Jerry. +“And now, if the christenings are over, suppose +we go inside and freshen up. Come along +Bob, you are going to be my helper now, aren’t +you?” Jerry’s eyes twinkled with his voice. +He was, plainly, enjoying himself.</p> + +<p>“I’d love to help—especially with outdoor +work,” replied the girl. “And you measure +land, don’t you?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“Yes, that’s about it. In other words I’m +a surveyor,” explained Jerry.</p> + +<p>“And Aunt Elizabeth helps. Isn’t that +lovely? We won’t, any of us, have old pesky +house work to think about. I haven’t ever +dreamed a dream, not a single one, about +housekeeping. Some one always does that for +me, or I just don’t think about it at all and it’s +all done beautifully,” boasted Nora. “I love +your place. It’s so romantic,” she expanded +her arms and fluffy little skirt to fill the big +chair. “I feel, somehow, everything is going +to come true now.” Relief toned this statement +while she looked wistfully out of blue +eyes, and any one might have easily guessed +that something very dear was included in that +word “everything.”</p> + +<p>The young woman, who was threatened with +being made over into an old Aunt Elizabeth +with laces and cameos to boot, gazed intently +at the small personality. She realized it was +a personality, a little dreamer, a big romancer, +and a very weird sample of the modern girl, +self-trained.</p> + +<p>He who was to become “Jim” on the spot, +seemed tickled to death over it all, and kept +snapping his brown eyes, first at the newly +named Bobbs and then his life’s partner, until +glints of fun-sparks charged the very air.</p> + +<p>“It might be a good idea to put on tags for +a day or two,” he suggested playfully. “I +would hate to spoil the program by calling +Elizabeth here just Ted.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, do you think it will be hard? I didn’t +mean to make trouble, and, if you say so, I’ll +just put the dream back again on its peg and +let it stay there. It really doesn’t have to come +true right now. There are so many new things +to talk about,” temporized Nora, considerately.</p> + +<p>“I think it would be lots better to try things +out for a little while under our own names,” +suggested the young woman, eagerly. “And I +have always loved the name Nora, so you see, +<i>my</i> dream will be coming true, at any rate,” +she smiled.</p> + +<p>“Goody—goody! It’s all right, then. I’ll +be Nora, and you’ll be Ted, that’s pretty: what +does it mean?”</p> + +<p>“Theodora,” answered the man promptly.</p> + +<p>“Then it is prettier than the old-fashioned +Elizabeth,” agreed the child. “Really, things +are different when you think about them than +what they are when—you run right into them, +aren’t they?”</p> + +<p>“Sure thing, especially water wagons and +book agents,” joked Jerry.</p> + +<p>“And Jerry is lovely, too, just as nice as Jim. +I knew a lovely old tramp dog named Jerry.” +Again the wistful blue eyes dreamed.</p> + +<p>“That’s real nice,” added the owner of the +popular name. “Was he—gentle?”</p> + +<p>“As a lamb. I used to ride on his back!”</p> + +<p>“And was he—er—handsome?”</p> + +<p>“He had the loveliest ears, all little pleaty +wrinkles, and such big, floppy feet——”</p> + +<p>“All right, I’ll be content to be his namesake, +only don’t expect me to howl when the +phonograph plays. I can’t undertake to do +that,” demurred the affable Jerry.</p> + +<p>They all laughed a little at this protest, for +Jerry Manton seemed good natured enough to +“howl” if occasion demanded it. Even the +moon might have inspired him “doggerly” so +to speak.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Manton picked up the little hand satchel +that Nora kept at her side when the other baggage +was being disposed of, and gently urged +the little visitor into the Nest, there to settle +that other question of attic or guest room.</p> + +<p>The short bright curls bobbed up and down +incredulously, as their surprised owner looked +in on the yellow room, a moment later.</p> + +<p>“Golden! Perfectly golden!” exclaimed the +child. “But, of course, one could never get +the nightmare in this lovely bird cage.” She +stopped, apparently reasoning out bird cages, +nightmares and ghostly attics. “And I have +simply got to have a strange experience,” she +scratched her heels together anxiously. “I +just couldn’t give that up,” she decided.</p> + +<p>“But you do think this is a pretty room?” +asked the hostess, her own soft eyes embracing +affectionately the golden space before them.</p> + +<p>“Glorious!” declared Nora rapturously. +“And I’m afraid it has been rather silly to get +set on certain things without really knowing +about them. Dreams are uncertain, after all.”</p> + +<p>Jerry was just coming up the rustic stairs.</p> + +<p>“But the attic is a real spook parlor,” he +chimed in, “and I’ve always loved it myself. +I have a corner for my trash, and the sleeping +quarters aren’t bad. You see this place was +built with government money, and that’s always—well, +real money,” he finished, significantly.</p> + +<p>“But Jerry,” again came the opposition +from Mrs. Manton, “you know we have scarcely +had time to look that attic over since we came +here. It seems perfectly absurd to let Nora go +up there,” she paused. “I know it’s clean, for +Vita takes a pride in fixing attics, but why——”</p> + +<p>“Now Ted,” the voice was as soft as a boy’s, +“why not let our little girl have her way?”</p> + +<p>“I really am not objecting,” said the wife +with a smile, “I’m just qualifying.”</p> + +<p>“But who dares qualify day dreams?” asked +the man, with a comical twist in his voice.</p> + +<p>Nora stood on the threshold, uncertainly. “I +guess maybe,” she pondered, “we think a lot +about dreams when we haven’t real things to +think about, like playthings, for real,” she +finished.</p> + +<p>“That’s exactly it, dear,” said Mrs. Manton, +“and day dreams are not always healthy, +either.”</p> + +<p>“All the same,” insisted Jerry, “I’m strong +for that attic. It smells just like the woods +after my men have made a good, clean cutting. +Come along, girlie, and let me show it to you.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink02'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER II—THE ATTIC</a></h2> + +<p>“How’s this?” asked the man.</p> + +<p>“Oh, wonderful! Those beams, +they slant just like the story books +say,” declared Nora, ecstatically.</p> + +<p>“Good enough to give you the right sort of +nightmare, eh? Well, that’s nice. Ted is always +after the cobwebs, but I don’t let her +spoil them if I’m around. You see, cobwebs +have a lot to do in my business.”</p> + +<p>“Cobwebs?” Nora poked her little head in +between two chummy beams. “What do cobwebs +do in surveying?”</p> + +<p>“They make a cross line on my object glass. +I’ll show you when I get around to it,” replied +Jerry. “Now see here, here’s the secret +chest,” he was opening a big wooden box, “and +by a miracle,” he continued, “it does hold +clothes, duds, et-cet-tee-ra.”</p> + +<p>“The people who had this place gave a big +party, I believe,” explained Mrs. Ted, “and +they left a lot of their costumes here. We have +never had any chance to make use of them,” +she finished, slapping her hands on the work +apron that partly covered her own mannish +costume. Apparently she disdained the frivolous +things.</p> + +<p>“But just look!” Nora was almost in the big +cedar chest; in fact, nothing more than a bump +of white, ending in two small brown spots that +waggled like sandaled feet, was visible. Presently +the curly head emerged in a cloud of brilliant, +spangly stuff, very evidently the costumes. +“Aren’t these just wonderful!”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes,” agreed Jerry, “they’re nice and +shiny. But just look at this spook cabinet. Do +you know what a spook cabinet is, Nora?”</p> + +<p>“No, what?” She dropped the costumes +back into the big chest instantly.</p> + +<p>“They’re just a box of tricks. But this is +the box empty. See here,” Jerry opened, with +some difficulty, the long narrow closet that was +built in a corner of the attic room. “I have +always wondered why this had a ventilator at +the top——” he began.</p> + +<p>“Jerry!” called his wife rather sharply. +“Please don’t do all the exploring in one day. +Nora must change her things and come down +stairs. She may want something to eat after +her journey.” Mrs. Ted’s tone of voice was +plainly against that cabinet.</p> + +<p>“All right, Ted, I’ll subside,” replied the +jolly man. “The fact is——” he whispered to +Nora, “our Ted hates ghosts; and every time +I talk about this here upright coffin, she objects,” +and he gave one of his boyish twisted +yelps, as if he wanted to yell but didn’t dare +so gurgled instead, and it was very plain he +said this out of pure mischief; nevertheless, it +did cause the little girl to clench her small fists +and start suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Come right down stairs,” insisted the hostess +imperatively. “I’m very sure, Nora dear, +you will find something more interesting in +Vita’s cake box than you could dig out of that +dusty hole.”</p> + +<p>“Vita! What a queer name!” exclaimed +Nora, following Mrs. Manton out from the +interesting attic.</p> + +<p>“Her whole name is more than that. It’s +Vittoria, but since she does our cooking and +is both vital and vitaminous, we cut it down to +an easy word implying both,” explained Ted. +“You see, Nora, we are keen on short cuts.”</p> + +<p>The little girl was thinking something like +that. In fact, she was so fascinated with the +realities of her visit she had almost lost the last +shred of faith in her picturesque dreams. “If +I had ever named a cook,” she was deciding, +“I should surely have given her Susan or Betsy +or maybe Jennie. But Vita means more and +makes you think of good victuals.”</p> + +<p>The open stairs were built winding from the +big field stone hearth in the first room, clear +up to the attic chamber, and, as they descended, +Nora looked about the quaint, rustic place in +rapturous admiration. Indeed, no dream of +her great life series had ever included this. +Gone with the Jim-Aunt Elizabeth idea was +going the rag-rug four-poster plan, that had +seemed almost indelibly outlined on her whimsical +picture plate. She sighed a little, as she +felt she should, on the “grave of her dreams;” +but there was Jerry calling from the open door:</p> + +<p>“Here you are, Nora! Come and meet +Cap.”</p> + +<p>“Cap! A boy!” she asked excitedly.</p> + +<p>“Not the regular kind, but he’s some boy just +the same.” Jerry was clapping his hands like +a boy himself, just as a big shaggy dog bounded +down the path and up the few steps to the +square porch.</p> + +<p>“Oh, what a beauty! I have always loved +a big dog!” exclaimed Nora. “What’s his +name?”</p> + +<p>“Captain,” replied the proud master. +“Here Cap, come shake hands with Nora.”</p> + +<p>The dog cocked one ear up inquisitively, +looked over the small girl with majestic indifference, +walked around her twice and finally +flung his bushy tail out with a swish that fanned +Nora’s cheek as she bent over to make friends.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t he lovely! Just like the picture in my +first story book; the big dog that dragged the +lost man out of the snow drifts,” said Nora, +almost breathless with delight.</p> + +<p>“He is exactly that sort,” explained Jerry. +“He came from the other side and was a Captain +in the big war.”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” sighed Nora wistfully. “He must +know an awful lot.”</p> + +<p>“He surely does, eh, old boy?” and the big +shaggy head was patted affectionately.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Vita, the Italian woman who held +the office of housekeeper, was depositing a mess +of freshly-picked dandelions in a pan on the +kitchen table. She smiled pleasantly at the little +stranger, and at a single glance Nora knew +she and Vita were sure to be friends.</p> + +<p>“Now, you know us all,” announced the hostess. +“Vita and Captain complete the circle.”</p> + +<p>“Not counting the crow, and the rabbits and +the cat and the——”</p> + +<p>“The animal kingdom is not included,” Ted +interrupted her husband. “When we get to +checking up the animals please, after Captain +count in Cyclone.”</p> + +<p>“Cyclone! A horse?” asked Nora.</p> + +<p>“Yes, the horse,” answered Jerry. “He can +climb trees, crawl through gullies and swim the +river like a bear, according to Ted.”</p> + +<p>“Well, hardly all of that,” qualified the smiling +owner of the saddle horse Cyclone. “But +he is a wonderful horse, Nora. I am sure you +will want to ride him.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’d be dreadfully afraid,” demurred +the girl. “But perhaps——”</p> + +<p>“You aren’t going to be afraid of anything +around here, Bobbie,” Jerry assured the small +girl, who looked smaller by contrast to the big +man and the robust, athletic young woman; both +perfect models of “America’s best.”</p> + +<p>Considering the very short time little Nora +had been at the Nest, it appeared much, in +the way of acquaintance, had been accomplished.</p> + +<p>“If you will just run off, Jerry-boy, and manage +to find something to keep you busy for a +half hour or so,” begged his wife finally, “perhaps +Nora and I will be able to settle down to +the comforts of home.”</p> + +<p>“Am I not included?” he asked teasingly.</p> + +<p>“Sometimes, but just now we need space,” +replied she, who was affectionately styled +Teddy.</p> + +<p>“That being the case——. Come along +Cap,” and the next moment a very happy, boyish +man and a wildly happy dog went scampering +off through the “flap-jack” path in the +clearance. The path was made of selected flat +stones scattered at stepping intervals, and it +was Jerry who insisted they reminded him of +Vita’s best flap-jacks.</p> + +<p>The coming of Nora to the lodge in the wilderness +was the result of what seemed a necessity. +The child was the daughter of Theodora +Crane’s best friend Naomie Blair, an artist so +highly temperamental that, after a series of +nerve episodes, she finally seemed forced to go +to Western mountains and leave little Nora at +a select school. The school was select to the +point of isolation, and the teachers had advised +Theodora, who was in charge of Nora, that the +child was so nervous, high strung and fanciful, +that the doctors had ordered a complete change +of surroundings.</p> + +<p>These characteristics were already showing +in Nora’s conduct; but with that understanding +of childhood always a part of pure affection for +it, Theodora was pleased, rather than worried, +over the prospects ahead.</p> + +<p>Nora herself seemed bewildered and fascinated. +Her love of “dream things” was +plainly a part of her nature, at the same time +she was quickly learning that only happy realities +can make happy dreams.</p> + +<p>In the small satchel that Nora clung to was +found no suitable change of anything like practical +clothing, in fact her dress was so fussy, +be-ribboned and be-frilled, that Teddy hesitated +about offering any of it to the briars and brambles +of the timberland.</p> + +<p>“I pick out all my own dresses, you know,” +the little girl explained. “Nannie wasn’t able +to do any shopping so she had the catalogues +sent to me by mail.”</p> + +<p>“Nannie?”</p> + +<p>“That’s mother, of course. But she is so +little and delicate I could never think of calling +her mother,” declared Nora. “She likes Nannie +better.”</p> + +<p>“You have quite a talent for names or re-names,” +joked Teddy. “I am wondering how +I should have liked the ‘Lizzie’ you chose for +me.”</p> + +<p>“Not Lizzie! Elizabeth,” in a shocked voice.</p> + +<p>“Same lady, I believe. But let’s hold on +to Ted until we get acquainted or things may +go on end,” advised good-natured Mrs. Manners. +“Besides, there’s our auto, that’s ‘Lizzie’ +to Jerry.”</p> + +<p>Nora did not ask why. She was in the yellow +room, changing, and the blue roses in the +filmy little dress she selected were not bluer +than her own wondering eyes.</p> + +<p>“I tell you what would be just the thing for +you, dear,” said Teddy suddenly. “You must +join the Girl Scouts!”</p> + +<p>“Girl Scouts!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, you know about them, don’t you?”</p> + +<p>“I’ve read about them, but I really never +could, Aunt Teddy. I couldn’t be one of those +wild, uncultured girls.”</p> + +<p>A delicious laugh escaped Teddy.</p> + +<p>“Wild and uncultured!” she repeated. +Then, seeing the pitifully blank look on Nora’s +face she dropped the subject. “Here’s your +closet,” she explained next, opening the door of +a built-in wardrobe, “and you better slip these +little pads on the ends of hangers when you +put pretty things on them. You see, we have +very few fancy things out here, and these +hangers are cut from our birch trees. I had a +visitor last year who was so afraid of snakes +she spent all her time around the lodge, so she +made these pine pads with fancy stocking ends. +I have never needed to use them.”</p> + +<p>The pads were little cushions of pine needles +sewed in silk stocking ends, with a long open +seam along the side. These slipped onto the +hangers and were tied with tapes at the hook. +Nora quickly adjusted one for her dotted swiss +dress and another for her pink rose silk. +These, strange to tell, she had carried in her +hand bag.</p> + +<p>“And here is your dresser,” Teddy further +introduced. “See what lovely deep drawers.”</p> + +<p>“Aren’t they? I’d love to put lavender and +rosemary in the corners. Do you—like those +perfumes?”</p> + +<p>“Well, yes, as perfumes. But I’m so used +to the odor of freshly cut trees I’m afraid my +finer taste is disappearing,” said the other +quietly.</p> + +<p>Into the drawer Nora was placing such an +outlay of finery as any young bride might have +boasted of. Selecting from catalogues was +only too evident in the lacy garments, with +little ribbons, and tiny rose buds; pretty in +themselves but absurd on the undergarments +of a growing child. Then, there was an ivory +set, mirror, comb, brush, etc. As the surprised +Teddy glimpsed the display over a khaki covered +shoulder she had difficulty in choking back +a laugh.</p> + +<p>“Naomie would be as silly as that,” she pondered, +silently, reflecting that the same sort of +whims in dress and finery had been a real part +of Naomie Blair’s young girlhood.</p> + +<p>Nora was placing her pretty things on the +big dresser, with skilled little fingers, and that +the fancy, private, exclusive school had helped +to make silly traits even more pronounced in +little Nora, was too evident.</p> + +<p>Wisely, however, Mrs. Ted said not a word in +opposition. Things must move slowly, she realized, +if the quaint little dreamer was not to be +too rudely shocked out of her fancies.</p> + +<p>It was all very exciting even to the placid, +well balanced young woman. To have the +daughter of her girlhood friend come into her +very arms, like a little bird battered in the +storm of life’s uncertainties, with tired wings +falling against the bright window pane of love; +then to see the dreams unfolded with the Jims, +Elizabeths, ghosts and attic fancies, ready to +reel off like an actual moving-picture—it was +all very surprising, not to say astonishing, for +the sensible, modern Mantons.</p> + +<p>But could this same bright-eyed lady have +looked into the summer ahead, and forseen the +new fields of fancies that Nora was about to +explore, she might have been still more amazed. +Playing mother to a butterfly is not often a +very satisfactory experience, but there was +Nora, and if ever a child needed a mother this +little “whimsy” did.</p> + +<p>“To think of calling her mother Nannie,” +reflected Mrs. Manton, “and if only I could +have called such a child ‘daughter.’”</p> + +<p>Jerry was back from his enforced trip to +the lumberland, and his whistle trickled in the +window on a flood of sunshine.</p> + +<p>“Oh, let’s go down,” exclaimed Nora, brushing +things hastily into the dresser drawer and +neglecting to tie her sash in an even bow. “I’m +so anxious to see your outdoors, I could easily +believe there are fairies in these thick, tangly +woods.”</p> + +<p>“Our birds and little animal friends are just +as interesting as fairies,” remarked Mrs. Ted, +“but you must know them and they must know +you.”</p> + +<p>“How ever could one get acquainted with +birds?” asked Nora, stopping a moment on her +way out to answer Jerry’s whistle.</p> + +<p>“We don’t know how, but we know we do,” +replied Mrs. Ted, giving the flying window curtain +a jerk to let the sun stream in. “Some +day I must tell you about the poor little blue-jay +we took in and nursed. He got so fond of +us I could hardly get him to fly away.”</p> + +<p>“I had a canary once, Nannie sent it for +Christmas, but I had to let him go,” said Nora. +“He was just breaking his heart in that tiny, +little cage. I never wanted a bird again.”</p> + +<p>“They are pathetic when caged,” agreed +Mrs. Manton, “but when out in their own woods +they seem to be the very happiest little creatures +of all creation. Run along,” she said, as +Nora waited politely. “That Jerry-boy is getting +impatient.”</p> + +<p>As the child fluttered off, her yellow ringlets +dancing and her dainty little skirts swishing +around the half tied ribbon sash, Mrs. Ted +smiled and pondered:</p> + +<p>“Another little blue-jay to love; but she will +surely want to fly away in her sky of dreams, +and I pity the tired wings when night comes,” +sighed the potential mother.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink03'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER III—A BROKEN DREAM</a></h2> + +<p>It was evening at the Nest, and the quiet +settling down on the woodlands vibrated +with a melody, at once silent and musical.</p> + +<p>Little Nora fairly trembled with expectation. +What would the night bring? She was determined +to sleep in that attic under the big, dark +rafters. As a matter of fact Nora was fascinated +with fear; just as one may stop on a +river bridge and feel like jumping in.</p> + +<p>“Just pound on the floor, Kitten, if you get +scared. We’ll run up and get you, quickly +enough,” declared Jerry, secretly proud of +Nora’s pluck.</p> + +<p>“But really, dear,” objected Mrs. Ted, “I +would rather you would——”</p> + +<p>“Now Ted, you know well enough you had +a heap of fun the night you and Jettie slept in +the haunted house. Never mind the trouble +you made in the neighborhood, you had your +fun,” and he clapped his brown hands on his +knee and laughed, until Cap, the big dog, rolled +over in his sleep and grunted inquiringly.</p> + +<p>This reminder caused Ted to smile indulgently, +and when Nora twined her warm little +arms around the same Teddie’s neck, it seemed +to the adopted mother she could not deny her +anything—she might sleep on the roof if the +whim occurred to her just then.</p> + +<p>While the family, which included Vita and +the big tiger cat, besides Cap and a cage of +newly adopted birds, were either talking or +listening to talk, Vita, from the kitchen door, +was acting rather queerly. She would shuffle +back and forth, start to speak and hesitate, +cough, spill pans and make other unusual +noises, until Ted called out:</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter, Vita? You seem to be +having a lot of trouble.”</p> + +<p>“Not trouble, just worry,” replied the elderly +servant in good English, but strongly +accented.</p> + +<p>“Worry?” repeated Jerry. “Why Vita, +you never worry. What’s wrong? Come in +and tell us about it.”</p> + +<p>At this invitation Vita showed herself in the +comfortable sitting room, towel in hand and +head wagging.</p> + +<p>“It’s like this,” she began, “that attic——”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that’s it, is it? Now don’t you go +worrying about the attic,” interrupted Jerry. +“If our little girl wants to dream one dream +out up there, why shouldn’t she? I like her +spirit.”</p> + +<p>“But when—there’s the pretty room——”</p> + +<p>“Why Vita!” It was Ted who interrupted +this time. “I’m surprised that you should +interfere!”</p> + +<p>“Now, you know, dear, Vita means no harm,” +Jerry broke in, always eager to smooth things +out. “But there really doesn’t seem any cause +for all this anxiety.”</p> + +<p>“I would say, please,” ventured the housekeeper, +“a little girl might get scared up in +that black garret,” and she made her dark eyes +glare, plainly with the intent of frightening +Nora out of her plans.</p> + +<p>“Then it will be over, anyhow,” spoke up the +child, “and I might as well get scared tonight +as any other night,” she concluded loftily.</p> + +<p>“Right-o!” sang out Jerry. “I can tell sure +thing, Kitten, that you and I are going to have +a heap of fun in these diggings. When you +get through with one scare we’ll invent another, +and in that way we’ll be able to keep things +interesting.”</p> + +<p>Vita threw back her head, rolled her eyes +again and made a queer sort of gurgle. Then +she swished her dish towel in the air with such +a jerk it snapped like a whip, and realizing +further argument would be useless, she turned +back into her own quarters.</p> + +<p>As she went out, man and wife exchanged +questioning glances. They plainly asked each +other why their maid should be so concerned, +but with Nora present it was unwise to +put the query into words, so it remained unanswered.</p> + +<p>Nothing but sheer pity prevented Mrs. Jerry +Manton, better known as Ted, from bursting +into delicious laughter at the sight of Nora in +her boudoir finery, as, an hour later, she picked +her way up into that attic.</p> + +<p>Jerry kept discreetly at a distance, but he too +saw the figure, so like the model of an old time +master painting, as she climbed the stairs, unlighted +candle in hand, with Cap at the little +pink heels that just peeked out from under a +very beautiful, dainty night-robe.</p> + +<p>Her candle was not lighted—Cousin Ted, +(the latest name given the hostess) would not +permit the lighting, as she argued it was +dangerous to carry the little flame so near to +the flimsy robe: never-the-less, Nora wanted +the candle, and she carried it along to complete +the picture.</p> + +<p>At the door Ted touched a button and the +convenient big electric bulb, ordinarily used by +Jerry when he went to the attic workroom, +showered a welcome light over the dark rafters +and the queer eerie, lofty quarters.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t it wonderful!” said Nora, in a voice +so shaky the wonder part seemed rather awful.</p> + +<p>“If you get the least bit nervous, dear, you +come right down to the yellow room,” cautioned +Ted. “We will leave the hall lights +on, and Cap wanders about all night. So if +you hear him don’t be alarmed.”</p> + +<p>“It would be nice——” Nora paused, then +continued, “if Cap would sleep up here on this +lovely landing. Couldn’t we give him a pillow?”</p> + +<p>“I’m sure he wouldn’t stay long,” objected +Ted. “Our Cap is a wonderful night watchman +and has a regular beat to cover. He will +be sure to visit you more than once before +morning.” She was turning away reluctantly. +The circumstances exacted full strength of her +own courage—to leave that little wisp of a +child up in the lonely attic just to satisfy a +whim.</p> + +<p>But Ted knew the only sure way to effect a +cure for the fanciful nonsense was to let it burn +out: it could never be successfully suppressed. +Hence the decision and the attic quarters.</p> + +<p>“Good night, cousin Ted,” said Nora bravely. +“And don’t worry about me. I’m sure +to sleep and dream beautifully in that nice, +fresh bed.”</p> + +<p>“It is fresh; I changed it all as Vita seemed +so opposed to letting you come up here,” said +Ted, thoughtfully. “But while Vita is very +queer in some respects, she is loyal and faithful, +always.”</p> + +<p>Nora threw her small arms around Ted’s +neck impulsively.</p> + +<p>“If only Nannie liked housekeeping,” she +sighed. “Couldn’t we have perfectly lovely +times in a little house of our own?”</p> + +<p>“Your mother is sure to change her ideas +when she grows stronger,” replied the young +woman, charitably. “Naomie has what is +termed the artistic temperament. As a rule it +is greatly and sadly in need of discipline.”</p> + +<p>Nora sighed and pressed a loving pair of +trembling lips on Mrs. Manton’s brown cheek.</p> + +<p>“I’m so glad I found you, anyhow. And +Cousin Jerry is just the very loveliest big +jolly man! I’m sure I’m going to be very +happy here,” she finished with an impressive +sigh.</p> + +<p>“I know you are, dear. We have more kinds +of things to do in this big woodland! Just wait +until you go out surveying with us!” Ted +promised, “then you will see some of the wonders +of the great outdoors. There’s Jerry’s +whistle now. I must run away and get him his +bread and milk. Would you believe that great, +big baby has a bowl of milk and two cuts of +home made bread every night? He says his +mother always told her children a story when +they took this extra meal, and he insists he +would break up the family circle if he failed +to take his nightly supply.”</p> + +<p>“Break up the family? Do they come here?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, bless you, no. Jerry just fancies the +other two brothers in Canada and the sister +who is a nurse in the mountains, all eat bread +and milk at nine-thirty P. M.” She laughed +a little, caressing ripple. Even Nora knew that +this young wife cherished any filial view held +up by her husband.</p> + +<p>Ted was gone, and presently it was time to +turn out the big bulb light that dangled from +the rafters. Nora peered into the looking glass +at her own little face to make doubly sure of +herself. Then she made a complete survey of +the room.</p> + +<p>“Just to know that any noise isn’t here,” +she apologized to herself, poking her yellow +head into a nest of cobwebs and jerking back +with a little gasp.</p> + +<p>“Oh!” she panted, “Cousin Jerry wants +cobwebs for his surveying instruments. I +must be sure to remember where that nest is.”</p> + +<p>Over by the chimney a line of paper bags +hung and these now seemed “spooky” in the +shadowy light. Other hanging things in the +low parts of the attic that were set away from +the center, the latter which was forming the +unfinished bed room, all added to the grotesque +outline.</p> + +<p>“But I’ve got to do it,” declared little Nora, +crawling at last under the fresh bed covering +Cousin Ted had provided.</p> + +<p>“I’ll leave the light on for a little while just +to try it,” decided Nora, her yellow head buried +so deeply beneath the covers that it was quite +impossible to tell light from darkness.</p> + +<p>A little click from somewhere brought her +up straight in the bed, a moment later. She +listened with all her alert senses but nothing +else happened. With a new feeling, somewhat +akin to disappointment, Nora once more settled +down, first, however, she actually turned off the +light, and only the slim streak from the far +away hall showed a single beam that framed +the chimney line.</p> + +<p>Being brave—as brave as all this—was really +a new experience to Nora, but she had promised +herself to “hold out”; and then Cousin +Jerry had seemed so proud of her pluck she +would never disappoint him.</p> + +<p>“Makes me feel almost as big as a boy,” she +encouraged herself, “and won’t I have a wonderful +story to write Barbara.”</p> + +<p>Now she thought of Barbara, the tom-boy +girl at school: she who could climb and romp, +laugh and cry, defy the prim madams who +conducted the school, it was certainly conducted +not “run,” and the Misses Baily were +types of teachers such as the most carping +critic might depict, black string eye-glasses +and all.</p> + +<p>The vision flitted before the blinking eyes +of Nora. She was so glad to get away from +school restrictions and perhaps—well perhaps +Cousin Jerry and Cousin Ted might get to love +her so fondly they would not send her back.</p> + +<p>What was that!</p> + +<p>Over by the big chest!</p> + +<p>Quickly Nora struck a match and lighted her +candle.</p> + +<p>A figure moved, there was no mistake about +it, a person, a real live person was surely over +by the spook cabinet.</p> + +<p>Nora almost stopped breathing.</p> + +<p>She was afraid to call out and still more +afraid to remain quiet.</p> + +<p>There it was again!</p> + +<p>“Oh! Oh! Cousin Ted!”</p> + +<p>She did call, but in such a thread of a voice +she scarcely heard it herself.</p> + +<p>The next moment Cap sniffed his big, warm +nose up under her arm.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Cap, I’m so glad! Stay with me. I’m +frightened!” she whispered, drawing his tawny +head closer.</p> + +<p>Then it occurred to her that the big dog had +not barked. She knew he could scent a stranger +in any part of the house, and she was equally +sure a real person had moved over by the +cabinet. Who could it be?</p> + +<p>Her first sudden fright was now giving place +to reason. The intruder must be human, and +perhaps whoever it was, he was giving Cap +something he liked. But that would not account +for his submission, for Cap was not a dog to +take things from strangers.</p> + +<p>Horrible thoughts of chloroform stifled the +girl. She even fancied she did detect a strange, +depressing odor. What if she should be +drugged!</p> + +<p>An attempt to move found her too frightened +to put one foot over the side of that bed. Why +had she waited so long? A sickening fear was +coming on. Oh, suppose it should be unconsciousness?</p> + +<p>There was a stir. Cap was knocking things +about. Now he dashed over and was surely +bounding up on someone.</p> + +<p>“Down!” came the command.</p> + +<p>It was given in the voice of Vita!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink04'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER IV—TRANSPLANTED</a></h2> + +<p>Nora was too surprised now to even think +coherently. That Vita should be up in +her attic!</p> + +<p>“Down, down Cap!” the housekeeper was +ordering, while the dog, evidently realizing +something very unusual was occurring, added +his part to the confusion.</p> + +<p>“Vita!” called Nora in a subdued voice, +“Come over this way!”</p> + +<p>“Hush! Don’t wake the folks,” cautioned the +maid, now beside Nora’s bed. “I—just—come +to—shut the window——”</p> + +<p>“Oh, is there a window over there?”</p> + +<p>“A little one,” evaded Vita. “But why do +you come up to this dirty place?”</p> + +<p>“It isn’t dirty, and I like attics.” Nora’s +was confident now and her voice betrayed some +resentment.</p> + +<p>“You like it?” Vita sniffed so hard the +candle almost choked to death.</p> + +<p>“Why yes; why shouldn’t I? I’m romantic +you know.”</p> + +<p>“Roman——”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you don’t understand. I’m sort of +booky, like a story, you know,” explained Nora +loftily. “I love things that are like the parts +of a story.”</p> + +<p>It was difficult to make certain that this lusty +Italian understood; but even in the dim light, +her dark eyes seemed kind and full of smiling +glints, and her ruddy cheeks dimpled all over +like a big tufted pin cushion, giving Nora a +feeling of security mingled with curiosity.</p> + +<p>Why did Vita come up? There was no draft +from any window. Was there even a window?</p> + +<p>“I tell you, baby,” the woman began, as if +answering Nora’s silent questions, “you be a +very good little girl and go down to the pretty +sun-gold room; yes?”</p> + +<p>The big warm arm was cuddling the little +form in the bed, and Cap was so happy he put +both paws gingerly on the coverlet, snapping +a very short bark of a question right into +Nora’s face.</p> + +<p>“Quiet, boy!” whispered Nora. “We are +having a lovely party but we must not wake +our neighbors.”</p> + +<p>The big shaggy head burrowed down into +the covers, and Nora felt like a little queen on +a throne with her servants bowing at her feet.</p> + +<p>“Go on, Vita,” she ordered grandly.</p> + +<p>“I tell you a nice little story, then you go +downstairs on tippy toes, yes?”</p> + +<p>“But Vita dear, I did so want to stay up +here,” pouted Nora.</p> + +<p>“It is no good up here. All crazy like, and +make you scared—awful.” This was said in +a very positive tone.</p> + +<p>“Why? What should I be afraid of? I +slept alone at boarding school and the winds +made dreadful noises sometimes.” protested +Nora.</p> + +<p>“Never mind. You be Vita’s good baby and +Vita give you nice—very good cake tomorrow,” +coaxed the woman, who now seemed anxious +to leave the attic herself. She stirred uneasily.</p> + +<p>“Well,” sighed Nora, “I suppose I can’t +have any peace if I don’t.” She threw down +the coverlet. “But see, my little clock says +eleven, and I don’t want to disturb anyone on +my very first night. You go down whatever +way you came up, Vita; and I’ll creep down +the front way.”</p> + +<p>The woman’s relief was so evident Nora +scarcely knew whether to be grateful or suspicious.</p> + +<p>“Now everything be all right,” whispered +Vita happily, “and you sleep just like the angel. +Here Cap, you go very still,” and she patted +the dog with a little shove that urged him +toward the door. He understood, evidently, for +very quietly indeed he shuffled down, his four +feet softer than velvet slippers, as he carried +his huge body down the darkened stairway.</p> + +<p>Nora first poked her head out to make sure +the coast was clear, then with a motion to Vita, +who stood with candle in hand at the attic door, +she swept down the stairs and entered the yellow +room, into which a soft light from the hall +fell in a welcoming path.</p> + +<p>The bed covers were turned down—Vita +must have been determined that Nora should +use that bed, and the window was properly +opened, for the soft breeze stirred the scrim +curtains, and a wonderful woodland scent stole +into the room.</p> + +<p>“It is much better down here,” Nora was +forced to admit as she snuggled into the gold +and blue coverlet. “I guess I was a nuisance +to be so obstinate.”</p> + +<p>A few minutes later a step in the hall glided +to the electric light button, and the click that +followed turned off the light.</p> + +<p>That must have been Ted, of course, and she +must have known that Nora was now safely +tucked in the comfortable bed in the guest +room.</p> + +<p>“She was waiting for me too,” mused Nora +with a twinge of compunction. “I do wonder +why they made such a fuss about me staying +in the attic?” It was delicious to have every +one anxious about her,—so short a time ago +no one but the Circle Angel at the Baily School +seemed to care whether she slept in her bed or +out on the old, tattered hammock, that Barbara +wanted to make a tree climber out of; and now +in this lovely little bungalow, called The Nest, +there were so many beds for her she couldn’t +choose.</p> + +<p>All the same, with the insistence of her fancies, +visions of goblins and goo-gees up in the +attic pranced through her excited brain and +made the queerest pictures. She shivered as +she remembered them.</p> + +<p>“But Vita is nothing like a spirit worker,” +mused the child. “And she is so kind and +seems so fond of me.” Then she had an inspiration.</p> + +<p>“I have it,” she all but exclaimed aloud. +“Vita knows what is wrong and is afraid I will +find out. She is not frightened at it or she +would not go prowling around in the dark,” +continued the reasoning, “but she has a secret +and it is in that attic.”</p> + +<p>As if this conclusion settled all disturbing +doubts, Nora humped over once or twice and +then gave in to the sleep her tired little self was +so sorely in need of.</p> + +<p>It was the end of a long and too well filled +day. She had left the select school with all the +instructions of the Misses Baily fairly hissing +in her ears. Then there was Barbara’s fun +making, in the way of a train letter with all +sorts of wild premonitions (they were funny +but somehow the train incidents took on the +threats of danger Barbara had outlined). But +after all, no one had kidnapped her and here +she was—yes, asleep in the big fluffy bed in the +lovely yellow room.</p> + +<p>A whistle—Jerry’s—brought her back. The +daylight was streaming in through that wonderful +dew laden vine. And oh, the scent!</p> + +<p>It was not flowers but woodlands. A bird +chirped a polite good morning, and without the +usual eye rubbing Nora was sitting up straight +and silently thanking the Maker of good things +for such a wonderful day.</p> + +<p>For the first time in her life she felt that her +clothes were not appropriate, and it was some +moments before she could decide just which +little gown to appear in. They really seemed +out of place in that rugged country—her laces +and ribbons and fine fussings.</p> + +<p>“I suppose the Girl Scouts do wear practical +things,” she reflected, “but that horrid khaki!” +The thought sent a little shudder through the +small, frail shoulders, and Nora, donning her +Belgian blue, with brown sandals and two +colored socks, was ready, presently, to meet her +newly adopted relations. Cap was at her door +when she opened it, and this, more than anything +else, sent a thrill of joy to her heart. +Even a wonderful big dog to welcome her when +any dog would surely want to be out doors with +Jerry on such a morning!</p> + +<p>“Come along, Bob,” called a man’s voice +from the lower hall. “We can hardly spare +time to eat—there is so much to see this morning.”</p> + +<p>Nora was beside him as he continued:</p> + +<p>“The kittens are tumbling out of their box, +the puppies are fighting over a feather, the +chicks are testing their strength on a nice, +lively, fat little worm, and oh yes! the calf +jumped over the moon—the moon being Ted’s +home made gate,” he finished, with that +boyish laugh that always made the house ring +merrily.</p> + +<p>Vita was just coming into the dining room +with the muffins as Nora passed her. There +was no mistaking the sly wink—the big dark +eyes fairly sparkled glints as the maid signalled +Nora not to say anything about the attic episode. +Nora smiled and nodded, and then the +muffins were placed before Mrs. Ted.</p> + +<p>“Sleep well, dear?” asked that lady presently.</p> + +<p>“Wonderfully,” replied Nora, just a bit +cautiously.</p> + +<p>“I heard you come down stairs and was +rather glad you changed your mind,” continued +the hostess, while she poured Jerry’s coffee. +“It is much pleasanter on the second floor.”</p> + +<p>For a moment Nora wondered whether this +was being said to disguise the real happening. +Did Mrs. Manton know that Vita had gone up +to rouse her?</p> + +<p>“Maybe rain today,” interrupted the maid, +although the sun shone brightly at the moment.</p> + +<p>“Now Vittoria!” objected Jerry. “You +ought to know better than to say rain when I +have to go away out to the back woods, and I +want to have some real work done today.” He +glanced over his shoulder at the streaming +sunlight. “You’re a fraud, or else you are not +awake yet,” he went on. “There is no more +sign of rain than of snow.”</p> + +<p>“I agree with you for once, Jerry,” chimed +in Ted. “The grass was knitted with cobwebs, +the sun came up grey, and besides all that the +jelly jelled. Now Vita, you see you are completely +left. It is not going to rain.”</p> + +<p>Vita laughed good naturedly. “Then I say +it is goin’ to shine,” she added, and Nora now +felt certain her talk had been made to interrupt +the comment on the night before.</p> + +<p>Breakfast passed off in a gale of pleasantries. +The home of the Mantons seemed jollier +every moment, to Nora.</p> + +<p>“How about the woods?” asked Jerry, while +they lingered over the coffee.</p> + +<p>“I’m ready,” replied Ted, “and I’m sure +Nora will want to come.”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes,” with a glance at her inadequate +costume. “Will this dress be all right?”</p> + +<p>“If it’s the strongest you have with you,” +replied Ted. “But we have some very saucy +briars and brush. We must see about a real +woodsy outfit for you.” She paused a moment, +then continued, “I am sure you will like the +Girl Scouts when you get to know more about +them. I know a group of the girls and to my +thinking they are the real thing in girls.”</p> + +<p>Nora flushed slightly. One point she had +made up her mind on. She was not going to +lose her identity by joining in with a group of +girls who, she imagined, just did as they were +told, and apparently had no ideas of their own. +Nora had seen some of the Girl Scout literature +and it had not impressed her favorably. It was +plain and practical, while she longed for +novelty.</p> + +<p>“Well, Bob is going to be my scout, at any +rate,” chimed in Jerry, quick to sense possible +embarrassment. The shade of Nora’s cheeks +gave him his cue. “We won’t talk about the +regular Scouts until—well, until later,” he finished, +in the foolish way he had of making a +boy of himself. It was rather foolish, but so +jolly. He would wind up everything in just +the way Nora never expected, as if his words +said themselves.</p> + +<p>The visitor was conscious now of something +unpleasant stealing in upon her. Would Mrs. +Manton oblige her to be different? Couldn’t +she dream and play and fancy all the wonderful +things she had been storing up for so long? +Wasn’t this her dream vacation?</p> + +<p>Nannie, that play mother of hers, <i>she</i> knew +would not want her to change her peculiar +characteristics.</p> + +<p>This sort of reasoning flashed before her +mind as the party prepared for a day in the +woods.</p> + +<p>So the little girl in Belgian blue went along +with the big man in his knickers and brown +blouse, and with the young woman in her service +uniform.</p> + +<p>Nora made an odd little figure, but she was, +as she had always been, a picture of a girl.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink05'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER V—THE WOODS AT ROCKY LEDGE</a></h2> + +<p>Out in the woods!</p> + +<p>Forgotten was the dread idea of a +Scout uniform or the possible program +of a Scout ritual. Nora romped with Cap, discovering +new delights at every few paces and +only pausing to exchange salutations with birds, +bees and butterflies. The sky was as blue as +her gown, and her eyes matched the entire +scheme. Her golden hair tossed in the wind +like new corn silk, and when Jerry and Ted +slyly inspected their charge at a safe distance, +a most comprehensive nod of a pair of wise +heads told volumes to the woodlands and the +surrounding Nature audience.</p> + +<p>Yes, Nora would do. Now life at the Nest +seemed complete. Even this dreamy, romantic +little bit of humanity was a real child, and to +the pair of adopted parents she seemed as beautiful +as a wild flower.</p> + +<p>“Now Ted, you just hold back on that Scout +stuff,” Jerry had the temerity to suggest. “We +don’t want to scare her off, first shot. And you +can see she’s opposed.”</p> + +<p>“She doesn’t understand,” replied Ted. +“But, of course, there is no need to urge her. +No hurry, at any rate.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know as I like the tom-boy idea,” +continued Jerry. “She’s very pretty just as +she is.”</p> + +<p>Ted laughed knowingly. “You’re the boy +who pulls down the shades rather than say +‘no’ to the peddlers,” she reminded him. “It +is easy to understand why you are opposing +the Scouts.”</p> + +<p>He adjusted his tripod and seemed to have +found something very absorbing at that moment. +Nevertheless, his big shoulders shook, +and his curly head wagged a little suspiciously.</p> + +<p>They were surveying the end of a big strip of +woodland. All over the young forest could be +seen the yellow stripes that marked the trees +that were to be spared, while those unmarked +were doomed for the woodman’s ax. Birds +liked the yellow-banded trees best, to judge +from the perches they made upon such, but of +course, they could not have known that the +other, not so fortunate, needed their musical +sympathy to make less gloomy the approaching +execution.</p> + +<p>“See! Just see!” Nora called, running back +from the wild grape-vine cave. “Do come over +and see this—little play house. It’s perfect as +can be, with vine draperies, and moss carpet, +and real wild-rose decoration. Cap led me to +it, I guess it’s his secret place.” She was panting +with sheer joy. The woods were new to +the girl from the boarding school, where walks +were confined to the limits of neuritis and neuralgia +as “enjoyed” by the Baily Sisters.</p> + +<p>“Cap’ll show you,” replied Jerry. “He has +nothing to do but hunt while Ted and I work +for our living.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, could I help?” Nora felt like an intruder +upon their industry.</p> + +<p>“Not just today, but pretty soon. Perhaps +the day after.” This was another of Jerry’s +characteristic replies. Nora understood them +better now.</p> + +<p>“But it is real fun—fun to look through that +spy glass. Do you have cobwebs in there?”</p> + +<p>Asking this brought back to her mind the cobweb +nest in the attic. Jerry’s reply, however, +forestalled further reflection in that direction +at the moment.</p> + +<p>“Some day, pretty soon, perhaps the day +after tomorrow,” he laughed again, “I’ll show +you all about this and the cobwebs. Ted has +some town stuff to attend to; and listen, Bobbs” +(he stepped over and whispered in Nora’s ear), +“Ted is a perfect terror if she is held too late +in the woods. She would starve us to death, +like as not, if I didn’t get back before the +clock cooled striking. So you and Cap just run +along and find out what the fairies want from +the village, while we mark a few more spots.”</p> + +<p>Was there ever such a jolly man? Once +again he had quickly avoided embarrassment to +Nora. He would not even let her think she +should be useful.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” called Mrs. Manton from her position +astride a small white birch, “you and Cap have +a good time, Nora. He will teach you to +explore.”</p> + +<p>Willingly Nora ran back to the bower she had +discovered. Surely it had been fashioned by +elves and fairies, for it was perfect in every +detail. Unconscious of time, she flitted about +making a little window in the wild grape vine, +and fashioning a door between the hazel-nut +boughs.</p> + +<p>A murmuring song escaped her lips, while +Cap now and then yelped sharply, impatient +to be understood and receive attention.</p> + +<p>“Why, Cap!” asked Nora in reply to one +of these outbursts, “I don’t quite understand +your language. What is it?”</p> + +<p>The big dog was vainly trying to make Nora +see a nest of late sparrows. The tiny feathered +babies could just stretch their little heads +above the rim of the straw cup of a nest they +cuddled in, and when Cap found them he knew +he should notify somebody. The bush was so +low, although it was safely sheltered by the +thick vines, and a wild trumpet vine loaned two +beautiful flowers to cheer the little birds during +their mother’s absence. Still, Cap felt certain +it was dangerous for such tiny creatures +to be there in the very path of any wild, rough +animal happening by.</p> + +<p>Nora had never seen such baby birds before. +First, she wanted to fondle them, but Cap gave +warning and she desisted. Then, she wanted +to feed them, as if birds could eat the black +berries she offered them. But presently the +mother bird flew into the bower with such a +wild, shrill call, Nora knew her own presence +was not desired so near the baby birds, so she +followed Cap out into the clearance. As she +did she saw approaching a group of girls, and +they wore the Girl Scout uniform.</p> + +<p>At the sight something within Nora seemed +to tighten up. The girls were coming straight +to the bower and their laughing voices had the +strange effect of all but chilling Nora.</p> + +<p>Without waiting to exchange so much as a +smile she called Cap and ran off to the surveyor’s +camp.</p> + +<p>“Well,” she heard one girl exclaim, as she +sped away, “one would think we were—Indians.”</p> + +<p>Nora’s ears stung as her cheeks flamed.</p> + +<p>“There! Wasn’t that just what one might +expect? As if a girl couldn’t do just as she +pleased in the woodlands! And they were her +own Cousin Jerry’s lands too,” Nora scoffed.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter, Nora?” asked Mrs. +Manton, as she panting, sank down on a freshly-cut +stump. “You don’t mean to tell me you +are actually afraid of those little girls, just +because they wear uniforms?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, Cousin Ted, I am not afraid of +them,” her voice would shake somehow, “but +I didn’t know them.”</p> + +<p>“I see. Well, we must all get acquainted in +these pretty parts. The birds and the furry +things never wait for an introduction,” replied +Ted, kindly.</p> + +<p>“Come along with me, Bobbs,” called Jerry, +who was packing up his instruments. “I need +help with this chain; it is bound to snarl.”</p> + +<p>“Jerry!” called out Mrs. Ted rather sharply. +“You really must not interfere every time I +attempt to tell Nora something useful. I want +her to know the Girl Scouts, and the sooner +she makes up her mind to do so the happier +she will be. The Scouts are all over this place +you know, Jerry,” and the laughter of the girls +up at the bower attested to the truth of that +statement. “Anyone who is not interested in +Scouting will have a poor chance of a real vacation +in the woodlands,” concluded Mrs. Manton.</p> + +<p>“But we are going to scout,” insisted the +man with the tripod on his shoulder. “The +only thing is, we are going to do it in our own +way. Isn’t that so, Bobbs?”</p> + +<p>Young and simple minded as was Nora, she +was fully conscious of a difference of opinions +regarding her management. Jerry was surely +siding with her, even in her whims, whereas +Ted, mother-like, felt the necessity of giving +advice.</p> + +<p>That was it. She had never before known +anything the least bit mother-like. Would she +find the relationship too irksome?</p> + +<p>There was the hint of a tear in her blinking +eye when she pulled the kinky tape out for +Jerry and felt it snap back into its leather case. +After all, things were not exactly as she had +pictured them at the Nest. First, she was +dragged down from her attic—she felt now she +had been dragged down in the very middle of +the night by that great, big Vita, and now, +there were those horrid Girl Scouts being held +up as examples for her to follow and imitate. +Well, she would never be a Scout. Each time +the question presented itself she felt more decidedly +against it. She would always have big +Cousin Jerry to stand by her, and if Cousin +Ted——</p> + +<p>“Want to come to town with me, dear?” +called the owner of the name she was opposing.</p> + +<p>“Sure she does. She is going to ride +Cyclone. Aren’t you, Bobbs?” This was +from Jerry.</p> + +<p>“I couldn’t ride a big horse,” faltered the +confused girl.</p> + +<p>“We will go in our handsome ca—our little +tame flivver,” interrupted Ted. “When +you want to ride a horse you will have plenty +of time to practice.” Mrs. Manton had assembled +her tools. Nora marvelled at the +strong hands that could so skillfully wield the +sharp hatchet and the dangerous-looking trimming +knife. Into the loop at her belt Ted +carelessly slipped the glittering tools, and as +she did so Nora recalled the sight of the dainty +hands she had been accustomed to admiring. +What would the ladies who visited the school +say to a person like Cousin Ted?</p> + +<p>They were ready to leave for the cottage. +Over the hill the Girl Scouts were calling their +mysterious “Wha-hoo,” and to Nora it sounded +like a call to battle. What had at first been +merely an indifference was now assuming the +proportions of actual dislike. How was Nora +to know she was a very much spoiled little girl? +And how was she to guess what the cost of her +change of heart would mean to her?</p> + +<p>She was a total stranger to the word “snob.” +Her training had been one straight line of +avoiding this, that, and the other thing; but as +for doing this, that and everything, no place +was given in the curriculum.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Manton, herself a product of the most +modern college, knew the weakness of little +Nora’s character at a glance, but to introduce +strength and purpose! To bend the vine without +crushing the tendrils!</p> + +<p>This very first day was marked with a danger +signal. If Nora slighted the Scouts, they who +came almost daily to Ted for information and +companionship, there was sure to be trouble. +It was this surety that prompted Ted to say +with decision:</p> + +<p>“The sooner Nora gets acquainted the happier +she will be.”</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the girls of Chickadee Patrol had +all but forgotten about the stranger. They +were after specimens and had discovered more +than one new bird’s nest. Cameras were clicking, +notes being taken, and so many interesting +matters were being attended to, it was not +strange that the sight of one little girl in a +pretty blue frock, with a disdainful expression +on her otherwise attractive face, might have +been forgotten for the time.</p> + +<p>If there were really fairies in those woods +they should have intervened just then, for it +would have been so much easier for Nora to +have met the Scouts as companions, whereas +she, holding away from the very idea of organization, +kept building up a dislike which threatened +to cause her much unhappiness.</p> + +<p>The woodlands were broad enough for both +to roam, but it was inevitable that both should +meet some day, and, under what circumstances?</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink06'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VI—A PRINCE IN HIDING</a></h2> + +<p>When Nora wrote to Barbara she drew +word pictures of the beauties at +Woodland Wilds. She shed a tear of +real joy when writing about Cousin Jerry and +Captain, and when she fondly recited the virtues +of Cousin Ted she felt she put more in that +one word “Motherly” than could otherwise +have been conveyed.</p> + +<p>It was in the writing of that letter that she +took account of her actual self, for in wording +it she had naturally summed up.</p> + +<p>“I am not just sure whether I entirely suit +or not,” she told Barbara. “Sometimes I feel +so different. Of course they all love me, even +Vita the cook, and I love them fondly, but don’t +you know, Babs, you always told me I saw +‘foohey’ and you would not explain what it was +to be that way? But I guess I am, whatever it +is, for a lot of alterations have already been +ordered,” she wrote.</p> + +<p>“My new outdoor clothes have arrived,” the +letter ran, “they are of brown cloth” (she +avoided the use of the word khaki) “and they +will stand a lot of hard wear. Cousin Jerry +says we get them that color and so we won’t +scare the birds and other woodland creatures. +They are supposed to think we are part of the +landscape.”</p> + +<p>Nora then told of the attic, and its chest of +treasures, and added she expected to try on a +couple of outfits the very first day she was free +from accompanying the surveying party.</p> + +<p>All of which showed the visitor was “taking +root,” as Jerry would have said.</p> + +<p>A long tramp out in a marshy territory was +to be undertaken by the two veterans, Ted and +Jerry, but because of the bad footing Nora +was not asked to go along. This provided the +very opportunity Nora had been waiting for, +and hardly had the reliable old flivver +“fluvved” away, then she hurried up to the +attic in search of a costume.</p> + +<p>“Come on, Cap,” she whispered, eluding +Vita, but unwilling to go up in the attic alone. +She had not forgotten the suspicions of her +first night.</p> + +<p>Too glad to obey, Cap led the way, and presently +Nora forgot even the “spook cabinet” +in her interest over the open costume chest.</p> + +<p>Things were mussed and musty, rumpled and +wrinkled and crinkled; but what colors and what +a lot of bright tinsel!</p> + +<p>“Oh joy,” she exclaimed, dragging from the +tangles a real Fauntleroy costume. “I have +always wanted to see how I would look dressed +in this sort of outfit,” she thought, for the black +velvet “knickers,” the little velvet jacket, and +the lace blouse were all there, and yes, there +was a wonderful, bright silk scarf to go around +the waist.</p> + +<p>The cap was prettiest of all, and it was resting +on Nora’s yellow curls before Cap could +possibly make out what the whole proceedings +meant. He stood over in his corner and +blinked, but Nora insisted on having his +opinion.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t it wonderful, Cap? And don’t you +like Nora in it?” she demanded. He gave one +of his peculiar exclamations rather louder than +she had expected, and to prevent the sounds +from reaching Vita’s ears, Nora put both arms +around Cap’s neck and hugged him into silence.</p> + +<p>She was very much excited. Ever since her +arrival at the Nest she had been planning a +private masquerade, and now the time had come +for her to indulge in it.</p> + +<p>Fanciful dream child that she was, the character +of little Lord Fauntleroy had always +strongly appealed to her, and as for most girls +the boy’s costume had a peculiar charm for her +heroic ventures into the world of make-believe.</p> + +<p>“We’ll take them down stairs,” she told +Cap. “We can dress much more comfortably +in my room.”</p> + +<p>Poking her head out to make sure Vita was +not around, she tucked the velvets and laces +into her arms and hurried to the next floor. +Seldom had she locked the hall door, but she +did so now, dismissing Cap peremptorily, for +there was no need of his protection on the second +floor.</p> + +<p>“I suppose it’s too big,” she reasoned, when +the little knickers were pulled up as high as the +button and button hole line. Yes, it was big, +this costume had been worn by a gay lady at +a big country club dance, and little Nora was +scarcely a sample of the personality for which +the jaunty outfit had been created.</p> + +<p>But mere size did not worry her. It was effect +that she craved. The lacy blouse fell into +place quite naturally, and it did look boyish, +while the overblouse of black velvet completed +the Fauntleroy picture.</p> + +<p>“If the buckles would only stay buckled,” +she sighed, trying for the third time to fasten +the knee straps and keep them that way. It +was not pretty at all to have them slink down +below her knees, like an untidy schoolboy; and +a pin had no possible effect on the heavy, velvety +finish.</p> + +<p>“I know,” breathed Nora, “I’ll roll them.” +And she did that skillfully; for in the season +just past many and many a sock had she rolled +and they had stayed, although Barbara never +could acquire the same knack.</p> + +<p>It was all finally finished, and she inspected +herself in the mirror, slanted to the very last +angle to show the full length. A pat of the +cap, a brash of the tie and a swish of the flying +scarf gave the finishing touches.</p> + +<p>Really Nora made “a perfectly stunning” +little Lord Fauntleroy. Had she been more accustomed +to the sayings of the day she might +well have exclaimed, “All dressed up and no +place to go,” but her culture admitted of no +such expressive parlance. Instead, she asked +herself in the looking glass: “Wonder if I dare +go outside? It is so comfortable to wear this +style”; and she skipped around as every other +girl on earth has ever done the very moment +she felt relieved of the trammel of skirts.</p> + +<p>The morning was unusually quiet. Vita must +be away picking greens, the surveyors were +miles out, and there was no one but Cap to +criticise. Why shouldn’t she stroll out grandly +in her princely costume?</p> + +<p>She did. The birds twittered and the rabbits +scurried and the pet squirrel stood up and +begged. But Nora was not feeding the animals +this morning, instead, she flounced her lace +sleeve in a most courtly gesture and passed on +to the cedar tree grove. Cedars seemed more +appropriate for velvets than did the other wild +trees; besides, no underbrush grew in the cedar +grove, and it was much safer for costly finery.</p> + +<p>On the rustic seat Nora felt exactly as she +had felt the day Miss Baily took her to sit for +her picture, except that she crossed her legs +comfortably now, whereas, then, she was not +even allowed to cross her hands.</p> + +<p>Presently the actress removed her (his) cap +and poised it on the arm of the chair. Did +Lord Fauntleroy go out in his grounds alone? +Perhaps she should have called Cap to go along.</p> + +<p>Then came thoughts of Nannie. Why must +she, little Nora, always be so far away from +that pretty mother? And why did the picture +life—the make-believe—charm her like some +secret failing? Did other girls really like the +horrid brown uniforms never pictured in books, +that is, never, until very lately? So raced her +unruly thoughts.</p> + +<p>Everything was so still, but Nora was not +lonely—her own reflections kept her such noisy +company that isolation had no terror for her. +Just outside the cedar grove a strip of road +waited for traffic. Few persons passed, but +even woodlands must have roads, just as skies +must have clouds.</p> + +<p>Feeling more at home in her costume every +moment, Nora stepped proudly outside the +grove into the clearance. A fat little hoptoad +crossed the path, but otherwise the prince was +lord of all he surveyed. The whole world was +busy, evidently, and even a visiting prince attracted +no attention in the wild woodlands.</p> + +<p>Nora wanted to whistle. She felt a prince, +with hands in pockets inspecting his domain, +would surely whistle, but she had never made +much of a success at the wind song—it was +Barbara who did all the whistling for both. +Still, she tried now, and the sound wasn’t any +worse than the cracked call of the blue-jay, except +that it did not carry so far.</p> + +<p>What would Barbara say to this game of +characters? A companion would add to the +possibilities of good times, Nora secretly admitted, +but what companion could she find in +these wilds?</p> + +<p>Just as a sense of loneliness came creeping +over her she heard the leaves somewhere +crackle. The next moment a girl appeared a +few paces up the road, and called to her quickly: +“Oh, I say boy! Have you seen the Girl +Scouts——”</p> + +<p>The voice stopped as suddenly as it had +started. The girl in uniform looked so surprised, +Nora was conscious of scrutiny, even +at the distance between them. She turned her +head instinctively and so evaded a direct look; +but presently the girl called again:</p> + +<p>“I am looking for the girls who are going +over to the Ledge. Did you happen to see +them pass this way?”</p> + +<p>“No,” faltered Nora, in a voice not her own. +“I just came along. I’m looking for a car——”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I saw one. It drove down the turn——”</p> + +<p>“Thanks,” jerked out Nora, taking the cue +to escape, and waving her hand in lieu of +further conversation. She dodged behind the +heavy elderberry bush and almost gasped in +fright. What would a Girl Scout think of her +in such a costume? Of course, she had no possible +opportunity of seeing her face, and she +surely could never recognize her again. Making +positive she could get back to the Nest without +again stepping out into the roadway, Nora +sped back as quickly as her feet could carry her. +It was always these Scouts; a sense of humiliation +was now added to that of dislike. Would +they all talk about her? Perhaps make fun of +her or think her odd and foolish?</p> + +<p>Too inexperienced to realize that the entire +blame was her own, Nora crept up to the flap-jack +path that led directly to the cottage door.</p> + +<p>Here she was stopped again, for Vita sat +out by the big stump, either counting or selecting +something from her apron. So engrossed +was she in her task she did not hear Nora’s footfall, +and this gave the “prince” another chance +to escape detection. She darted back into the +arbor and waited. The only other way to enter +the house was at front and she might meet +almost anyone in that way.</p> + +<p>Her game was losing its charm. She would +have given much to be free of the finery and +garbed again in her own simple clothes. It +was rather mortifying to be considered queer, +and that one saving grace, a sense of humor, +was entirely lacking in the girl’s make-up. +Otherwise she might have jumped down from +a tree and frightened Vita out of her wits, thus +making a lark out of a difficulty.</p> + +<p>She waited impatiently. What could Vita be +doing that so held her attention? Then the +attic memories flashed back to Nora’s mind and +she wondered.</p> + +<p>“Cousin Ted leaves too much to that maid,” +she was deciding. “I might be able to help by +keeping a lookout.”</p> + +<p>But for what? Vita was surely trustworthy +and even extremely kind to Nora, the intruder.</p> + +<p>A burr pricked the knee that refused to hold +fast to the buckled finery. It must have been +rather a nuisance to dress like that. Nora +rolled the band tighter and lost her fancy hat +in the effort.</p> + +<p>Voices!</p> + +<p>Girls’ laughter. The Scouts, of course, and +coming back toward the cottage!</p> + +<p>Without waiting to consider Vita’s opinion, +Nora sprang from her hiding place and darted +up the path into the cottage.</p> + +<p>Voices within as well as without!</p> + +<p>Cousin Ted was back from the woods and had +company. How could Nora reach her room +without being seen?</p> + +<p>She crouched behind the kitchen cabinet, hoping +the voices would leave the hall and enter +the living room, but, evidently, there was a reason +for delay, and the big seat was right at the +foot of the stairway!</p> + +<p>Now Vita’s flat slippers patted the stones and +she was coming into the kitchen.</p> + +<p>Disgusted with the entire affair, Nora turned +into the back stairway. She had never mounted +those stairs, they were used only by the maid, +but just now there seemed no other avenue of +escape. She heard the shuffling feet of Vita +as she climbed the bare treads.</p> + +<p>They were narrow and dark, only a small +window cut in an opening somewhere allowed +enough light to penetrate to make sure the steps +were those of stairs. A narrow landing marked +the line where the second floor must be. Then +there was another turn, a sort of sharp twist +in the queer ladder-like climb.</p> + +<p>Nora was too far up now to hear Vita’s step +in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>“But this must lead to the attic,” she reasoned. +“I may as well go on up as to go—down.”</p> + +<p>Cobwebs a-plenty here. She jerked back +from their tangles, fearing spiders and other +crawling things.</p> + +<p>“Oh,” she exclaimed. “I do wish I had not +come this way. It’s so—spooky!”</p> + +<p>At every step the darkness increased and the +light dwindled. Reaching a good-sized platform, +Nora stood, thankful to draw an easy +breath. She could just about see that she had +only one short flight of steps to go to reach a +door.</p> + +<p>“I would never have believed this house was +so high,” she pondered. “I feel as if I came +up from a cellar to a tower.”</p> + +<p>Then, resolutely, the pilgrim started on +again. Only a few steps and she found herself +face to face with two doors. They were unpainted +and each stood at angles from the +landing.</p> + +<p>“Which?” she asked instinctively; for, while +she wanted to reach the attic, she was careful +to remember which way she had come in this +crooked, gloomy place. Besides this, the attic +was a mysterious part of that pretty house, +Nora realized.</p> + +<p>“It must be all right to go in here—all of the +rooms are ours and Cousin Ted said they were +all kept clean.”</p> + +<p>With this caution she pushed open one of the +unpainted doors and stepped inside.</p> + +<p>She gasped! The place was in almost total +darkness!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink07'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VII—CAP TO THE RESCUE</a></h2> + +<p>Where was she? What could be so +black?</p> + +<p>Nora gasped—it was so stifling. +Fumbling in the strange place her hand found +the door and as she pressed against it she heard +it shut!</p> + +<p>“Oh mercy!” she exclaimed aloud. “I’m +shut in this awful place!”</p> + +<p>Now her eyes could make out the rafters. It +was the attic, but what part of it? The faintest +gleam of light breaking in from above followed +the rough beams. The frightened girl +fell back breathing hard and feeling faint. To +faint in the attic! Surely that would be romantic! +But she didn’t want to faint all alone up +there and maybe die and not be found for +years, as she had read happened once to a bride +who went up to look for her grandmother’s +quilt.</p> + +<p>She was so dizzy. She really must sit down. +Not even a hazy fear of rats roused her, for it +was unbearably hot and stuffy.</p> + +<p>“O-o-o-h!”</p> + +<p>That was the end of Nora for the time being. +She succumbed to the first faint she had ever +performed, and there was no one to see her, +no one to rescue her, not one even to know +where she was!</p> + +<p>Such a little prince!</p> + +<p>Velvets and ribbons brushed cobwebs and +dust, as she slumped down, down——!</p> + +<p>Of all her life’s dreams what she dreamed +when she breathed again seemed the strangest. +But it was all broken up like pieces of stars +mashed into flashes of dazzling light, and there +was no more head nor tail to it. All she could +think of was how tired she was, and she knew +she just had to sleep.</p> + +<p>If spiders had any talent for observing, those +in that cubby hole would have had a wonderful +story to tell to the crawling things in roof and +rafters, but even they did not so much as try, +with a web, to arouse the half-conscious child, +and one lacy net was so near Nora’s face her +gasps of breath swayed and rocked the baby +spider in its cradle.</p> + +<p>So there she was asleep now, and glad not to +know!</p> + +<p>Downstairs supper had been prepared and +everyone was waiting for Nora.</p> + +<p>Who had seen her? Where had she spent the +afternoon?</p> + +<p>“Vita,” said Jerry sharply, “you know you +were not to let the child go off these grounds +alone.”</p> + +<p>“I no see her, never. She no come out from +the house,” protested the frightened Vita.</p> + +<p>“Well, we have got to search,” decided Ted, +her bronzed face plainly showing alarm, and +her brown eyes blinking with unnamed fears.</p> + +<p>“Where has Cap been?” again demanded +Jerry. “He should have been with her.”</p> + +<p>“He went with the Scouts; they asked for +him, and of course, I let him go as usual. I +did not know Nora was going out, in fact, I +thought she was going to write to her school +mates,” replied Ted. “But don’t let us waste +time. I’ll take the north way, Vita you go by +the Ledge, and Jerry, I suppose you will jump +on a horse and scout every way.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I’ll take Cap and send him on ahead.” +All the laugh was gone from Jerry’s voice now. +How quickly the cloud of Anxiety can darken +the brightest home?</p> + +<p>More than an hour later all three searchers +returned to the Nest and admitted they could +not find Nora.</p> + +<p>“She couldn’t be in the house, could she?” +asked Ted, disconsolately.</p> + +<p>“We looked hastily, but it was best to do all +the outdoor looking first,” replied Jerry. “Do +you suppose she went to visit anyone? Did +she make friends with Alma and Wyn, our pet +Scouts?”</p> + +<p>“I wish she had. There’s that about the +Scouts, they go in groups,” answered Ted, with +feeling. “Let us look over the house more +carefully. But why should she hide?” A loud +bark from Cap answered that question.</p> + +<p>“Here! Cap knows where she is. Let him +find her,” exclaimed Jerry, joyfully.</p> + +<p>“It’s at the kitchen door,” added Ted, hurrying +in that direction.</p> + +<p>“Quick, open the door, Vita!” commanded +Jerry, while the dog barked wildly.</p> + +<p>Vita put a trembling hand on the door that +led to the back stairs and opened into the +kitchen. No sooner had she done so than Cap +bounded past her, and the next moment the big +dog and the forlorn little prince tumbled into +the room.</p> + +<p>“Nora!” exclaimed both Jerry and Ted.</p> + +<p>“It isn’t! It can’t be!” faltered the surprised +maid. “This is boy——”</p> + +<p>“Boy nothing!” almost shouted Jerry, so +glad to see Nora in any guise that her strange +costume interested him not at all.</p> + +<p>“The poor little darling,” cried Ted, gathering +the black velvet form up into her arms. +“What ever happened to you, dear?”</p> + +<p>Nora brushed a dusty hand over her blinking +eyes. “Oh, I am so glad I am saved. I thought +I would surely die.”</p> + +<p>“Up attic. Why baby! No one could die in +our attic. Cap knew you were up there and if +you had not tumbled down just when you did +he would have gone through the wall to find you, +wouldn’t you, old fellow?” Jerry asked fondly.</p> + +<p>The Saint Bernard was in his native element +at the rescue work, and he licked Nora’s hand +contentedly. Ted had gathered the child up +into her arms and Vita was already busy getting +a refreshing drink. Jerry, manlike, just +looked on, happy beyond words, for in the bad +hour previous he was a prey to keen anxiety, +and during the process made up his mind in +the future to keep Nora closer to the family +circle at all times.</p> + +<p>Nora had not yet come to the point of talking. +Her swoon and its consequent haziness left her +in a daze, and with the mother-like arms about +her, and the breath of Cap reviving her, and +Cousin Jerry’s big soft eyes encouraging her, +the relief from her fright was slowly creeping +over her and it was so delicious she had no idea +of dispelling it with mere words.</p> + +<p>“I know,” said Teddie softly, “you were +playing parts, dressing up in the duds from the +big chest.”</p> + +<p>“Did you go to sleep in the trunk?” ventured +Jerry, slyly.</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t know just where I was—I +was——” faltered Nora, now beginning to feel +a little foolish in her boy’s outfit.</p> + +<p>“She went up wrong stairs and I guess, maybe, +she got lost in the big open attic,” Vita +volunteered, apparently anxious to forestall +further questions.</p> + +<p>“No, it was not opened. It was shut tight—very +tight,” snapped Nora. She resented +Vita’s explanation. Somehow she felt Vita +was to blame.</p> + +<p>“Then you must have struck the spook +closet,” said Jerry, his old happy tones ringing +through the small kitchen. “Say Ted, let’s +get into the other room. Can you walk, Bobbs, +or shall big Cousin Jerry carry you?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I can walk all right,” replied Nora, +slipping to the floor from Teddie’s lap. “But +I was so stiff and cramped and—I guess I must +have fainted.”</p> + +<p>“You must have been up there all the time +we were hunting for you, and the attic is always +hot,” added Ted. “I never thought of looking +there.”</p> + +<p>“But Cap did. He knew where you were +the moment he came in the house,” said Jerry +proudly. “I tell you, Cap is a regular life-saver. +He will have to get another medal for +this; even if he didn’t drag you out of the spook +cabinet, he did tumble in the kitchen with you.”</p> + +<p>Both Jerry and Ted were too considerate to +show surprise at Nora’s appearance, but Vita +could not or did not attempt to hide her astonishment.</p> + +<p>“Guess she thinks the fairies had you,” said +Jerry softly, when Vita stood in the doorway, +her hands on her capable hips and her mouth +wide open in a gasp of surprise. But Nora +had an uncertain feeling that Vita, as sole tenant +of the back stairway, should have made +better arrangements than to have a door that +would spring shut like that, right at the very +top of the dark place.</p> + +<p>It was at this point a mistake was made. +Nora did not express herself and Vita had no +idea of explaining. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry were +supposed to know all about the Nest, but did +they! In the excitement of finding Nora, the +actual hiding place was not being considered.</p> + +<p>Quickly as the little girl recovered her self-possession +and took part in the conversation, +everyone enjoyed a good hearty laugh, naturally +led by Jerry.</p> + +<p>“What special kind of prince were you, +Bobbs?” he asked jovially. “I did not know +they hid in dark attics.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes they did,” contradicted Ted. +“Don’t you remember the princes in the +tower?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t, but it doesn’t matter. They must +have been in a tower or you would not have +included the fact in your college course,” replied +Jerry, always ready to tease on that score. +Whenever Ted found a new specimen in the +woods, or questioned about a strange bird, he +would invariably ascribe the matter to “her +college course.”</p> + +<p>Nora was anxious to get out of the ill-fated +costume. She wanted to run upstairs and +change, now that her knees had stopped shaking, +but Ted insisted she take her supper just +as she was, and readily made a merry time out +of the near catastrophe. Again Nora missed +the point—no sense of humor was a sad lack +in so active a girl.</p> + +<p>Cap regarded her with an eye almost twinkling. +Did he know the attic secret that she +had been unable even to realize was a secret?</p> + +<p>“Your clothes fit pretty well,” said Jerry, +“but I think I like you best in your Little Girl +Blue dress. Guess, after all, girls really +shouldn’t wear——”</p> + +<p>“Now, there you go again, Jerry Manton,” +interrupted Ted. “As if the costume had anything +to do with Nora getting lost.”</p> + +<p>And all the while Nora was thinking: “If +they only knew.” But she had never had any +one to confide in, except Barbara, and now she +did not know exactly how to tell her story. +Besides, how silly it would be to say she had +actually been out in the roadway in the Fauntleroy +clothes? And if they ever knew she had +been seen and spoken to by a Girl Scout!</p> + +<p>The fear of humiliation crushed back any +desire to tell the whole story and so it remained +as it appeared, an incident of no more importance +than a case of being lost in the attic.</p> + +<p>All the horrors of the black hole, all the +terrors of her fright and faintness, besides what +actually happened when she finally burst +through that door and all but fell head-long +down the dark stairs—this Nora crushed back +from her lips, and only dared to think of it +as something she would write in her secret +diary.</p> + +<p>Perhaps she would tell Barbara. It was too +thrilling to remain a secret with no one but +herself to ponder upon it.</p> + +<p>A refreshing bath, more beef tea and a bedtime +story told by the affectionate Cousin +Teddie one hour later, all but dispelled the +trying memory.</p> + +<p>The story was one read from a favorite +woodland series, in which children, birds and +furry things found days of happiness in the +carefree hours, far away from artificial restrictions +of “Do” and “Don’t.”</p> + +<p>The girls mentioned in the story were not +spoken of as Scouts, but Nora suspected they +must have been very much like such in ideals.</p> + +<p>“You see,” said Teddie gently, when she had +finished the interesting story, “girls who love +nature find real joy in studying the woods and +learning to love the woodland creatures. You +have had no chance to know what such pleasure +means, dear.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Nora faintly. And at that moment +she decided to put on her new uniform the +very next morning, and then go forth with +Cousin Ted and Cousin Jerry in quest of the +adventures promised.</p> + +<p>“I guess,” she began timidly, “it is better, +Cousin Teddie, for me to go along with you +every day, if you don’t mind.”</p> + +<p>“Why, I can’t bear to leave you home, either +with Vita or to your own resources,” declared +Ted. “But I didn’t want to urge you. Your +experience today may be a good thing in the +end—it may help to cure you of the artificiality +you have been absorbing so deeply. I will have +to write your mother a bit of advice. I do not +believe her little daughter is getting the sort +of education best for her. Now, roll over and +go to sleep.” She pressed a fond kiss on the +warm cheek. “And Nora love, don’t bother +about dreaming,” finished Mrs. Jerry Manton, +in a tone of voice not learned during her +famous “college course.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink08'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VIII—THE STORY ALMA DID NOT TELL</a></h2> + +<p>Under a canvas tent sheltered by a particularly +broad chestnut tree and surrounded +by a group of beautiful white +birch, the girls of Chickadee Patrol, Girl Scouts, +were listening, all attention, to the very wildest +tale they had ever given ears to.</p> + +<p>Alma was talking. “Honestly girls,” she +insisted, “he was a real prince, dressed in +black velvet and a beautiful jaunty cap——”</p> + +<p>“Alma! Alma!” shouted her companions +in derision.</p> + +<p>“Where did you see the fairies? Just imagine +in broad daylight in the woodlands——” +teased one.</p> + +<p>“Then, I shall not tell you anything more +about it,” desisted the abused one. “As if I +wasn’t surprised. Why, I was so dumfounded +I could not ask him if he saw you, and I was +miles behind the crowd.”</p> + +<p>“Now girls, let Alma tell,” chirped Doro, in +her lispy voice. “Go ahead, Al. <i>I</i> believe you +saw Prince Charming.”</p> + +<p>“Was he old enough to ride a horse?” asked +Laddie, christened Eulalia. She was defying +her dentist on a piece of fudge two days old.</p> + +<p>“Honestly, girls,” began Alma again, “I +never saw a boy so beautiful. Light curls——”</p> + +<p>“Oh!!!” came a chorus that stopped the +narrator and sent her pouting over to the bed +couch, where she pouted still more.</p> + +<p>“Then, all right, I am absolutely through,” +she declared quite as if she meant it.</p> + +<p>“Now just see what you have done,” +mourned Treble. She was so tall the girls +always considered her in that clef. “Don’t +you mind them, Allie. I know perfectly well +there are even flying cupids in the big woodlands, +and I fully expect to bring a couple home +to lunch——”</p> + +<p>Cushions in one big bang stopped Treble. +At this rate Alma’s story would never be published, +orally or otherwise.</p> + +<p>In the Scout tent the evening was being spent +in recreation: hence the fun they were having +with Alma. At a table fashioned from an upside-down +packing case, with real hand carved +legs where the boards were knocked out and +the hatchet braces left standing, sat three of +the Chickadees, discussing the new Girl Scout +stories.</p> + +<p>“I just love the first,” insisted Thistle whose +name was as Scotch as the emblem. “I liked +the mill story and I just loved that wild, +exciting time the girls had trying to win back—was +it Dagmar?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, I remember,” chimed in Betta. +They were referring to the first volume, “The +Girl Scout Pioneers,” but others of the group +spoke up for their particular choice of the +series, naming, “The Girl Scouts at Bellaire” +and “The Girl Scouts at Sea Crest.”</p> + +<p>“You may have those,” offered Doro, “but +I perfectly love this.” She held up the last +book published. It was entitled “The Girl +Scouts at Camp Comalong.”</p> + +<p>“Why is that such a prize?” inquired Pell.</p> + +<p>“Oh, haven’t you read it? Well, it is a real +story of the most interesting girl, Peg of the +Hills.”</p> + +<p>This brought about a general discussion of +the entire series, and although the method +being used is not usually employed to remind +readers of the other books of a series, perhaps, +since the girls were speaking for themselves, it +will be accepted.</p> + +<p>Alma was whispering her Prince Charming +story into the ears of Doro. Doro was accredited +the very best listener among the Chicks +and she had not the faintest idea of interrupting +the story teller. Of course, it was Nora +whom Alma had encountered, and it was not +difficult to understand why her companions +should discredit the tale. A prince in the +woodlands, indeed!</p> + +<p>“Louder, Alma,” begged Treble, catching +only enough of the story to make her curious.</p> + +<p>“Well, you won’t believe me.”</p> + +<p>“We will! We will! Hear! Hear!” shouted +Betta, whose full appellation was none other +than Betta-be-good, given because she had a +habit of lecturing.</p> + +<p>“She did see a real prince,” chimed in Doro. +“And he did wear buckles and laces and everything.”</p> + +<p>“Where, oh where, fair maid? Lead me +thither and hither and yon,” moaned Pell Mell. +“Next to a movie star I love a prince best,” +she finished dramatically, although it was common +knowledge that Pell loved nothing so well +as rushing about and falling over adventures. +She actually fell over the Ridge, that is as far +down as the big flat rock, before her chums +decided she was hereafter to be known as Pell +Mell.</p> + +<p>“That is all there is to tell,” announced +Alma, in a tone tinctured with finality. She +knew perfectly well the girls would never rest +until they had sought out the darling prince, +and she also knew it would be lots of fun to +make them “sit up and beg” for the details +they had been scoffing at.</p> + +<p>“Where, Alma?”</p> + +<p>“Near the bend, Alma?”</p> + +<p>“Wasn’t it over by the Nest, Al?”</p> + +<p>“She said she saw him over by the Ledge.”</p> + +<p>All this and much more was thrown out as +bait, but in the parlance of the tribe, Alma did +not “bite,” she merely picked up a discarded +book and proceeded to read.</p> + +<p>“Well, there was a prince, I’m sure of that,” +persisted Pell, determined to make Alma repeat +her story.</p> + +<p>“Let’s go prince hunting tomorrow,” suggested +Betta.</p> + +<p>“With Treble’s moth scoop?” joked Wyn.</p> + +<p>“I suppose none of you happen to know +that Mrs. Jerry Manton has a visitor,” spoke +Doro. She gave the statement a tone implying: +“Why wouldn’t the prince be the visitor?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that’s so,” drawled Thistle. “Maybe +it’s the duke.”</p> + +<p>This brought out a new shout of nonsense.</p> + +<p>“Duke!” roared Betta. “Keep on and we’ll +have him on the throne.”</p> + +<p>“There are no more thrones,” informed Pell. +“Don’t you know the war made every thing +democratic?”</p> + +<p>This turned the joke into a serious moment, +for even the rollicking Scouts did not feel inclined +to enlarge upon so serious a thought.</p> + +<p>Presently everyone was speculating upon the +possibility of the little stranger being the one +entertained by the Mantons.</p> + +<p>“Couldn’t we call?” suggested Wyn. “Mrs. +Manton is always lovely to us, and if she has +such a little cherub on her hands we ought to +help her care for him.”</p> + +<p>“Cherub, Wynnie! Why, we would have to +get a cage for anything like that in this camp. +He would be eaten by bugs, moths and beetles.” +A dash at a flying thing confirmed this opinion +from Treble.</p> + +<p>“Now, if you all have finished your skylarking +I would like to study,” announced Alma. +“I have to learn all that new class lesson, and +I hope to get out of the Tenderfoot tribe before +next week. No fun swimming in a barrel.” +She referred to the water restrictions of “Tenderfoots.”</p> + +<p>“Hush girls! Alma is thinking,” joked Pell. +“Please don’t interrupt the spell——”</p> + +<p>Poor Alma could stand the teasing no longer. +She picked up her manual and headed for the +tent occupied by those very studious Scouts who +chose the company of the leader to that of the +distracting girls.</p> + +<p>“Chickadees never scratch,” fired Betta as +Alma stepped over protruding feet and reached +the tent flap. “Now Chick-a-dee, Peep! Peep! +Pretty for the ladies——”</p> + +<p>But the girl with the manual was gone.</p> + +<p>“What do you make of it?” asked Pell, when +the titters subsided.</p> + +<p>“She saw something different, that’s sure,” +replied Treble.</p> + +<p>“She told me all about it,” put in Thistle +proudly. “And it was really a wonderful +child all done up in black velvets and ribbons,” +she declared.</p> + +<p>“I see nothing to do but ask Mrs. Manton +about it,” suggested Wyn. “It looks like a first +class lot of fun.”</p> + +<p>“Ask her if she is entertaining a boy in velvet +pants?” said Treble, so foolishly, the girls +all but rolled under the table and the oil lamp +shook dangerously in the merriment.</p> + +<p>“When they’re velvet they’re never pants,” +spoke Wyn, as soon as speaking amounted to +anything.</p> + +<p>“Trousers,” amended Treble.</p> + +<p>“Nor those,” objected Pell. “When they +have cute little buckles and go with a jaunty +cap——”</p> + +<p>“They’re knickers,” finished Betta.</p> + +<p>“Not a—tall,” shouted Treble. “I know +better than that myself. You’re thinking of +golf. Didn’t I see Lord Fauntleroy play his +Dearest?”</p> + +<p>“Did you really? Well, what did <i>he</i> call +call them?” demanded Thistle. She had been +so busy enjoying the fun that this was her first +attempt at making any.</p> + +<p>“I have it,” sang out Laddie. “They’re +bloomers.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, rompers,” insisted Thistle. “Rompers +are much prettier.”</p> + +<p>“What ever would you girls have done this +evening if Alma’s little story did not furnish +you with debate material,” scoffed Doro.</p> + +<p>“The story Alma never told,” chanted Lad.</p> + +<p>“All the same,” declared Treble, “it is perfectly +delicious. Who’s going to make the call +on Mrs. Jerry Manton?”</p> + +<p>The shout that followed this question brought +a protest from the next tent where candidates +were studying manuals.</p> + +<p>“Let’s take a vote on it,” suggested Thistle, +when quiet seemed possible. “Since every one +wants to go and we haven’t heard the Mantons +were going to give a picnic or anything like +that—why—the best thing to do is to draw +lots.”</p> + +<p>“How tragic! Draw lots! I say we make +it numbers from Doro’s cap. Here girls, get +busy and numb.”</p> + +<p>A page of note paper was quickly numbered +and torn into squares. Then the lot was tossed +into Doro’s cap—it was the deepest for the little +girl did not wear her hair bobbed. When the +cap was filled she was the one chosen to hold +it, and upon the highest chair she presently +stood while the girls jumped for numbers. The +four highest were to constitute the committee +and the lot fell to Betta, Pell, Wyn and Thistle.</p> + +<p>It was arranged that these four should go +in the morning to call upon Mrs. Jerry Manton, +their good friend and erstwhile preceptor in +woodlore, and it was fully expected that the +young visitor would then naturally be introduced.</p> + +<p>And this was the very day that Nora donned +her new service suit.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink09'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER IX—A MISADVENTURE</a></h2> + +<p>The idea of meeting a prince (the girls +easily believed the pretty boy in +the velvet suit was at least a near-prince) +brought to the Chickadees a delicious +thrill.</p> + +<p>“You know,” reasoned Thistle next morning, +“the Manton’s are government people, and +there are lots of foreign nobles down at Washington.”</p> + +<p>“That’s so,” agreed Doro. “He might have +come up to the woods for his health.”</p> + +<p>The tent was quickly made ready for inspection +and when the woodcraft class was dismissed, +the girls were free to make the all-important +call.</p> + +<p>It was but a short distance from Camp Chickadee +to the Nest, and the four girls, constituting +the committee, covered the ground speedily.</p> + +<p>Vita answered the knock and told Pell, who +was spokeswoman, that: “Mrs. Manton no +come back yet.”</p> + +<p>Nora not only heard the voices but she had +seen the girls coming, and feeling that she, as a +member of the family, should “do the honors,” +she summoned courage to greet the callers.</p> + +<p>“Cousin Teddie will not be back before lunch +time,” said Nora sweetly. “Won’t you come +in and wait?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, thank you,” faltered Thistle, observing +one truant curl that had escaped the +confines of Nora’s field hat. “We may come +over later in the afternoon—after drill,” finished +the Scout.</p> + +<p>Pell was more composed. “Are you visiting +Rocky Ledge?” she asked cordially.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes. I expect to stay quite a while,” +replied Nora. She liked the roguish smile Pell +bestowed upon her—it was, somehow, a little +like Barbara.</p> + +<p>“Then perhaps you would like to visit camp,” +pressed Thistle. “We love callers, don’t we, +girls?”</p> + +<p>This provided an opportunity for general +conversation, and presently, no one knew just +how it happened, but the Scouts and Nora the +rebel, were having a perfectly splendid time on +the side porch, talking about the things girls +love to discuss, but which always appear to the +onlooker or listener as a series of giggles and +gasps.</p> + +<p>Nora was so glad she wore the khaki suit. +All her old love of finery was, for the time, lost +in the joy of feeling “in place” instead of “out +of place.” And the girls at close range did +look very well in their uniforms. Betta and +Thistle especially were just like models—Nora +remembered that wonderful Girl Scout poster, +and her former dislike for the uniform now +threatened to turn to keen admiration. Just so +long as anything “made a picture” the artistic +little soul was sure to be satisfied. Changing an +opinion was as simple a task for Nora as changing +a hair ribbon, but it had been rather unpleasant +to have the Scouts always held up as +paragons.</p> + +<p>Admitting she had not yet visited the Ledge, +Nora was straightway invited to do so, as the +four Scouts expected to meet the other troup +members out gathering sweet fern there.</p> + +<p>“Vita,” she called back to the maid in the +kitchen, “you keep Cap home, I’ll be back in a +little while.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no,” objected Vita. “Mr. Jerry, he +say you don’t go never without Cap——”</p> + +<p>“But I am with the girls now,” declared Nora +a little sharply. She was so afraid the others +might guess that it was she who wore the velvets! +Looking very closely at each, however, +she had not recognized the one who accosted +her on the fatal dress-parade day. Alma was +not in the party this time, so of course, Nora +was correct in her opinion.</p> + +<p>“Doesn’t Mr. Manton like to have you go +out alone?” asked Thistle, innocently.</p> + +<p>“Well, you see,” stumbled Nora, “I am not +very well acquainted yet.”</p> + +<p>“Was there a little boy visiting the Mantons +the other day?” ventured Betta. She was +almost consumed with curiosity, and as they +turned their backs on the cottage the chance +for unravelling the prince mystery seemed lost +to them.</p> + +<p>“A boy? No,” replied Nora. “I am the +only one who has been here.” A flame of color +swept her face and although she stooped to +pick up an acorn at the moment, at least two +of the Scouts noticed the flush.</p> + +<p>“Light curls,” whispered Wyn. “She has +very pretty ringlets——”</p> + +<p>“Lots of girls have, of course,” scoffed Betta. +“You surely don’t think she’s twins?”</p> + +<p>“No,” faltered the other, never dreaming +how much closer than twins Nora was to the +little prince.</p> + +<p>But Wyn was not easily satisfied. What was +the sense of being appointed a committee to +investigate and not do it? She picked a wonderful +spray of pink clover before she asked +Nora again:</p> + +<p>“Do you ever see a little boy, a very fancy +dressed boy, around the cottage? One of our +girls dreamed she saw one and we have been +trying to persuade her she had a vision.”</p> + +<p>A sigh of relief escaped Nora’s lips. It +should be easy to laugh the story over, since +only one girl had seen her and that one had +but a glimpse of her. She felt she would die +of embarrassment now, if ever she were really +found out. And only a few days ago it had +seemed so trifling a thing! As she was about +to reply to Wyn her hat fell off and down tumbled +the curls.</p> + +<p>“What wonderful curls,” exclaimed Wyn +innocently. “Why do you hide them under a +hat?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t,” replied Nora bravely, shaking +out the golden cloud that tossed about her ears. +“But when we go into brambles it is more comfortable +to have one’s head tidy,” she finished.</p> + +<p>“Say, Wyn,” charged Thistle, “do you suppose +Nora has no other interest than in your +visionary prince and yellow curls? Please +allow her to listen to some of my woodland +lore.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” mocked Betta. “Tell her all +about your little fish in the brook that wouldn’t +go near Treble’s hook.”</p> + +<p>A scamper brookward responded to this +sally.</p> + +<p>“Oh, there’s Jimmie,” cried Thistle. “Hey +Jimsby!” she hailed to a small boy in a big +boat. “Wait for us. We are going up to the +Ledge. Give us a row?”</p> + +<p>Everyone, including Nora, ran towards the +edge of the stream that rippled through willows. +Jimmie with his boat was rare good +fortune to come upon, and the Scouts were instantly +eager to procure seats in the big, old +skiff.</p> + +<p>Nora’s timidity forced her to hold back, but +she was too self-conscious to admit it.</p> + +<p>“Come on, little Nora,” called out Thistle +good naturedly. “I have a place for you right +alongside of me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes. Thistles never sink, you know,” +added Wyn.</p> + +<p>Nora’s heart heat fast. Could she say she +would so much rather walk to the Ledge?</p> + +<p>“Hurry up, Sister,” sang out Betta. “Thistle +wants to get out of rowing and you are her +excuse.”</p> + +<p>Taking her fright literally in her hand and +casting it into the brook, Nora stepped into +Jimmie’s boat, smiling as if she were expecting +the best good time of her life. A thought +of her nervous mother barely had time to shape +itself before all were seated, and the freckled +faced Jimmie handed over the oars, without so +much as uttering either a protest or agreeing +to the piracy.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you love a little lake like this?” asked +Betta, noticing how silent was her companion.</p> + +<p>“I have never been on the water,” said Nora +truthfully. “At our school we are not allowed +to take part in any dangerous sports.”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” exclaimed Thistle. “How you must +miss good times.”</p> + +<p>“But we have many lovely parties and dances +and all that sort of thing,” explained Nora. +Her voice was entirely friendly and the difference +of opinions by no means clashed.</p> + +<p>It was delightful. The girls sang, whistled, +shouted and coo-heed, as occasion demanded, +the occasion being that of answering bird calls +from shore. Imitating birds was counted as +the latest outdoor sport, and the Chickadees +vied with one another in the accomplishment.</p> + +<p>“She’s leakin’,” said Jimmie without warning +or apology.</p> + +<p>“I should say she is!” cried Wyn, jerking +her feet up from the bottom of the boat. “Jimmie +Jimbsy! Why didn’t you say so?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you didn’t give me a chance,” replied +the lad frankly.</p> + +<p>“Oh, is it dangerous?” gasped Nora. Her +cheeks went pale instantly.</p> + +<p>“No, just gives us a chance to show who is +the best swimmer. You can swim, of course?” +asked Wyn.</p> + +<p>“No, not a stroke,” replied the frightened +Nora.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you mind Wynnie, Nora,” spoke up +Betta. “There’s no possibility of any one having +to swim. This boat would sail the rapids, +wouldn’t she, Jimmie?”</p> + +<p>“Here’s another hat,” offered Thistle. “Say, +Jim! At least you ought to bring a tin can,” +she said in her jolliest tone.</p> + +<p>They were actually bailing out. The water +managed to make cold little puddles in the bottom +of the boat, and with the “large party +aboard” as Pell charged Wyn because she happened +to weigh a few more pounds than the +others, the inflow threatened to bear the little +craft down to the water’s edge, uncomfortably +close.</p> + +<p>But the girls were making a lark of it. +Every time a hat emptied a shout went up, and +every time a hat leaked a groan moaned out.</p> + +<p>“All in a life time,” boomed Thistle. “But +don’t any one dare tell that story about the +philosopher and the boatman.”</p> + +<p>“Never heard it,” responded Betta, lifting +a particularly well filled hat to the boat’s edge.</p> + +<p>Jimmie was now rowing. “Assisting him in +that capacity,” as Pell expressed it, was Wyn.</p> + +<p>“We gotta reach the Ledge,” joked Thistle, +“and I for one hate walking on the water.”</p> + +<p>“We betta——”</p> + +<p>“Betta-be-good,” went up the shout as Betta +attempted to preach. She never got farther +than that first mispronounced two syllables +nowadays.</p> + +<p>Nora was now regarding the situation with +more calmness. After the first fright it did not +seem so dangerous, and the skill with which the +jolly Scouts handled the task of bailing, was +fascinating.</p> + +<p>But suddenly something happened; no one +shouted, no one even spoke, but in a twinkling +the entire boatload of girls were scrambling in +the water.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink10'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER X—A NOVEL INITIATION</a></h2> + +<p>“Quick girls! Get Nora!”</p> + +<p>This was the order given by +Pell, who in emergencies assumed +leadership.</p> + +<p>“Here Nora,” called Betta, “just put your +hand on my shoulder. We can almost walk in. +Don’t be frightened.”</p> + +<p>But Nora was terribly frightened. That +water! And not being able to swim a stroke!</p> + +<p>“Look!” called out Thistle, who was now +standing in the more shallow water, “it is only +up to my shoulders. Just bring Nora out here +and she can wade in,” announced the Scotch +girl.</p> + +<p>The sight of Thistle actually standing on her +feet brought to Nora the first free breath she +had breathed since that awful thing happened. +Now she had courage to stop choking and do +as she had been told.</p> + +<p>“Why, you swam that time,” puffed Betta to +whom Nora had struggled. Did she really +swim? She felt herself buoyed up for a moment +somehow, in fact she had never gone down.</p> + +<p>Before that supporting move had lost its +endurance her hand was safely on Betta’s +shoulder, and both were moving slowly but +securely towards the bank.</p> + +<p>“That’s it,” Pell encouraged. “No need for +any trouble if you just keep—cool!”</p> + +<p>“Cool enough,” grumbled Thistle. “I hate +lakes for that,” she continued to call out.</p> + +<p>“How’s that!” asked Betta when she reached +the shallow water from which point all were +wading in.</p> + +<p>“Wonderful!” exclaimed Nora. Her relief +was so great it seemed to her pure joy.</p> + +<p>“Your first?” asked Wyn.</p> + +<p>“First?” repeated Nora.</p> + +<p>“First ducking,” added Wyn. “If so it is +your official initiation. You are now a full +fledged member of the Chickadees.”</p> + +<p>It was easy for Nora to laugh—she felt she +would never do anything but laugh, it was so +good to be safe within reach of shore once +again.</p> + +<p>Thistle and Wyn threw their wet heads back +and emitted a “coo-hee.” The call was taken +up by the others, and instead of the incident +being of an alarming nature it was thus turned +into a lark.</p> + +<p>“Coo-hee! Coo-hee!” sounded along the +little lake basin, while shouts of laughter and +expressions of opinion about bobbed heads +after an unexpected ducking, were snapped +from Scout to Scout as the party waded in.</p> + +<p>So near the edge they were loath to emerge. +No possibility of getting any wetter or spoiling +anything more generally, but there was a +possibility of more fun.</p> + +<p>“Where’s that Jimbsy boy?” demanded Pell. +“We didn’t leave him to the sharks, did we?”</p> + +<p>“Look,” replied Thistle, pointing to a little +slash in the lake’s outline. It was a pocket +full of water just about big enough to float the +upturned boat that Jimmie was pushing in +through it.</p> + +<p>“Poor boy! And we never asked him what +he was out after,” reflected Betta. “Maybe +he had an order to bring a boat load of passengers +from the Ledge.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll take up a collection for him,” proposed +Pell.</p> + +<p>“What’ll we collect?” asked Wyn.</p> + +<p>“Opinions,” replied the first. “They’re +most plentiful.”</p> + +<p>Nora was out of water and shaking herself +like a poodle. Now that it was all over, the +thrill was unmistakable.</p> + +<p>“Look who’s coming!” called out one of the +girls, and turning around Nora glimpsed Ted +coming down the narrow path.</p> + +<p>“Quick, Nora, hide!” exclaimed Wyn. +“Then spring out and surprise her.”</p> + +<p>Obeying, Nora jumped behind a big bush.</p> + +<p>Even in the excitement she realized what +companionship meant. It was so much more +fun than playing at foolish dressing up and +imagination games. Could she have but understood +more clearly she would have recognized +in that situation the theory of having girls “do” +to learn, and that active sport of the young is +one of the standards of Scout teaching.</p> + +<p>She listened as the girls greeted Mrs. Manton. +No gasps of alarm nor expressions of fear were +exchanged, for Cousin Ted was of the Scout +calibre herself.</p> + +<p>“Better hang on the hickory limbs and dry, +before your leader sees you,” she cautioned. +“Those uniforms won’t be fit for parade.”</p> + +<p>“And mine was all beautifully pressed,” +whimpered Pell.</p> + +<p>“So were all our suits, Mrs. Manton,” asserted +Thistle, “because we were calling on +you first.”</p> + +<p>“Really! Did you see my little girl?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” drawled Betta.</p> + +<p>“I so want her to grow into scouting,” continued +Mrs. Manton, and at that Nora felt she +could make her presence known. But a quick +snap of a stick from Betta, as she swished it +back of Nora’s bush, kept her from stepping +out.</p> + +<p>“Does she like the water?” asked Wyn, with +a suppressed giggle.</p> + +<p>“I am afraid she has had little chance to get +acquainted with it,” replied Ted. “Nora has +been developed at one angle. This sort of experience +would probably give her nervous +prostration.”</p> + +<p>That was the cue. Nora jumped out!</p> + +<p>“Child!”</p> + +<p>“The very same!” pronounced Thistle +grandly, waving a dripping arm.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Manton was too surprised to do more +than look at Nora. Her brown eyes were +twinkling and her mouth twitching in a broad +grin. Presently she jumped past Betta and +threw her arms around Nora.</p> + +<p>“You darling baby!” she exclaimed, all unmindful +of the water she was blotting up from +Nora’s new suit. “How ever did you—come +here and get—like—this?”</p> + +<p>“Chick-chick-chick-Chickadees!” sang out a +chorus. “Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!”</p> + +<p>If one could look pretty after a ducking in a +strange lake, Nora did. Her curls liked nothing +better, and her cheeks pinked up prettily, +while her eyes—they were as blue as the violets +that listened in the underbrush.</p> + +<p>“You don’t mind her initiation, do you, Mrs. +Manton?” asked Wyn.</p> + +<p>“Why no. In fact, I’m delighted,” replied +the young woman. “But why the secret? I +have been left out in the cold,” she said, +genially.</p> + +<p>“Only candidates are informed,” said Wyn, +keeping up the joke.</p> + +<p>“Was that really it? Was this a private +initiation, and am I intruding?”</p> + +<p>“All over,” sang out Betta. “The bars are +down and the guests welcome.”</p> + +<p>“Betta be goin’ up the hill a bit,” suggested +Thistle. “This is no place for dripping +chicks.”</p> + +<p>“The sun <i>would</i> be helpful,” agreed Pell. +“I don’t mind the water when it’s fresh, but I +hate to get mildewed.”</p> + +<p>“Hey!” came a call from somewhere. +“Wanta get in again?”</p> + +<p>“We certainly do not,” yelled back Wyn. +“Jimbsy James, you’re a fraud. What ails +your yacht, anyway?”</p> + +<p>“All right, then,” called back Jimmie good +naturedly. “I’ll be goin’. So long!”</p> + +<p>“So long yourself,” called back Wyn, “and +send your bill to headquarters.”</p> + +<p>“Were you—in his boat?” asked Ted, a light +beginning to break through the girls’ perpetual +nonsense.</p> + +<p>“We were, momentarily,” replied Betta. +“But we needed exercise so we decided to +walk,” she finished. Nora saw how friendly +the girls all were with Ted, and felt a pang, +not of jealousy, but of regret. Why had she +never known such companionship?</p> + +<p>“I must go back to my trees,” said Mrs. +Manton, when the girls had found a clear +path of sunshine. “I have some important +marking to do. Nora, you follow directions +and you need not fear earth, sky or water. +These little Scouts are impervious to all +catastrophes.”</p> + +<p>And Nora had almost expected to be sent +home for a rub down, a hot drink and all the +other coddling!</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’m all right,” she hurried to reply. +“I’ll be home——”</p> + +<p>“When the ceremonies are over,” interrupted +Thistle. “We are due at the Ledge long ago, +and if we don’t soon make it I am afraid we will +all be kept in tonight.”</p> + +<p>“In those wet things?” protested Wyn. +“Not for me. I’m going back to camp and +change. Come along Nora. We have an extra +outfit in our box and we’ll lend it to you. +Thistle is a regular fish, she is never happy +when dry skinned.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Manton had disappeared in the winding +path and Nora was secretly glad of Wyn’s invitation. +She could not as yet actually enjoy +wet clothes. The girls had managed to save +their hats and caps, but even these still dripped +and could not be comfortably worn to keep off +the strong sun’s rays that beat down in the +clear spots along the lake’s edge.</p> + +<p>“We’ll have some trouble explaining to the +general,” remarked Thistle as they started +back to camp. “And this was the day we were +to finish our collection.”</p> + +<p>“But look, what we did collect,” answered +Wyn under her breath, referring to Nora. +“Did you ever see anyone so pleased as our +friend?”</p> + +<p>“She looked happy,” assented Thistle. “But +say, Scoutie; whatever are we going to tell the +girls about the prince?”</p> + +<p>“Let’s say we drowned him,” suggested +Wyn, foolishly. “That will give Alma a lovely +murder mystery to work upon.”</p> + +<p>Nora overheard the word “prince” and surmised +correctly it was meant for her Fauntleroy. +She longed to turn back to the Nest rather +than meet the other girl who might recognize +her.</p> + +<p>“It’s so near lunch time——” she began.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no girlie,” protested Betta. “You are +the only specimen we have collected today, and +if you don’t come back with us we will all get +dreadful marks. Come along. Be a sport and +help us out.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, we will be considered life savers, perhaps,” +added Thistle. “Of course, we won’t +say we did anything noble——”</p> + +<p>“Nor say we didn’t,” drawled Wyn.</p> + +<p>Thus urged, Nora had no choice, so she set +off with her new companions towards Chickadee +Camp.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink11'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XI—TOO MUCH TEASING</a></h2> + +<p>Swept off her foolish feet of fancy and +landed safely on the more practical +ground of girls’ life, Nora presently +found herself in the canvas tent, actually donning +a Scout uniform.</p> + +<p>No ivory dressing comb nor shell-back mirror, +instead a wooden box for a dressing table, +and a bowl of cool, clear water fresh from the +velvet-rimmed pool, and a glass—the piece that +fell from a wagon and was splintered up so +no one would touch its “bad luck,” so Pell rescued +it and painted a four-leaf clover on its +jagged edge! That was a Scout mirror.</p> + +<p>It was a revelation to the pampered child. +And like so many others who are blamed for +their circumstances, Nora was fascinated with +the glimpse given of a real world. Here girls +lived as human beings privileged to invent +their own tools which would be used in modelling +the skilled game of a happy life.</p> + +<p>“Of course,” explained Pell, “we go through +quite some formality before we really become +Scouts, but necessity knows no law, and this is +necessity.”</p> + +<p>“It’s just wonderful,” admitted the stranger, +all the while fighting down a sense of guilt that +she should ever have disliked the Scouts and +their standards.</p> + +<p>“Now we want you to meet Alma,” announced +Wyn. “She’s one of our little Tenderfoots, +and so romantic? She will be sure to want +to adopt you, for just wait until you see if Betta +doesn’t say we found you in the lake!” she +predicted.</p> + +<p>Alma came from the leader’s tent. She had +been studying—those tests were soon to be held.</p> + +<p>“Just see our little pond-lily,” began Thistle, +while Nora, now somewhat accustomed to the +girls’ jokes, managed not to blush too furiously.</p> + +<p>“Oh!” began Alma, then she stopped.</p> + +<p>Nora felt in that moment she was discovered +and that the prince would soon cease to be a +mystery.</p> + +<p>“Well, Alma, this is Nora—Nora——”</p> + +<p>“Blair,” added Nora, realizing her full name +had not been given the girls before.</p> + +<p>“Oh, how do you do?” faltered Alma. “I +thought at first I had met you before.”</p> + +<p>“No. Nora is the visitor at the Mantons,” +explained Wyn, “and we all had a ducking—we +initiated Nora and had a lovely time. You +missed it, Al.”</p> + +<p>“Sorry,” said Alma, still eyeing Nora.</p> + +<p>“But we spoiled our uniforms,” rattled on +Wyn. “That wretch, Jimmie Freckles, dumped +us right out into the lake.”</p> + +<p>“And I was brought back to your camp to be +redressed,” Nora managed to say. She felt if +she did not say something the girl with the +lovely, glossy, brown hair, who was staring at +her, would penetrate her secret.</p> + +<p>“Alma has visions,” went on Wyn. “She +saw a real prince in your woods one day; didn’t +you, Alma?”</p> + +<p>“I saw a little boy in a velvet suit——”</p> + +<p>“And he had curls.”</p> + +<p>“And he had dimples.”</p> + +<p>“And he had lovely gold buckles on his slippers.”</p> + +<p>“And he had——”</p> + +<p>But Alma turned on her heel and left the girls +to finish their description without her aid.</p> + +<p>Nora was greatly relieved when she left.</p> + +<p>“Honestly,” explained Thistle, “Alma insists +she did see a little boy in your woods. Did +you ever come across such a child?”</p> + +<p>“Never,” replied Nora, then, “I really must +hurry home, I am afraid I am late for lunch +now.”</p> + +<p>“Won’t you stay? We are to have——”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Pell, but Cousin Ted and Cousin +Jerry will be so anxious to hear all the +news——”</p> + +<p>“But you must keep secrets—make secrets if +you haven’t any to keep,” advised Betta, who +had taken a fancy to Nora. In fact all the girls +showed unusual interest in the little visitor.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know how to do that,” Nora replied +truthfully.</p> + +<p>Then, with many invitations and a number of +suggestions as to spending some days and even +a few evenings, Nora finally managed to race +off toward the Nest, after Betta walked with +her out of the camp grounds and watched while +she hurried down the road. It was a very short +distance to Wildwoods, and before Betta turned +back to Camp Chickadee she had seen faithful +Cap run out to meet Nora.</p> + +<p>“Now, are you satisfied, Alma?” asked Wyn. +“You would insist the visitor was a boy.”</p> + +<p>“It may be her brother,” replied the brown-haired +one, “but honestly, girls, and no joking, +he had curls just like hers,” said Alma.</p> + +<p>“But isn’t she sweet?” asked Wyn.</p> + +<p>“Princes aside, I like her most as well as +Alma’s vision,” declared Thistle. “And did +you notice how matter-of-fact she donned Bluebird’s +outfit? What are we going to say to +her if she happens back tonight?”</p> + +<p>“Gone to the tailor’s to be pressed,” suggested +Pell, glibly. “There come the others. +Now for a lecture.”</p> + +<p>But instead, Miss Beckwith, the leader, came +up smiling. “We heard all about it, girls,” she +began. “Met that precious James Jimmie +Jimsby of yours, and he said it was in no way +your fault.”</p> + +<p>“Bless the boy!” murmured Pell. “We shall +certainly have to adopt the list of Jays. First +we capsize his boat and then he pleads for us. +Now isn’t that gallant?”</p> + +<p>“But Becky,” began Thistle, sidling up to +the popular leader, “we have had such a wonderful +experience. We have converted a real +rebel.”</p> + +<p>“Rebel!” exclaimed Wyn. “How do you +know Nora was anything like that?”</p> + +<p>“Well, Mrs. Ted Manton said as much, didn’t +she?”</p> + +<p>“She didn’t,” replied Pell crisply. “She +merely said that Nora had very little experience +in girls’ sports.”</p> + +<p>“I know,” interrupted the leader. “Mrs. +Manton has mentioned her to me, and I am +very glad you have succeeded in interesting her. +I fancy she is a very capable child, with too +much time on her hands.”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” sighed Betta. “If we had only known +it we could have borrowed some. What ever +shall we do to get in a day’s work now?”</p> + +<p>“Lunch first and then do double quick duty,” +suggested the young leader. “It has been +rather a lost day, counting by the usual results, +but then, we have to figure in the new friend.”</p> + +<p>“You’re a love, Becky,” declared Treble. “I +am sure you are going to help me with my +basket. It has to be done tomorrow, if I am +to get full credit for it.”</p> + +<p>“Where’s Alma?” asked Miss Beckwith, suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Pouting,” replied Wyn. “You are not to +know it, of course, but Alma’s in love!”</p> + +<p>A shout corroborated the statement. “She +may be hanging up wet clothes,” suggested Pell. +“When they’re in love they do foolish things +like that, I’ve heard tell.”</p> + +<p>“Girls! Didn’t you hang up your wet things +yet?” Miss Beckwith asked in real surprise.</p> + +<p>A rush to the back of the tent, where the garments +had been hastily heaped, gave response. +Presently there was a contest being held to see +who could hang up the most material in the +smallest space and with the fewest clothes pins; +at least that appeared to be the attempt the +happy four were making; but when the lunch +bell sounded, each and all were ready for the +fresh corn, new potatoes, string beans and macaroni—a +menu especially designed for culprits +who fall in lakes and forget to hang up their +uniforms to dry.</p> + +<p>Everyone talked of the little stranger, and +also everyone praised her beauty. She was so +cute, so sweet, so adorable, and Pell even went +so far as to whisper to Thistle that she was +“peachy,” although all slang was taboo at the +table.</p> + +<p>“And Alma,” confided Wyn, “we were so +sorry not to be able to locate your prince——”</p> + +<p>“Girls,” Alma exclaimed. “If you say prince +to me again I’ll scream.”</p> + +<p>“You did this time,” said Betta, “and we +don’t mind it at all. You scream really prettily.”</p> + +<p>“Hush,” spoke Doro. She was down at the +far end of the table and had not been with the +girls on their eventful trip. “I think we have +teased enough, really. Let the poor little prince +rest.”</p> + +<p>“Good idea,” chimed another who also had +missed the expedition. “We have a new plan +to propose, and with all that prince stuff we +can’t get your attention. Becky is going to take +us to the Glen tomorrow morning, and we want +volunteers to make up the lunch baskets.”</p> + +<p>“Call that a new plan?” mocked Wyn. +“Why, that’s as old as the Scouts. First thing +I ever did was to volunteer to make up a basket +for my big sister, and she picked it up and +walked off with it.”</p> + +<p>“Didn’t even thank you?” asked Miss Beckwith, +who always took part in the girls’ fun.</p> + +<p>“Well, she may have,” replied Wyn, “but +that didn’t impress me. It was those sandwiches +and those cakes——”</p> + +<p>“You didn’t make those, Wynnie?” demanded +Treble. “If you did we won’t ask for +volunteers. We’ll wish the job on you.”</p> + +<p>Alma was quiet during all the merry +chatting, but Thistle, who could not resist one more +thrust, said next:</p> + +<p>“Thinking of him, dearie?” she asked. “And +his little velvet coat——”</p> + +<p>But the joke had a most astonishing effect. +Alma sniffed, breathed in quick little gasps, and +the next moment asked to be excused from the +table.</p> + +<p>“She’s crying!” declared Betta.</p> + +<p>“Horrid girls!” murmured Doro. “I told +you she had had enough of princes.”</p> + +<p>“But to cry! Alma isn’t like that,” said Wyn +in real surprise.</p> + +<p>Miss Beckwith, who had reached the end of +her lunch and was waiting for the others to +finish, slipped away after Alma.</p> + +<p>This left the girls to wonder, and they did +that in all the ways known to girlhood.</p> + +<p>Then it was definitely decided the first girl +who mentioned the word prince should be made +to pay a heavy fine.</p> + +<p>All felt truly sorry for little Alma, but it was +the wise and understanding Janet Beckwith +who gathered the sobbing girl into her arms +and soothed the sighs, tears, and protestations.</p> + +<p>“Just teasing, dear,” she insisted. “You +must not mind their nonsense. They, every one, +love you dearly.”</p> + +<p>“But I did see a real prince, Becky. And—and +they won’t believe me,” sobbed out Alma.</p> + +<p>Miss Beckwith wondered. “A real prince?” +she repeated.</p> + +<p>“Yes. I was near enough to see all his +pretty—things,” Alma paused in her sobbing +to relate. “He had all velvet clothes, and such +a pretty black cap. Oh Becky!” she sobbed +afresh, “can you ever imagine what it is to +have the—girls—all making fun of you?”</p> + +<p>“Now, Alma dear,” again soothed the leader, +“I am really surprised that you should take this +so seriously. You know the girls are not +making fun of you——”</p> + +<p>“They—said I had—a vision,” she sobbed as +heavily as ever. “And I am determined to +find out who that was—and prove it to them.”</p> + +<p>Miss Beckwith was sorely puzzled. Naturally +she supposed the girl was romancing. But +why should she take it so seriously?</p> + +<p>“Come, now, dear,” she urged. “We have +talked it all out and the only thing that worries +you is that the girls do not believe you, +isn’t it?</p> + +<p>“Yes, that’s the worst of it.”</p> + +<p>“Then, let’s sleep over it and see what the +morrow will bring in the way—of light.” +Becky scarcely knew just what to propose so +she threw the responsibility on the “morrow.”</p> + +<p>Alma was over her “spell” presently. But +the prince had, by no means, lost his real personal +identity to the sensitive little Scout.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink12'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XII—A DIVERSION NOBLY EARNED</a></h2> + +<p>Ted’s pleasure, shown when Nora’s transformation +was revealed to her in a +dripping little “pond lily” on the edge +of Mirror Lake, was not to be compared with +Jerry’s joys when he first beheld his Bobbs in +the Girl Scout uniform. They were waiting for +Nora when she returned at lunch time.</p> + +<p>“Pretty kipper, nifty, all right and no kiddin’.” +These were some of the exclamations +he gave vent to.</p> + +<p>“But I thought you didn’t like little girls in +anything but skirts,” Ted reminded him.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t but I do,” he replied Jerry-like. +“Now what do you say Bobbie, to a try at horse +back ridin’?” He always dropped his g’s when +perfectly happy.</p> + +<p>“I’d like to try it,” admitted Nora proudly. +She might not have realized it but the trim little +service costume had already emancipated her. +She was no longer the creature of catalogued +toilet accessories, “send no money” and “we +guarantee money’s worth or money back,” etc. +The new Nora was like a butterfly leaving its +cocoon—although the drying process had been +facilitated by the loan of a new blouse and +bloomers from the Chickadees’ wardrobe.</p> + +<p>Vita came out to announce lunch and she +stood dumbfounded. Vita was not Americanized +to the point of diplomacy.</p> + +<p>“You lose your good clothes? Those t’ings +not yours?” she asked blandly.</p> + +<p>“I have one like this,” replied Nora. She +did know how to respond to interference, and +had not yet quite forgiven Vita for the attic +episode.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you like it, Vita?” asked Jerry, his +brown eyes twinkling. “We were thinking of +getting you one like it—for your tramps +through the woods, you know.”</p> + +<p>The Italian woman scowled. She lacked a +sense of humor as well as some other details of +Americanization.</p> + +<p>“Don’t tease her, Jerry,” Ted ordered. “He +is only fooling, Vita,” she assured the perplexed +maid, while visions of the fat woman in a jaunty +little Scout uniform filtered through the brains +of both Ted and Nora.</p> + +<p>During lunch time conversation ran to the +important occurrence of the morning, but Ted +did not know all about the ducking in the Lake, +and since Betta had cautioned Nora to keep +secrets and if necessary to make them, it seemed +unwise to tell every single detail: thus Nora +reasoned. So it happened neither Ted nor +Jerry knew whether the first swim was intentional +or accidental, and both respected the +“secrets of the order,” as Jerry put it.</p> + +<p>“The girls are coming over this afternoon +with a manual,” the candidate said as tea was +finished, “and then I’ll have to do some studying.”</p> + +<p>“I see where Cap and I will have to paddle +our own canoe hereafter,” lamented Jerry. +“That’s just the way with you girls. I get you +all broke in and you race off and join up with +the Indians. Well,” he sighed deeply, “I suppose +Ted and I and Cap will have to go on our +picnics alone, in spite of all our plans.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Cousin Jerry! Did you have a picnic +planned!” eagerly asked Nora, leaving her +place at the table to join Jerry on the big +couch.</p> + +<p>“I did but I haven’t,” he replied, with pretended +disappointment. “What good are picnics +for Girl Scouts? They want big game with +real guns and elephant meat for supper,” he +finished pompously.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Cousin Jerry!” pouted Nora. “If you +really had a picnic planned couldn’t we have it, +and couldn’t I invite my Scout friends?”</p> + +<p>“’Course you could, Kitten,” Jerry gave in. +“I’ll fix up the finest little picnic those Scouts +ever heard tell of. Just you wait and see.”</p> + +<p>“But we are going to celebrate privately this +evening, Nora,” Ted added. “How would you +like to go to a picture play?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’d love it, of course. I do so love +motion pictures, and the Misses Baily are so +fussy about letting any of us go.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll bet,” agreed Jerry. “Want you to see +Mother Goose and Little Jack Horner——”</p> + +<p>“Both of which are each,” interrupted Ted. +“Guess you had better read up your nursery +rhymes, Jerry.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I didn’t take your college course, Theodora, +but I went to Sunday School a lot—had +to,” he admitted, shamelessly.</p> + +<p>“Then, it’s all settled for this evening,” continued +Ted, quite as if there had been no break +in the conversation. “We will ride into Lenox +and see the ‘movies.’ I know it’s a good picture +this week and it isn’t Mother Goose +either.”</p> + +<p>“Glad of that. I hate the old lady myself,” +scoffed Jerry. “This afternoon I must go out +to moorlands, Ted,” he said next, seriously. +“Suppose you and Nora take the day off and +loaf? You did a lot of hard work this morning——”</p> + +<p>“But I want to finish pegging off the west +end,” Ted interrupted.</p> + +<p>“Oh, could I help you, Cousin Ted?” begged +Nora. “I would just love to do some real surveying.”</p> + +<p>“And I would love to have you, certainly. +We will rest for one full hour, then I’ll let you +carry the chains and drops, and off we go to +the West End. How’s that?”</p> + +<p>“Lovely. Will Cap come?”</p> + +<p>“Sartin sure,” declared Jerry. “I never let +the youngsters go out on location without the +big dog, do I Cap?”</p> + +<p>Cap brushed his plumy tail against Jerry’s +elbow and made eyes at his master, agreeing +with everything he said, as usual.</p> + +<p>Later, when the hour’s rest had been taken, +Nora and Cousin Ted made their way to the +grounds that were to be surveyed. Nora carried +the “chain” which she wanted to call a +tape line until Ted explained that carpenters +had tape lines and surveyors used “chains,” +and the term really meant an exact land measurement. +The heavy instruments were already +in position, and when the work of measuring +the land with her eye, as Nora declared the +process to be, was actually begun, the apprentice +was quite fascinated.</p> + +<p>“Now, show me the cobweb,” she insisted as +Ted adjusted the delicate eye piece.</p> + +<p>“There. Do you see that mark outside the +little drop of alcohol?” asked Ted.</p> + +<p>“The very small line like that on Miss Baily’s +thermometer?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, the line that frames the drop,” explained +Ted, “that’s the finest substance we +can get, and it’s cobweb.”</p> + +<p>Nora peered through the telescope. She was +seeing a drop of alcohol shift from level to level +as Ted moved the transit, but she was thinking +of the night she discovered the cobwebs in the +attic. Somehow attic fancies clung to her, tenaciously, +and had she been at all superstitious +she surely would have called the attic unlucky. +Just see the trouble that Fauntleroy acting got +her into.</p> + +<p>“It wouldn’t take many webs to make such +tiny marks,” she said finally, as Ted moved off +to “spot a tree.” “I guess I won’t have to +gather many for Cousin Jerry for that little +marking.”</p> + +<p>Ted had moved off and with her small hatchet +was hacking a piece out of the bark of a tree—spotting +it, as she termed it. Then she returned +to the telescope and sought the level.</p> + +<p>“What’s the little weight on the string?” +Nora next asked.</p> + +<p>“Oh, that’s our plumb-bob,” replied the surveyor. +“Bob shows us just when a line is +straight. Now watch.”</p> + +<p>Over a peg in the ground Ted swung the +heavy little pendulum, first to right then to the +left, and so on until it fell directly on the mark.</p> + +<p>“Now see, that is plumb,” said Ted.</p> + +<p>Nora gazed intently at the drop. “Everything +has to be just exactly, hasn’t it?” she +queried, wondering why. “First, you strain +your alcohol with cobwebs, then you drop your +bob on the little peg straight as the string——”</p> + +<p>“That is just where we get the expression +from,” her companion assured her. “Nothing +can be straighter.”</p> + +<p>“And how do you get the mark on the tree?”</p> + +<p>“Look through the glass again.”</p> + +<p>So the first lesson in surveying went on. It +was fascinating to Nora, and when Ted decided +enough land had been “chained off” Nora +wanted to mark a few trees for her own use.</p> + +<p>“Couldn’t I chop a nick in this one? It is so +beautiful, and when we come another day I can +add another nick—just like a calendar.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Manton readily agreed, so long as Nora +did not use a mark that might confuse the surveyors; +and so interesting was the work, time +flew and the afternoon was soon waning.</p> + +<p>While in the woods more than once Nora had +reason to be thankful for her practical Scout +uniform, for she climbed trees, sought wild +grapes from high limbs, gathered wild columbine +and enjoyed the wildwoods as only a novice +can. Birds scarcely flew from the path, and she +marvelled they were so tame, but Ted explained +they had no cause for fear, as the woods were +their own and danger would be a new experience +to them.</p> + +<p>When finally Cap came back from his rambles +and it was decided that no more surveying nor +“play-veying” should be indulged in, instruments +were gathered again, and reluctantly +Nora followed Mrs. Manton out into the path, +newly beaten down by those who had been following +spots, bobs, cobwebs, chains, telescopes, +compasses, transits and all the other skilled +implements used.</p> + +<p>“Are you really a surveyor?” she asked Ted, +just wondering what she would call herself in +Barbara’s letter.</p> + +<p>“Yes, that or a civil engineer,” replied Ted. +“That is really what I studied in the famous +college course Jerry is always teasing about.”</p> + +<p>“It is sort of artist work, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“A wonderful sort. Just see what good times +I have out among birds, flowers, wildwoods, and +the whole clean, untamed world,” said Theodora +Manton. “Some women may like indoors, but +give me the woods and the fields and all of this,” +she finished, sweeping her free brown hand +before her with a gesture that encompassed +glorious creation.</p> + +<p>Nora pondered. How many worlds were +there after all? How different this was from +that which she knew at school? Would she ever +enjoy the other now, after all this? She glanced +at her scratched hands and smiled. What manicuring +would erase those, and yet how precious +they would seem when Cousin Jerry would hear +what she had done to help with his wonderful +surveying?</p> + +<p>“And we must fix up and look pretty for tonight,” +said her companion, as if reading +Nora’s thoughts. “I so seldom want to go out +evenings I really have to think what to wear.”</p> + +<p>“Do we dress up?” queried Nora.</p> + +<p>“A little, that is we don’t wear these,” indicating +the khaki. “But all the Lenox folks are +professionals in one line or the other, and you +know dear, they always claim a social code of +their own.”</p> + +<p>Nora was not positive she entirely understood, +but she guessed that professionals, if +they were anything like her Cousin Ted, would +wear just such clothes as they liked best and +felt most comfortable in, and she wondered how +such would look in a theatre.</p> + +<p>“Another rest, then an early dinner and we’ll +be off,” announced Mrs. Manton when they +reached the Nest. “Nora darling, you have +made me very happy today,” the brown eyes +embraced Nora while the hands were still burdened +with instruments. “I will write at once +to your mother and ask her——”</p> + +<p>But a shout of Jerry’s interrupted the most +interesting clause.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink13'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIII—CRAWLING IN THE SHADOWS</a></h2> + +<p>“You jump in the car and wait a few +minutes,” said Ted to Nora.</p> + +<p>It was almost dusk and the moving +picture party was about to set out for Lenox +in the trim little car which, Ted insisted, was +tamed, educated and “fed from her hand” when +it went out of gas.</p> + +<p>Nora willingly complied with the order to +take her seat and wait. Dark shadows fell from +the trees to the narrow roadway, and while +alone there Nora was just wondering if everything +was going to happen in one single day.</p> + +<p>Cousins Jerry and Ted had many things to +look after before setting out, for while Vita was +a capable houseworker, she knew nothing of +home management. Some minutes passed and +the others had not yet come to the car where +Nora sat so quietly that the squirrels had no +idea a single human being was in the black car. +One gay little furred skipper had the audacity +to hop on the running board, but Nora from the +depths of her cushions, never stirred.</p> + +<p>A rustling of the leaves, much heavier than +the tread of squirrels could possibly have been, +gave her a start. She just peeked out in time to +see something crawl across the road and continue +on toward the path to the cottage.</p> + +<p>“Oh, what was that!” Nora barely whispered. +Then she raised her head and gazed +intently at the crawling thing, that now was +not more than an outline in the coming darkness.</p> + +<p>For the moment she was too surprised to +jump out and follow. Could it be a bear or some +big animal? Certainly it was no small woodland +creature, and as it passed the car she could +hear queer, jerky breathing.</p> + +<p>Being so near the house there was no need +for alarm as to her personal safety, so she did +jump out now and ran to meet Ted and Jerry +who were just turning in from the barn drive.</p> + +<p>“Oh,” Nora exclaimed breathlessly. “Did +you see—anything?”</p> + +<p>“Anything?” repeated Jerry.</p> + +<p>“I mean did you see—anything queer?”</p> + +<p>“Why no,” replied Ted. “But Nora, you look +as if you had.”</p> + +<p>“I did, really. Something stole out of the +bushes and crept across the path, toward the +kitchen.” Nora was still short of breath from +her fright.</p> + +<p>“Now Bobbs! You don’t mean to say that +some wild, roaring lion——”</p> + +<p>But Nora interrupted Jerry. “Honestly +Cousin Jerry,” she declared, “I did see something, +and we can’t go out and leave Vita alone +until we find out what it was.”</p> + +<p>“Bravo! Spoken like a Scout!” sang out the +irrepressible Jerry. “Now let’s all have a +look.”</p> + +<p>“Over there,” directed Nora, and while +neither Mr. nor Mrs. Manton appeared to take +the matter seriously, they did, never-the-less, +follow Nora’s directions and quietly prowl +along the path.</p> + +<p>“There,” exclaimed Nora. “I saw it again!”</p> + +<p>“I thought I saw something scamper off myself,” +admitted Ted. “What do you suppose it +can be?” She stepped out squarely in the +driveway and stood watching.</p> + +<p>“Give me a look and I’ll announce,” said +Jerry, his cap in one hand and a great stick, +more like a tree limb he had hastily snatched +up, in the other. He was going to have some +fun out of it, at any rate. He never could miss +a chance like this.</p> + +<p>Thrashing down the bushes from the drive +to the garden path took but a few moments, then +they were within sight of the door.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter?” called out Vita. “You +find big snake?”</p> + +<p>“No, we’re looking for it,” answered Jerry. +“Did he come your way?”</p> + +<p>“I no see, not any,” said Vita fully. She +never depended upon the scant Englishothers +were apt to employ. While speaking she kept +moving from one spot on the path to another, +and her actions seemed so absurd Ted questioned +the maid again.</p> + +<p>“Now Vita, you know perfectly well you have +seen something,” she insisted. “And we are +not going away until we find out what is around +here. Just look at Cap sniffing! He knows,” +continued Mrs. Manton, moving up nearer to +Vita and closer to the house.</p> + +<p>“Nothing a-tall. Everything all right—good,” +persisted Vita backing to the doorway.</p> + +<p>“Say Vi,” called Jerry in his cheeriest voice, +“who’s your friend? Are you trying to hide +him behind your skirts? I told you, Ted, she +should wear a uniform.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Jerry, do stop your nonsense,” begged +Ted. “We shall be late for the pictures. Just +run in and look around the house. Of course +everything is all right, but we don’t want Nora +worrying while we’re away and Vita’s alone.”</p> + +<p>Nora had been looking sharply from one dark +spot to another but no further disturbance +appeared.</p> + +<p>“Nothing could get into the house with Vita +right at the door,” she reasoned aloud. “I suppose +it was just something from the woods. +Maybe one of those ’possums you told me about, +Cousin Jerry.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe, and again maybe not,” he answered. +“But just wait until I shake this stick over the +premises. Vita will feel a lot safer when I wave +the wand of warning over the place,” and he +entered the house with Vita so close to his heels +that both Nora and Mrs. Manton looked surprised.</p> + +<p>“Queer, how she acts,” admitted Mrs. Manton. +“I just wonder—— But of course she is +only hurrying to get us off. She knows we will +miss the first show if we do not get away at +once.”</p> + +<p>Jerry was soon out, stick in hand, and a broad +grin on his handsome face.</p> + +<p>“Nary a thing,” he announced. “Nora, I am +afraid your scouting has gone to your head. +That, or you are seeing things.”</p> + +<p>Before Nora might have replied Ted insisted +they hurry off or give up the trip to Lenox, +entirely.</p> + +<p>“I’m ready,” Nora said, instead of commenting +on the moving shadow. “I shouldn’t like +to miss that picture.”</p> + +<p>“All aboard!” sang out Jerry, and when the +little car shot out of the woods into the splendid +turnpike—the pride of all motorists for many +miles around—Vita might have entertained her +mysterious visitor (if she really had one) to +her heart’s content, for all of the party bound +cityward.</p> + +<p>Since her arrival at Woodlands Nora had +little chance for auto rides, there were so many +more interesting things to do, so that the short +trip to Lenox now seemed something of a +luxury.</p> + +<p>But the evening’s entertainment was even +more delightful. The attractive little theatre +was so prettily made up with colored paper flowers +over the lights, with breezy electric fans and +such simple contrivances as, in the larger city, +Nora had not seen, it all appeared new, novel +and attractive. It was quaint and cosy, and +such an effect was ever delightful to the fanciful +daughter of a woman who called herself +Nannie instead of mother.</p> + +<p>All about them people greeted the Mantons, +and it was plain they were held in high esteem +by many, farmers as well as more cultured folks, +plain or dressed up—all had a pleasant word or +a cordial greeting for the government surveyor +and his attractive wife.</p> + +<p>Nora wondered if the Girl Scouts ever came +in to see the pictures, but Ted expressed the +opinion that when they did come they came in a +crowd and made a regular party of the occasion.</p> + +<p>“But they have so many pleasures of their +own for evenings,” she told Nora, “I shouldn’t +fancy they would want to come under an +ordinary roof often during the summer +months.”</p> + +<p>After the big picture with all its wizard +scenes had been enjoyed, they started back +towards Wildwoods. It was then that the fear +of that crawling thing again crowded down on +Nora and caused her to shiver until she actually +shook.</p> + +<p>“Too cool?” inquired Ted, unfolding a soft +knitted scarf from her end of the seat.</p> + +<p>“No, just shivery,” truthfully answered the +imaginative Nora.</p> + +<p>It was very dark along the country road, and +only the flashing lights of passing cars penetrated +the dense blackness of the tree-tunnels +through which the party rode. It may have +been this or it may have been the accumulated +fatigue of her big, full day, but at any rate, +Nora felt very much inclined to huddle up to +Cousin Ted and hide.</p> + +<p>The humming of the motor was like a lullaby, +and the voices of Ted and Jerry mingled so +evenly that presently Nora forgot, then she +forgot to think, and then she stopped thinking.</p> + +<p>She was sound asleep in the cosy comfort of +Theodora Manton’s encircling arm.</p> + +<p>“I’ll lift her,” she heard a voice whisper.</p> + +<p>It had seemed only a minute since she entered +the car and here she was home, at the very door, +with Vita standing there, lantern in hand.</p> + +<p>“Oh, thank you, Cousin Jerry,” spoke up +Nora bravely. “I am wide awake now. How +perfectly silly to fall asleep?”</p> + +<p>“How perfectly sensible,” he contradicted. +“I wish you had not awakened. I should have +had a great joke to tell your Girl Scouts,” he +teased.</p> + +<p>Nora laughed lightly. She was on the ground +and anxious to get into the cottage. Why she +felt so timid was not clear even to herself, but +somewhere within her dread lurked, and when +Ted proposed lemonade and crackers Nora +excused herself on the grounds of being deliciously +sleepy. For once she accepted Vita’s +offer to light her lights and make the window +right for the night.</p> + +<p>“You go quick asleep?” Vita remarked, turning +down the soft summer covering from the +little bed.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes. I fell asleep in the car,” returned +Nora, yawning.</p> + +<p>“That’s good. Then you hear no storm——”</p> + +<p>“But there is no sign of a storm, Vita.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but maybe. Or maybe, yes, some big +birds fly and make screech——”</p> + +<p>“Vita!” exclaimed Nora sharply. “What +ever are you talking about? Are you trying +to—scare me?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no. No get scared at—any t’ing.” +mumbled Vita while her own excited manner +seemed real cause for alarm. “I just like to +know when my little girl sleep very good, like +baby.”</p> + +<p>Truth to tell Nora was too sleepy to argue, +otherwise she might have demanded an explanation. +Vita was plainly excited, and this fact +coupled with that of her strange actions earlier +in the evening was unquestionably enough to +cause suspicion; but rest to a girl afflicted with +“nerves” is a precious thing, and when it came +to Nora she had no idea of risking its loss by +any sort of argument.</p> + +<p>But Vita seemed to want to linger longer. +First she looked at one window, then at another. +She even plumped a cushion—as if that +were necessary to a night’s comfort!</p> + +<p>“Where do you sleep, Vita?” asked Nora, +drowsily.</p> + +<p>“Oh, in a good bed, in the little room by +kitchen,” replied the maid.</p> + +<p>Nora recalled the maid’s room. It was on +the first floor just off the kitchen. So it could +not have been Vita who slept in the attic.</p> + +<p>“Would Vita get you a nice cold glass of +water?” asked the solicitous one, still anxious +to please.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Vita,” a yawn interrupted, “I am so +sleepy——”</p> + +<p>“Then I go——”</p> + +<p>“Yes, you go. Good night, Vita,” said Nora +sweetly, “and I hope I sleep as soundly as I +threaten to and as well as you want me to,” +finished Nora. “Isn’t that being a very good +girl?”</p> + +<p>“Very, very good,” said Vita happily. Then +she went out quietly and left Nora to her +coveted slumber.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink14'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIV—CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE</a></h2> + +<p>But being converted to scouting could not +at once cure Nora of her dream habits. +Being so long alone in school, and having +a brain insatiable for creative material, she +usually went to bed to think and she went to +sleep to dream.</p> + +<p>“I never felt so deliciously tired,” she murmured. +“But I do wonder what ailed Vita.”</p> + +<p>Presently blue eyes cuddled in their white +satin blankets with brown fringe borders (a +way Nora had of describing eye lids and +lashes), and then the panorama began.</p> + +<p>First it was the Scout memory. She, as the +bravest Scout that had ever joined a troup, +dramatically saved someone from drowning. +Next, Nora as the actress in the picture shown +at Lenox, performed the daring feat of swinging +from the great rock with strikingly better +effect than had she whose name graced the program. +The third dream installment had to do +with something very indistinct but horribly terrifying. +It revealed a crawling thing that first +crossed the path, then climbed the morning +glory vine right up to Nora’s window, and now—yes +now—it was choking her!</p> + +<p>Had she screamed?</p> + +<p>She found herself sitting up straight in bed +and she felt as if her very curls had straightened +out in fright.</p> + +<p>There—was a noise! She listened, put her +hand out and switched on the light. It was +nothing in her room, but seemed somewhere—Yes, +there it was again and it surely was up in +the attic!</p> + +<p>Was that someone moaning?</p> + +<p>Dream dizzy still, Nora could form no definite +resolve, either to call or to remain quiet. She +simply lay fascinated with fright. The noise +ceased. Still she lay—listening. Then other +sounds penetrated the night. That was feet—shuffling +of feet and they seemed just above her +head! Quickly Nora reached out again and +touched the button that switched off the light. +She would rather lay hidden deeply in the bed +clothing than be exposed to whatever was +prowling in the attic, should it come down the +stairs.</p> + +<p>Then she thought she heard whispering, but +that might have been her excited imagination. +She drew the covers closer and with her head +buried from sound she could no longer listen, +and not possibly hear.</p> + +<p>But after, what seemed to the frightened +girl, a very long time she ventured to poke her +head out again, just as she heard a stealthful +step on the stairs.</p> + +<p>“Oh!” she gasped aloud. Then “Vita!” she +called faintly.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I come. Sh-s-!”</p> + +<p>Nora had not expected to hear that voice. +She merely called Vita because she did not +want to call Cousin Ted, and she felt the intruder +was dangerously near. But there was +Vita!</p> + +<p>“What is it? You have bad dream?” asked +the maid in a whisper, standing now beside the +bed.</p> + +<p>“No, it was no dream.” Nora’s voice was +not very low, in fact she was angry. “I did +hear things and there’s no use telling me it was +the wind. It wasn’t,” she snapped.</p> + +<p>“Sh-s-!” again Vita warned. “It is no good +to wake cousins. I was up the stairs for that +old window. It slam—you hear it?”</p> + +<p>“What could slam a window tonight?”</p> + +<p>“I do-no!” in the way foreigners have of not +understanding when ignorance is more convenient. +“I must go to bed now. You all right?”</p> + +<p>“Say Vita!” charged Nora. “If you don’t +tell me the truth I’ll—I’ll—just shout!”</p> + +<p>“No, not too much noise,” coaxed the big +woman, who in her night robe looked like a masquerade +figure. “What do you want I should +get you?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing. I don’t want anything but for you +to tell me who is up in that attic!” demanded +Nora sharply.</p> + +<p>“Me—Vittoria, is up attic.”</p> + +<p>“Who was with you?”</p> + +<p>“Cap.”</p> + +<p>“Where is he now?”</p> + +<p>“He go down—back way.”</p> + +<p>“Now Vita—” Nora stopped. She was baffled. +This woman could confuse her so and then +walk off demurely, just as she had done that +other night. Finally Nora began again:</p> + +<p>“All right, Vita, but you just listen.” She +was shaking a small finger toward the face with +the black flashing eyes. “If you don’t tell me +all about your secret I shall tell Uncle Jerry. +Now do you understand?”</p> + +<p>“Secret? What is ‘secret’?”</p> + +<p>“The thing up in the attic is a secret,” persisted +Nora, although she feared her voice +might disturb the others now.</p> + +<p>“That thing big Cap. He always at night +sniff so much,” said Vita. “Now, I go to bed,” +she spoke this very emphatically. “I go to bed +and you go to sleep.”</p> + +<p>“All right, go,” ordered Nora. “And don’t +you dare go up in that attic again tonight. I +was just having the most——”</p> + +<p>But her audience had vanished and the house +was empty, so to speak, so why orate or harangue?</p> + +<p>All sleep and its delightful attributes had +flown. Nora was so wide awake she felt she +would never sleep again, and worse still, she +was angry. What did that old Vita mean by +her attic tricks? If it were she who was up +there why did she moan? And if it were something +else why did the woman try to conceal it?</p> + +<p>“Now, I have a Scout duty,” Nora promised +herself. “I must fathom that mystery and +protect Cousin Theodora and Cousin Gerald +from that unscrupulous woman.” Visions of +crimes hidden in the attic, memory of her own +incarceration there when the trap door, as she +now regarded the door with the spring lock +snapped shut, filtered through her excited brain, +and when she remembered how she had almost +died up there, and how it might have been years +before her skeleton would have been discovered, +just as so many others had fared on secret +attic trips, it did seem to Nora that she should +arise at once and immediately start her investigations. +Humor and tragedy hopelessly mixed.</p> + +<p>“But it’s so late,” she figured out, “and +would it be fair to wake Cousin Ted when she +is so tired and after her taking me to that beautiful +picture?”</p> + +<p>Convincing herself that this was why she did +not immediately begin her brave Scout work, +she once more attempted to quiet her nerves by +thinking of all the sheep Miss Baily had recommended +to skip over fences and lull one to sleep.</p> + +<p>But sleep was far out of the reach of frisky +sheep, and Nora lay there thinking of so many +things, her head threatened to ache and a miserable +day promised to dawn upon her if she +did not soon succumb.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps I wronged poor Vita. There may +not have been anything wicked in the attic after +all,” she soothed herself. “Why couldn’t she +go up there if she wanted to? And maybe she +stubbed her toe.”</p> + +<p>It was not very consoling but the best Nora +could work up in the way of consolation. One +thing certain, Vita was honorable. She was a +trusted servant, and in the short time Nora had +been at the Nest, many small favors, peculiar +to good cooks, had come Nora’s way through +Vita’s intervention.</p> + +<p>Such happy thoughts finally dispelled the +other unfriendly mental visitors, and when Vita +stole past the door again and looked in through +the darkness, all she heard was the even breathing +of little Nora Blair, who might or might +not have been dreaming of horrible attic noises.</p> + +<p>The day brings wisdom, and when Nora again +dressed in the borrowed khaki suit (she had +suddenly taken a dislike to her own fancy +dresses), the glorious sunshine of the bright +summer morning mocked the terrors of the +night.</p> + +<p>A step in the hall. “I bring your fruit,” +said Vita kindly through the open door; and +there she stood with a small dish of such delicious +berries to be eaten off stems by hand—surely +Nora had wronged this kind, tender-hearted +foreigner.</p> + +<p>Nora was somewhat conscience stricken as she +accepted the peace offering. “Oh, thank you, +Vita,” she exclaimed. “I was just coming +down.”</p> + +<p>“But the Jerries are out early and you no +need hurry,” explained Vita. “I make nice +breakfast when you come.”</p> + +<p>“Cousin Ted gone out?” asked Nora.</p> + +<p>“Yes, she say you stay home, not go after +them, they must ‘bob swamp.’”</p> + +<p>“Bob swamp? Oh, you mean use the plumb-bob +in the swamp. I understand, Vita.” It +was really remarkable how well both understood +today and how dense both had been last +night. “Very well, I’ll eat my fruit here by +the window, and later try your lovely biscuits,” +said Nora, with a smile rarely used outside the +family.</p> + +<p>The housemaid shuffled off. Looking after +her, Nora wondered.</p> + +<p>“I do believe she is trying to keep on good +terms with me for something—something +queer,” she decided. “Certainly she is afraid +I will tell Cousin Ted about the attic business.” +She paused with a big red strawberry half way +to her lips. “Well, I have a secret, anyhow,” +she decided, “and I like Alma, she makes me +think of myself—she is sort of shy and sensitive. +Perhaps I shall make her my confidante.”</p> + +<p>Of all the Scouts Alma seemed most congenial, +and having a real secret was the first +definite step in Nora’s summer career. But +are secrets wise and are they safe to carry +around in so big and open a place as Rocky +Ledge?</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink15'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XV—WAIF OF THE WILDWOODS</a></h2> + +<p>It was so much better than dreams. Not +only did Nora feel the importance of having +a real secret, but she also realized that +the same circumstance had actually made Vita +her abject slave. Not a wish was expressed by +the visitor in Vita’s presence but the maid +would, if it were possible at all, see to its fulfillment.</p> + +<p>“I believe I’ll tell Alma,” Nora decided one +morning after a visit and return to and from +Camp Chickadee. Almost daily she made those +trips and the Scouts had become such friends +with her she was now regarded quite as one of +their number.</p> + +<p>Expecting to join formally as soon as the +other candidates of Rocky Ledge were ready +and the Counsellor should come down from the +city, Nora studied her manual and prepared +for the honor. In the meantime she was privileged +to enjoy many of the Scout activities.</p> + +<p>But “the secret” was really more engrossing +just now. It provided her with a personal +importance—what girl does not enjoy the possession +of a knowledge others have not and everyone +would love to have?</p> + +<p>It was thrilling. Alma, the Tenderfoot Scout, +who from the first had espoused Nora’s cause +and even confided in her the real story of the +woodland prince, met her daily at a wonderful +rendezvous, and there the two girls, away from +teasing companions, enjoyed confidences and +built air castles.</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell her today,” the resolve was repeated +as Nora started out.</p> + +<p>She arrived first, and while waiting had a +race with Cap all the way to the Three Oaks +and back again.</p> + +<p>“Dogs have to run faster,” explained Nora +breathlessly, when Cap won by more than he +needed to establish his claim. “If you could +not run faster than human beings, Cap, you +could never have been made a Red Cross messenger, +as you were in the awful war.”</p> + +<p>The arrival of Alma cut short the encomium. +Salutations were brief for both were eager to +“tell each other a lot of things.”</p> + +<p>“Alma, do you think you could keep a secret?” +The question was so trite and time +worn Alma smiled before answering in the +affirmative.</p> + +<p>“Because,” continued Nora, “this is the biggest +secret I have ever had, and Barbara and +I have had a great many.”</p> + +<p>“I have to have secrets,” returned Alma, +“because none of the girls seem to understand +me. They tease, you know, they almost made +me homesick one night; they kept teasing and +teasing about the prince; and Miss Beckwith +had a hard time to make me stop crying.”</p> + +<p>Nora winced. “Well, this isn’t that sort of a +secret,” she said presently. “It’s about our +attic.”</p> + +<p>“What about it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, it’s a lot to tell. We had better sit on +the big log under the chestnut tree and be comfortable +before I start.”</p> + +<p>Then began the story of the first night at +Wildwoods when Nora was determined to sleep +in the attic. Many an exclamation of surprise +was thrown in by the more practical Alma, but +this in no way turned the narrator from her +course. She sent thrill after thrill up and down +Alma’s spine, and she even voiced a suspicion +that Vita might have a member of “some den +of thieves hidden in the attic, although she is +the soul of honesty,” Nora was particular to +state.</p> + +<p>But it was the incident that occurred the +night they went to Lenox that really caused +Alma to exclaim tragically:</p> + +<p>“Nora, you should tell Mrs. Manton! It is +not safe to hide anything so serious as that. +Suppose the Thing comes crawling down some +night and Vita is not there to drive it back?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, she doesn’t drive it back,” Nora had +not actually visualized the terror in that way. +“She just kept me from finding out——”</p> + +<p>“What?” interrupted Alma when Nora +paused from sheer excitement.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know what!”</p> + +<p>“What do you think?”</p> + +<p>“Well, maybe it’s a—really Alma, I don’t +dare think. I did not know how frightened I +was till I started talking about it. Why, I am +just all creeps,” admitted Nora. “Here Cap,” +she shouted, as the dog attempted to wander +off, “don’t go away. Come on, Alma. I guess +we had better go out by the road. Why, I am +just as frightened as if the—Thing were around +here!” she gasped.</p> + +<p>“Maybe it is,” said Alma cruelly, picking up +her knitting upon which she had not taken a +stitch, and following Nora out of the little +woodland into the more open field that flanked +the narrow roadway.</p> + +<p>They hurried. Alma tripped and Nora almost +screamed.</p> + +<p>“Why, what is the matter?” asked the Scout. +“You haven’t seen anything?”</p> + +<p>“No, but I feel so queer. You know, Alma” +(she loved an audience), “I am queer and I do +believe I sometimes feel things in advance. +Miss Baily always said I did.”</p> + +<p>“She must have been queer herself,” retorted +Alma. “I had those wild ideas, too, +until I joined the Scouts. That’s the reason +Mother had me join. She said I was too much +alone——”</p> + +<p>It was difficult to talk while hurrying over +newly-cut stumps with which the field was so +thickly strewn. The surveyor’s men had hewn +many a fine young birch and numbers of ambitious +young maples there, for this was one +of the forests lately cleared.</p> + +<p>“Here come the girls,” exclaimed Nora, as +they looked down the road. “Alma, promise +not to say a single word——”</p> + +<p>“Why, Nora Blair! As if I would divulge +a secret——”</p> + +<p>“Excuse me, Alma. I did not mean just +that. But when one does not realize the importance——”</p> + +<p>“I do realize it. But it’s all right, Nora. +I know just how you feel,” conceded Alma, +amiably. “There. I have to go with Pell to get +some grasses from the Ledge. I’m sorry I +can’t walk home with you. You don’t +mind——”</p> + +<p>“Not in the least, Alma. I was just jumpy +while we talked—that way. Besides, I always +have Cap. Good bye. I’ll see you tomorrow +morning.”</p> + +<p>“Won’t you wait for the girls?”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid if I do I’ll stay talking. Hello,” +she called out as Pell and Thistle came up. +“Alma and I have had such a lovely time out +in the oak woods I am late for my—chores,” +she finished, laughing.</p> + +<p>“What do you chore, Nora?” asked Pell. +Her face was beaming with the health of camp +life and her voice vibrated youth and happiness.</p> + +<p>“She chores chores of course,” Thistle assisted. +“I am sure the Nest is a lot nicer place +to live and work in than Camp Chickadee—when +Pell Mell is our inspector,” she finished, +with a pout.</p> + +<p>“Nora, would you believe it that wretched +girl left her shoes outside of camp last night +and this morning they were gone—to a goat +preserve somewhere,” explained Pell. “She +has my second best ‘sneaks’ on now, yet she +will malign me——”</p> + +<p>“Why and whither away?” interrupted +Thistle, seeing Nora about to escape.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I really must. I’ll see you later,” +promised the blonde girl, whose hair, always so +fair, seemed to have taken on a shade of pure +gold since exposed to the open sunshine of +Rocky Ledge.</p> + +<p>So with paths divided they separated, and +that was how it came to pass that Nora was +alone when she encountered the wonderful adventure.</p> + +<p>Taking to the lane path, a walk she seldom +thought of following, Nora, keyed up with her +excitement following the telling of her story to +Alma, felt she must get off somewhere and +“collect herself” before going back to the +house.</p> + +<p>Perhaps her head was down, and she may +have ventured along as do much older and more +serious folk when engaged in some perplexing +problem, at any rate Nora was down the +lane and into a strange grove before she realized +it.</p> + +<p>She looked up with a start. “Where ever +am I?” she said, if not aloud, certainly loud +enough for her own hearing.</p> + +<p>The place was a veritable camp of low pines, +and so dark it was beneath the thickly woven +boughs, Nora felt as if she had stepped from +day to night.</p> + +<p>“But so pretty,” she commented. Then she +looked about for Cap. It would not be wise to +stray into such a lonely place without his reliable +protection. He marched up with a very +military air as she called his name. Evidently +the place, strange to Nora, was familiar to him, +for he did not so much as raise his shaggy head +to glance around him.</p> + +<p>“Stay here,” she whispered. Then, turning +to survey the place, she almost froze with +fright. Over in under a very low tree she saw +something move—it was like a bundle of rags +and it—yes, it had a head!</p> + +<p>“Oh, mercy!” she gasped. “What’s that?”</p> + +<p>The black bundle rolled over and sat up. +Two big, brown eyes glared at her! The head +was covered with a shawl. Was it a woman?</p> + +<p>Frozen now with genuine fright Nora tried +to move, but felt more like sinking down.</p> + +<p>“Oh!” she breathed. Then she saw how +small it was. There! It was humping up. Like +a queer sort of animal the bundle took shape +on huddled shoulders, and from the outline eyes +glared.</p> + +<p>It was not more than twenty feet from where +Nora stood, but the almost night darkness of +the grove helped make illusions terrifying.</p> + +<p>Now it was on knees and now it stood up!</p> + +<p>“Oh,” cried Nora. “Who are you?”</p> + +<p>A little girl—a poor little ragged girl, evidently +more frightened than Nora herself.</p> + +<p>“Oh, do come here,” cried Nora, as soon as +she saw how she had been deceived. “I won’t +hurt you.”</p> + +<p>The child was now standing. What a sorry +little figure! The part that was not eyes +seemed just rags, and two bare feet pressed +upon the brown pine needles like chunks of +withered wood. Her head was covered with an +ugly gray scarf and yet the day was warm +enough to feel the sun’s rays even through the +dense trees.</p> + +<p>“What’s your name, little girl?” asked Nora, +venturing a step nearer.</p> + +<p>The eyes rolled and then a smile broke over +that frightened face. “I’m Lucia,” replied the +child, and her voice was as pretty as her name.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink16'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVI—LADY BOUNTIFUL JUNIOR</a></h2> + +<p>Hearing that small, fluty voice Nora +sighed with relief.</p> + +<p>“Come here, little girl,” she said +gently. “I won’t hurt you.”</p> + +<p>“Please, I can’t. I must run——”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no; don’t run,” begged Nora, as the +child showed every sign of escaping. “I am +all alone. I just want to talk to you.”</p> + +<p>“But I must not. I have to run,” insisted +the other.</p> + +<p>“Why?”</p> + +<p>“Because——” the voice had dropped many +tones.</p> + +<p>“Will any one hurt you if you don’t?” This +was merely a chance question of Nora’s. She +could not think quickly of just the right thing +to say and was anxious to detain the child.</p> + +<p>“Yes, no, maybe,” a shrug of the small +shoulders proclaimed foreign mannerisms. +Her dark eyes also bespoke the alien.</p> + +<p>“Well, I won’t let anyone hurt you,” +declared Nora bravely. “I’m a Girl Scout, do +you know what that means?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I know. It means crazy,” promptly +replied Lucia.</p> + +<p>“Crazy?” Nora was somewhat taken back. +Then it dawned upon her that foreigners had a +way of saying things—perhaps—“crazy” +meant something else to the child.</p> + +<p>“Why do you say ‘crazy’?” Nora asked next.</p> + +<p>“Oh, they dress funny, and they run all over +and they climb trees like—crazy,” said Lucia. +Nora saw she was correct in her free translation. +Crazy was a comprehensive term to +Lucia.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you like them, the Scouts?” pressed +Nora.</p> + +<p>“The little one—I like. The big ones chase +me one day,” came the indifferent answer. “I +have to go, I must run sure now,” declared +Lucia, putting out her small hands to make a +hole in the bushes through which to escape.</p> + +<p>“Oh, please don’t go yet,” begged Nora. “I +have just found you and I want to—know you.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t dast,” replied Lucia. “I have to +hide now,” she was getting through the break +when Nora took hold of the long skirt. At this +Lucia looked around sharply, and her dark eyes +flashed dangerously.</p> + +<p>“Are you hungry?” Nora asked. This was +a tactful thing to ask and offered immediate +postponement of flight for Lucia.</p> + +<p>“Sure,” she replied, beaming. “What you +got?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing—just now,” faltered Nora. “But +I can bring you lots of good things. You wait +here——”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, I get caught,” interrupted the +woods wraith. “Then I ketch—it.”</p> + +<p>Nora was sorely puzzled, but being Nora she +had no idea of allowing such an interest to +escape. She said next: “If you tell me where +to leave things for you, I’ll bring them and you +can get them when no one is around. Would +that be all right?”</p> + +<p>“Maybe,” replied the exasperating Lucia. +“But when you get it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, any time, I live near here and I can +just run over and be back before you have to +go. Where do you go to?”</p> + +<p>“I can’t tell,” answered Lucia with more +foreign tone than she had yet assumed.</p> + +<p>“You mean you do not dare tell me where +you live?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, that’s what I mean.”</p> + +<p>“Why?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t dast,” again came that quaint, childish +negative.</p> + +<p>“Who would do anything to you?”</p> + +<p>“Nick.”</p> + +<p>If Nora was eager to talk, surely Lucia was +determined to be very brief. What could she +mean by “Nick.”</p> + +<p>Again Lucia held the bush back into an open +gate. And again Nora tugged at the skirt.</p> + +<p>“If I bring you a lovely sweet pie will +you come back and talk to me here?” begged +Nora.</p> + +<p>“Where will you put the pie?”</p> + +<p>“Can’t you come and get it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know.”</p> + +<p>It was aggravating. The child seemed purposely +obtuse. Nora had an instinctive feeling +that somehow she was the object of abuse. Her +cringing manner indicated oppression.</p> + +<p>“Now, Lucia,” she began again, “if you +come here every day I’ll come all alone, except +for Cap, and I’ll bring you lovely things to eat. +Wouldn’t you like that?”</p> + +<p>“Sure.”</p> + +<p>“Then you will come?”</p> + +<p>“What time?”</p> + +<p>“In the morning—about this time. Would +that be all right for you?”</p> + +<p>“If Nick is gone.”</p> + +<p>“Who is Nick?”</p> + +<p>“Very bad man. I hate Nick.” This last +sentence was so purely American, that even +Nora guessed the child had come from mixed +surroundings. Holding to her shawl Nora could +feel, she imagined, a shudder pass through the +slim frame at the very mention of the name +Nick.</p> + +<p>Lucia dragged her scarf off a bush. “I go +now,” she said with just a tinge of politeness. +“You bring pie?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, a big pie. Don’t forget to come.”</p> + +<p>“I come—sure.”</p> + +<p>The queer figure stood for a moment out in +the clear sunlight, and Nora had a chance to +see her features. She was pretty, strikingly so, +in spite of her pinched cheeks and her too lustrous +eyes.</p> + +<p>“Please—you don’t tell anybody?” came the +appeal. “I work all day and pull weeds, but +like to sleep little bit by the big trees, sometimes.”</p> + +<p>Then Nora guessed. “You mean you are +sick and come here to rest?”</p> + +<p>“Please.”</p> + +<p>“Well, you just come here whenever you +want to, Lucia,” said Nora with feeling. “The +idea of a tiny tot like you working at pulling +weeds! And with all those heavy rags on you! +It’s a shame!” she declared indignantly.</p> + +<p>“You don’t tell?” the child persisted +anxiously.</p> + +<p>“No, Lucia. I’ll never tell. I have a lot of +secrets, and this one I won’t even tell Alma.”</p> + +<p>“Good bye.”</p> + +<p>Like a frightened animal the waif sped across +the field and dodged into the next clump of +shrubbery.</p> + +<p>“She is afraid of being seen,” reasoned Nora. +“Who ever saw such a pitiful little thing?”</p> + +<p>Then it dawned upon her that Cap had not +even sniffed suspiciously.</p> + +<p>“Did you like her, Cap?” she asked, patting +the patient animal, that all during the broken +conversation had lain at Nora’s feet without +so much as a single growl. “Did you feel sorry +for her, too, Cap?”</p> + +<p>He may have or there may have been some +other reason for his indifference, but now he +was willing and anxious to go home. It was +lunch time and Cap never needed an announcement.</p> + +<p>Nora followed him. She was too astonished +to know even what to think. That a little beggar +girl should hide in the bushes to rest from +hard work!</p> + +<p>“I’ll bring her the nicest things Vita can +bake,” she concluded. Then came the thought: +How would she get Vita to give her the supplies +without making known the use she was to +put them to?</p> + +<p>Picnics were common. These would surely +supply an excuse for carrying out food, and, +after all, wouldn’t it be a picnic for Lucia?</p> + +<p>Nora’s heart was fluttering.</p> + +<p>“I never knew what a vacation was before,” +she told Cap. “Here I am having a love of a +time and doing things worth remembering.”</p> + +<p>How different from the fashionable summers +she had been accustomed to! Nowadays she +hardly had time to look in a glass, and yet she +was enjoying every hour. It was like discovering +something new continually, and did Nora +but know the secret of the adventure it was +simply that she was discovering her own resources—she +was getting acquainted with Nora +Blair.</p> + +<p>But miracles are not common, and Nora was +not yet completely transformed from a sensitive, +secretive girl, to an honest, frank, fearless +Girl Scout.</p> + +<p>Even the new discovery of Lucia and her sad +plight was now locked up in her breast.</p> + +<p>But should it have been?</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink17'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVII—A PICNIC AND OTHERWISE</a></h2> + +<p>A rush of events followed. Chief among +them was that of a Girl Scout picnic, +inaugurated by Ted and Jerry, carried +out by Nora and enjoyed by all.</p> + +<p>It was a delightful hike out to the Ledge, that +big, rugged rock that leaned over a pretty, +disjoined lake, made up of tributaries from +springs and rain flows. Rocky Ledge was exactly +that—narrow, rocky; a table or shelf that +leaned out just far enough to form a little portico +over the frivolous waters beneath. It was +a charmed spot, with many thrilling legends to +its credit, and being different from the entire +scenery surrounding, it gave the place its name—just +like one girl different from her companions +will stand out as an example, if she +happens to be that kind of different that is +interesting.</p> + +<p>Not that other parts of this territory were +commonplace. No, indeed. There was a fertile +farm country, Jerry’s precious forests, Ted’s +wonderful butterfly haunts and even Nora’s +cedar groves; but these did not touch the high +spot enjoyed by that novel little ledge; hence +the whole territory was known as Rocky Ledge.</p> + +<p>The picnic marked midsummer’s festivity. +Chickadee Patrol invited members from other +camps out to the Ledge, and when Pell insisted +that Thistle and her aids “do up enough grub” +for those invited, a strike was narrowly +averted.</p> + +<p>“You know, Pell Mell, the Mantons will bring +barrels of things to eat, so why should we make +samples of our miserable home-cooking failures?” +demanded Thistle. Betta was standing +hard by egging her on.</p> + +<p>“They will bring the lunch, that is, The +Lunch, but what about a little four o’clock +snack? There are silver springs out there with +water cress on the cob, and I know our girls are +never loath to nibble a bite or two when out on +location,” Pell reminded her mutinous crew. +That was Pell. She had a way of getting things +done and at the same time making a joke of it.</p> + +<p>“Is Nora going to be inducted?” asked +Betta. Next to Alma, Betta was the most +avowed champion of the girl from the Nest.</p> + +<p>“Yes, we had a letter today and Becky told +us we would have a business meeting Wednesday, +when your precious Babe Nora will be led +to the stake. She will accept the halter of allegiance +to Pell, Betta and the rest of the +mob——”</p> + +<p>“If you feel so frisky, Pell, I wish you would +work off some of the extra on this tin can. I +am supposed to open it with a souvenir trick +can opener. I am sure Betta brought it from +the state fair, B. C. 150. It has all the ear +marks of antiquity without any of the teeth,” +declared Wyn, who was struggling with an implement, +curious and wonderful.</p> + +<p>“That’s a perfectly good can opener,” defended +Betta. “Jimbsy purloined it from his +own mother’s table——”</p> + +<p>“Which supports my theory,” interrupted +Wyn. “His mother’s table is none other than +antique. But there! It did cut—my hand into +the bargain,” and she defied all her first-aid +rules by sticking a finger in her mouth. “Glad +it cut something.”</p> + +<p>“Where’s Alma?” asked Laddie. “She always +gets out of the drudgery.”</p> + +<p>“Alma was tagged along to town to buy +things,” explained Thistle. “Becky is hearing +her lessons on the way. Alma is our little +freshman, you know, girls, and while she doesn’t +wear mourning, she is often in sorrow.”</p> + +<p>“She has a great time with Nora, I notice,” +remarked Doro. “I fancy between the two +of them they have fixed it up about the prince. +Shouldn’t be a bit surprised if they invited him +to the picnic.”</p> + +<p>“Now, remember,” ordered Wyn, “don’t +dare say prince. Say duke if you must, but +spare Alma’s feelings on the princeling. But +honestly, girls, wasn’t it a joke?”</p> + +<p>“Not to Alma,” answered Treble. “She certainly +had a vision if she did not see a prince. +Here she comes. Look at the bundles! Land +sakes alive! If it’s more grub I’m going to +duck. My fingers are mooing now from spreading +butter,” and Treble plastered a slab of the +yellow paste on a square of bread, quite as if it +were intended as mortar for a sky-scraper.</p> + +<p>An hour later they were on their way. Nora +might have ridden out to the Ledge in the little +runabout, but she preferred to walk with the +girls.</p> + +<p>“I’m so excited about joining,” she confided +to Betta and Alma, her hike partners. “I feel +as if I were going to have my final exams.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t want to,” advised Betta. “You +know your manual perfectly, and have nothing +to worry about. But we shall all be so glad, +Nora, when you are really a Scout. It is all +well enough to be a lone Scout out in the wilderness, +but while we’re around there is no sense +in such isolation.”</p> + +<p>“The Lone Scout! Oh, I was fascinated +reading about the provisions for such an individual +arrangement. Just imagine being a +troop of one,” said Nora.</p> + +<p>“About as interesting as Laddie’s collection +of one piece of genuine mica,” replied Betta. +“As much as I detest the girls” (she gave +Alma’s arms an affectionate squeeze in explanation), +“still, I would rather be pestered with +them than to be a Lone Scout on the Big Mountain. +There, Nora! That would make a stunning +title for your coming book.”</p> + +<p>“What book?” demanded the unsuspecting +Nora.</p> + +<p>“The one that is coming next,” serenely replied +Betta. “But let us hasten! See yon girls +are turning into the other yon road,” she went +on. “We betta——”</p> + +<p>A warning chuckle from Alma, cut short her +“Betta.” Until this attractive girl learned to +respect the all-American R she would never +know peace with her companions.</p> + +<p>Joining the others the merry party hiked +along; singing, whistling, calling, laughing and +making noises peculiar to girls out on picnics +bent.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Manton rode to the Ledge, +deposited their treat and were ready to be on +their way and leave the girls to their own good +time, almost as soon as the party arrived.</p> + +<p>“Oh, stay,” besought Pell. “We are counting +on having you in for our games——”</p> + +<p>“I wish I could,” replied the big brown +Jerry. “But the fact is this wife of mine has +planned a little picnic all of her own. You see, +when she got me in on this she knew I could +not back out on hers. Yes,” he sighed affectedly, +“she has made me promise to take her out +canoeing, and I am not sure what terror she +has set for me at the end of the stream.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, are you really going down the stream?” +cried Treble. “I have just longed for a ride +down through the rapids——”</p> + +<p>“Well, you best not take it,” spoke up Mrs. +Ted. “I am going down the stream only to +explore. And I would not go without the strong +arm of a man at the keel.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Jimbsy, where art thou?” wailed +Thistle. “Why didn’t we treat you right! +Your gallant craft——”</p> + +<p>“Get the water there, Cicero,” shouted Doro. +“This lunch is to have lemonade a la carte, +and there isn’t a drop of water in the house. +Sorry to disturb the oration——”</p> + +<p>“Gimme the pail,” snapped the interrupted +Thistle. “I never yet started anything that +Doro didn’t finish.”</p> + +<p>But even the delightful lunch, served on a +grassy table with every girl holding down her +own table cloth, for a light little breeze flirted +outrageously with the service—even all this did +not tempt the Scouts to tarry long from the delights +of the great, wild open; and before the +normal eating hour had passed the girls were +formed in groups and circles, to suit their individual +and collective tastes, and through field +and glen their laughter supplied the marching +tune.</p> + +<p>Nora was clinging to Alma, with a motive. +She had seen the great field of corn just behind +the Ledge, where fertility could be depended +upon, and she was wondering, secretly, if little +Lucia might pick weeds out there?</p> + +<p>“Could we go over to those gardens?” she +asked the leaders, when the other girls had all +chosen their points for exploration.</p> + +<p>“Why, certainly. I am glad to see that you +are interested in real gardens,” replied Miss +Beckwith. “Those are called the Italian gardens +because Italians work there, not because +they bear any resemblance to the wonderful +gardens of Italy.”</p> + +<p>The temptation was strong within Nora to +tell Alma just why she wanted to go up close to +the big women with hoes and rakes; but the +memory of Lucia’s dark eyes, that looked so +like dewy pansies when the child begged: “You +will never tell,” that memory sealed Nora’s lips, +while she eagerly sought out any small figure +that might be that of the little slave of labor.</p> + +<p>“I don’t like those horrid women,” said +Alma. “Why don’t you want to go over the +other way, out into the pretty woodlands, Nora? +Come on and let’s run back. I am almost afraid +of that ugly creature coming over that dug-up +place,” Alma declared.</p> + +<p>“I don’t like her, either,” admitted Nora. +“I only wanted to see—them work—close by.”</p> + +<p>“Going in for scientific gardening when we +make you a real Scout?” Alma continued, as +they both hurried back to the uncultivated territory. +“Lots of girls are trying it, but it’s +wickedly hard on the hands.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that, Alma. But +I just——” She stopped and looked frankly +into Alma’s gray eyes. “Alma,” she began +again with an unexpected sigh, “would you +think me mean if I asked you to do something +to help me without, well, without explaining +fully?” she floundered.</p> + +<p>“Why, no, certainly not, Nora. You must +have good reason for not wanting to confide——”</p> + +<p>“I do want to confide,” Nora quickly took +up the charge. “But this is not my own affair. +I have promised not to tell.”</p> + +<p>“Then don’t bother to explain,” said Alma, +generously. “I’ll do all I can to help you. I +am sure it’s for a good cause.”</p> + +<p>“The noblest charity——” Nora checked +herself. “I’ll tell you. I want to take my +picnic lunch to—some place——” It was next +to impossible to go on without going all the +way.</p> + +<p>“Nora, darling! You are truly a brave +Scout!” declared the admiring Alma. “There +you haven’t touched your lovely lunch. Saved +it for a secret charity. Just you wait until you +are received into the band of Chickadees! I’ll +be your sponsor if I am allowed it, and I’ll find +a way——”</p> + +<p>“Alma! Alma!” gasped Nora, tragically. +“You really must do nothing of the kind. As +happy as I am now at the idea of being a Scout, +I shouldn’t even join if I thought that in any +way this secret would become known.” She +was breathless at the very thought, and had +jerked Alma to a standstill right in the middle +of a mud patch, in her excitement.</p> + +<p>“Oh, don’t worry,” soothed Alma. “I had +no idea of telling any part of the secret, that, of +course, I really don’t know anything about. I +was just planning what I might say to your +especial credit if the promoter should call upon +me,” she finished with a tinge of disappointment.</p> + +<p>“Then help me carry my lunch back to—the +woods near our house,” said Nora while +the glance she exchanged was a unspoken +volume.</p> + +<p>“I hope you are not going to give it away to +some wild animal,” Alma could not refrain +from remarking.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no indeed,” Nora assured her companion.</p> + +<p>“Then why do you not eat it?”</p> + +<p>“I have promised——”</p> + +<p>“Maybe it’s Jimmie,” said Alma, with a sly +little chuckle.</p> + +<p>“Jimmie! Why I have never spoken to +him!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you should,” the Scout assured her. +“He is such a nice, useful boy.”</p> + +<p>“Does he work on the farms?” asked Nora +seriously.</p> + +<p>“I guess he doesn’t really work any place in +particular, but almost every place in general,” +replied Alma. “But let’s hurry. The others +will think we got hoed in with the corn.”</p> + +<p>So they did hurry back to the picnic and back +to their strategy.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink18'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVIII—THE LITTLE LORD’S CONFESSION</a></h2> + +<p>It was all over. Nora had been made a +Girl Scout. To celebrate the enrollment +Jerry and Ted gave a “large party” at the +Nest, and of all her memorable social functions, +this to Nora seemed most delightful.</p> + +<p>Every one came, even Becky the patrol +leader, and in their uniforms all freshly pressed +out, the white summer blouse being allowed for +the festive occasion, the party looked quite +novel, and the girls had a wonderful time, dancing, +playing games and inventing new fun provokers +at every turn. Nora as the guest of +honor was honored indeed, and accepted her +compliments most gracefully.</p> + +<p>“It was all a matter of opportunity,” said +Ted aside to Jerry, referring to Nora’s change +of heart. “She is just as good a Scout as any of +them.” This was a proud boast.</p> + +<p>“The woods are full of them,” said Jerry the +champion of all girls, Scouts and near Scouts. +“Just give them the chance.”</p> + +<p>But up in her own room Nora was pondering. +“It’s just like getting married,” she reflected. +“That is, I guess it is,” she amended wisely. +“One must clear up every secret and fix all the +old troubles when one gets married, and one +must clear up all the old worries and secrets +when she joins the Scouts,” concluded the +systematic, little self-appointed conscience +cleaner.</p> + +<p>There was that matter of the prince. Never +did Alma mention it nor never did Nora hear +any of the other Scouts refer to it without feeling +guilty.</p> + +<p>“I just ought to tell Alma the whole truth,” +she was now deciding. It was the day after +the great event.</p> + +<p>But came the thought of Alma’s certain surprise +that she, Nora, her true friend and confidante, +should have deceived her so long.</p> + +<p>Pride did not melt into humility with the +bestowing of the pretty Scout emblem, so Nora +did not see her way clear to tell that silly story +of her Lord Fauntleroy escapade. She was +repeating her Scout promise “To do my duty +to God and Country and to help others at all +times,” and she mentally made the promise +again.</p> + +<p>“To help others.” That clause charged her. +Was she helping Alma? Did she not know, +really, that the one glimpse of the person in +velvets had left kind and considerate little Alma +guessing ever since, and also that it had put +her in a ridiculous position with her companions?</p> + +<p>“I know, I’ll write her a letter.” The inspiration +satisfied, and thus started the most +remarkable correspondence—but let others tell +it.</p> + +<p>“She got a letter!” exclaimed Wyn.</p> + +<p>“What’s wonderful about that?” asked +Betta.</p> + +<p>“It’s from the prince, that’s what,” declared +the first speaker.</p> + +<p>“Prince!”</p> + +<p>“The very same,” chimed in Treble, stretching +her long self from the bench to the boat +swing.</p> + +<p>“What nonsense!” scoffed Betta. “Alma +may be romantic, but she is not crazy.” (Lucia +to the contrary.)</p> + +<p>“Just ask her,” suggested Wyn. “She’s +hugging that letter as tight as tu’ pence. I always +told you Alma was madly in love——”</p> + +<p>“Hush!” Doro’s warning suspended operations +along that line. Alma was upon them.</p> + +<p>“Letter?” asked Wyn, innocently.</p> + +<p>“Yes, and if you like you may read it. It’s +from——”</p> + +<p>“The prince?” blurted Treble, shooting her +hand out.</p> + +<p>“I’m corporal,” said Thistle, pompously. +“Let me have it, dear.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps I should read it myself,” said +Alma, pettishly, thus prolonging the agony. +“It is so—personal.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, do,” begged Wyn, coiling and uncoiling +in sheer expectancy.</p> + +<p>“Here’s a seat,” offered Betta.</p> + +<p>“The sun’s there,” warned Thistle amiably. +“Take this seat, Alma,” and she moved over +so generously, the bench all but tipped end on +end.</p> + +<p>Every one waited. Alma took out her letter—it +was in her crocheted bag and one could +see how she treasured it.</p> + +<p>What a thrill!</p> + +<p>But Treble pinched Betta and almost spoiled +the start.</p> + +<p>“I received it this morning,” said Alma, +“and, of course, it didn’t come through the +mail.”</p> + +<p>“How?” asked Wyn.</p> + +<p>“Jimmie!” replied Alma.</p> + +<p>“Oh-o-o-o-oh!”</p> + +<p>The shout was mortifying, Betta came to the +rescue.</p> + +<p>“Jimmie isn’t your prince—Alma?” she +asked sweetly.</p> + +<p>“Jimmie!” Alma’s tone was caustic. “As +if that freckled face——”</p> + +<p>“Here! Easy on the Jimbsy!” warned +Treble. “He’s a perfectly fine little Scout, and +if ever this patrol extends to co-ed——!”</p> + +<p>“Let Alma read her letter,” ordered Thistle, +the corporal.</p> + +<p>“How’d you say you got it?” persisted +Wyn.</p> + +<p>“Jimmie brought it.”</p> + +<p>“Where did he get it?” again asked the irrepressible +Wyn.</p> + +<p>“He was pledged not to tell, but just see the +stationery.” The envelope was passed around; +all commented favorably.</p> + +<p>“You see,” began Alma, “this was written +as a confession.”</p> + +<p>The older girl shouted again. Treble nudged +Wyn almost off the bench.</p> + +<p>“Don’t mind them, Alma, I’m listening,” +said Betta sharply.</p> + +<p>“Oh, we all are,” chimed in Doro.</p> + +<p>Alma folded her letter. “If you are—going +to—tease——” she faltered.</p> + +<p>“Here!” yelled Thistle, quite uncorporal +like, “The very first one that speaks will be +dumped into the lake. Proceed Alma.”</p> + +<p>From that point things went along better. +Again Alma looked promising.</p> + +<p>“As I said, the letter is a confession.” Then +ignoring a number of subdued interruptions, +she went on. “It is signed ‘Your loving +prince.’”</p> + +<p>Could you blame them for howling?</p> + +<p>“Your loving—prince!!!!” repeated Wynnie. +“And is there a Jimbsy to that?”</p> + +<p>“I told you,” said the offended Alma, “the +only thing Jimmie had to do with it was to +deliver it.”</p> + +<p>“So far as you know,” interjected Doro, +“But Jimmie is a far-sighted lad.”</p> + +<p>“Let me read it, Alma,” said Thistle in desperation. +“I can’t see why some girls can’t +have more manners.”</p> + +<p>“And why some can’t have some?” retaliated +Treble.</p> + +<p>“Once more, shall I read it?” asked Alma, +sighing.</p> + +<p>“You shall,” declared Betta. “The first one +that interrupts—— Oh, I say girls, it is almost +time for drill. Have some sense and let’s hear +it.”</p> + +<p>Murmurs approved.</p> + +<p>“‘I feel constrained to write this, dear,’” +Alma actually read, “‘because I feel I have +done you a great injustice.’” (Moans.)</p> + +<p>“‘After you saw me and I fleed——’” Alma +paused. “He means flew, of course.”</p> + +<p>This started another outburst, and what he +didn’t mean by “fleed” simply wasn’t worth +meaning.</p> + +<p>“Go ahead, Alma, we know he—fleed,” +prompted Betta.</p> + +<p>“‘After I ran’” (prudent Alma), “‘I never +had the courage to make myself known to +you,’” she perused. “‘But when I heard your +companions taunt you——’”</p> + +<p>“There! Taunting her! I told you to be +good——” Wyn’s interruption was inevitable.</p> + +<p>“It is no use in my trying to be sociable,” +said the sensitive Alma. “But I thought you +would all be interested.”</p> + +<p>“There is not much more to read,” announced +the popular member. “He just says +that soon—soon he will come.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, joy!” shouted Doro, rolling over in the +grass. “Let me know in time!”</p> + +<p>“They’re just idiots, Alma. Come on with +me and leave them to guess the rest,” proposed +the astute Betta, the confidante of girls. “<i>I</i> +want to hear it if nobody else does.”</p> + +<p>Without even a giggle they jumped up and +seized Alma. One could not be sure whose +arm was most restraining, but she changed her +mind about going with Betta. Instead she +opened the famed sheet again and read:</p> + +<p>“‘My conscience has troubled me ever since, +dear, but I was forced to do as I did. Drop +your answer——’” She paused. “I don’t +intend to read that part,” she calmly announced, +and no amount of coaxing would induce +her to relent. No one should know where +the letter to the prince was to be mailed, Alma +was determined on that point at least.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink19'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIX—A DESERTED TRYST</a></h2> + +<p>Nora was disconsolate. For two days the +dainties left for Lucia had remained +untouched. The bread box which Vita +had given her to play with, and into which the +food was deposited for Lucia, stood upon the +tree stump with the sliced lamb, the piece of +cake, and the big orange which comprised the +last installment offered by the sympathetic +Nora, just as she had left it.</p> + +<p>“Can anything have happened to her?” Nora +asked herself. She was almost too disappointed +to sit down and rest in the cool, quiet shade. +Cap sniffed the box but did not put a paw up +to beg, and even the big noisy blue-jay scorned +a few crumbs that lay on a fallen leaf.</p> + +<p>“Suppose he—murdered her!”</p> + +<p>It was not unusual for a girl like Nora to +think the very worst first, in fact the normal, +childish mind is very apt to leap at a sensation, +but only the high spot is sensed, the detail is +always conspicuously lacking.</p> + +<p>“Of course she is deadly sick. Oh, why didn’t +she let me know where she lived,” Nora wailed +secretly. “I could visit her and bring her all +sorts of lovely things——”</p> + +<p>She lifted the paper napkin that covered the +food offering.</p> + +<p>“What’s this?” she exclaimed. A stiff little +green leaf made of very shiny paper appeared, +and with it, Nora found, was an old fashioned +nose-gay, the sort beloved by the Italians and +the Polish peasantry. Nora picked up the +spray. It was tied with a green ribbon and +somehow gave Nora a distinct shock.</p> + +<p>“Oh! She’s dead, this is what they—have at +funerals!”</p> + +<p>Tears welled up into the blue eyes, and hands +holding the silent message trembled. Nora sat +down and Cap nosed up to her; he knew something +was the matter.</p> + +<p>Such a pathetic little bouquet! One stiff pink +rose, one yellow daisy, two bright red carnations +and three very stiff green leaves, all made +of a sort of oil-cloth paper.</p> + +<p>A tear fell into the heart of the rose. If it +were not really a flower it was at least a good +picture of one, just as a photograph can so vividly +remind one of the original.</p> + +<p>Nora went back to the box. “When can she +have put it here?” she wondered. It was under +the paper plate.</p> + +<p>Then she recalled that this last donation had +been hastily deposited in the box, for it was +late and Nora had to hurry back to get ready +for her own tea at the time she placed it there.</p> + +<p>“I must have it put right on her flowers,” she +pondered. “Poor, abused, little Lucia!”</p> + +<p>Picking up the untouched food Nora discovered +a slip of soiled paper beneath it. There +was writing on it, a scrawl of some kind. She +carried it to the light out from under the dense +trees.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it’s a note,” murmured Nora, as if +Cap, her only companion, understood. And it +just says “‘Goodbye, with love.’”</p> + +<p>Nora read and reread the scribble. It was +written, she decided, in Lucia’s hand, for it +was such a crooked, uneven scrawl. The paper +was a leaf torn from a book, and this assured +Nora that at some time Lucia must have gone +to school.</p> + +<p>“After all my joy, the party, the enrollment +and everything, this has to come,” thought the +discouraged girl. “I hoped today I could induce +her to come over and see Ted and Jerry.”</p> + +<p>It was too disappointing. For the first few +days Nora had felt it was safer to allow Lucia +to have her way, and when she waited and +waited, until the Italian girl appeared, then +coaxed and urged that she come over to the +cottage, Lucia showed signs of real fright. She +would have run from the tree-tent and never +returned, if Nora had not promised to agree +to her secrecy. After that the benefactor +brought the food but was never able to get more +than a fleeting glimpse of Lucia, as she scurried +off like a little black rabbit with her precious +food and her strange secret. And now she was +really gone and had said goodbye.</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t I tell Alma?” sighed Nora, regretfully. +“She might have known a better way +to have helped her.”</p> + +<p>Too late to reason thus, Nora with a heavy +heart again covered the tin box, hoping something +would bring Lucia back; then she took +the quaint floral token and started for the Nest.</p> + +<p>Her plans to help Lucia had included everything +from a change of home to a complete +change of identity, for Nora felt the stranger +must have been in sore need, and why couldn’t +she induce Cousin Ted to adopt such a pretty, +forlorn child?</p> + +<p>It was characteristic of Nora to decide on the +most dramatic course, for such a possibility as +a mother, father, or family in the background +of Lucia’s life was not thought of.</p> + +<p>And was this to be the end of her precious +secret? She squeezed the paper bouquet until +the humble ribbon wrinkled into a sad bit of +stuff, and then decided to put the token away +with her most precious belongings. Maybe +Lucia would come back, and if she ever did +Nora decided positively she would then tell +someone about the child, even tell Cousin Ted +if need be, and, certainly, Alma.</p> + +<p>“And now I must go to my letter box,” she +told Cap, the faithful.</p> + +<p>Looking up and down, in and out, far and +near, to make sure no one saw her, Nora followed +the trail to the bent willow—the hiding +place of Alma’s correspondence with the fabled +prince.</p> + +<p>She had been there, the moss was a shade +lighter where feet had pressed the velvet nap, +and the leaves of the bushes were still “inside +out” from a hasty brushing made to clear a +path to the bent willow.</p> + +<p>Under the stone, as directed, Alma had placed +her answer to the prince’s letter, and finding it +there she quickly hid the envelope in her deepest +blouse pocket. She would read it in more comfort, +enjoy it more at home, with the door +locked.</p> + +<p>“What an exciting vacation I am having, +really!” she reflected. “When I came all I +could think of was pretty things.”</p> + +<p>Had she been that Nora once so filled with +foolish fancies that life, brief as it had been to +her, seemed too full of nonsense to admit of real +joys with girl companions, and any number of +adventures?</p> + +<p>“A real vacation indeed,” concluded the girl +in khaki, holding close Lucia’s flowers and +Alma’s letter. She was sorely tempted to peek +into the latter, but that would spoil the delicious +secret reading, which to be complete would have +to be made in solitude.</p> + +<p>It had been days since she went out “on location” +with the cousins—Jerry always called +surveying “doing location,” as the moving +picture folks termed their work, but so many +other things claimed her attention it seemed +difficult to get them all in. Cousin Ted was +very busy herself, but had managed to write +Nora’s mother. A glowing account of the Scout +interests was surely given in that letter, and +Jerry was disappointed when Ted refused to +ask permission for Nora to stay during the +winter. To this, woman-like, Mrs. Jerry Manton +had not agreed, because to go to school in +the wilderness is always more picturesque than +practical.</p> + +<p>But Nora had endeared herself to those generous +hearts, and even the thought of that real +mother with an unreal name did not thrill her +as did the knowledge that she had “made good” +with these devoted friends.</p> + +<p>Home now—that is to the Nest, Nora rushed +up to her room to devour Alma’s letter. She +ignored Vita’s appeal to come see the wonderful +flowers sent from some one for Mrs. Manton. +She must read the letter before going down to +dinner.</p> + +<p>In the biggest chair by the open window beyond +locked doors she unfolded the precious +page.</p> + +<p>“She writes a pretty hand,” was the first +comment. Then she read:</p> + +<div class='bq'> +<p style='text-align:right; margin:0 0ex 0 auto'>“‘Camp Chickadee.</p> + +<p>“‘My dear Prince:</p> + +<p>“‘How wonderful to get a letter from you! As you have +guessed I did think of you ever since. Please tell me who +you are and where you live? We Scouts would love to know you +and perhaps we can tell you some interesting things about +America, if, as I surmise, you are a visitor here.’”</p> +</div> + +<p>“Oh mercy,” gasped Nora. “I have only +made matters worse. She actually believes I +am a prince. What ever shall I do?”</p> + +<p>The letter lay mute and yet accusing. Nora +had written Alma a first letter to prepare her +for the second. True, she did not explain—but +she fancied somehow Alma would come to the +tree, and then perhaps they would meet and +settle the whole troublesome business.</p> + +<p>“But it’s worse, heaps worse,” sighed Nora. +The call from down stairs was unanswered, for +she must plan something else and that quickly.</p> + +<p>First she thought of writing another letter +with a complete and full confession, but she +dreaded it, shrank from it and finally abandoned +the idea.</p> + +<p>“If it only were not Alma,” she sighed. “I +would almost enjoy the joke on some of the +others, but Alma!”</p> + +<p>Nothing could be worse than this nagging at +her conscience. She must conquer it. And here +was the new trouble about Lucia!</p> + +<p>“I always thought secrets were such fun, and +yet these are positively—tragic,” she thought. +“If only I could tell Alma about Lucia, at least +that would be a comfort.”</p> + +<p>Another call from Vita. Cousin Ted and +Cousin Jerry were in now. The cheery whistle +and the joyful “Whoo-hoo!” must be answered.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear me!” sighed Nora. “I suppose +things always happen that way.” She gave +Lucia’s flowers an affectionate squeeze, dropped +them into her ivory box, slipped Alma’s letter +under the cushion and went down to dinner.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink20'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XX—THE WORST FRIGHT OF ALL</a></h2> + +<p>It was growing dusk—the sunset seemed in +a great hurry to get away, and day time +was evidently going to the same party. +The Mantons failed to induce Nora to accompany +them on a “bug hunt,” Jerry’s term for +Ted’s moth expedition. Vita too seemed in haste +to get somewhere, and altogether the evening +was especially popular to make escapes in.</p> + +<p>Nora was going over to camp, she announced, +and would be there long before dark. The girls +would come home with her, she had assured the +prudent Ted.</p> + +<p>So everything was settled and the Nest would +be unoccupied, with Cap as guard, for that +evening.</p> + +<p>Not a smile broke the serious look on Nora’s +face. It was evident the program for the evening +included something very important.</p> + +<p>“Goodbye,” called out Ted. “Be sure to go +over to camp, right away, or the dark will—catch +you.”</p> + +<p>“Yes’m,” echoed Jerry, “and Mr. Dark +knows no distinctions at Wildwoods. He throws +a big black blanket over the whole kaboodle.”</p> + +<p>Nora replied, but even the joke did not cheer +her. A few minutes later she stood at the foot +of the attic stairs, drew a long breath; then +dashed up.</p> + +<p>Over to the chest that contained the costumes +long ignored, she literally dashed, yanked up +the lid and dragged out the Lord Fauntleroy +outfit.</p> + +<p>She counted the pieces, waist, jacket, knickers, +sash—where was the cap?</p> + +<p>Nervously she fumbled over the tangle of +garments, but did not find it.</p> + +<p>“I had better dress first,” she decided, “and +come up again for the cap. I am—so—nervous——”</p> + +<p>No need to make the confession, for even her +hands, young and usually steady, actually +dropped the velvet coat right on the dusty attic +floor.</p> + +<p>No time for looking in the mirror. The knickers +were kept up with round garters now, a +Scout acquisition, and the thin white blouse that +went under the jacket, went under very quickly—fullness +and strings jabbed in wherever space +allowed.</p> + +<p>In a remarkably short time she was inside the +entire outfit. One glimpse in the glass assured +her she was again garbed as the fickle prince. +Then for the cap.</p> + +<p>“I have time to run and get it,” she assured +herself. “Of course, I must have that cap.”</p> + +<p>Back to the attic, now a shade darker, and +then again into the mysteries of the costume +chest, she rummaged.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear,” she sighed. “I’ll be—here it is! +Thank goodness!” She just jabbed it on her +head. A sound startled her. She stood still, +every sense alert.</p> + +<p>“What was it?” she instinctively asked.</p> + +<p>Again. It—was—a low—moan!</p> + +<p>Pausing only long enough to make sure her +nerves were not fooling her, Nora heard again, +distinctly, a sound, a human or inhuman moan! +Then she rushed down the stairs, kept on rushing +until she reached the street door, and realizing +no person was upon the premises, ran down +the road, straight for Chickadee Camp.</p> + +<p>No thought of her appearance concerned her; +she must get the girls to come back and find out +what was in the attic!</p> + +<p>Only once she stopped, just to make sure the +cap was not going to fall off her yellow head.</p> + +<p>Voices and laughter came to meet her. That +was Thistle and Wyn——</p> + +<p>Gulping back a choking, nervous gasp, she +rushed on. The next minute she dashed into +Chickadee Camp and stood before an amazed +group of Scouts.</p> + +<p>“The prince!” went up a shout.</p> + +<p>“My prince!” corrected Alma.</p> + +<p>“Why, it’s Nora——”</p> + +<p>“Girls!” gasped the intruder. “Listen, +please, I am no prince——”</p> + +<p>“You are indeed. Just look at the dandy +outfit. Alma, we most humbly apologize——”</p> + +<p>“Wyn,” shouted Thistle, “please listen! +Can’t you see there is something the matter?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, there is really, girls,” panted Nora. +“Come quick! There is someone—dying in our—attic!”</p> + +<p>“Dying?”</p> + +<p>“I was up there—getting these things, and I—heard +the awfulest moans——”</p> + +<p>“Maybe it was Cap,” suggested Treble. Her +eyes had not wandered from the surprising +spectacle.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, he was outside,” said Nora, “and +no one is home, not even Vita. Oh, please do +come! I know someone is in agony,” and her +voice trailed off into agony of her own.</p> + +<p>“I’ll lead,” volunteered Thistle. “Come +along, every one. Alma, you can take care of +your—prince,” she could not resist injecting.</p> + +<p>“Oh Alma,” sighed Nora. “I was planning +to come to explain to you——”</p> + +<p>“You don’t need to,” and a most affectionate +and all encompassing look went from Alma to +Nora. “I know all—about it now, and you are +my prince, just the same.”</p> + +<p>“Come along, you two lovers,” ordered Thistle +the leader. “You had a ‘crush’ on Nora +from the first, Alma. Now we all know why. +Fall in there, Betta. No need to wait for +guns——”</p> + +<p>“I am not going without some weapon of +defense,” declared Betta. “Nora knows her +own attic, and she knows when someone is +moaning. It may be a lunatic. There is always +an asylum in a pretty place like this.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, is there?” cried Nora. “I would be +afraid to face a—lunatic in that big, dark, +attic——”</p> + +<p>“I should think you would, lunatic or just +plain, human being,” agreed Laddie. “You +look delectable enough for anyone to just eat +you up——”</p> + +<p>“Can’t you girls realize this is an emergency, +not a debate?” snapped Thistle. “We don’t +suppose Nora is dying of fright just for fun. +Betta, run over and tell Becky.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, don’t let’s have her along,” interrupted +Treble, bent on making the most of the adventure. +“You know she would have to do something +we wouldn’t.”</p> + +<p>“Right,” agreed Wyn. “Come along Scouts! +‘Jeuty’ calls us.”</p> + +<p>They had been “coming along” all the time. +These expressions merely gave vent to pent up +energy.</p> + +<p>Nora, although thoroughly frightened, was +thankful that the dark helped hide her dismay. +Alma had her arm, and Alma was thinking in +terms of “prince,” even the pretender was conscious +of that.</p> + +<p>The girls giggled and talked, as they always +did, and as Betta took time to remark, “they +would be apt to do it at their own funerals.” +There was no suppressing Wyn, and Treble fell +but a peg below in volubility.</p> + +<p>“Look out there!” called Thistle.</p> + +<p>Everyone halted.</p> + +<p>“What?” demanded Wyn.</p> + +<p>“A puddle,” replied the heartless leader. +“And I’m responsible for the shine on your +shoes, lunatic or no lunatic,” she declared +loudly.</p> + +<p>“When my turn comes to lead for a week I’ll +have that wretched girl up every day at dawn,” +threatened Betta. “She has the cruelest way +of raising one’s hopes.”</p> + +<p>“Had you hopes for the lunatic in the mud +puddle?” demanded Laddie.</p> + +<p>“You had better get your sense valve working,” +suggested Doro. “We are almost there.”</p> + +<p>“Right,” added Treble. “I can see the gate +light now.”</p> + +<p>“How ever will we go up there in the dark?” +Nora asked Alma. “I will be afraid to go into +the house.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you worry, dear,” Alma was still +under the influence. “We will all go in together, +and Thistle isn’t afraid of man or +beast.”</p> + +<p>Arrived at the Nest Nora was confronted with +a light at the back of the house.</p> + +<p>“Someone home?” suggested Thistle.</p> + +<p>“There shouldn’t be,” declared Nora. +“Everyone is out for the evening.”</p> + +<p>“Where is Vita?” asked the same leader. +They had stopped at the natural hedge, and +now stood under the picturesque, homemade +arc light—Jerry’s lantern with the red globe.</p> + +<p>“Vita went out somewhere. She often does, +and you see I was going over to camp, so there +was, really, no one at home.”</p> + +<p>“Your dying princess has come down stairs +to die,” suggested the irrepressible Wyn.</p> + +<p>“Princess?” scoffed Nora.</p> + +<p>“Or was it merely a maid in waiting—excuse +me, your <i>man</i> in waiting.”</p> + +<p>“Wyn,” shouted Laddie, “can’t you see you +are making yourself ridiculous at a time like +this?”</p> + +<p>She probably couldn’t for she went off into a +gale of laughter and had to go behind a bush to +enjoy it.</p> + +<p>“There is someone in the kitchen,” declared +Treble. “Here she comes!”</p> + +<p>She did; she came right out and greeted them.</p> + +<p>It was Vita!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink21'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXI—STRANGE DISCLOSURES</a></h2> + +<p>For a moment no one spoke—they were all +so surprised.</p> + +<p>“Hello!” called out Vita. “What’s +this? A party?” Her English was perfect.</p> + +<p>“No, it isn’t Vita,” Nora managed to answer. +“I was almost scared to death——”</p> + +<p>“Let me tell her, Nora,” interrupted Thistle, +the leader.</p> + +<p>“I’m not going in that house with her until +Cousin Ted comes home,” declared Nora. +“Vita is always putting me off. She knows +what that noise up in the attic is.”</p> + +<p>“Have you heard it before?” asked Betta.</p> + +<p>“Yes, a number of times——”</p> + +<p>“Then, if the moaner did not die before, Nora, +what makes you think the present attack would +be fatal?” Wyn came out from the bush to +inquire.</p> + +<p>“Land sakes, Wyn! Will you hush? Fun is +all right in its place but this is serious,” warned +Pell.</p> + +<p>“Looks it,” whispered the same Wyn, into +Betta’s unwilling ear.</p> + +<p>“Nonsense, standing here like a——”</p> + +<p>“Serenading party,” finished Laddie. “Let’s +begin.”</p> + +<p>“Serenading?” An uncertain and feeble +whistle followed, but in the dark no one owned +up to it.</p> + +<p>“You coming in? No?” asked and answered +Vita.</p> + +<p>“No. We are not coming in,” declared Nora, +who had stepped up to the door at which the +spacious Vita stood. “We heard a noise up in +the attic and we were coming in to investigate, +but we won’t now.”</p> + +<p>The girls were audibly disappointed. They +said so outright.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps she doesn’t know a thing about it,” +suggested Laddie. “Don’t you think, Nora, we +ought to go in and look around?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t. She is in the plot, or secret or +whatever it is,” declared Nora aside. “When +I first came here I heard it——”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you tell us?” demanded Doro. +The parade had come to a useless halt.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” murmured Nora. “You +know I had queer ideas at first,” she faltered, +unconsciously smoothing down the pretty little +velvet knickers and slipping a nervous hand +into an inadequate pocket.</p> + +<p>“We know, but we all have—at first,” +admitted Laddie. “I used to think I would love +Thistle, and see what she has done to us with +her old bossing.” The challenge went unanswered.</p> + +<p>“Can’t we go to the bench and talk it over?” +suggested Betta, unwilling to leave the scene +thus unsatisfied.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, please don’t,” begged Nora. “I +don’t know just what I fear, but actually, girls,” +she did whisper this, “I am as much afraid of +Vita now as I am of the thing up in the attic.”</p> + +<p>“Your nice, fat, good natured Vita?” asked +Pell in surprise. The person spoken of had +gone indoors discreetly.</p> + +<p>“I don’t mean that I am afraid of her all the +time,” Nora hastened to correct. “She is as +good as gold, generally, and I am sure Vita is +honorable. But it is that attic affair—she is in +some way connected with that, and I am not +going to take a chance of getting frightened +again tonight. You have no idea how I felt, up +there all alone, in fact I was all alone in the +house when I heard that groan.”</p> + +<p>“Groan?” Wyn could not resist. “I thought +it was a moan?”</p> + +<p>But no one paid any attention to the remark. +Betta suggested they agree with Nora and all +go back to camp.</p> + +<p>“We can bring Nora back home about the +time she expects her Cousin Jerry,” Betta’s +suggestion included. “There is no sense in +subjecting her to more terror with the Italian +woman.”</p> + +<p>“For once I agree with you, Betta,” answered +Thistle. “March back to the Chickadee, every +Scout of you, and see that you don’t wallow in +that mud puddle.”</p> + +<p>“But the prince?” inquired Wyn. “Is he +to walk through ordinary mud puddles?”</p> + +<p>“No. Of course not. You and the other big +girl, Treble by name, are to carry him. +Avaunt!” ordered the leader.</p> + +<p>“Oh please——” protested Nora; but in vain. +She was upon the shoulders of Wyn and Treble +before she had a chance to finish her useless +appeal.</p> + +<p>“Put your royal arms around me,” chanted +Treble.</p> + +<p>“If you don’t you may be dumped,” warned +the other slave.</p> + +<p>“Listen!” ordered someone. “Here comes +the whole camp! Are we out after hours?”</p> + +<p>“If we are we can plead emergency,” explained +Thistle. “How could we wait for permission +when someone was moaning to death?”</p> + +<p>They took up the march in real earnest. As +faithful Scouts they always kept to regulations +and found pleasure in doing so. Only Nora’s +call of distress had lured them away as darkness +was setting in.</p> + +<p>“Please let me walk,” begged Nora. “I +know you must get back as quickly as you can, +and I am sure I have given you enough +trouble.”</p> + +<p>“We love to carry you,” insisted Wyn. +“Besides, we know it’s our last chance. Alma +will be unconscious in the throes of love from +this on,” she finished with a lurch that brought +the erstwhile prince to “his” feet in spite of +their intentions.</p> + +<p>A few more accidents, minor and major, according +to the way said accidents were accepted, +and the squad arrived at Chickadee. Nora was +now more embarrassed than ever. How could +she again go in among all those sensibly-clad +girls in that ridiculous costume? Besides, +now she was bound to tell the whole miserable +story.</p> + +<p>“Where have you girls been?” began Becky, +who stood waiting. “Did you not know this +was story night?”</p> + +<p>“We have been out scouting, and we did,” +replied Thistle in her most docile tone. “Becky, +love, we have the bravest thrill of our entire +career to unfold.”</p> + +<p>“Begin, please, by explaining the infraction +of hours,” said Miss Beckwith, although her +manner belied her demand, and the summer +twilight lasted.</p> + +<p>“The thrill is none other than someone, anyone, +dying of moans,” said Wyn. “We have +with us tonight——”</p> + +<p>At this she craned her neck over the tallest of +them to locate little Nora. But she, the guest +of honor, was hiding behind Treble.</p> + +<p>“When you hear the whole wonderful +tale,” promised Pell, “you will only be sorry +you were not along. We have been out gunning +for attic ghosts.” After more talk of this variety +Nora was dragged forth.</p> + +<p>How pretty she looked in the camp light! A +glow from the fire that had been lighted for +stories, surrounded the little prince, and, as the +picturesque figure stood in the center of the +group of admiring eyes, even the glory of +the modern Scout uniform was threatened with +eclipse. In the late twilight the effect was +entrancing.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t she darling?”</p> + +<p>“Just look at those—panties?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, don’t you remember——”</p> + +<p>“Sweet Alice Ben Bolt.”</p> + +<p>“No, not Alice, but the night we fought over +those bloomers,” recalled Treble.</p> + +<p>“They’re not bloomers. They’re rompers.”</p> + +<p>Then began that whole foolish debate which +ended up by Thistle declaring they might be +overalls for all it mattered, if only the girls +would let Nora tell her story. Pell and Treble +agreed. The introduction was briefly outlined +for Becky’s benefit, then Nora was allowed to +tell it as it appeared to her—that is, she was +allowed to begin to tell it that way, but what +with the interruptions, the suggestions, the +questions, and the qualifying clauses, it was +small wonder the willing culprit made poor +headway.</p> + +<p>As the story took the shape of a confession +Nora seemed to be the culprit, but judging +from the approval voiced by the multitude they +all had little regard for <i>her</i> brand of “crime.” +In other words, Nora only imagined she had +offended, the entire detail made a most interesting +story as it was told around the campfire +blaze of Chickadee Patrol.</p> + +<p>She admitted frankly that her early notions +were anything but practical, she bravely recounted +her weakness for fancy things, including +ivory bureau sets and pink ribbons, to +which more than one Chickadee added her own +little admission, in fact, Pell said she always +did and always would love pink; brown khaki +and smoked pearl buttons to the contrary +notwithstanding.</p> + +<p>The telling of her attempt at attic tenancy +brought forth peal after peal of laughter, in +which Nora joined. Then she told all about her +disguise as the fabled and famous prince.</p> + +<p>“I think it is all too jolly for words,” insisted +Laddie, “and what do you say, girls, to +our adopting Prince Adorable for our mascot?”</p> + +<p>This precipitated more trouble. Nora was +put on the table, that long box used when +weather was pleasant and drenched when +weather was wet, and from that grandstand, +or throne, she was called upon to make silly +speeches, prompted by Wyn and interrupted by +Betta.</p> + +<p>Alma objected. She insisted Nora had hinted +to her something she ought to tell the others. +And she further maintained it was a matter +serious enough to put a stop to all nonsense, +and “if the girls aren’t willing to listen quietly, +I shall take Nora over to the other tent, where +she can tell Becky in peace,” threatened Alma.</p> + +<p>This put a soft pedal on all unnecessary +sounds: even Wyn desisted.</p> + +<p>“Tell us, Nora, please do tell,” begged Wyn. +“We have had fun enough to give our poor jaws +a rest. Mine are aching from laughing.”</p> + +<p>So Nora began.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink22'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXII—THE DANGER SQUAD IN ACTION</a></h2> + +<p>It was a fascinating tale. Every detail told +by Nora took on new value as it was silently +applauded by her eager audience. Thus +encouraged she waxed eloquent, and when she +finished all about the wearing of the Fauntleroy +costume, then her desire to tell Alma the +truth, when she knew the Scouts were teasing +the Tenderfoot, the recital might well have been +called a credit, even to the girl who felt guilty +of its secrets.</p> + +<p>“You see,” she said naïvely, “I was always +so much alone. I had no companion but Barbara, +and she agreed with everything I said.”</p> + +<p>“What a change this must be!” murmured +Wyn.</p> + +<p>“Hush!” warned Betta. “Funny as you are, +Wynnie, you <i>can</i> be rude.”</p> + +<p>“And now, girls,” said Nora in a brand new +tone of voice, “as I have told you all of that, +I feel anxious to tell you something else. I +have another secret and I think it is much more +serious than anything else that has happened +on this wonderful vacation.”</p> + +<p>“Out with it,” begged some one, but Nora +did not hear the thoughtless phrase.</p> + +<p>Miss Beckwith sat with the girls, encouraging +their confidences, and the usual safety in numbers +was surely a clue to the satisfaction of the +novel meeting. Secrets were best shared by +the multitude, then what one was not wise +enough to know, some one would surely be +clever enough to guess—so far as solution of +the problem went.</p> + +<p>“One day when I was wandering around—it +was the day we had such a wonderful time——” +Nora started.</p> + +<p>“When you learned to swim?” prompted +Wynnie.</p> + +<p>“I think it was. Well, I just walked along a +lane I had never found before,” continued the +prince—for she was still that noble character, +“and under a cave of pines—they grew so thick +I could hardly see there, it was almost as dark +as night; and right there, in a bed of leaves I +saw something move.”</p> + +<p>Just who was it that choked back Wyn’s interruption +does not matter, but presently Nora +continued:</p> + +<p>“At first, of course, I thought it was a dog +or something like that, but all of a sudden it sat +up!”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” exclaimed the sympathetic Alma.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it sat up and looked at me with eyes +like coals of fire.”</p> + +<p>“Nora!” shouted Laddie. “I am all goose +flesh, please tell us who had the eyes.”</p> + +<p>“I’m trying to,” said Nora, realizing the +value of pauses. “I was so frightened I +wanted to run, but before I could do so the +creature showed how frightened she was——”</p> + +<p>“She!” This was Betta.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it was a poor, miserable little girl, all +rags and eyes, and so sad looking! Really +girls, my heart went out to her,” declared the +story teller in her most Nora-esque manner.</p> + +<p>Titters barely tinctured the atmosphere. +Miss Beckwith begged the girls to listen +politely.</p> + +<p>“I managed to get her to tell me her name,” +said Nora next. “And it was Lucia.”</p> + +<p>“Lucia,” repeated a chorus in perfect time, +pronouncing it “Luchia.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, a poor, neglected, little Italian girl, +who has to work on one of the big farms——”</p> + +<p>“There!” almost shouted Alma. “I knew +when you saved your picnic lunch it was for +something noble. It was for Lucia, wasn’t it?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but after bringing her food for days +she suddenly disappeared.”</p> + +<p>“What happened to her?” asked Pell.</p> + +<p>“How can I tell?” sighed Nora. “I have +done everything to find out. I have even had +Cousin Ted drive me around the big farms +hoping to get a glimpse of her, but I never saw any +one who even looked like her. Then, I haven’t +told you the most pathetic part,” she paused +again. “The last day I went to fetch her a +lovely piece of pie, you know I used to put food +in a big tin box Vita gave me; well, there was +all that I had left the day before. Of course, I +was awfully disappointed and I felt so—sorry +I had not told you girls——”</p> + +<p>“If you had, Nora,” said Miss Beckwith, +gently, “we might have found a way to help the +child.”</p> + +<p>“I know that, Becky, and I am telling this +now partly to——”</p> + +<p>“Ease your conscience,” prompted Pell.</p> + +<p>“Yes; I don’t want any more secrets. They +are more worry than they can possibly be +worth,” said Nora tritely.</p> + +<p>“You were telling us about the box,” +prompted Alma.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes; but I must hurry, I have to go +home very soon. It is time the folks were +back.”</p> + +<p>“Tell us the rest and we won’t interrupt +once,” promised Wyn in a contrite tone, and +she seemed to mean it.</p> + +<p>“I found a little paper bouquet in the box,” +Nora continued. “And a scribbled bit of +paper.”</p> + +<p>“What was on it?” Betta could not help +asking.</p> + +<p>“Just a few words, ‘Goodbye, I love you.’” +Nora stopped suddenly.</p> + +<p>“The poor, little thing,” commiserated +Alma. “And could you find no way to tell +who she was or where she lived?”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t dare ask anyone outright,” answered +Nora, “because you see, I had promised +not to tell anyone about meeting her. She was +in terror of a man she called Nick.”</p> + +<p>“Nick?” repeated a number.</p> + +<p>“Yes; she would only say he was a bad man, +and I know she feared him for she would tremble +so when she mentioned his name.”</p> + +<p>Miss Beckwith had remained in the background. +If she knew a way to solve the mystery, +evidently she did not think the time had +come to disclose it.</p> + +<p>“But when I found she was gone—I knew +what a mistake I had made in not telling anyone +about it. Even if she was afraid, I could surely +have trusted—Alma,” sighed Nora.</p> + +<p>In the semi-darkness none could see the look +of affection Alma threw out. Her sensitive +soul had found solace in the companionship of +the almost equally sensitive Nora.</p> + +<p>“I must go,” insisted Nora. “The folks will +be home and I am going to tell them about that +attic noise tonight, Vita or no Vita.”</p> + +<p>“You are perfectly right in that,” said Miss +Beckwith. “Come along, girls, we will all see +Nora home this time.”</p> + +<p>They wanted to carry her back, but costumed +and all that she was, Nora felt little like partaking +in their frolic. She feared something. +That moaning was human, of this she was certain; +and it was equally certain that Vita was +in too good health when she appeared at the +door, to have been in any way implicated, +physically.</p> + +<p>“If your folks have not returned will you +come back and stay all night?” suggested +Betta. “We could leave a message for them +and you know you have not stayed a single +night at camp yet.”</p> + +<p>“I am sure they are at home, I see the light +in the living room,” responded Nora. “But +thank you, just the same, Betta. I shall love +to stay a night soon, I have been counting on +having that treat before this vacation is over.”</p> + +<p>They had rounded the curve and the Nest was +now in full view. Presently they were at the +door and Nora touched the knocker.</p> + +<p>There was no immediate response and she +wondered. “I can see inside, the curtain is up, +and I don’t see a soul,” she declared.</p> + +<p>“Nor hear a sound,” added Pell who was +listening at the keyhole.</p> + +<p>Here was another cause for wonderment. +Nora rapped the knocker until the sound seemed +doubly loud, reverberating in the dusk.</p> + +<p>But there was no answer. “What can it +mean?” asked Nora anxiously. “I am sure +some one lighted the lights, can they have gone +out looking for me?”</p> + +<p>“Can’t you get in?” asked Miss Beckwith.</p> + +<p>“Yes. I know where to find the emergency +key. But I don’t think I’ll go in.” Nora +seemed doomed to spend the night at camp +after all.</p> + +<p>The girls crowded around. Plainly any excitement +was a welcome diversion for them.</p> + +<p>“Maybe the groaner lighted up,” suggested +Wyn, facetiously. “She seems to like traveling.”</p> + +<p>“You are so brave, Wynnie,” said Miss Beckwith, +“I wonder would you be brave enough to +go in and investigate?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly,” came the quick rejoinder. “I’d +like nothing better. Volunteers?” she called +out.</p> + +<p>“Hush!” begged Nora. “It may be that Vita +is upstairs and has not heard us, although she +must have heard that knock.”</p> + +<p>Again she rapped the knocker.</p> + +<p>“Hark!” said Betta. “I honestly thought I +heard a cry.”</p> + +<p>Everyone was now breathless.</p> + +<p>“I do hear some one crying,” declared Alma. +“Whoever can it be?”</p> + +<p>“That up-attic person, I’m sure,” said Wyn. +“Better get the key, Nora. We can’t let them +cry to death while we are all here, listening in.”</p> + +<p>“I think I heard crying,” said Miss +Beckwith. “Perhaps you had better open the door, +Nora.”</p> + +<p>From under the fern dish Nora procured the +key.</p> + +<p>Miss Beckwith took it, and presently the +door was open. The hall was flooded with +light, but everyone instinctively stepped back.</p> + +<p>There was no sound.</p> + +<p>“Where’s Cap?” asked Nora. “We left him +here.”</p> + +<p>“There is really nothing to fear,” said Miss +Beckwith. “Here we are, a half dozen of us. +I think we had better go inside. Maybe poor +old Cap is locked in somewhere and held +captive.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that’s so,” replied Nora. “He has a +habit of getting in closets and he might +have sprung the door shut. Sometimes he +moans——”</p> + +<p>That was enough to excite practical sympathy, +and everyone promptly stepped inside. +Once within, it did not seem so fearful. Pell +prowled around and Wyn made foolish noises; +but Nora hung back.</p> + +<p>After satisfying themselves there was nothing +wrong on the first floor they decided to +investigate the second.</p> + +<p>“I can always hear it right over my room,” +said Nora when the band of Chickadees inundated +that territory. “There! Did you hear +that?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, someone is crying upstairs,” declared +Miss Beckwith, “and we must see who it is.”</p> + +<p>“But suppose——”</p> + +<p>“Here’s Cap. He would not let anyone +touch us,” declared Nora. “But Becky——”</p> + +<p>“Come along, girls, that is not the voice of +a man or woman. Come, we must do something. +It sounds like——”</p> + +<p>Bouncing up on Nora, Cap whined. “There, +he knows, he wants me to go up. What is it, +Cap?” Nora asked again, and again the dog +whined piteously.</p> + +<p>Now, everyone was willing to lead, yet they +formed quite an orderly drill.</p> + +<p>This was an emergency and emergency always +means order for Scouts.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink23'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXIII—RAIDING THE ATTIC</a></h2> + +<p>No one could tell just how they got there, +but realizing that some one was suffering +they had all followed Cap to the +attic, and there waited again for the sound that +was to lead them to the victim.</p> + +<p>“There’s a cabinet over there,” Nora whispered. +“A person might hide in that.”</p> + +<p>She was holding on to Alma and looked odd, +indeed, still dressed in that gorgeous velvet +costume.</p> + +<p>“Here’s another light—this will show us the +far end there,” said Miss Beckwith, snapping +on the extra bulb.</p> + +<p>“There it is!” gasped Pell. “Oh, it is somewhere—yes, +come over here,” she cried. +“Surely that’s a child!”</p> + +<p>The faint cry, that was almost like a sob, +sounded again. It must be over under the low +beams.</p> + +<p>Nora forgot her terror now, for she knew the +secret place of the long, rumbling attic, and no +sooner had she heard the distinct cry than she +brushed past all the others, dragged up a big +dust curtain, then stopped.</p> + +<p>“Here! Here!” she called frantically. “It’s +a little girl. Bring the candle!”</p> + +<p>Thistle was beside her with the extra light. +“Oh, mercy!” gasped Nora. “It’s Lucia.”</p> + +<p>“Lucia,” repeated the others.</p> + +<p>“Yes, my own little darling Lucia. Oh, +child,” she cried out, “what has happened to +you? How ever did you get here?”</p> + +<p>“Go away. Please, go away. I can’t tell you. +Oh, where is Vita? Vita come!” begged a +voice, while Nora tried in vain to soothe her.</p> + +<p>“Let me there!” ordered Miss Beckwith. +“The poor little thing!” she continued. “She +evidently has had a fit of hysteria. Just see +her gasp! Keep quiet, dear,” she said gently. +“You are all right now. We will take care of +you. There! Stop sobbing. Don’t you know +the girls?”</p> + +<p>“She knows me, don’t you, Lucia?” asked +Nora, anxiously. “Oh, I am so glad we found +her. She might have died.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t let us waste time in talking. Here +girls. Use your first aid, now. We must carry +her down stairs to the air,” ordered Miss +Beckwith.</p> + +<p>They carried her down carefully and laid her +on a couch by the window.</p> + +<p>“Where is this?” the girl murmured. Then +she looked into Nora’s face and something of +the terror left her own. “Angel,” she said simply, +blinking uncertainly.</p> + +<p>“You know this little girl, don’t you, Lucia?” +pressed Becky now, anxious to arouse her.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” she said.</p> + +<p>Nora cast a look of appeal at the director. +She wanted to speak to the sick girl. Becky +motioned she might do so.</p> + +<p>“Lucia,” began Nora, very gently, “where +did—you—come from?”</p> + +<p>“I run away from—Nick,” she gasped, and +again that look of terror flashed across the little +pinched face.</p> + +<p>“Don’t be frightened; you are here with me, +Nora, now,” said the girl in the velvet suit. +“No one can touch you here.”</p> + +<p>“Where—is—Vita? She not come back, +bring doctor?”</p> + +<p>That was it. Vita had gone for a doctor.</p> + +<p>“She’ll be here soon,” soothed Miss Beckwith. +The Scouts stood spell bound. How +wonderful to have found the poor little waif +right in Nora’s own attic!</p> + +<p>There was a sound below. Vita came stamping +up the stairs.</p> + +<p>“What is it?” she panted. Then seeing the +crowd. “You come—save my poor little +Lucia!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Vita, we are here,” replied Nora, sensing +now the part that Vita had been playing. +“We brought her down.”</p> + +<p>“Poor Lucia. Vita’s baby—Vita’s bambino,” +crooned the woman, as she leaned over +the couch and chaffed the trembling hands.</p> + +<p>It was a pathetic picture. The brilliantly-lighted +room was like a stage with this strange +drama being enacted upon it. The row of +Scouts were unconsciously standing like a +patrol at attention, while Nora in Fauntleroy +dress, stood at Lucia’s head; and the woman +in the quaint peasant attire bent over; and +then, there on the soft, bright couch, lay the +inert figure with the great eyes staring out +from under the bandage, evidently put on the +hot forehead by Vita.</p> + +<p>No questions asked, every one could see the +child was kin to Vita, but not her own child, +perhaps her granddaughter.</p> + +<p>“She will be all right now, I think, Vita,” +said Miss Beckwith. “She just had a spell of +hysteria, didn’t she?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, she have a fit very bad,” whispered the +woman. “I run for doctor, quick, but he is no +place——” her voice droned off into a low sound +of foreign words, lamentation and wailings.</p> + +<p>“Why was she shut up there?” asked Nora.</p> + +<p>“She beg for dark—she never go in light +when fit comes,” Vita managed to make them +understand. “I always hide her—she runs from +Nick like anything. But he no hurt her, never. +Just one time he scare her. She always cry so +much he t’ink she might get better, and he +scare her. Lucia run away and come to Vita, +every time.”</p> + +<p>“He didn’t really hurt her,” Miss Beckwith +was both asking Vita and explaining to the girls. +“Hysterical children must have a dread of +something, and I suppose she seized on that.”</p> + +<p>Lucia now sat up and looked about her. All +the fear had left her, and her black eyes shone +with relief.</p> + +<p>“She’s all right now, aren’t you, Lucia?” +Thistle ventured to ask. The other girls were +still spellbound.</p> + +<p>“Lovely,” replied the child, actually rubbing +her brown hand on the soft couch cover almost +as if she were saying, “Nice! Nice!”</p> + +<p>“There come Cousin Jerry and Cousin +Ted!” exclaimed Nora. “I’ll bring them right +up.”</p> + +<p>“What Mrs. Jerry say?” asked Vita, +anxiously.</p> + +<p>“Oh, that will be all right, Vita,” said Nora, +running along. “She’ll understand everything.”</p> + +<p>It is marvelous what sympathy can explain. +No need for words to fill out the gaps.</p> + +<p>“Well, what a reception!” exclaimed the surprised +Ted. “I never expected such a party +as this.” Her eyes fell upon Lucia. “A refugee?” +she asked kindly.</p> + +<p>“Vita’s little girl, Cousin Ted,” said Nora, +promptly. “We found her—sick.” She did +not say where.</p> + +<p>“She is in good hands now, I am sure,” said +Mrs. Manton, glancing around at the patrol. +“We were detained with our fractious car—should +have been home ages ago. Did you need +anything? Have you had a doctor?”</p> + +<p>“She seemed merely hysterical,” explained +Becky. “I don’t think she needs a doctor tonight. +She will probably sleep well after the +excitement—and exhaustion,” she added in an +undertone.</p> + +<p>“Well, of all things,” exclaimed Mrs. Manton, +suddenly getting a good look at Nora. +“Have you been having a masquerade?”</p> + +<p>“A little Scout party,” Miss Beckwith replied, +to save Nora embarrassment. “This has +been an eventful evening.”</p> + +<p>“Must have been,” agreed the hostess. +“Shall we all go down and leave the child to +rest?” she proposed.</p> + +<p>“<i>We</i> must go,” assured the leader. “It is +not ten o’clock, I hope?”</p> + +<p>“No, and we’ll run you over in our car—if +the car will run. Mr. Manton is out tinkering +with it. That’s how he missed the excitement,” +Ted explained.</p> + +<p>Nora hung back with Lucia. She felt she +had found her after so much anxiety, she was +almost afraid the child would be spirited away +if she should lose sight of her now.</p> + +<p>“How nice!” said Vita, and the relief in +her own voice proved that the big woman had +been suffering no little anxiety, herself.</p> + +<p>“I go home now, Vita,” said Lucia, humbly. +“I’m sorry, Vita.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you don’t have to go home, Lucia,” +Nora hurried to interrupt. “You can stay +right here. You don’t want to go hide in the +dark any more, do you Lucia?”</p> + +<p>“But I don’t want to make the trouble.”</p> + +<p>“She is so good when the fit is gone,” said +Vita, affectionately. “Poor Lucia, she can no +help it.”</p> + +<p>“Of course, she can’t. I’ll tell you, Vita, +we’ll ask Cousin Ted and I’m sure she’ll let +us fix Lucia up in that nice attic bed. Would +you like that, Lucia?” enthused Nora.</p> + +<p>“She love the attic,” said Vita. “She come +every time, and I must hide her. But I no like +to make the bother——”</p> + +<p>“And that was why you kept it secret!” said +Nora. “Well, Vita, I did think you were—mean,” +she paused to soften the word, “but +now I know why. And I am so glad to find +Lucia again. You see, I knew her before.”</p> + +<p>“You bring her the cakes——”</p> + +<p>“And you knew that, too?” Nora’s secrets +were fast evaporating. “Well, at any rate, +Vita, you gave me a nice tin box and all the +good things you could make, so I won’t blame +you. I’ll run along and ask Cousin Ted about +the attic. Dear me! What a blessing the girls +came over with me! We might have been going +on this way—for weeks and not have found +out,” she added. “But the girls have to hurry +off; it is getting time to answer the night roll +call. I’ll be back in a minute, Vita,” she was +talking fast. “Don’t let Lucia move until I tell +you,” she warned.</p> + +<p>“All right, little Nora,” replied Vita fondly. +“I have two little girls, now; yes, Lucia?”</p> + +<p>“The girls have to leave without hearing this +whole wonderful story, Nora,” said Ted, as they +crowded out to the car, “but I have asked them +to come over tomorrow. They will die of +curiosity in the meantime if Miss Beckwith does +not keep them too busy to get into such mischief,” +added the young woman jocularly.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Nora!” called out Wyn, “you come +right over about daylight, will you? We’ll +leave a tent flap loose and you can crawl in. +I would have nervous prostration if I had to +wait until after inspection to hear the sequel. +Good night!”</p> + +<p>“Good night! Good night! everybody!” +went up the customary shout, and when the reliable +little car, so recently called fractious by +its owner, rumbled out into the roadway, the +Scouts were actually singing their camp song.</p> + +<p>How wonderful to be girls! And how wonderful +to be Girl Scouts!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink24'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXIV—FULFILLMENT</a></h2> + +<p>“Of course, she’ll come over. Didn’t +I say I’d leave a flap up?” asked +Wyn. It was so early that the very +Chickadees, after whom the patrol had been +named, were still asleep in their own tree-top +scout tents.</p> + +<p>“As if she could get out of bed——”</p> + +<p>“Why couldn’t she? After last night I wonder +if she will ever feel safe in bed again. +Seems to me,” said the incorrigible Wynnie, +“she could do lots more good sitting up—raiding +attics and things like that.”</p> + +<p>“But Chicks,” said Thistle from a rumpled +pillow, “isn’t that child a dream?”</p> + +<p>“You mean didn’t that child dream——”</p> + +<p>“No, I do not. I think she is the most adorable +thing. Why, she looks exactly like a painting +we have——”</p> + +<p>“There—there,” soothed Treble.</p> + +<p>“Don’t get homesick,” Pell called out. “We +have a few more days to go before time to +break camp and you want to be in at the big +party, don’t you?”</p> + +<p>“I think the prince part simply the most +marvelous story I have ever heard,” said +Treble, under her breath. It was too early to +join in a general wake-up.</p> + +<p>“Leave it to Alma,” whispered Laddie. “I +always said these quiet little girls have the most +fun. I heard Wyn groaning in her sleep after +every one else was aslumber. That’s the kind +of fun <i>she</i> has.”</p> + +<p>“Looks as if Nora had not walked in <i>her</i> +sleep, at any rate,” put in Betta. “I move +we get up and slick things up early. How do +we know but the myth flew away in the night?”</p> + +<p>“We don’t, but she didn’t,” replied Treble +crisply. “But hark to a familiar sound. It +calls arise——”</p> + +<p>Then began the duties, and in spite of their +anxiety to get over to the Nest, the Scouts +did succeed in performing their tasks with +the usual accuracy and unusual alacrity.</p> + +<p>At nine o’clock they were free.</p> + +<p>No need to ask what anyone was going to +do that morning. Every Girl Scout who had +been in “the raid” was ready to run before the +day’s orders had been read from the bulletin.</p> + +<p>They headed for the Mantons’ cottage.</p> + +<p>“Did you ever?”</p> + +<p>“No, I never!”</p> + +<p>This was a part of the meaningless contribution +in words offered as the girls came up to +the Nest. They had seen the tableau on the +front porch.</p> + +<p>“Hello!” called out Nora.</p> + +<p>“’Lo, yourself,” sang back Thistle.</p> + +<p>“Too early for a fashionable call?” asked +Treble.</p> + +<p>“Come along, girls,” Mrs. Manton welcomed +them. “I am sure Nora has been anxiously +waiting for you. I’ll let her tell you the news,” +she finished, indicating the chairs for the party.</p> + +<p>Lucia was in a big steamer chair. It almost +swallowed up the tiny figure, but she had a +way of reclining, quite gracefully.</p> + +<p>“How are you today, Lucia?” asked Alma.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’m all right,” replied the child, pinking +through her dark skin. She looked very +pretty in one of Nora’s bright rose dresses, +with the same color hair ribbon, and her feet +encased in a pair of white slippers. No wonder +she was “all right.”</p> + +<p>“She’s going to stay,” said Nora proudly. +“We’ve adopted her.”</p> + +<p>“Quick work,” remarked Laddie. “But I +don’t blame you. She looks as if she grew +right here in this lovely big wild wood. Don’t +you like it, Lucia?”</p> + +<p>“Lots, much,” said the child.</p> + +<p>“We found out all about it, of course,” continued +Nora. “Lucia won’t mind if I tell you?” +she questioned.</p> + +<p>“No,” said the stranger. The single word +indicated her timidity.</p> + +<p>“You see, she is the daughter of Vita’s +daughter who died last year,” Nora explained. +“She has been living with cousins, and the man +Nick, of whom she was so frightened, is the +cousin’s husband.”</p> + +<p>Lucia now seemed to shrink back, and at +that sign Nora signaled the girls to leave the +porch and adjourn to more convenient quarters +for their confidences.</p> + +<p>Once away from the restriction, words flew +back and forth in questions and answers, until +Wyn wanted to know if it was all a duet between +Alma and Nora, or could they make it +a chorus?</p> + +<p>“And he didn’t beat her?” demanded Pell.</p> + +<p>“And she is really related to Vita, not kidnapped?” +asked Betta.</p> + +<p>“You didn’t find her all bruised up——”</p> + +<p>“Now girls,” scoffed Nora. “I know perfectly +well you don’t think anything of the +kind. You all know Vita was always kind and +generous——”</p> + +<p>“Whew!” whistled Wyn. “How we can +change! I thought she was a regular bear this +time yesterday morning.”</p> + +<p>“I think your cousins are perfectly splendid,” +said Betta, sensibly. “Is she really going +to adopt the child?”</p> + +<p>“We had a doctor this morning,” said Nora +with an important air, “and he advised change +of scene——”</p> + +<p>“Let’s take her over to Chickadee!” interrupted +Thistle. “That would be a distinct and +decided change.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, hush,” begged Alma. “What else did +the doctor say, Nora?”</p> + +<p>“She is hysterical—all came from the fright +of her mother’s sudden death,” continued +Nora. “But girls, I don’t know how much to +thank you,” she broke off. “Being a Scout +has done much for me.”</p> + +<p>“We believe you,” said Wyn in her usual +bantering way. “But say, little girl, are you +going back to that school where they teach you +to wear silk underwear in the cold, blasty winter +weather? Couldn’t you make out to get +adopted at the Nest yourself?”</p> + +<p>A laugh, then a set of laughs, followed this.</p> + +<p>“You are coming over to camp tonight, remember,” +said Alma, seriously. “We have +not initiated you yet, you know.”</p> + +<p>“How about that first formal ducking, with +Jimbsy in the background?” Pell reminded +them. “That seemed all right for an initiation.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Manton was coming down the path with +the inevitable letter. Was there ever a story +finished without “a letter”? Mr. Jerry followed +up.</p> + +<p>It was, as you have guessed, from Nora’s +mother, and she did grant permission for her +to stay.</p> + +<p>“So,” said Mrs. Teddy Manton, otherwise +Theodora, while the real Jerry looked over her +shoulder at the letter, and Cap sniffed approvingly +at Nora’s khaki skirt, “we expect to have +Nora go to school in town this winter, and perhaps +next summer we will all be back again at +Rocky Ledge.”</p> + +<p>“This was a real vacation,” sighed Nora, +“the best I ever had.”</p> + +<p>“Three cheers!” yelled the Scouts; and +Lucia from her porch was truly sorry she had +ever called those girls “crazy.”</p> + +<p>It was all so comfortable and safe now. +Even her “bad fit” was gone with the winds, +and how lovely to be out in the sunlight and +have nothing to fear!</p> + +<p>Again came a riotous shout from the girls +on and off the bench.</p> + +<p>“Chick! Chick! Chick-a-dees!” they yelled. +And it must have been Wyn who echoed:</p> + +<p>“Cut! Cut! ka-dah! cut!”</p> + +<p>Girl Scouts are many and their adventures +equally numerous, from mountain to valley, +over hill and dale, and their further activities +will be told of in the next volume of this series, +which will be entitled: The Girl Scouts at +Spindlewood Knoll.</p> + +<p>THE END.</p> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p>THE GIRL SCOUT SERIES</p> + +<p>By LILIAN GARIS</p> + +<p>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</p> + +<p>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</p> + +<p>The highest ideals of girlhood as advocated +by the foremost organizations of America +form the background for these stories and while +unobtrusive there is a message in every volume.</p> + +<p>1. THE GIRL SCOUT PIONEERS, <i>or Winning the First B. C.</i></p> + +<p>A story of the True Tred Troop in a Pennsylvania +town. Two runaway girls, who +want to see the city, are reclaimed through +troop influence. The story is correct in scout +detail.</p> + +<p>2. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT BELLAIRE, <i>or Maid Mary’s Awakening</i></p> + +<p>The story of a timid little maid who is afraid to take part in +other girls’ activities, while working nobly alone for high ideals. +How she was discovered by the Bellaire Troop and came into her +own as “Maid Mary” makes a fascinating story.</p> + +<p>3. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT SEA CREST, <i>or The Wig Wag Rescue</i></p> + +<p>Luna Land, a little island by the sea, is wrapt in a mysterious +seclusion, and Kitty Scuttle, a grotesque figure, succeeds in keeping +all others at bay until the Girl Scouts come.</p> + +<p>4. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP COMALONG, <i>or Peg of Tamarack Hills</i></p> + +<p>The girls of Bobolink Troop spend their summer on the shores of +Lake Hocomo. Their discovery of Peg, the mysterious rider, and +the clearing up of her remarkable adventures afford a vigorous plot.</p> + +<p>5. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE, <i>or Nora’s Real Vacation</i></p> + +<p>Nora Blair is the pampered daughter of a frivolous mother. Her +dislike for the rugged life of Girl Scouts is eventually changed to +appreciation, when the rescue of little Lucia, a woodland waif, +becomes a problem for the girls to solve.</p> + +<p>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</p> + +<p>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York</p> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p>THE RUTH FIELDING SERIES</p> + +<p>By ALICE B. EMERSON</p> + +<p>12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</p> + +<p>Ruth Fielding was an orphan and came to live +with her miserly uncle. Her adventures and +travels will hold the interest of every reader.</p> + +<p> +       RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL<br/> +       <i>or Jasper Parloe’s Secret</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALL<br/> +       <i>or Solving the Campus Mystery</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP<br/> +       <i>or Lost in the Backwoods</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE<br/> +       POINT <i>or Nita, the Girl Castaway</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH<br/> +       <i>or Schoolgirls Among the Cowboys</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND<br/> +       <i>or The Old Hunter’s Treasure Box</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM<br/> +       <i>or What Became of the Raby Orphans</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES<br/> +       <i>or The Missing Pearl Necklace</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES<br/> +       <i>or Helping the Dormitory Fund</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE<br/> +       <i>or Great Days in the Land of Cotton</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE<br/> +       <i>or The Missing Examination Papers</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE<br/> +       <i>or College Girls in the Land of Gold</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS<br/> +       <i>or Doing Her Bit for Uncle Sam</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT<br/> +       <i>or The Hunt for a Lost Soldier</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING HOMEWARD BOUND<br/> +       <i>or A Red Cross Worker’s Ocean Perils</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING DOWN EAST<br/> +       <i>or The Hermit of Beach Plum Point</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST<br/> +       <i>or The Indian Girl Star of the Movies</i><br/> + <br/> +       RUTH FIELDING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE<br/> +       <i>or The Queer Old Man of the Thousand Islands</i><br/> +</p> + +<p>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge, by Lilian Garis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE *** + +***** This file should be named 38608-h.htm or 38608-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/6/0/38608/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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