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diff --git a/old/62654-0.txt b/old/62654-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index dd6d180..0000000 --- a/old/62654-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7170 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Greycliff Girls in Camp, by Harriet Pyne -Grove - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: The Greycliff Girls in Camp - - -Author: Harriet Pyne Grove - - - -Release Date: July 15, 2020 [eBook #62654] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP*** - - -E-text prepared by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 62654-h.htm or 62654-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62654/62654-h/62654-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62654/62654-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/greycliffgirlsin00grov - - - - - -THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP - - -[Illustration: Slipping her hand down further, she fished out a -queer-looking metal case of some sort.] - - -THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP - -by - -HARRIET PYNE GROVE - -Author of -“Cathalina at Greycliff,” “The Girls of Greycliff,” -“Greycliff Heroines,” “Greycliff Wings.” - - - - - - -A. L. Burt Company -Publishers New York - - - * * * * * * - - THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS SERIES - A Series of Stories for Girls - - By HARRIET PYNE GROVE - - CATHALINA AT GREYCLIFF - THE GIRLS OF GREYCLIFF - THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP - GREYCLIFF HEROINES - GREYCLIFF WINGS - - Copyright, 1923 - By A. L. BURT COMPANY - - THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP - - * * * * * * - - -Made in “U. S. A.” - - - - - TO MERRYMEETING GIRLS - - With warmest gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Webster, to whom - Merrymeeting Camp owes existence, and to Miss Cotteral, - the other councillors, and the girls, for the interest - and inspiration which they supplied. - - The characters are all fictitious. The setting and - activities, with some incidents, are taken from the camp - life. - - To my daughter, who wrote the Squirrels’ Inn - entertainment described in chapter twenty-three, credit - is due for those verses. The words of Camping Days were - written by Marion Buerger of Cincinnati. - - - - - THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP - - - - - CHAPTER I - - THE TRIP TO CAMP - - -The Greycliff girls who had decided to go to the girls’ camp in -Maine with Patricia West, their English teacher, were busy getting -ready their camp equipment in the short time which elapsed between -the close of school and their departure for camp. School had closed -early in June and Merrymeeting Camp did not open until July 5th, but -Miss West, who had been a councillor at camp for several seasons, -was to have charge of a delightful and instructive trip that was -offered by the camp authorities to any of the older girls who wanted -to take it. This would give them the opportunity to see Niagara, -Toronto, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence and Thousand Islands, -Montreal, and the White Mountains. The trip was so planned that the -girls would see the best part of the scenery by day, and would have -rest at hotels from the necessary sleeping car and boat travel. All -reservations were made on boat and train and at hotels, and in the -case of the girls leaving with the Cincinnati parties, even baggage -was called for at the homes and the tickets purchased. - -Letters went back and forth. Hilary Lancaster was now living in -Cincinnati, which was also Miss West’s home. Helen Paget and Evelyn -Calvert, two Southern girls who had been at Greycliff, were to join -Hilary, visiting her a day or two and starting with her party. -Cathalina Van Buskirk and Lilian North were to join them at Buffalo; -Betty Barnes, at Toronto, where she was visiting her aunt. - -“The whole ‘quartet’ of our suite will be together on this trip,” -wrote Lilian to Hilary, “and more of our special friends at -camp,—won’t it be jolly? I’ve never seen Niagara, nor ever been out -of the United States. I wrote to Eloise and urged her to come, but -she says that she can not possibly get ready so soon and will have -to meet us at camp if she gets there at all!” - -It was the last Thursday in June, and the train to Buffalo was to -leave at 6:05 P.M. Cincinnati was steaming with heat during one of -those days which the beautiful Queen City can serve to its -inhabitants in summer. Perspiration shone on faces and trickled down -backs. The Central Union Station was like an oven, but cheerful, -happy faces and lively conversation, anticipatory of interesting -experiences, brightened the farewells. - -Both Dr. and Mrs. Lancaster, with Mary, Gordon and Tommy, were there -to see Hilary and June off; for June, to her great delight, was -going too. Dr. Lancaster had packed the whole family, with their -guests, Helen and Evelyn, into his car, recently presented to him by -his congregation, and brought them from the parsonage to the -station. Already Miss West was there, with three first-year -high-school girls, Jean Marshall, Marjorie White and Rhoda Jenkins, -known later at camp as “Jenkie” or “Jenks”. - -“Think of the cool breezes in Maine,” said Dr. Lancaster, as he -delivered several small suit-cases to their owners and took out a -big white handkerchief, “to catch his tears”, as Tommy said. - -“Tommy and I are going to our aunt’s for a visit,” said Gordon to -Miss West, for he wanted it to be known that he was not entirely -left out of good times. “And Father says that p’raps we can go to -Boothbay Camp next summer. The oldest got to go first in our -family!” - -Time sped on as they chatted, till presently the iron gates opened -and with Miss West and the tickets in the lead, the girls passed -through. A few friends were permitted to accompany them and escort -them to the train. - -“Don’t forget your pocket-book, Jean,” admonished one auntie, -through the open window. - -“Yes, do hang on to that, or let Miss West carry your money,” added -another. - -“I’ve been known to leave my pocket-book,” explained Jean aside to -Hilary. “Please take this twenty-five, Miss West.” - -“Be sure to write a card in Buffalo, Hilary,” said Dr. Lancaster. - -“O, yes, Father, we’ll write a post-card from every single place,” -replied June, happily excited over the trip, “alone, with only -Hilary!” - -It was some time before the train started, and how they longed to -get away from the hot station! The electric fans started and gave -some relief. Bags or suit-cases were arranged, hats and umbrellas -disposed of, while Miss West counted noses and saw that each girl -was in her own section or knew where it was. - -“Let me see. Hilary, you and June are in number nine, right over -Helen and Evelyn. Too bad you have to double in an upper. Won’t you -take my berth?” - -“No, indeed; thank you, Miss West. It was our fault that we did not -decide about June’s going till the last minute. I’m thankful that we -could get the other reservations.” - -“We are nicely fixed, close together and in the center of the car. -Don’t forget your numbers.” - -One of the girls had never slept in a Pullman before and longed to -ask many questions; but ashamed to appear ignorant before the -others, she foolishly would have waited to find out herself as best -she could, had not June, who was not in the least ashamed of not -having traveled at night, asked Hilary the very questions which gave -the necessary information. - -At last the train started. The electric lights, which had added so -much to the heat, were turned off. “O, goody, we’re moving!” -exclaimed June, settling comfortably back by Hilary, who had put -June next to the window and was fanning them both. “Goodbye, dear -old Cincy, we’re going to see lots of rivers and lakes and boats and -things before we get back to the Ohio and the Island Queen or the -Morning Star.” - -Candy boxes came out immediately and were passed around, but to Miss -West’s surprise and relief, the girls tasted sparingly. - -“No, thanks,” said Marjorie, as Jean offered her a box of -chocolates, “I promised Mother not to touch candy till the trip was -at least almost over. She wanted me to get there all right. And any -way this is my summer to reduce. I have to take a dip every morning, -get to breakfast on time, go on the hikes and everything. And here -old Jean eats twice as much as I do, and see how nice and slim she -is.” - -“It’s in our family to be skinny,” remarked Jean. “I like what you -say about my eating twice as much as you do,” she continued, -grinning at Marjorie. “No, thank you; I had two caramels and a -bonbon. See? I brought along an _Atlantic Monthly_ to show how -high-brow I am. Auntie bought it for me, though.” - -Different magazines were produced and the girls settled down quietly -to read, chat, or watch the passing scenery. As night drew on, -cooler air came in the screened windows. The girls, tired with the -heat and the activities incident to their departure, were glad to -get to their berths as soon as the porter made them up. - -“How do we ever get up there, Hilary?” asked June. - -“O, the porter will bring a little ladder and will help us up; and -in the morning we’ll press a little button to ring for him and he’ll -help us down again.” - -The tips of brown or black oxfords peeped from beneath the green -curtains behind which quiet, well-behaved girls were quickly -preparing for the night. “Here’s the hanger for our coats, Helen,” -whispered Evelyn. “Maybe we can get our dresses on it too.” - -“Let’s use that for our dresses, they’re longer. I’ll get a hanger -out of my suit-case for the coats, or we can fold them and put them -on the shelf. See these hooks? You just pull them out straight. We -certainly shall never need that blanket!” - -“No telling, when we get up near the lake. Why do they always have -the pillow on the end toward the engine?” - -“I don’t know. I’m going to double mine up so I won’t break my neck -if the train bumps when it starts or stops.” - -“Mother said if we wanted to sleep on our valuables not to tuck them -under our pillows where any thief could get them by slipping in a -hand, but to put them inside a pillow case and turn the open end of -that toward the inside.” - -“I’d go off and leave them in the morning! The only safety for me is -to have them pinned to me, I guess.” - -“All right, girls?”—in Miss West’s quiet voice, as she paused by the -various curtains. Soft replies assured her that everybody was -comfortable and soon quiet reigned in the car, except when the -porter passed through with some late arrival from one of the towns -at which the train stopped. - -“I can’t go to sleep, Hilary,” whispered June about midnight. - -“Are you comfy?” - -“O, yes!” - -“Well, don’t worry; nobody will sleep much, I suspect, this first -night. We’ll be at a hotel tomorrow night. Maybe we can rest and -doze a little. It’s getting cooler, isn’t it? Let’s draw up the -blanket.” - -Assured that it could not hurt anybody if she did not sleep, June -promptly dozed off. Such is the power of suggestion. - -Breakfast over at Buffalo, the girls were writing cards home while -waiting for the train to Niagara. While they were thus engaged in a -corner of the waiting room where they had deposited their baggage -and one or two parcels which had already been added to the -impedimenta, a bright face peeped around the corner. “O, here they -are, Cathalina!” and with this Lilian North, smiling and happy, made -her appearance. - -Everybody jumped up. “Where _were_ you children?” inquired Hilary -from Lilian’s embrace. “We thought you had missed a train or -something.” - -“No, Phil brought us in the auto, rather the chauffeur did, but -Philip was the official care-taker. Here he is, with Cathalina.” - -Hilary was wondering how Lilian happened to come in the Van Buskirk -car, but there was no time to ask at this juncture. - -Meanwhile Philip was saying to Cathalina, as they approached, “My, -Kitten, must I be introduced to all that bunch?” - -“O, yes, and remember ’em, Phil, if you can. You know Hilary, of -course, and that is June, her little sister, and Evelyn is that -graceful little thing farthest away. You’ll know her by her Southern -speech, and Helen, too,—with her rather especial drawl. I don’t know -the rest myself. There’s Patty, too, just joining them.” - -Evelyn’s eyes and lashes, drooping or raised, went into effect -immediately upon introduction, and Philip’s courtesy responded to -her grown-up ways; but as there were too many girls for one young -gentleman to entertain, he remained by Lilian most of the time, -holding her extra coat and hand-bag with entire content. At train -time, however, Philip helped as many of the girls as possible, -settled them in the train, shook hands all around, kissed Cathalina -and swung himself off in good time. Many girlish eyes followed him, -and their last view was of a tall, good-looking, dark-eyed boy, -touching his hat and looking chiefly at—Lilian. - -“I never saw Phil so taken with a girl,” whispered Cathalina to -Hilary at the first chance. “We were motoring through and stopped -all night at Rochester, when whom should we meet at the hotel but -Lilian and Judge North. The Judge had business at Rochester and was -going to put Lilian on the train for Buffalo. We could have gone to -Charlotte, of course, to wait for the boat from Toronto, but both -Lilian and I wanted the whole trip with you girls. We had a fine -visit yesterday as we drove,—I was so glad for Mother to know our -Lilian better, and Lilian was at her brightest and sweetest and -prettiest.” - -“And that is rather attractive,” inserted Hilary. - -“You can see that the Judge just loves her to pieces.” - -No sooner was the party off the train at Niagara than a capable -official appeared. Arrangements were at once made with him to -transport the party by auto to the station from which they would -next depart and to take them upon the sight-seeing tour as soon as -their baggage was safely checked. - -Through the park, to different points where the American or Canadian -Falls could best be seen, the girls rode or walked with little -conversation. They stood silently before the majesty of the waters, -watching the feathery flow over the American Falls, or a glittering -green cascade on the Canadian side. On little bridges which led to -rocky islands, they watched the whirling rapids above the falls. -Sometimes the mist blew into their faces. - -“May we go under the falls, Miss West?” - -“No, Marjorie; we’ll just do the safer, ordinary things.” - -“That suits me,” said Hilary. “I want to look at the things the -Creator made. Everything else seems like a blot on the landscape, -cheap, someway.” - -“Well, perhaps,” answer Helen. “Still, we could not see the Falls as -well if they did not have the bridges, you know. Wouldn’t you’ve -liked to be the first person that ever saw Niagara Falls?” - -“Prob’ly some Indian.” - -“Yes, June, that didn’t know what he was coming to and went over in -his little canoe!” - -“Now, Marjorie!” reproved Helen. “You can hear the thunder of it a -long way off, and I’m sure that any sensible Indian would have -landed his canoe long before he came to the big rapids.” - -The falls of Niagara never cease to arouse wonder and admiration no -matter how many times the tourist may have visited them, and these -girls were no exception to the rule. The amazing whirlpool rapids, -where, tossing and tumbling, the foaming waters of Niagara river -swept through the great gorge, impressed them almost as much as the -falls themselves. The day itself, with its fresh breeze and sun upon -the dancing waters, more than compensated for the tiresome trip of -the night before. - -Lewiston and a customs officer came next. At first the girls -wondered why the herding of the crowd through the little gate to the -dock, but the questions asked about their luggage made them realize -that they were temporarily leaving their native land. So -unmistakable a group of school-girls and teacher, however, with the -camp tags on suit-cases and bags, was passed on everywhere without -any trouble. They were soon on board the boat for Toronto. - -Out of the Niagara River into Lake Ontario the steamer moved, and it -was not long before the water front of Toronto appeared through -gathering fog and evening shadows. - -“Does Betty know that we’re coming tonight?” - -“I think not, unless she looks up the time-tables. She knows that -she is to leave tomorrow afternoon, and that we are to be at the -Queen’s Hotel. You will have plenty of time to visit with Betty on -the boat tomorrow and the rest of the way,—let us have a good -night’s rest, enjoy seeing Toronto tomorrow morning,—” - -“O, _please_, Miss West,” begged Cathalina. “Just let us call her -up!” - -“We shall see,” returned Miss West, weakening a little. - -But by the time they had reached the Queen’s Hotel, nice -conservative old place with an English atmosphere and a “royal -suite,” the girls only wanted to get to bed as soon as possible. - -“I’m on foreign soil,” sleepily murmured June as Hilary tucked her -in, and Hilary herself was too sleepy to laugh. - - - - - CHAPTER II - - DOMINION DAY IN CANADA - - -When Lilian woke the next morning, she dreamily looked toward the -light of a grey, rainy morning and noticed the lace curtains -stirring in the breeze. “How appropriate,” thought she, “a crown and -‘The Queen’s’ woven in the pattern.” She glanced at Hilary and June -sleeping in the double bed near. “Here we are, then, in Canada,” -closing her eyes. “I wonder if Philip will come up to camp as he -said he would ... isn’t he fine?... how dark his eyes are ... I -wonder ...” and Lilian dozed off into an enchanting dream of -motoring somewhere with Philip Van Buskirk, not waking till -Cathalina, who fit nicely right into the dream, was shaking her and -saying, “Wake up, Canada Lily, do you know we’ll disgrace our nation -and not get down before the dining room closes!” - -Rested from their warm baths and good sleep of the night, fresh, -smiling girls gathered in the breakfast room of “The Queen’s”. Miss -West was proud of them and their quiet, dignified behaviour. - -“What do you think we had for breakfast, Mother?” wrote June a -little later. “_Strawberries_ and cream—thick cream! Think of it, on -the first of July! I’m going to begin in March in Cincinnati and go -north to follow up the berries till the season ends in Canada. I -ordered ‘oatmeal porridge’ because it sounded so English, ‘bean -porridge hot’, you know,—and it was the best breakfast food I ever -ate. They had ‘English breakfast tea’ on the menu, too, but I -couldn’t order that because I wanted cocoa, m’m, so good! Some of -the cocoa you get traveling is horrid. But I’ll never forget those -big, ripe, juicy berries that the waiter brought me. I felt selfish -because mine happened to be the biggest. But you couldn’t change, of -course, anyway, in public. Our waiter looked just like the English -valet I saw the other day in a movie, so dignified and serious. - -“I’ve gotten the traveler’s guide and things from the office and -have learned that Toronto was founded as a French trading post with -the Indians in 1749, and that it covers forty square miles. The name -is from an Indian word and means ‘place of meeting’. The land was -‘sold to the Crown in 1787 by the Missisauga Indians for $85.’ Think -of it. It is the capital of the Province of Ontario and has a -population of five hundred thousand. I don’t suppose I shall -remember this, but I promised Father that I’d try to learn some -little thing about each place. I may add some more to this after we -have taken our ride in the sight-seeing ’bus. Miss West has the -tickets already; you can get them right in the hotel. We are to -start about noon, for we had our breakfast so late that we shall not -want any lunch till at least two o’clock. We are all packed up now, -and leave on the boat about four o’clock, I think. We haven’t seen -Betty yet, or even called her up. When we started to, we found that -nobody, not even Cathalina, knew her aunt’s name or telephone -number, but Betty knows when we leave and I’m sure she will be here -or at the boat on time.” - -“Come, girls,” said Miss West, “all ready for the trip and packed up -to start after lunch? We’ll go down to the lobby and see if the taxi -has arrived.” - -And such an immense taxi it was. “I feel like a monkey,” declared -Jean, “climbing with both hands and feet up this tippy height!” The -party occupied only two of the long seats, and those in front had -been reserved for them. The man of the megaphone was hatless and -active, collecting the tickets as well as imparting information. -“There are two persons who have not surrendered their tickets,” he -announced, counting tickets and passengers. - -Miss West looked up inquiringly. “I have all your tickets together,” -he assured her. As the same announcement was made several times -later, the girls concluded that it was a polite way of telling that -two fares had not been paid. - -At once the girls noticed that the city was decorated with flags and -that the stores were closed. “This is Dominion Day,” announced the -megaphone, “same as your Fourth of July.” Everything was “Limited”, -“Imperial”, “Royal”, “Dominion”, or “Queen’s”, according to June. T. -Eaton’s seemed to be as important in Toronto as Marshall Field’s in -Chicago, and an unusual feature in which the girls were interested -was the display of pretty gowns or other articles for sale in the -front or bay windows of what had once been private residences, now -absorbed into the business part of the city. - -“How do you feel, June,” asked Cathalina, “under the Union Jack?” - -“All right. You’ve been in so many foreign countries that I suppose -it does not seem strange to you.” - -“I never happened to be in Canada, and it is just as interesting as -it can be!” - -Different monuments and churches, Queen’s Park, the University of -Toronto and the Parliament building engaged their attention, and as -they rode through Rosedale, a pretty residential section, the girls -wondered if Betty’s aunt lived there. At the hotel again, it was -great fun to trail after the porter who showed them the royal suite; -but time was pressing, and while Miss West settled the bills the -girls started for the dock, within easy walking distance. Still no -Betty! - -“I meant to get a picture of that funny little hotel ’bus,” said -Marjorie. “Is that our boat? Isn’t it cute?” - -“You’ll be the death of me yet,” laughed Jean, “A steam-boat cute!” - -“What’s its name?” continued Marjorie undisturbed. - -“The Toronto; see?” - -“Salve, Toronto! Vale, Toronto!” remarked Hilary. - -“What does that mean?” asked June. - -“It means ‘hail, Toronto,’ the boat, and ‘farewell, Toronto,’ the -city.” - -As they came nearer the dock, some one jumped out of a taxi and -waved. It was Betty at last. - -“Why, Betty,—all alone?” - -“Yes, Miss West, company came unexpectedly. I had a time to get -packed up at all. But fortunately Auntie had bought my tickets -yesterday, and my trunk came down this morning. I have been thinking -of you all and could hardly wait to see you, but Auntie said that -you would be taking in the city anyway. That was to console me.” - -The girls were fortunate in getting seats out in the very front of -the deck. Their baggage had been taken to the little staterooms, -cameras and field glasses brought out, and they settled themselves -in great content for the trip by water from Toronto to Montreal. So -far there had been so much sight-seeing that the visiting had been -only incidental, though by this time the Greycliff girls felt pretty -well acquainted with the three girls—Marjorie, Jean and Rhoda—whom -they had so recently met. - -Betty and Cathalina compared their adventures since they had parted -at Greycliff. - -“Mother said ‘how could she spare her little Betty so soon,’ for -this little visit to Auntie first, then for nearly all summer at -camp, home for just a peep at the folks, and school at Greycliff -again!” - -“Mine felt that way, too, but she said that it was a good -opportunity for me to have the experience of a girls’ camp, while so -many of us could be together and while we had darling old Patty to -take care of us.” - -“O, there are lots of councillors to do that.” - -“Yes, of course, but then we know Patty so well.” - -“Is Isabel coming, or do you know, Cathalina?” - -“Yes; I had a letter from her soon after she got home. Her father -had said that she could come. Did you know that Virginia Hope went -home with her for the summer?” - -“No. I rushed off home, you know, the first minute I could. That was -lovely of Isabel, and of Mr. Hunt, too.” - -“I suppose that Virginia will come to camp with Isabel, but she did -not say so, and it might be that Virginia made other plans later. We -shall know when we get there,—naturally.” - -“There is Jean sitting by herself. Come on over here, Jean,” and -Betty hitched her chair along to make room for Jean’s. - -“I was just dreaming and watching the water,” said Jean. “Don’t you -love it?” - -“Yes, I never get tired of it,” answered Cathalina, “but Betty and I -were talking about some of the girls we know at school.” - -“O, yes; what is this ‘Greycliff’ you girls talk about?” - -“I’m afraid you would be sorry if we got started talking on that -subject, but it is a girls’ school, preparatory, with two years of -college work, and Patty, Miss West, you know, teaches there. That is -how some of us found out about camp, because she is a councillor -there, too. Betty and I, with Lilian and Hilary, are in a suite -together. Phil calls us the ‘suite quartet’, which is an awful pun. -Philip is my brother,—O, yes, you met him at Buffalo. Of course you -know about Helen and Evelyn, and we were just saying that perhaps -two of the younger girls at Greycliff—Isabel Hunt and Virginia -Hope—would be at camp this summer. Isabel wrote that she is coming, -but did not speak of Virginia, and Virginia is visiting there. She -wrote a scrap of a letter only and did not think of it, I suppose. -Then there is another of our especial friends whom we hope to see, -Eloise Winthrop, a lovely girl that I’m sure you will like.” - -“Isn’t it funny how you always get crazy about the school you go -to?” - -“O, I don’t know, Jean,” replied Betty. “You see Greycliff is -unusual!” - -“Last call for the first sitting.” Thus from time to time the -different dinner calls came. Dinner on the boat started at six -o’clock, but the girls had decided that they did not want tickets. -This was contrary to their usual custom, for Miss West considered -that regular meals were a necessary part of travel. But the late and -excellent lunch at the Queen’s, together with a fine supply of -sandwiches and pickles brought by Betty, and a quantity of fruit -brought aboard by Miss West, made the girls lose all interest in -dinner. - -“Besides, you know, we’d better be careful if we have to stay on the -boat all night.” This from Marjorie, as the girls were drawing their -chairs close together and Betty was passing out sandwiches and -pickles. - -“Don’t give her any more pickles, then, Betty.” - -“All right, you shall have the rest, Jean. I love to see you so -careful of Marjorie!” - -“Let’s stay out on deck as long as possible; may we, Miss West?” - -“Just as long as you like tonight,” replied Patricia, who herself -enjoyed it outside. But they had nothing to dread, for the lake was -calm; no motion of the boat was felt except the throbbing of the -engine. Gulls flew high or low or rested on the water. It was cloudy -and the sun, round and orange, slowly sank through and below the -clouds, leaving for a little while a golden glow upon the water. The -girls played a few of the guessing games when it grew dark, but -finally the time came when the little god of dreams claimed his own. -For some time June had been sitting with her head on Hilary’s -shoulders, when Miss West declared that the procession for the -staterooms would “now start”. - -“Don’t ring the bell as I did,” admonished Jean, “I thought it was -the electric button. You pull down the light and press the button to -ring. After I made the mistake I locked the door and skipped out, so -I wouldn’t be there when the maid came.” - -“You needn’t have worried. I was just across from you with my door -braced open to air the place, and nobody came.” - -“Thanks, Betty. You take a heavy load off my conscience!” - -Nothing disturbed the serenity of the night. The girls were wakened -by an early stop at Kingston and soon found themselves taking -breakfast with the second “shift” in the dining-room. They were to -transfer to the other boat at Prescott, but the Toronto was going -very slowly on account of a heavy fog, and finally anchored for -nearly an hour. When the fog lifted, however, the girls found a -bright day before them. The turning of the capstan when the anchor -was drawn up interested them not a little. The transfer was made to -the boat which was to take them through the rapids. - -From now on to Montreal the scenery was beautiful. It was the broad -St. Lawrence with its Thousand Islands and rapids. The Merrymeeting -girls were down in the dining-room when the first rapids were -reached, and one or two looked anxiously at Miss West, who smiled -reassuringly, and soon the churning waters were left behind, with -nothing but one little grinding scrape to remind any one of rocks as -the boat went through. “And perhaps that was our imagination,” -admitted June, as they discussed it later. - -“I’m getting enough rocks at last,” remarked Hilary. - -“Why, do you like them so much?” - -“Yes, Rhoda, ever since we started into the St. Lawrence I’ve been -saying ‘I love Thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills’, -even if these are not all of my own country. Look. There seems to be -a sort of red rock as the foundation of the islands. There’s a dear -little one that I’d like to own. Think of a cottage there among the -trees and a place for the water birds to build in the rocks!” - -“You wouldn’t like it in winter, would you?” - -“No, nor in summer without a launch. But you mustn’t be so -practical, Cathalina, can’t one have a little fancy?” - -“Dear old Hilary! Purr-rr! Her shall have her little island!” - -“Campbell likes the water, too. Wouldn’t Thousand Islands be a -lovely place for a honeymoon?” - -“Sh-sh, Lilian, the other girls might hear and Hilary wouldn’t like -it.” - -“I should think Hilary wouldn’t,” commented the young lady herself. -“Please, girls, why are you so silly?” - -“Well,” said Lilian, “when a certain young man finds out that a -certain young lady is going to a camp and immediately takes steps to -get himself appointed as councillor at a camp very near and under -the same management, it looks as if there were some connection -anyhow!” - -Hilary smiled, but made a little pouting face at Lilian, as she -moved over to where Marjorie and Rhoda were focusing their field -glasses on more rapids ahead. - -“O, the most interesting thing, Hilary,” cried June. “I heard a -gentleman tell his wife that there is only one pilot who can take -the boat through the rapids, and he has to go up every day to do it. -He learned it from his father, and his son is watching him to learn -how.” - -“And did you notice,” said Rhoda, “how he pointed out the ‘American’ -or the ‘Canadian’ side? They are Canadians, too. It seems funny to -me, for they are in America as much as we are.” - -“Yes,” said Hilary, “but the books do it. It seems to be general.” - -“Look,” said Marjorie. “See how the steamer changes its course, -always going in the more quiet water. I can pretty nearly tell where -we’ll go. See the water tumbling over there! Big rocks, I guess.” - -“Yes, and did you hear the man say what a descent there is?—I can -feel the boat going down hill!” - -“We are really and truly shooting the rapids,” said June with great -satisfaction. - -Mt. Royal, from which Montreal takes its name, could be seen long -before the last rapids were reached. Everybody was invited to the -front of the boat while an official talked about the rapids, the -Indian village on their right, and other points of interest. Safely -through the Lachine Rapids the boat glided and reached Montreal at -last. Some of the girls in the crowded motor ’bus, a few in a -rickety victoria, the Merrymeeting party rode to the hotel where -they were to remain two nights. - - - - - CHAPTER III - - VICTORIAS AND FURS - - -It was eleven o’clock the next morning before the girls were finally -rounded up for breakfast or lunch, as they might choose to call it. -For this they went to an attractive place not far from the hotel -where June again found ripe strawberries, big and luscious. - -“You’ll turn into a strawberry, June,” said Hilary, but June only -pointed to the dishes of the same natural product on all the other -trays in the cafeteria procession, as she replied, “I don’t eat so -many more than the rest of you,—I just say more about it.” - -“By the way, Miss West,” continued Hilary, “we’re going in -victorias, aren’t we?” - -“How many vote for victorias?” asked Patricia, “hands up.” Every -hand at the little table went up, and as the girls at the table -close by had heard the question, theirs as well were lifted. - -“It is already arranged. Several of you had spoken of it—victorias -it is. Now for shopping. I will go with Marjorie, Jean and Rhoda, -for they seem to have the most to do. The rest of you meet us at the -hotel in not less than an hour. There is a drug store right here on -the corner, a department store half block in that direction. Keep in -mind this corner and the way to the hotel. Hilary, you are in -charge.” - -Hilary pretended to be much honored and the rest of the girls began -to joke her by asking if they might do the most obviously proper -things. But they had little shopping to do and arranged to meet at -the entrance of the big store. - -“Listen,” said Cathalina, as they were returning to the hotel. “That -boy has a French paper. I’m going to get one. I had no idea that -Montreal was so French, though I heard some French spoken on the -boat, of course.” - -“I heard a lady say that Montreal is fifty per cent French, and that -of that fifty per cent ninety per cent can not speak English.” - -“No wonder, then, Betty, that they have both French and English on -the shop signs. I should like to spend a summer up here some time. -No need of going abroad to keep up your French!” Later, Cathalina -discovered that McGill University has many such summer pupils. - -Duly at two-thirty, three victorias, drivers high in the air, rolled -away from the hotel to see the Canadian city of Montreal. - -“O, I feel so English,” sighed Marjorie. - -“Me, too,” said Rhoda, “but I think they ought to be called ‘Queen -Marys’ now instead of victorias!” - -“Did you notice, Rhoda,” drawled Helen, “what our elderly waiter -said to you last night?” - -“About my ‘’am sandwich’? Wasn’t I good not even to smile?” - -“You were indeed, and so were the rest of us, I think, though Lil -gave me one look that almost upset me. She kept as sober as an owl, -of course. I didn’t want to make fun of any one, but I never heard -the h’s dropped, outside of a book or a movie.” - -“Did you ever _hear_ it in either?” - -“Well, you know what I mean!” - -“Gently, girls, the driver might hear you,” warned Miss Patty, who -made the fourth passenger in this vehicle. - -The first place at which the driver stopped was in front of Notre -Dame Cathedral. The girls ran up the broad stone steps which led to -the entrance. Silently they entered, viewed the brilliant interior, -the altars and shrines with their candles, walked quietly down the -aisle to the right past a kneeling worshipper who was telling her -beads before a shrine, and into a part of the building to the rear -of the altar. - -“I can translate that,” whispered Marjorie to Cathalina as they -looked at the inscriptions upon the wall. “‘Silence in the holy -place’.” (Silence dans le lieu saint.) - -“Notice the Latin inscriptions, too,—‘Oculos ad nos converte’—” - -Hilary lingered a little to drop a coin into a box and came out with -her eyes full of tears. “I’ve been brought up in another kind of -service,” she explained to June, “but this touches me some way.” - -“It’s the Lord’s house,” replied June solemnly. - -“And some people’s faith and hope.” - -“Des Jardins,” read Cathalina on the windows of a store where the -victorias were stopping. “I did not catch what the man said and I -was in the last victoria,” she explained later to one of the party, -“so imagine my surprise, after having translated it ‘gardens’ and -expecting to find flowers, to see this wonderful fur store.” - -A great display of furs it was. The girls all longed to buy some at -the summer prices, but had not planned for any large expenditures on -this trip. - -“Mother usually buys her furs up north,” said Betty, “since Auntie -lives there, you know.” - -“Look at the darling white moccasins!” Hilary and June immediately -decided to purchase a pair for Mary, and several of the party bought -the bead-trimmed, leather moccasins before they left Montreal. - -The ascent of Mt. Royal was made by easy stages, around a beautiful, -winding drive, past rocks and grassy slopes, interesting varieties -of trees and bushes, skirting a bridle path part of the way, till -finally the “look out”, “La Terrasse d’Observatoire au Mont-Royal” -was reached and a fine view of the city and river obtained. - -“Just see me come up here some summer,” said Cathalina, as she -leaned upon the parapet next to Betty, “and read French while I live -in some French family and talk it all the time.” - -When evening came, it was decided that in view of the long trip the -next day no outside entertainment should be sought. - -“Let’s make it unanimous for bed,” suggested Hilary, who intended in -any event to see that June was early in the land of dreams. - -“I vote with Hilary,” said Jean. “My brain can’t hold so much at one -time. I can’t remember all I’ve seen today!” - -Helen, Evelyn and the three younger girls were with Miss West in a -suite of two rooms and bath. Hilary with June and Lilian, and Betty -with Cathalina were in adjoining rooms not far away. Like the girls, -Patricia dropped to sleep early, thinking about how perfectly -everything was going about the trip, and how lovely and sensible her -girls were. “And Cathalina has had so much experience in traveling.” -But if she had known what was happening that night scarcely the -proverbial forty winks would have been hers. - -Waking early, and dozing uneasily for a while for fear that she -would oversleep, Miss West rose and dressed, wakened the girls that -were with her, saw that they were really roused and getting ready, -and went to call the rest. In the room occupied by Cathalina and -Betty she heard voices as she tapped on the door. “Up already, are -you?” she said, as Betty, fully dressed, threw open the door and -several somewhat excited voices began, “O, Miss West,—” - -“Where did you find the pocketbook?” Hilary was asking Cathalina. - -“Right there, on the floor.” - -“And was nothing but the money gone?” - -“That was all.” Cathalina was quite cool. - -“What is this?” asked Patricia. - -“Why, Miss Patricia, I seem to have been robbed last night,—but -don’t worry. I don’t mind, really, though I wish I’d spent it -yesterday!” - -Miss West sat down on the bed. “Do you mean to tell me that your -room was broken into last night? Tell me all about it. Did you wake -up and see the robber?” - -“Mercy, I hadn’t thought that we might! Wouldn’t it have been -terrible? There isn’t much to tell. You see we didn’t lock the -door—” - -“I thought you girls always did that.—O, if I had only come and -tucked you all in!” - -“It wasn’t your fault at all, and really we meant to lock the door -as usual. Indeed we do lock it, Miss West. You see, we were waiting -for ice water and got too sleepy to have any sense, I guess. We rang -and the boy didn’t come, and then we waited a while and were just -nearly falling over with sleep,—” - -“After being out in the air all day,” inserted Betty. - -“But your door should have been locked until he came.” - -“Yes; we didn’t know it wasn’t. I put a tip on the table to have it -ready, and I finally crawled into bed with my Kimono on, after -ringing again,—and I woke up with it on this morning! The door was -wide open, my purse on the floor and the money gone. Please don’t -scold, Miss West; truly we won’t be so careless again.” - -“My dear, I never felt less like scolding, and am only too thankful -that nothing happened to you and that you were not awakened or -frightened. But it is odd, Cathalina, for I thought of going in -again to see if you were all right, then I thought ‘Cathalina has -traveled so much that she will let me know if they need anything’ -and went off to sleep more peacefully than usual! Do you remember -how much was in the purse?” - -“About twenty dollars, I think. I have some besides, that wasn’t in -the pocketbook, and my check-book.” - -“I was going to say that I can attend to all your expenses, of -course.” - -“Shall I write Mother about it?” - -“I wouldn’t send a telegram,” Betty suggested with a laugh. - -“When you get safely into camp she will not worry. You can write the -details then. It is safely over now and will teach us all a lesson -in making sure that it is not too easy for some thief to get our -money.” - -“It must be great to have your own check-book and money in the -bank,” whispered June to Hilary. “Is Cathalina awful rich?” - -“‘Very,’ not ‘awful,’” corrected June’s elder sister. “Yes, you know -how much I have told you about their lovely home and servants and -everything. Cathalina has about everything she wants.” - -“I will speak to the hotel people about it, but I fancy that we -shall never see the money,” Miss West was saying to Cathalina. -“Perhaps we can find out whether the bellboy ever came or not.” - -There was little time for any detective work. Breakfast must be -eaten, bags packed, and an early departure made to the train. -Cathalina dismissed the matter, and by the time the party was on the -train bound for Portland everybody else seemed to have forgotten it. -Patricia had an occasional shiver whenever she thought of her -sleeping girls with their door opened by some prowler, but the -necessary arrangements of the present often most fortunately crowd -out the too vivid memory of some unpleasant occurrence. - -“Here’s our last look at Montreal,” said Evelyn, as the train drew -away from the city. “There are two square towers of Notre Dame.” - -“Goodbye, Mt. Royal,” and June waved her hand blithely. Too many -good times were ahead of them all for regrets. - -“This is the Canadian Pacific bridge, I suppose,” said Rhoda, “that -we saw when we came down the river,—yes, there is the Indian village -that hasn’t any streets.” - -“I’ve seen my last French sign, I guess,” remarked Cathalina. “It -was at the crossing. ‘Traverse Du Chemin De Fer’ was one cross-piece -and ‘Railroad Crossing’ on the other.” - -They were comfortably settled for the all day trip to Portland in a -chair car and looked very serious when an official appeared to ask -them if they had bought anything in Canada. They began to open their -suit-cases or bags and told of their moccasins at once, but in their -sincere faces the most suspicious of custom officers could find no -guile. - -“It’s the Green Mountains that we see first, girls, then the White -Mountains. The conductor said so.” Jean was looking at the map in -her folder. “And we’re not in the United States right away after -crossing the St. Lawrence.” - -As Hawthorne’s Tales of the White Hills are usually read in that -department of school work known as “English”, these girls were quite -interested in finding, among post cards bought on the train, a -photograph of the “Great Stone Face”. “I hadn’t thought of it -myself,” said Patty, “that these are Hawthorne’s White Hills at -last.” - -“This scenery is the most lovely of all we have seen,” said Lilian. - -They had been watching the clouds floating about the hill-tops, -little cascades leaping down the rugged heights, pretty glens, -little streams, lakes and rocky cliffs. Yet beautiful as the scenery -was, no one could keep in a state of rapture all the time. At -intervals Cathalina read her French papers. Other papers and -magazines were passed around, or the girls chatted happily about -many things. It was a day to be remembered, and interesting to have -celebrated “Dominion Day” in Canada, this “glorious Fourth”, or most -of it, in New England. - -“What do you think about it, girls?” asked Miss West of a few near -her, as they were nearing Portland. “Was it worth the trouble to -take the trip?” - -“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything,” cried Marjorie, and seemed -to express the general sentiment. - -A sight-seeing trip in Portland the next day showed them its -buildings and parks, and Casco Bay with its schooners, sail-boats -and freighters of all sorts. On Congress Street they saw the home of -Longfellow, “next to Keith’s!” This struck the girls as particularly -funny. “‘From the sublime to the ridiculous’ both literally and -figuratively,” said Hilary. - -The journey to Bath seemed incredibly short in comparison with the -long trips which they had been having. It was the Maine country, -with its buttercups, daisies, wild roses, evergreens, and the aged -rocks peeping out here and there,—and now they had arrived at Bath, -with nothing but a boat ride between them and camp! - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - CAMP AT LAST - - -“Our luck has turned, girls; it poured at Portland and is drizzling -here!” - -“But we’ve had lovely days for all the important sight-seeing. Do -you remember how perfectly bright and wonderful it was that day on -the St. Lawrence? The water sparkled and foamed, and the sky was so -blue,—” - -“Listen to Lilian, our optimist,” spoke Hilary. “She’s our mascot -for good weather. By the way, Miss West, I have to get some sneakers -and a bathing cap in Bath.” - -“So do I,” said Evelyn and Betty together, whereat they turned, made -mysterious signs and repeated “thumbs” together. - -“How many million years have girls done that?” asked Patricia. “We -shall have quite a little shopping to do at Bath, but all the stores -are near together. I need ink, some tablets and magazines. Whoever -comes down the river for us will probably have a lot of errands to -do, as usual. We’ll do ours and then go down to the dock and wait. -It will not be later than four o’clock, I think, when we start up -the river.” - -It was the little Papoose from the boys’ camp that came for them. On -account of the drizzle, the canopy was up, an affair not unlike the -top of a prairie schooner, but, alas, not as high. Some of the -occupants had to assume a bending posture. Helen declared that she -had a “puhmahnent cuhve” in her back, and for weeks Hilary referred -to the submarine stunt of their first arrival. But it was fun to -peep out at the water, the rocks, and the green trees that lined the -banks, and the Papoose safely chugged her way to Merrymeeting. - -“Here we are; hooray for Merrymeeting!” cried Jean, as she stepped -upon Merrymeeting’s floating dock and ran lightly up to the more -solid portion above the washing of tides; for the Kennebec is -affected by the sea tides, and as far up as Merrymeeting Bay there -is a difference of from six to eight feet in the depth of the water, -according to the tide. - -Up the little rise they filed to the level ground which stretches -broadly at the river front and holds the big dining hall and the -boat house; then again they proceeded up the gradual ascent to the -Club House, which is the center of Merrymeeting life. There the -girls were welcomed and assigned to the different “Klondikes” or -cottages. The other campers and councillors had only arrived at -noon, hence a scene of great activity. Basins and pitchers were -being given out. Cots and mattresses were being placed or changed in -tents and klondikes. Trunks were being delivered and directions of -all sorts given. In spite of the damp grass and misty atmosphere, -everybody seemed happy, the old campers glad to get back. - -“You don’t know how lovely it is here,” said one and another to the -new comers. “Wait till the sun comes out!” - -Already Marjorie, Jean and Rhoda had joined girls whom they knew in -school in Cincinnati. Hilary knew a few more of them, though she had -not lived there very long. The Greycliff girls had asked to be -together, but Patricia explained that assignments were usually made -on account of age. “We have Seniors, Intermediates and Juniors. And -then you don’t want to be in a separate group, do you? There are -girls from several different private schools and high schools in -different cities, East and West. You will lose sight of other -organizations and just be Merrymeeting campers together.” - -“That is much better,” acknowledged Hilary at once. “I did not think -of it. Of course we don’t want to be a little club by ourselves!” - -“However,” continued Patricia, “for another reason I want to put you -four Greycliff room-mates together. Helen and Evelyn are to be -together in a different klondike. June will have to go to -‘Laugh-a-Lot,’ and I shall be there, for a while at least.” - -“O, good!” exclaimed June, who had felt a slight qualm at the idea -of being separated from Hilary. - -“Here, Frances Anderson,” called Patricia to a tall, fine-looking -girl who was passing. “Aren’t you at Squirrels’ Inn? I thought so. -Please show these girls where it is—Hilary Lancaster, Cathalina Van -Buskirk, Lilian North and Betty Barnes,—” with which brief -introduction Miss West was off to see about some affairs of her own, -June’s hand tucked under her arm. - -“Squirrels’ Inn!” exclaimed Lilian. “Our future residence?” - -Frances was friendly and enjoyed initiating the girls into the way -of camp. They stood chatting a few minutes, then moved on over the -wrinkled gray rocks and grass around the Club House toward -Squirrels’ Inn. But a gay voice called them before they had gone -far. - -“Cathalina Van Buskirk! Hil and Lil! Betty! O, joy!” From the -“Wiggly” side of the double cottage called Piggly-Wiggly, who should -come running but Isabel! “Have you seen Eloise? She’s down at her -klondike getting settled.” - -“At Squirrels’ Inn?” - -“No; the one down by the pine grove. May I come over with you? I was -just over with Eloise and met Helen and Evelyn going to the same -cottage. There are a lot of girls down there. We’ve got a house full -too. Such doings! I’m crazy about this place already.” - -On to Squirrels’ Inn they went and met their young councillor, with -two more girls, Marion Thurman and Nora McNeil. A busy time -followed. This klondike at first arranged its cots on one side and -trunks on the other. Wiggly, where Isabel escorted the girls later, -had a cot and its trunk, then another cot with its accompanying -trunk, and so on, around the big room. “I like your cottage,” said -Isabel, “because it has that back porch hanging over the hillside, -so convenient for drying or sunning bathing suits or bathrobes.” - -“Trust Isabel for finding all about a place in a few hours,” -remarked Cathalina. “It would be a month before half that Isabel -sees in two minutes would make any impression on me.” - -“Why, I thought you had traveled a good deal, Cathalina; don’t you -notice things?” - -“Yes, what I’m interested in, but Isabel sees everything.” - -“O, Mother only put in two sheets!” This came from Betty, who was -diving into her trunk. “Yes, here are some more.” - -“My, Cathalina, your steamer rug looks nice over your cot!” - -“I’ve got a big grey army blanket.” - -“Just look at Betty’s Indian blanket! Who gave it to you, Betty?” - -“My Aunt; I got it this summer in Canada.” - -“I think we’d better spread our ponchos over our cots, don’t you? -It’s so damp tonight.” - -“I haven’t any.” - -“Very likely there are some at the office that you can buy. You’ll -probably want one.” - -“I have a good rain-coat.” - -“Just the thing; spread that over your blankets tonight.” - -“There’s the supper bell. We have dinner at noon, supper at six. -Come on, that’s the second bell.” - -The old farm bell hung high, as it had when Merrymeeting was a farm -and was swinging and ringing cheerfully, while one of the little -girls pulled the rope, by orders from headquarters. Down hill the -girls ran or walked to the big dining-room with its long tables. - -“We can look right out on the lake, can’t we?” said Betty. - -“River, you mean, don’t you?” - -“Yes, of course; but doesn’t it make you think of a lake someway? It -is so broad here.” - -“It makes me think more of the St. Lawrence,” said Cathalina, “with -the islands and the rocks and the pretty rippling water.” - -“Those little islands are the Burnt Jackets. Didn’t you notice that -your boat rocked a little coming through the Burnt Jackets? The -Indians named them.” - -At supper it was announced that the first Camp Fire would be at the -Club House shortly. The bell would ring. Duly the big family -assembled, stopping, many of them to look at the glorious rainbow -which was appearing in the East. “O, it’s double, girls!” said -Isabel. - -“Didn’t you ever see anything like that before?” asked one superior -damsel, going on inside. - -“Chile, dat means it’s goin’ to cleah up,” replied Evelyn in her -best dialect. - -Within it seemed like bedlam for a while till a whistle blew and one -of the older girls took charge as leader of songs and cheers, and -one of the councillors who sat on the floor among the girls tuned up -her “light guitar”. There was a piano, but it was not used at this -first Camp Fire. In the big fireplace the wood fire glowed and -cracked, drying a long line of shoes which stood before it, filling -the Assembly Hall with comfort and good cheer, and reminding some of -the campers from the hot cities that they were up in Maine. - -“A few things to be remembered, girls,” said the head councillor. -“The first bell in the morning will be for the dip, at seven -o’clock, but there will be none tomorrow morning, not until the next -Friday morning. At five minutes of eight the bell rings for setting -up exercises. Come promptly, down by the dining-room. Breakfast is -at eight. Right after breakfast you go back to your klondikes to get -them in order for inspection. You receive a certain number of points -for neat order and a banner goes every week to the most orderly -klondike. - -“The plans for the games and the teams will be announced. We are -going to have all kinds of good times. You all have a special place -to fit in and will be on a team. There will be a hare and hounds -chase soon, a Mystery Hunt that I can not tell you about or it would -not be a mystery, tournaments and a swimming meet and a picnic down -at the boys’ island. Until the canoe tests no one is allowed to go -out in a canoe. And only in groups of three or more may you go into -the pine grove. We never have had prowlers, but take no chances. No -girl ever goes off the grounds, and your councillor should always -know where you are.” - -“About the candy, please?” - -“When any candy is received in camp, the girl is called to the -office, opens the box herself, is given half a pound and the rest -goes into the general supply. Occasionally a dish of candy will be -on each table at the dining-room. And by the way, Lilian North has -the first box of candy. Go and get it for her, Frances. Come, -Lilian, it came before you arrived. You may open it and pass it -around now if you like.” - -It was quite evident that the box was a surprise to Lilian, but she -rose to the occasion, opened the big box on the table in the little -room at the end of the assembly hall, slipped the card it contained -into her sweater pocket, and amid applause and cries of “What’s the -matter with Lilian North?” or “Speech, speech!” passed the box -around, first throwing little handfuls of bonbons into the laps and -upstretched hands of the smaller children. - -“My, your father is good to you!” exclaimed June innocently, as -Lilian sat down by her chums again. Hilary looked mischievous and -Cathalina pretended to lean against Betty for support. Lilian’s -cheeks were rosy with blushes, but she carried it off well and kept -her hand on the card in her pocket till she should have a good -chance to look at it privately. - -“Everybody in on this yell!” announced the cheer leader: - - “One, two, three, four! - Three, two, one, four! - _Who_ for? - _What_ for? - What y’ going to yell for?— - Merrymeeting!” - - - - - CHAPTER V - - FROM LILIAN’S DIARY - - -July 6, Thursday. - -I see that this little book is going to be full before the summer is -over. It is just as well that Father gave me this pretty diary with -the key, for some of the things I shall write will be very private -and special. I do not believe, though, that I shall write out my -thoughts much. I did that once, and they seem so silly afterwards, -when you have gotten older. However, I’m nearly grown up now. - -Last night there was a gorgeous rainbow and this morning when we -started down to breakfast every little spider had its cobweb out, -(tune of “ev’ry little wave had its white cap on, white cap, night -cap, white cap on”), and that means a nice day. Sure enough, it -wasn’t long before the sun shone out and showed how perfectly lovely -it is up here. I’m wild about the scenery. One of the councillors -said that the bay looked like “liquid sapphire”, which was very good -indeed, for it reflected the blue of the sky. I’ll try “liquid -sapphire” in a “pome” sometime. Merrymeeting Bay is on our right, to -the west of our point, and is where five rivers meet. It certainly -does look funny to see the current, or apparently the current, going -the wrong way between our point and that of the mainland opposite on -into the bay. I thought at first this morning that the way I had -considered down stream must be up stream and that I had been turned -around as to directions. But I soon found that this was only the -tide coming in! We are six or seven miles from Bath and almost -fourteen from the sea, I believe. There is the dearest island just -inside the bay. Somebody lives there, for we see a house and boat. - -The girls call the gymnastic exercise that we have just before going -in to breakfast the “upsetting exercises”. It is fun, for the -athletic director gives us some exercises different from any I ever -had before. My voice lessons have made me able to do the deep -breathing performances easily. I didn’t take much gym last year in -school, had too much else to do, or thought I had. - -At breakfast there were some announcements, about how many points -one makes in the different things, for orderly klondike, for being -quiet in rest hour, and after the last bell rings at night. I -couldn’t begin to remember it all. But I can find out gradually, I -think. Then we get points for hikes and the games, and for bringing -in the wild flowers and identifying new birds. I’m going to see how -many I can make. Each year there is a silver cup given to the best -all around camper among the seniors, among the juniors and among the -intermediates, and on your head-band you can have the cutest things -for what you have done. Frances had so many on the one she got last -year. Everybody has M. C., for Merrymeeting Camp, and two cunnin’ -little pine trees on each side of those letters. Frances has a -tennis racquet, a volley ball, a baseball, a paddle, a shoe (for -hiking), and the dearest little musical notes. I think I can get the -notes, and I’m pretty good at tennis, though I’ve never played the -other games. Old Hilary will shine in basketball. How I’d love to -get the Merrymeeting ring or a pin, but not very many get those, I -guess. You can not buy them, just win them. - -At eleven o’clock we had our first swim, in the cove by the pine -grove. That makes a good rhyme and I’m going to put it in a song -perhaps. It is the most fascinating place! You feel like an Indian -stepping on those generations of pine needles and do not make a bit -of noise. There is a narrow winding path with sweet fern and other -ferns and green moss and all sorts of pretty things by it, just -before you get in under the thickest trees. Then you climb down over -roots and stones to the big rocks that line the cove. This is almost -a complete circle of rocks, well, there is quite a space where they -have a rope and pole beyond which the girls do not go. Cathalina -said we all looked like mermaids. She didn’t go in this morning as -she took a bit of cold on the boat. The swimming teacher was there -and in a boat near were two more of our gentlemen, ready to rescue -us, I suppose, if we did anything foolish. The girls who can not -swim paddled around where the water is shallow. It is only at high -tide that the cove is well filled, they say. We have a swimming -teacher, an athletic director, a doctor, a nurse, and more -interesting folks that I do not know yet. All the girls that I have -met are pleasant and friendly and are of all descriptions as to size -and looks. Some of them are tutoring a little with some of the -councillors. - -Now the most interesting thing of all. I had a box of candy from -Philip Van Buskirk. It seemed to be a four or five-pound box and was -full of the most delicious kinds that just melted in your mouth. -Philip certainly does know how to choose candy. It was sent from New -York and he must have mailed it as soon as he got home. Word was -sent me from the office by one of the little girls that a box was -there for me, but I thought that it was just the middies that were -to come from home, and in the midst of getting settled I forgot -about it till it was announced at the Camp Fire and the box brought -in. It flashed over me that perhaps Phil had sent it, because he had -been so perfectly lovely to me from the time we met at Rochester. We -talked music and other things almost steadily or we all sang -together and Phil has a perfectly adorable voice. And when he put -down my coat and things on the train as we started to Niagara he -bent down and said close to my ear, “You are going to hear from me -soon.” I looked up at him and laughed, and just then Cathalina spoke -to him. - -Philip has been brought up to do all the nice things that gentlemen -do when they can, but I don’t believe that he is a flirtatious boy -and I do believe that he really likes me and that we can be good -chums whenever we meet. I am crazy to hear him play. Imagine having -him play an accompaniment for me! - -But I’m not finishing about the box. I slipped the card quickly into -my pocket and looked at it afterward. “Philip Van Buskirk” looked so -distinguished, and so does he, for that matter. The girls were -lovely, did not ask me a word about it, although I know Hilary was -dying to be sure that it was from Philip. He is very kind indeed, -but there is no reason for being silly about it. He probably sends -candy to other girls. His manners are just perfect, and he seems so -grown up and serious, some way. I ought to write a little note of -thanks, I suppose, or would it do to tell Cathalina,—no, that -wouldn’t do. O, I didn’t bring a bit of real good stationery along! -I refused to write to any of the boys at home, said I wouldn’t have -time but would send cards to the entire crowd. They were all so good -to me the short time I was home. - -This afternoon the girls had a circus in the big barn and initiated -all of us new girls. It was a circus, indeed! Some of them were -painted up as clowns and looked perfectly killing. The old girls got -it up with the help of the athletic director. We girls sat on the -hay in the high mow and slid down or climbed down when wanted to -take the center of the “stage”, which was on the main floor, also -covered with hay. Some of the stunts were very funny. Hilary and I -had to sit down back to back, with our arms locked,—in each -other’s,—and then we were to rise. We couldn’t do it at all and got -to laughing so that we just fell over in the hay! Several other -pairs of the ones to be initiated tried it and we all declared that -it couldn’t be done. Then it was announced that two councillors -would try it and show us how it could be done. We thought that it -would be a joke on the two councillors that were asked, but didn’t -they do it, though not without some trying! There was great -applause. - -We had some visitors up from the boys’ camp and Brushwood Lodge, -where fathers and mothers can stay. Some of their councillors were -up, but we didn’t see anything of Campbell. If Hilary teases about -Philip, I must not forget Campbell’s interest in her! - -As Isabel says, “more anon”. I’m afraid that this will be a scrappy -diary. I’m sitting on my cot to write. Nobody is in the klondike -now, but Nora McNeil, whom some of the girls call “Pat” or “Irish”. -I think that sounds a little too much like boys. Not many of the -girls have nicknames, but those that have do not seem to mind it. - -It must be nearly time for the supper bell,—yes, there it is. - - * * * * * - -Isabel ran in at this moment and carried Lilian off with her. “I -brought over Cathalina’s sweater. She left it in Wiggly after the -circus. Say, Lilian, I’ve counted eighteen canoes beside the war -canoe. It holds seventeen by actual count of seats. Aren’t they the -prettiest things?—that deep blue and all painted up new!” - -“You are like Shakespeare, Isabel, closing up your speech with two -lines that rhyme.” - -“What?—O, ‘blue’ and ‘new’. Yes, I’m a great poet.” - -“Can you paddle, Isabel?” - -“Just a little, but I want to learn to do it well. I can swim if I -do tip over, but I want to be an expert, ha-ha!” and Isabel struck -an attitude of great dignity. - -“I think that most of the Greycliff girls can swim, but I want to -get the strokes that this teacher will give us. I do think it -important to be a good swimmer if you have the opportunity to learn. -Father will be so delighted if I do these things.” - -“We’ve been assigned to tables. Goodbye; I must hunt mine up.” - -Lilian found herself with a new councillor and a group of girls -entirely unknown to her, but it does not take long for campers with -common interests to become acquainted. - -“Who serves first?” asked one. - -“The girls next to me,” replied the councillor. “Two serve for three -meals, then two others the next day, and so on, moving around the -table.” Little girls, as little used to responsibility as Cathalina -had been, took hold as cheerfully as could be, and brought in plates -of bread and butter, pitchers of milk, dishes of steaming potatoes -or platters of well-browned fish. - -“Did you see the big fish?” asked one of the girls. - -“No; what fish?” - -“There was a four hundred-pound sturgeon caught up the river.” - -“Four hundred pounds! You are joking.” - -“No, indeed. We asked how they got it into the boat, and they said -it was just like a log, too heavy to fight. They cut it up and -shipped it to Bath in a barrel!” - -“What a fish story!” - -“No, honest, some people that live on the river caught it.” - -“Ting-a-ling,” the bell at the head councillor’s table. First a bird -hike was announced for an early hour the next morning, the bell to -ring at a quarter to six. Our Greycliff quartet especially gave -attention to this and nodded at each other as members of the -Greycliff bird club. - -The next announcement created universal joy and was to the effect -that the Aeolus and Truant would take out the campers for a ride on -the river and that the girls who had been at Merrymeeting before and -could paddle might take out the war canoe. There was great applause -and a hurrying on the part of the experienced paddlers to select -paddles and run or slide down to the dock. - -As Lilian and Hilary walked down, one little girl came up the hill -crying. “O,” said Lilian, “what is the matter?” - -No response. - -“Come on with me and have a good time,” said Lilian coaxingly. - -A councillor appeared hurrying up the slight ascent after the child. -“She is homesick,” she explained, “and when she thought she could -not sit by me she said she wouldn’t go.” Kindly the young councillor -led her along and finally got her on the boat. The girls saw her -later, contentedly watching the gulls which flew about the landing -as the boats started. - -Everybody had been longing to get out on the water on this ideal -day. Blue, rosy or golden, the sunset colors stained the waters with -like reflected hues. The start of the war canoe was funny indeed. No -one was in practice and as Isabel said, the paddles were going in -ragtime in spite of the regularly called time. But by the time they -were fairly out in the river the paddles swept in unison. Girls sat -both within and on top of the Aeolus, and out on the front and rear -of the Truant. A pretty sight it was as they floated out into the -sunset, and there we may leave them, knowing that we shall find them -in their klondikes in the morning. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - A COSTUME PARTY AND A TRIP TO BATH - - -Squirrels’ Inn contained a congenial group. There were the four -Greycliff girls, Cathalina, Hilary, Lilian and Betty, with whose -characters and talents we are fairly familiar by this time. Frances -Anderson was one of the strongest girls in camp, a good, all-round, -dependable girl, having ideas of her own, but what the girls called -a “good sport”. - -Nora McNeil was as tall as Frances and had soft, fluffy black hair, -big blue eyes, and the complexion that goes with this Irish -combination. She was slight and active, as happy as the rest to be -in camp, for this was her first year, too, and she was experiencing -all the thrills of a first time. - -Marion Thurman was an Eastern girl, using the soft a’s, the r’s -omitted or softened in certain places and put in in others, -characteristic of New England speech. Her long hair was in shining -black braids that usually hung Indian fashion over her shoulders. -Large, expressive hazel eyes, a straight nose that was Isabel’s -admiration, and a sweet mouth, gave expression to a very bright, -attractive face. - -All the girls were sensible, having no trouble over the daily -program of keeping the klondike in order, going for the water, and -performing the other small duties of common interest. Nobody was too -lazy or selfish to take her turn, or refused to do it at the proper -time. The Greycliff girls declared that Frances, Nora and Marion -must all come to Greycliff for the next school year. Isabel and -Virginia Hope came over once in a while to sputter about two or -three girls in Piggly-Wiggly and on this particular morning were -sitting on the top of two wardrobe trunks in Squirrels’ Inn. - -“Bess Snider is a perfect baby!” Isabel was saying as she swung her -heels. “At first she was homesick. I did not blame her for that, -still when there are girls that would almost give their heads to -come up here it does seem so silly.” - -“You can’t help homesickness, they say, Isabel.” - -“I bet I could,—just think about something else.” - -“That is what I did,” assented Cathalina. - -“The next thing, Bess wanted to get out of dip and games and things -and got up headaches and pains of all sorts?” - -“Are you sure she was pretending?” - -“No, and I’m not telling it around, but it was awfully funny how she -could always do the things she wanted to do! But she could never -take her turn about sweeping, and we were always hanging up her -bathing suit to dry for her. If she could get anybody to do anything -for her she would. If anybody even started to the club house it was -‘O won’t you please take this, that or the other thing for me.’ I’ve -carried up her laundry and brought her a drink of water and brought -stamps for her and mailed her letters till I’m tired of it. She is -getting over some things, but when she takes off her clothes at -night she drops them right on the floor, even her good things, and -she makes us have a bad inspection every time the camp mother comes -around, unless we watch her up.” - -“She is just spoiled,” laughed Cathalina, with memories of a time -not so far back when she had hated to do anything for herself. - -“There are several girls here who have maids at home,” said Isabel, -“and they don’t do that way; they think it’s fun.” - -“I’d like to be spoiled once,” said Virginia, glowing beneath her -second layer of freckles. She dropped from the trunk, sank upon the -nearest cot, limply fell over on the pillow, and with a drawl, -remarked, “Izzy, would you mind bringing me my comb? I left it on -your trunk. And Cathie, do bring the water for me, that’s a dear. My -head aches so this morning. I think it’s a mistake about its being -my turn, anyway. My, I’m hot after games!” and Virginia fanned -herself with the end of her middy tie. - -“Pretty good imitation, Virgie,” said Isabel. “She probably wouldn’t -have played the games, though, would have had a bad ankle or arm, or -a pain somewhere.” - -“I couldn’t play yesterday,” said Betty. “I had taken cold in my -shoulder or something. Do you suppose any one thought I was lazy?” - -“If they did, they’ll find out differently before the summer’s -over,” replied Virgie. - -Poor little Virginia had never been “spoiled” enough, or had enough -real love in her life those last hard years on the ranch. But she -had come out of it with a tough, firm little body, and a gallant -little soul with which to meet adventures, good or ill. - -“I am surprised at you, Margaret Virginia Hope,” said Lilian, “that -you are so hard-hearted toward Bess and condone Betty’s sins!” - -“Please cut out the Margaret, Lilian. Don’t you remember how I told -you that I had absolutely changed my personality? Margaret and -Maggie died on the ranch.” - -The girls recalled Virginia’s unhappy little story, confided to -them, of the handsome-looking but rough-speaking and high-tempered -stepmother whom her father had brought to the ranch, and how at last -when her father found out the state of affairs he had sent her away -to school and promised that she should not return for a time, if he -could manage it. Virginia had been afraid that she would have to go -back this summer and help, but her father’s finances improved till -he found that he could afford to send her with the girls to camp. - -“What are you going to wear, girls, at the costume party tonight?” - -“I’m one of the men,” said Frances. “They always have me for one -because I’m tall and have short hair. I’m going to have Cathalina’s -scarlet sport coat and other appropriate togs, a burnt cork -mustache, and a cane. We must pick our corsage bouquets this -afternoon.” - -“O, yes; you have to get one.” - -“Yes, the gentlemen all send corsage bouquets to their ladies fair, -call for them, take them to the party and take them home again. My -young lady is ’way over at Pine Lodge, so I’ll call for her with my -coach and four.” - -“Four feet, I suppose, yours and hers,” interpolated Virgie. - -“Or I shall dazzle her with the headlight of my new Rolls Royce and -startle all the mosquitos and caterpillars abroad.” - -“I remember, you just bought a big flashlight.” - -“And gently convey her delicate form,—” - -“May Furniss is one of the fattest girls in camp!” - -“Why spoil my lovely tale, Isabel? Yes, May’s pretty plump and lots -of fun, and as I’m almost the tallest and skinniest, we’ll be quite -a pair. We couldn’t invite any girl in our own klondike, so I -selected May.” - -“I’m to be a man, too,” said Betty. “I’ve gathered a lot of the -pretty red wood lilies already for the bouquet.” - -“Land, Betty, don’t you remember who you’re taking?—It’s me!” -exclaimed Virginia, somewhat ungrammatically, to be sure, but -forcefully, “and wouldn’t red lilies match my hair, though!” - -“Sure enough,” said Betty, frowning, “but your hair isn’t—” - -“Yes it is—sandy, anyhow. And I’m really much obliged to you, Betty, -for forgetting it. I wish I could.” - -“Never mind, Virgie, I’ve a lot of white elder and some pretty green -and I’ll pick some buttercups and Canada lilies—you’ll be a -‘symphony’ in white and gold. Don’t worry. Your beau’ll send you the -prettiest bouquet of the lot,” said Betty, laughing, and put her arm -around the shoulder of the little “forlorn hope” who had been so -sensitive, so hungry for love and praise, and who had worshipped at -the shrine of these older girls as much as ever Isabel, or Avalon -Moore, had done. Even Marion Thurman, who in speech and manner was -as nearly the opposite of the talkative little Westerner as could -be, had taken a great fancy to both Isabel and Virginia and enjoyed -their quite frequent visits. - -“Listen, Marion; say your name for me, please.” - -Marion complied. - -“There! What did I tell you, Isabel. She can say r, just doesn’t in -certain places. She gets it in Marion, but leaves it out in -‘Thuhman’. See?” - -“All right Virgie, you win. Say f-l-o-o-r, Marion.” - -Goodnaturedly Marion repeated the word, for these youngsters amused -her, and secure of her Bostonian background, she it was who thought -their speech peculiar. - -“‘Flo-uh’,” repeated Isabel. “Evelyn calls it ‘flo’. Isn’t it the -most interesting thing?” - -“Turn about is fair play,” said Marion. “How do you pronounce -w-a-t-e-r?” - -“Wawter,” replied Isabel promptly. - -“Correct, go to the head. Some of the Western girls say ‘wahteh’, so -flat.” - -“Not many of us,” said Virgie; “besides, we say wawter, not -‘wawteh’.” - -“I don’t see the difference,” said Marion. - -The after-dinner rest hour found some of the girls reading, some -napping, and others getting costumes ready for the evening. A few -declared that it was too much trouble to get up anything special. -“I’m just going to wear my linen camp suit,” said one of the girls -in Isabel’s klondike. - -“We were told not to wear real party dresses, only simple summer -dresses.” - -“O, I borrowed Marjorie’s pink georgette with lovely little flowers -on it! Marjorie wanted me to.” - -“You may as well take it back, then, and put on one of your own -frocks; don’t you remember the head councillor said ‘no borrowing’ -of good things?” - -Helen Paget was going as Burnt Jacket, the Indian whose wet jacket, -hung too near his camp fire on the island, had given it its name. -Hilary was to be his Indian maid. Isabel was to be a pirate, and -borrowed “Mother Nature’s” rubber boots, to be decorated with red -paper. - -“I don’t know whether Captain Kidd wore boots, or not, but I should -think he would,” said she. - -A dangerous looking cutlass was made from a long curved stick, a -pasteboard handle attached. A cardboard knife was covered with tin -foil, which did not prove very durable when the knife was brandished -in Isabel’s most ferocious style. - -The character taken was often chosen because of the possibilities -for the costume which each girl saw in her wardrobe. Evelyn said -that she would name her character after she got dressed. Perhaps the -chief fun of the party consisted in getting ready, and the wonder -was where the girls had managed to get so many ideas and such a -variety of costumes, simple but effective. But the party itself was -a great success. The girls acted out their parts with spirit, copied -the manly walk of their brothers and friends, used exaggerated -courtesy and devotion toward their companions. - -One of June’s little friends in Laugh-a-Lot looked especially dainty -in her light summer frock and carried a corsage bouquet of wild -roses and daisies. Her escort was a red-cheeked Spanish gentleman -with a fierce mustache and a mild expression. The gym teacher -marshalled the couples in a grand promenade in the assembly room. By -pairs and fours, platoons or circles, they marched or wound in and -out. After this, they still promenaded and several engagements took -place quite publicly, declarations, acceptance and the placing of -the ring followed each other in rapid succession. Isabel swaggered -in a trifle late with a stunning pirate bride, veil and all, and a -“take her from me if you dare” expression. - -“If the company will get quiet,” announced the cheer leader, blowing -a whistle, “while Madame Patti (Lilian) sings ‘O Dry Those Tears’, -the distinguished Captain Kidd will be united to Miss Lucretia -Borgia Vamp.” - -With much harmless nonsense and laughter the costume party went on, -but closed quite early, for there was to be a trip to Bath the next -day. As girls whose day has been quite taken up with many -interesting activities are not loth to be “early to bed”, the -flashlights danced happily toward the different tents and cabins. - -Everybody could go to Bath upon this first occasion. The regular -morning program, with the games, was carried out, and the girls were -to come to the noon meal ready to go to the boats. Many of them had -been planning little shopping lists. - -“What have you to get, Flo?” asked Miss West of one of the “old -girls”, as she served those at her table to the hot dinner. - -“I have to get a chocolate sundae and bring home a chicken -sandwich,” promptly and soberly returned that young lady, not at all -understanding why Patricia should laugh at the expression “have to -get”. - -“Haven’t you any real necessities?” - -“O, yes; I have to buy a present for my father.” - -“O, dear,” said Betty, who happened to be at Miss West’s table this -week, “they said we could only buy a little half-pound box of -candy.” - -“I’ve made a bet with my councillor that I’ll not touch a piece of -candy for a week. If I lose I have to give her a box of candy and if -I win I don’t get anything.” - -“A clear conscience, Flo,” suggested Betty. - -“That’s funny,” said another of the girls, “why wouldn’t you get -anything?” - -“You see, I was the one that did all the betting. She wouldn’t.” - -“Wait till I get home,—I’m going to have a regular candy eat!” This -was a pretty little girl from Laugh-a-lot, and so fat that she was -almost square. “But Mother said that was one reason she was sending -me to camp, so I wouldn’t want sodas and candy every other minute.” - -“What are you going to buy, Marjorie?—if it’s not too inquisitive to -ask, I need to have suggestions on things I may need.” Betty pulled -out her list. - -“A pair of hiking shoes, another pair of sneakers, besides, of -course, some candy and a sundae. Which is the best place for -sundaes?” - -“Will the girls,” came the announcement from the head table, “whose -parents want them to have shoes in Bath, please rise? I have the -list, but want to be sure that there is no mistake. What are you -standing for, Mary?” - -“I need rubbers.” - -“And you, Bertha?” - -“I need rubbers, too.” - -“Very well. But girls that need rubbers will not go with this group. -These girls will start first with Miss West, who will buy their -shoes. They will go in the Truant and leave at once with a few -others that I will send.” - -“Going to Bath” at camp is like going “down town” or “upstreet” at -home. It is surprising how many little errands one thinks of when -separated from the shops. The weather, too, makes more difference -when at camp and dependent upon boats. But how great the advantages! -How the girls all loved the camp life, enjoying all the more the -occasional trips to the towns about. Today there was perfect -weather, the river never more blue from an almost cloudless sky. An -eagle swept across above the boat. A kingfisher dived into the water -near the shore. Yellow-billed gulls floated up and down with the -movement of the waves. A little sandpiper hurried his flight from -the rocks not far away to a grassy cove. The girls sang happily the -Merrymeeting songs till all the shore dwellers must have known who -was passing. As they passed Boothbay Camp, a few of the boys who -happened to be about waved and gave the Boothbay and Merrymaking -yells. - -Arrived at Bath, each feminine party, with some councillor, applied -itself to the delights of shopping, whether necessary or not. -Patricia’s party bought the desired hiking shoes or other covering -for active feet. - -Just before time to go to the boat, a certain time having been -agreed upon, one of the drug stores was almost full of girls, and, -indeed, councillors, having a sundae or soda before departing. -Suddenly two of the little Juniors came rushing in and up to Miss -West. - -“O, Miss West, we’ve spent all our money and have just found the -darlingest gold lockets, only five dollars and a half, and we want -to send one to our mothers. Please, Miss West! O, my daddy’ll settle -for it right away. Yes, he will. Yes, my mother will want it and I -don’t want it for myself at all. Please!” - -The tears were very near, as the children worked themselves up to -the point that they must have the lockets and that it was mean that -Miss West would not lend them the camp money or her own. But -Patricia was firm, though kind, and succeeded in turning their -attention to something else. Cathalina, who sat at a little table -near whispered to Miss West that she would lend them the money. “O, -not for the world,” she replied. “Their parents have left money for -them at the office and they can spend only so much. Of course they -have no idea of the value of money, and we must manage for them.” - -But it was a very well satisfied group of children that started for -Merrymeeting about four o’clock that afternoon, with their little -boxes of candy and other trifles, as well as the more important -things for which they had come. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - MORNING IN MAINE - - -One would not think that forty or fifty girls could go on a hike -without making such a noise that any well regulated bird would -immediately take to the deepest wood. Under the direction, however, -of the little lady whom the girls affectionately called “Mother -Nature”, “Birdie”, or “Puss in Boots” when she donned rubber boots, -the first bird hike was quite successful. The girls slipped quietly -down the grassy road, or stood on the rocks together, and the little -Maine warblers who were out getting their breakfast never paid a bit -of attention. The big pine tree by the side of the road was full of -pine siskins, and every so often a Maryland yellow-throat would pop -up from some bush, exhibit his bright yellow breast and black mask, -and drop back again. - -The Greycliff girls, of course, had brought their field glasses, in -the hope of discovering new birds in a different state. “Not a bit -of wind this morning, and warm,” said Hilary, “so of course the -birds are out.” - -“I don’t call this warm, this cool morning air,” returned Lilian. - -“I mean the bright sunshine and everything. O, look!” - -A plump little indigo bunting, shining a bright green-blue in the -sun, flew across the lane and dropped to the ground not far in front -of them. - -“Hark!” whispered Lilian. A Maryland yellow-throat was singing now, -“We _greet_ you, we _greet_ you, we _greet_ you!” as Lilian -interpreted it. - -“He does say that,” confirmed Hilary. “It’s funny, isn’t it? They -say he says ‘wichity’, but I almost always hear him accent the song -differently. The other day I heard one say, ‘We beat you, we beat -you, Phoebe!’” - -“Let’s go over on the rocks near those birches. I hear a lot of wood -warblers singing over there.” - -Silently the girls climbed across rocks and bushes. It was indeed -warbler land. Hilary, who lived where the warblers often pass -through quickly in the spring migration, on account of hot days, was -especially interested. “There are a lot of redstarts,” said she. “I -think that the ones we see near our cabin, and the yellow warbler -there, too, are nesting in those bushes by us.” - -“I wish I could see the chap that’s singing that song,” said Betty, -“Listen.” - -“Zee, zoo, zee-zee, zoo,” hummed Lilian. “The ‘zee-zee’ is musical, -a sort of whistle, but the other notes sound like an insect, or some -low tones on a ‘cello’.” - -“Say, Lilian, aren’t you a scientist!” said Isabel, hitching along -on the same rock. - -“I am. I’m getting bird songs. That ‘right here’ of the chewink is -new to me. See him?” - -“Sh-sh!” The girls stopped their low conversation as the long, sweet -notes of a white-throated sparrow began. Two or three others took up -the fairy music, while the girls sat quiet to hear it. - -“The dears!” exclaimed Cathalina, as the song ended. - -“Of course those crows would have to caw,” said Isabel. “I call them -the dogs of the bird world, always barking like watch dogs to tell -that we are here. Once I went into a dandy woods and the crows made -such a fuss that I didn’t see a bird.” - -“Did you ever see anything prettier than these blueberries?” asked -Hilary. “They look like flowers growing over there on the big rocks -and between. I shall always think of grey rocks, moss, lichens and -blueberries. They match the sky and bay, don’t they? The color of -the little green plant is pretty, too. I shall never get them mixed -with huckleberries again. These taller plants are a sort of -blueberry, too, somebody said. They are dark, almost black, when -they are ripe.” - -“I think I’ve eaten a quart already. I don’t know whether to eat -blueberries or look at birds,” and Isabel put a fresh handful into -her mouth. “There is a dark berry called dog-berry, so be sure you -know the difference in the dark berries before you eat ’em when -they’re ripe. I’m not one of those that taste everything and get -poisoned. Dogberries are poisonous. But these heavenly berries!” - -“Look, girls!” called Mother Nature, breaking the laws of silence -for once, that all might see the immense eagle which was flying -over. “See his white head and tail.” - -The party moved on, for the hike was to cover the distance to “First -Trott’s” and back. In Merrymeeting parlance, “First Trott’s” marked -a distance of a mile and a half to where lived a family by the name -Trott, while “Second Trott’s” was located a mile further out. - -Birches, arborvitæ trees, tall or tiny, balsams, white pines, oaks, -and other trees characteristic of the Maine woods lined the way. -Back in the shade of the pine trees grew that strange ghost flower, -the Indian pipe. Isabel counted the slender trunks in one clump of -young birches and found fifteen. - -“I’m going to bring my camera here and take a picture of some of you -girls sitting on that wonderful big rock that slopes back above this -exquisite fern bed. These are so delicate.” - -“New growth, I guess,” said Hilary. “But look at those across the -road now. They are more than half as tall as Isabel.” - -“Take a leaf of this sweet fern between your fingers and squeeze it. -It is just as spicy as can be. But we’d better hurry up a little,” -continued Betty. “The rest of them are ahead of us.” - -“Well, what is here!” exclaimed Isabel just then, stopping where on -each side of the road there was a row of immense, brown ant-hills, -built up high from the level ground. “They must be years old. See -how the grass is growing out from the top of that one, and look at -the big holes toward the bottom! I suppose those are the tunnels -going back from the openings.” - -With interest the girls watched the busy inhabitants of this curious -apartment house. “Looks like sawdust on top,” said one. - -Along the more shady portions of the pretty, winding road few birds -were seen. All seemed to be out where sunshine lit up their dining -rooms. Occasionally a squirrel or chipmunk scolded them roundly, as -the girls passed too near their place of abode. As they returned to -camp, Hilary and Lilian lingered in the rear. “It was right here in -these bushes,” Hilary was saying. “I did not get a good look at it -all over, but I hope and think that it is a black-billed cuckoo, for -I so seldom see one, that is, to be sure of it. Let’s creep up real -softly and maybe we’ll see it. I think it stays around here.” - -The cuckoo proved to be a very accommodating bird, for when they -reached the neighborhood of the bushes, out it flew from one near -them, retreating to one which was farther off, but had so much less -foliage that the heavy bird was easily seen. - -“It is!” whispered Hilary. “It lifted its head and I saw every bit -of its bill. And when it flew there was no sign of black in its -tail.” - -“That will be another point for you, Hilary.” - -“But you identified it, too.” - -“Yes, but you saw it yesterday and thought it was the blackbilled.” - -“All right. Maybe some other girl has seen it, though, and reported -on it first.” - -“I don’t believe so. I got the black and white creeping warbler -first while we were all at the rocks, you know, and I saw the least -flycatcher first too,—two points for me on birds so far.” - -“Somebody reported the tree swallow this morning before I had a -chance to, but I found its nest in the knot of that apple tree near -the club house. Come on and I’ll show you. Isn’t it pathetic that -those poor kingbirds have to watch their nest so, or think they have -to?” - -“Where?” - -“Didn’t you notice the kingbird’s nest on the very end of the tree -next to the klondike opposite us? There is a white string hanging -down from it. You’ll only have to look that way to see it. I suppose -they never dreamed that all this crowd of girls would come, when -they built the nest.” - -“Most of the birds are so hard to see. The foliage is so thick, and -then they are nesting, too, and that makes them shy.” - -“Been on the hike?” asked Nora, as the girls reached the cabin. “I -couldn’t wake up enough. It’s inhuman to expect anybody to get up -before six o’clock.” - -“It was fine. Better go the next time, Pat,” said Frances. - -Later Lilian found that her little “zee, zoo” bird was a -black-throated green warbler, and saw some baby ones in the bushes -near the pine grove. Hilary soon had quite a list of warblers that -nested about Merrymeeting. The gulls, chiefly the Herring Gull, came -in numbers every day to be fed. A Laughing Gull was seen near Bath, -and a Ring-Billed Gull near the boys’ island. On the Wiscasset trip -much later, a fish hawk’s nest was seen on one of the piles common -in the river. To the great amusement of the party one little city -girl asked “How do the fishes get up there?” - -After the birds had been duly studied, and the bright colored -pictures put up in the club house as each bird was reported, the -attention of the girls was turned to the wild flowers, of which -there were so many. At first five flowers brought to the nature -teacher gave one point. Finally, when the common flowers had all -been reported, one of the rarer flowers made a point for its -discoverer. Some funny mistakes were made, and no wonder, for why is -not “pussy-foot” clover just as good a name as rabbit’s-foot clover, -or “scrambled eggs” as good as butter and eggs? And what is the -difference between “church steeple” and steeple bush? - -It was Cathalina who showed the members of the Greycliff nature club -the wintergreen with its waxen berries and the trailing arbutus -plants along the lane. - -“Are you sure it’s wintergreen?” inquired the cautious Isabel before -tasting the young leaves, as Cathalina invited her to do. - -“Yes, it tastes just like wintergreen candy, or tooth paste!” - -During the season, odd and beautiful bouquets adorned the tables at -meals. Indian pipe standing high in a bit of greenery; Canadian -lilies, wood lilies, meadow sweet, steeple bush, bunch berries, milk -wort, Indian paintbrush, buttercups or daisies, fall dandelions in -prickly juniper, wild roses as late as August, or the stately -cardinal flower,—all these by turns found their way into the vases -and bowls. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - CANOE TESTS AND A CAMP FIRE - - -Eloise in her red and black bathing suit and scarlet cap was a -striking little figure. Lithe and active, she selected her paddle -and flew down to the dock to select her canoe, for the canoe tests -were in progress. “Wish me good luck, girls,” said she as she pushed -out her canoe from the sands and jumped in it. - -Out beyond the dock and floats, toward the back water, a blue canoe, -bottom up, was being steadily pushed to shore by some swimmer, whose -bobbing head showed behind it. One girl had brought in her canoe, -pushed its nose into the sand, and while drawing herself into a -reclining position upon it declared that she was going to take a nap -then and there. Another had gone out where the current was almost -too strong for her and was having difficulty to manage a canoe that -apparently wanted to go down the Kennebec and out to sea. She was -making slight headway, while from the guarding rowboat came an -occasional word of encouragement. - -“I can’t do it,” she said at last. “I could swim it, but I can’t -take the canoe in.” The rowboat approached and a dripping figure -climbed over its side. Both girl and canoe were brought to the dock. -It was Cathalina, her face solemn with disappointment. - -“Better luck next time, Cathalina,” said Betty, who was almost as -disappointed as Cathalina, but would not show it. - -“I’ll wait till tomorrow before I try it again. Isn’t it horrid? I -wish I were a regular Samson!” - -“You’ll do it all right the next time. I don’t believe I could have -done it either if I had been where you were. Go out toward the back -water tomorrow. Here comes Lil. Good work, Lilian.” - -Betty had been successful in her canoe test, and while waiting for -the other girls, was swimming or playing around in shallow water. - -“Watch Eloise. There she is, just ready to tip over.” Like a scarlet -tanager in black and red, Eloise stood poised in her boat, handing -her paddle to her guardian of the row boat, and waiting till the row -boat drew off. - -“There she goes!” Betty and Cathalina stood in the water watching, -and Lilian paused in drawing in her boat to see Eloise perform her -spectacular act, now on the edge of her canoe, tipping it, now going -over and down, coming up in a jiffy and turning her canoe shoreward. - -“Rowing is so much harder work than paddling,” said Cathalina. “I’m -glad that I’m learning canoeing, but I wish I were more at home in -the water.” - -“The only way is to do it a lot, I guess,” said Betty. “Let’s do as -much paddling as we can up here and go in for the races at school -next year.” - -“I don’t believe Mother and Father would let me race,” said -Cathalina. - -“O, they never get up much speed at Greycliff.” - -“Anyway, I’m going to paddle all I can. Will you go out with me this -afternoon if they let us?” - -“Yes, indeed.” - -Wet and smiling, Eloise brought in her canoe. “Do you think I made -it, girls?” - -“Of course you made it!” cried the generous Cathalina. “I hope I do -tomorrow if they have ’em again. If not, some other day. Where’s -Hilary, by the way?” - -“She and Helen are together somewhere. They said they were coming -down for the tests, but must have forgotten it. They passed theirs -the other day, you know.” - -“O, Cathalina—Cathalina Van Buskirk!” called one of the councillors. -The girls ran to get their bath robes and bathing caps, which were -draped over the railing at the dock. - -“Miss Allen is still sick today; why can’t you take her French -class? They can’t afford to lose the time.” - -“Why,—I never taught anything in my life.” - -“But you have had plenty of private teaching, haven’t you?” - -“Yes; shall I do it that way?” - -“Certainly. Anybody that can talk French as you can ought to be able -to take these little girls through a couple of lessons. Give them -some easy conversation and take them over the ground they ought to -cover in the reader. If you feel like hearing them recite their -verbs, all the better.” - -Cathalina’s discouragement over not passing the canoe test was gone -and she hurried into her clothes, planning happily just what sort of -a conversation she would conduct, delighted to be a good camper and -help in something she knew about, if she couldn’t bring in that -canoe! “But I’ll do it tomorrow, Hilary,” she told Hilary that night -in recounting the day’s exploits, “see if I don’t!” And Cathalina -did. - -That afternoon there was a hare and hounds chase. During rest hour -some of the girls tore paper into pieces, to be dropped here and -there for the trail. One of the councillors led the hares, who were -to have a good start before the hounds, in charge of another -councillor or two, should take up the chase. By the time the chase -was ended there were few of the girls who did not know the ins and -outs of the pine grove, the rocks, the meadows, the lane, and the -trail along the back water. - -Of the Greycliff girls, Hilary, Lilian and Virginia were among the -hounds, that started after a certain definite time had elapsed. -Everybody was talking at once and excitement was growing. As they -knew that the start was to be made through the pine grove, the line -of hounds headed that way from the club house. - -“Here’s the first paper!” shouted Virgie. “Come on! Bow-wow!” - -Through the bushes, over the roots and rocks, slipping through the -birches in what Hilary called Warblerville, they hurried. It was -there that a dainty little redstart sat on the edge of a tiny nest -to greet them the first day they wandered about Merrymeeting. - -“Mercy! Do I have to climb that rock?” said one of the little girls. - -“Over you go,” and with two or three helping hands to boost, up she -went, to slide down on the other side. - -“Here’s a clear trail,” cried Frances, and the running hounds -followed to the middle of a big meadow, only to find that the trail -ended there and to return to the place where they had entered the -field. - -“Hilary, you go that way, Lilian that, and I’ll go this way,” called -Frances, “and see if we can find the trail more quickly.” Lilian -found it and beckoned to the rest. At the edge of a ravine they -paused. - -“I bet they never ran down there,” said Virgie. “They’d have to get -right out again; let’s go around and pick up the trail.” But her -plan was overruled. The whole party climbed or slid down, only to -find that Virgie’s surmise was correct and that the hares had -probably let one or two of their number fix this blind trail, while -the rest of them went on to drop the paper in another direction. - -Further on, in a bit of woods, the trail led them in a circle, where -again the hounds lost time. Not once did they catch a glimpse of the -hares and arrived at camp headquarters to find that they had been in -for some time. - -“That old engine sounds good to me,” said Virginia, for the water -was being pumped from the drilled well and pails of clear, cold -water carried down to the dining-room for supper. - -Hilary and Lilian were repairing damages and washing dusty faces and -hands when Eloise; who had been a hare, came to borrow Betty’s -Indian blanket. “I’ll take good care of it, Betty,” she said. “How -do I look in it?”—draping it around her shoulders. - -“What is up?” asked Hilary. - -“Our klondike gives the camp fire tonight and we are going to be -Indians. Don’t miss it. Helen’s father sent boxes of the most -delicious marshmallows you ever ate. Wasn’t it nice of him?” - -“Don’t you want my steamer rug?” inquired Cathalina. - -“I think not. If anybody needs one I’ll send her over; thank you, -Cathie. May has a duck of a blanket, just a cotton one, such as they -make bath robes of, and it is so gay and pretty.” - -“I suppose the camp fire will be on Marshmallow Point?” - -“Yes; a real ‘Injun’ camp fire, where the Indians used to have -them.” - -As the girls came down to the point upon the ringing of the bell -after supper, a tall, stolid “Indian” met them and waved them to the -lower rocks. Behind other rocks Indian head-dresses showed. -Presently there appeared a group of dignified Indians, much painted, -wearing feathers of a remarkable variety and draped in blankets or -what made one think of that civilized garment known as the bath -robe. While they posed, one of the girls from Pine Lodge read an -account of the early days upon the Kennebec and Merrymeeting Bay -when the point was a trading resort and place of meeting for the -Indians. - -“From the lodges along the Kennebec and from the camp fires of the -Androscoggin they have come to make plans for peace upon -Merrymeeting Bay. A captive maid is to be returned to the Kennebec -lover from whom she was stolen and the wicked kidnapper, of another -tribe, is to be sentenced to exile. Behold the council fire!” - -Softly from behind the rocks, in the posed Indian moccasins, other -figures joined the first group and with them marched in silent -procession before the spectators. Then they circled round the camp -fire, which was then lit by the chieftain. - -After this interesting part of the ceremony had been watched by the -audience (though not in silence, for the chief had some difficulty -in getting his fire to burn), the other Indians lit their torches -(flash-lights) from the camp fire and started a weird dance upon the -rocks to the sound of an Indian drum beating in hollow tones. -Presently the dance stopped and the Indians sat down in a circle -around the chief. - -“Bring forth the captive!” called the chief in a sepulchral voice. -Then came an Indian maid, well hung with beads, her hands bound, her -head bowed, as she walked between two Indian guards. While she knelt -before the chief, Lilian’s voice came from the rocks in “From the -Land of the Sky-Blue Water”. Like her prototype in the song, the -“captive maid was mute”, though she told the girls afterward that -she longed to break her bonds, for a bug was crawling up her arm and -a mosquito had just bitten her nose. - -The girls played well their short Indian drama. The bonds of the -captive maid were loosened and she was restored to the arms of her -Indian lover, who glared dramatically at his rival, the captive -villain who was sentenced to exile and slunk away to his canoe, as -pointed out by the old chief: - - Far from the smiling Kennebec, - Far from thy lodge and tribe, - I bid thee go! Thy name shall be - A name for jeer and gibe. - -The play over at this point, the attractive Indians now brought out -the boxes of marshmallows and passed them around to the assembled -company who had previously provided themselves with sticks. -Afterward came the usual singing of the dear Merrymeeting songs and -other favorites; and while Lilian’s voice, never sweeter, floated -softly in “By the Waters of Minnetonka,” the waters of the Kennebec -rippled past, and the same old moon which had looked upon the real -Indians not so many years ago, shone down on the blithe Merrymeeting -campers. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - CHURCH AND A SUNDAY MOON - - -It was a glorious Sabbath morning. The waters rippled and sparkled -as the tide came hurrying in early; but there was no bell for dip on -Sunday morning and breakfast was put at a later hour. The girls had -been asked to come to breakfast prepared to leave on the launches -for church. - -“Where do we go to church, Frances?” Hilary asked. - -“Sometimes to one of the little churches up the river, but often to -Bath, for there we can choose churches of different denominations, -go to our own or visit others.” - -Two boat loads started. Aeolus and Truant chugged their way down -stream, through the Burnt Jackets and past Boothbay Camp, where a -few boys waved and cheered; past Brushwood Lodge, quiet and lovely -in its rocks and greenery; past happily sailing gulls and shores of -solid rock and evergreens; past the little hamlet of West Woolwich, -on down the river to the now familiar little town of Bath. - -Hilary, Lilian and Cathalina looked closely at the island as they -passed Boothbay Camp, to see if there were any signs of Campbell. - -“I think that the church folks have already left, since there seemed -to be so few boys around,” said Cathalina in a low tone to Hilary. -“The question is, will he go to your church, hoping to see you, or -to his own church, and where will you go?” - -Hilary colored a little and replied, “I should love to see Campbell, -but I think that I shall go with you girls today, as I should plan -to do in any case. Probably he can’t choose, but will have to take -some group of boys.” - -“That is so,” replied Cathalina, who was deeply concerned in her -cousin Campbell’s interest in Hilary ever since he had first met her -on her visit to Cathalina. And now that Philip had been impressed -with Lilian, Cathalina felt that she was living in an atmosphere of -the highest romance. Confidences from all quarters were hers. Lilian -had looked as conscious as Hilary while passing the island, for -Philip might come at any time. - -Campbell Stuart, meanwhile, trusted to no chance meeting. So far his -responsibilities and labors in the early days of camp had prevented -him from calling at Merrymeeting to see his cousin and her friends. -But here he was at the dock as the Aeolus floated in, his blue eyes -lit up with pleasure and his lips parted in smiles, as he lifted his -hat to Hilary, Cathalina, and the boat load in general. And now he -was helping the girls off and walked between Hilary and Cathalina, -while Lilian and Betty fell in behind. - -“How’d you get off, Campbell?” asked Cathalina. - -“I just told the ‘boss’ that I had a cousin and some friends at -Merrymeeting whom I had not yet had a chance to see, and asked if I -might not wait to walk with you all to church. Having confidence in -me, he said I might. So here we are,” he concluded, looking down at -Hilary’s demure countenance. - -The walk was all too short for all that there was to say, and at the -church Campbell joined the masculine crew from Boothbay, which sat -quietly under the observing eyes of the different councillors. After -the service, however, the girls saw him for a few moments. - -“I’m going to paddle up some time soon, and shall bring Phil up, of -course, as soon as he finds he can come. If I don’t come, you’ll -know it’s because I can’t help it, and I’ll be there with bells on -at the annual picnic. You be sure, girls, to come to our picnic at -Boothbay, won’t you?” Though Campbell addressed all, he looked at -Hilary, who replied, “Indeed we wouldn’t miss it for the world!” and -Cathalina added, “So say we all!” - -“How much of that sermon did you hear, Hilary?” asked Cathalina -teasingly, as they climbed into the boat for the ride back to camp. - -“Lots of it,” said Hilary. “Don’t think you can tease me so much, -Miss Cathalina Van Buskirk. It was a good sermon, too, and made me -think of Father in his pulpit preaching away and looking like a -saint, as he is,—and Mother sitting in the pew so sweet and nice, -and the boys, and little Mary. But I wasn’t homesick, some way, just -happy.” - -“You’re a dear,” said Cathalina affectionately. “You are our pretty, -sweet old Hilary so you are, and shan’t be teased. No wonder -Campbell,—well, here I go again! Excuse me.” - -“You are quite forgiven, Cathie. I don’t mind, only not much before -the other girls, please.” - -“Honestly, Hilary, and no nonsense, hasn’t Campbell grown up in -these two years?” - -“Yes he and Phil are both so different, I mean in the way of being -young men and not just boys. Just think, it will be two years next -Christmas since I was at your house! What fun we had! It was the -nicest visit I ever had anywhere.” - -“We must have more of them. It isn’t my fault that we haven’t -already.” - -“O, I know, Cathalina, but I have not been able to manage it. You -have invited me often enough.” - -“I hope to take Lilian home with me from here.” - -“That will be lovely. Have you asked her yet?” - -“Yes, and she has written home about it. Phil wants to have a -fraternity brother, and with the cousins, we shall have quite a -party. If you only could come!—even for just over the week end would -be something. School begins a little later than usual this year.” - -“That will give a little over two weeks at home,—unless we left camp -a little earlier. But we couldn’t miss the big banquet and all the -fun.” - -“My, no!” - -“Mother wrote that she wanted to see the camp, and I believe that we -can arrange it. Phil can do the driving, so we won’t need the -chauffeur, unless Mother wants to have him. She can fix it all up as -usual. Anyway there is plenty of room for us all. It will be a -pretty trip, Hilary, and we’d stop a day or two in Boston and see -Cambridge and Lexington and Concord, you know.” - -“O, wonderful! I have been thinking that I’d write to ask Father if -I might not take that trip home with the camp folks. June can go -back with the crowd.” - -“Don’t do it; go back with us instead. You haven’t been in New York -in the summer. And if possible, I want Betty to go, too. Isn’t it -funny and nice how plans grow? I thought of Lilian first on account -of Phil, then you on account of Campbell, and of all of you on my -own account.” - -“This is the most wonderful world anyway. I never dreamed of having -such good times before I went to Greycliff.” - -As Isabel and Virginia Hope sat at the same table this week with -Hilary, she had to answer their questions as they all ate chickens -and dressing for their Sunday dinner. - -“Who was that perfectly wonderful looking councillor that was with -you girls this morning?” asked Isabel. - -Hilary gave the same reply that she had already given several times -before dinner: “That is Cathalina’s cousin, Campbell Stuart.” - -“Had you ever met him before?” - -“Yes, when I visited Cathalina, almost two years ago. I met a number -of her cousins and know them very well.” This in an effort to -forestall any comments about possible attentions to her on -Campbell’s part. - -“He looks a little like Cathalina. Isn’t he tall and skinny, -though?” - -“I should say that Campbell is very well built for a young man.” - -“He certainly is. Virgie, do you suppose that we’ll ever have any -one as nice to take us around? If he comes up to see you girls, -you’ll introduce him to us, won’t you?” - -“I most certainly will,” laughed Hilary. “I think that Cathalina -will be very proud of both her brother and her cousin and will want -all her friends to meet them.” - -“Hm-m,” said Isabel. “Smart old Hilary. Item for the ‘Moon’. Mr. -Campbell Stuart, councillor at Boothbay Camp and cousin of Cathalina -Van Buskirk, met Cathalina at the dock this morning and walked to -church with her and her friends. Nobody but Cathalina was glad to -see him.’” - -“Seems to me,” replied Hilary with a twinkle, “that a lot of -interest is developing right here about Mr. Stuart. I’ll have to -tell him.” - -“If you do!” threatened Isabel. “By the way, why is the camp paper -called the _Moon_?” - -“Because it comes out at night.” - -“Honest?” - -“Yes, really. Frances said so.” - -“Well how does it happen that you, a preacher’s daughter, are an -editor on a Sunday paper?” - -“In the first place, it is not a ‘Sunday paper’, except that it is -read on Sunday evening; then it isn’t work, just fun, and gives us -something to do. We were nearly upset last night by one of the -contributions that was handed in just before bedtime. Patty had to -call us down twice for giggling after we were in bed. It was the -funniest thing!” - -“I think that Frances will make a good editor, assistant editor, I -mean. She knows everything about camp, and with your bunch right at -hand to write poetry and all kinds of things, her part in the paper -ought to go. I’m a reporter myself!” - -“Remember that all your news will be censored, particularly that -item about Campbell.” - -After dinner the girls strolled to their cabins for rest hour. - -“Wake me up, Hilary,” said Lilian, “in time to write my letter home -and finish my verses for the _Moon_. Chicken and dressing and gravy -and blueberry pie and things are too much for me, and I must have a -nap.” - -“All right. I’m not sleepy. I’m going to read, for I have my letter -home written, except adding a little about church. We have enough -for the Moon already in, and all there is left to do is to pin any -more contributions on the pages of the magazine where they belong. -Frances is using an old _Saturday Evening Post_ and divided it off -into the different departments yesterday, leaving vacant pages for -later contributions.” - -“I just wrote home yesterday, but I suppose I’ll have to write to -somebody as a ticket of admission to supper. I might write to Phil,” -she added, mischievously glancing at Lilian, “and tell him that -Lilian has succumbed to chicken and pie.” - -Lilian opened a sleepy eye. “Don’t, Cathalina. It’s so delicious to -feel sleepy and if you start fun going I’ll get waked up. There -comes our councillor. Now you will have to be quiet, at least during -rest hour.” - -“Not a soul shall disturb your slumbers,” declared Hilary, and -Lilian tucked one little hand under her cheek, turned over on her -cot, and was asleep in a jiffy. - -When the bell rang that evening after supper at about half past -seven, it summoned the camp family to the Sunday evening gathering -at the club house. Little girls, big girls and many of the -councillors sat upon the floor to listen to the reading of the -weekly chronicle of camp life, known as the _Moon_. Chairs around -the wall or at one end held the rest of the family, and the doctor, -swimming instructor, and other gentlemen whose oversight and -assistance were quite necessary to camp comfort and success, usually -dropped in to hear the paper read. - -There was little that this literary journal would not attempt. -Stories, short or continued, articles, editorials, society news, -personals, poetry and even an amusing department of questions and -answers conducted by one “Mrs. O’Brien”. Question and answer were -usually written by the same contributor or editor, but that, it is -said, is sometimes done in other periodicals. There were some -interesting editorials, one expressing welcome to all the campers -and particularly to all the new girls and councillors. Another -defined a “good sport” and gave some of the wholesome camp ideas on -helpfulness, unselfishness, and camp spirit. Reports were given on -athletics, with the names of the team captains, and the general -program of activities was outlined. - -Klondike life and conversation were the subject of a few clever -sketches. In verse appeared the story of the caterpillars which had -invaded cabins, and even cots—whether alone or assisted is -uncertain—in the early days of camp. Dire pictures were drawn of -fuzzy travelers that descended from ceilings and climbed the bridges -of noses. Poetic exaggeration also made much of attacks from a -mosquito army, under captains, majors, and lieutenants who were -undaunted by the taste of insectolatum, citronella, or pennyroyal. - -Anything in praise of camp was welcome to the loyal girls, as well -as the bright little personals which brought them into kindly or -joking notice. - -From the junior cabin came a short story by June, which was entitled -“Lost or Kidnapped?—A True Story.” - -“This is the story of a junior at Merrymeeting Camp and her -adventure. She was a very pretty little girl. Everybody liked her, -but she had one fault which shall be seen. - -“One day the girls went on a hike to First Trott’s. They had a very -good time. They ate blueberries, picked flowers in the woods and -brought home plenty of Indian pipe for table bouquets. They did not -touch them for fear they would turn black, as they have a way of -doing. - -“All the girls were laughing and talking and having great fun on the -way home. When the supper bell rang, everybody went to the dining -hall as usual. But when the girls at Mother Nature’s table sat down, -Dot was not there. Mother Nature told the head councillor and her -face turned white, because Dot is not very old and something might -have happened to her. - -“So they slipped around and asked the juniors and some of the other -girls where they had seen Dot last. Jo remembered seeing her when -they were about half way home, but nobody knew where she was. It -seemed very serious. Somebody started out at once on the little -road. Somebody else went to the pine grove, and several girls began -to look all over camp for her. Jo happened to think of looking in -the cabin. And there was Dot, reading a book! She hadn’t even heard -the supper bell! - -“Her carelessness had made a great deal of trouble for everybody, -but nobody had gotten so far away that they were not easily called -back. And everybody was so glad that it had turned out all right -that Dot did not even get a scolding.” - -Lilian had had some trouble with her verses. She was undecided -whether to have a fair, round, full or high moon, and spent some -time in getting a rhyme for “reflection”. Then she hit upon -“direction”, and in thinking of the somewhat devious way which the -Kennebec followed “indirection” occurred to her. This at once -finished her last lines, and as the subject was appropriate to an -evening edition, they were used to close the “Moon”. - - EVENING IN MAINE. - - A song sparrow drops to its nest in the bush; - A swallow in circles is winging; - It is evening in Maine, and where blueberries grow - I hear a sweet yellow-throat singing. - - “We _greet_ you, we _greet_ you!” he says to the sky, - Where the rose and the lavender mingle; - “We _greet_ you, we _greet_ you!” he calls, as the birds - Flit high or flit low in the dingle. - - “Now where is that nest, little yellow-throat? Say!” - I ask as I listen and wonder; - “O, witchery, witchery,” comes the reply, - “I’m hid in the bushes or under.” - - The shadows grow long on the river and bay, - And darkly the island’s reflection - Appears in the water that shimmers and flows - Toward the sea in strange indirection. - - But in nest or in cabin or “Little Content”, - Enfolded in safety they’re sleeping, - While the breezes blow cool on the broad Kennebec - And the night watch a high moon is keeping. - -The evening ended with the singing of the old hymns or of more -modern sacred songs. One councillor played the accompaniments; -another led the singing and announced the selections. Favorite hymns -were called for. The girls could remain or retire to their cabins, -but many stayed and enjoyed this fitting close to the Sabbath. - - - - - CHAPTER X - - A “STUNT NIGHT” - - -“On the ringing of the bell,” came the announcement at supper, “each -klondike must present a ‘stunt’ at the club house. Twenty minutes -now to get up the performance. See who will have the best.” The -smiling face of the head councillor indicated her confidence in her -girls. She knew that they had plenty of interesting ideas in their -heads and expected a good entertainment. - -“Mercy,” said Virgie, “I couldn’t think up anything in twenty -minutes, let alone get it ready!” - -“O, yes we can,” said Isabel, “come on. Some of the old girls will -know what they do here.” - -There was hurrying and scurrying to klondikes and much laughter with -the thinking and planning. “Suppose we think up the same thing some -other klondike does,” suggested Marion, as she walked from supper -with Frances. “O, we never do; don’t worry,” Frances replied. - -Patty West had been transferred to Squirrels’ Inn in some shifting -of councillors, and to her the girls of that klondike rushed. Patty -was already racking her brains, she asserted, but so far nothing had -occurred to her. - -“I tell you what I have, Miss Patty,” said Cathalina, “something -that Ann Maria said the girls at her school acted out one time and -Mother was so amused, for she and her cousins used to do it,—I think -it came out in the _St. Nicholas_ or something when she was a girl, -or maybe she found it in the old magazines at home. Anyway it is -just an old poem called ‘The Ballad of Mary Jane’. Of course, we -can’t learn it, but one of us can read it and the rest can take the -parts and act it out, in pantomime.” - -A brief rehearsal with a quick assembling of costumes and other -necessary articles was all that was possible. Miss West was to do -the reading, while Cathalina, who was familiar with the poem, was to -be stage director, send on the actors at the proper time, cause the -pasteboard sun to rise, and do the various duties connected with her -position. Other klondikes were in the same state of interesting -hurry. Fortunately the ringing of the bell was delayed a little, but -by twenty minutes of eight, rows of big and little girls, the little -ones in front, sat facing the “stage” of the club house. This was -the little room or den at one end of the assembly room. Its walls -extended only a short way, to indicate division of a sort, and a -curtain could be drawn across if desired. Curtains were usually made -from two sheets or two big blankets hastily hemmed to permit a rope -to be drawn through, the rope then fastened to hooks or nails. - -The audience was composed of those who did not take part in the -actual performance presented by their group, or who would not be -called on for some time. Clapping of hands indicated some -impatience. - -“Lights out!” called some one, and the switch for the main room was -turned off. As the lights in the little room had not been turned on, -all was in total darkness. Flashlights began to be turned on and -brought a protest from the stage. - -“Turn off your flashes! Don’t you know we hadn’t time to put up a -curtain, and have to fix the stage? Please, girls.” These were the -little folks from Laugh-a-lot and Little Content whose “stunt” came -first. - -Presently the stage lights came on disclosing a small child washing -dishes, the dishpan on a chair, while June, dressed in a long skirt, -with a scarf pinned around her shoulders and her hair done up high, -was preparing a basket. - -“Now, little Red Riding-Hood, get your cloak and let me put it on -for you. Here, my child, are some nice fruit and a fresh blueberry -pie for your grandmother. Go straight there and don’t stop to talk -to any one on the way!” June’s finger was raised impressively. - -“All right, Mother,” replied Red Riding-Hood in her most sugary -tones, while the audience laughed. The mother fastened the red cape -and hood that made somebody’s little rain coat, kissed her little -girl, waved her hand to her as Red Riding-Hood set out, and followed -her to the door where she stood, still waving. Then she returned to -her rocking chair, picked up some knitting, and settled back with a -great air of responsibility. Promptly the lights went out again and -a few adjustments were made for the next scene. - -When the lights went on the signs of housekeeping had been removed. -A placard placed upon the table announced “The Woods”. Little Red -Riding-Hood came strolling in, swinging her basket and looking at -the birds. “O, aren’t you pretty? I guess you’re a song sparrow. O, -what’s that?” - -From the right of the stage came suddenly a terrible looking animal -whose tawny coat looked much like one of the girls’ ponchos. - -“Gr-rr-rr! Where are you going, little girl? Don’t be afraid, I -won’t hurt you.” - -“O, I’m just going to take some fruit to my grandmother.” - -“Where does your grandmother live?” - -“Just in a nice little house on the edge of the wood.” - -The rest of the story proceeded in due order, the children making up -the lines as they went along, all of them, of course, being -perfectly familiar with the story. The wolf duly found the -grandmother in bed and ate her up with much scuffling and growling, -putting on her cap and getting into her bed, a pallet on the floor. -How innocently did little Red Riding-Hood ask, “What makes your -teeth so long and sharp, Grandmother?” And how fiercely did the wolf -reply, “All the better to-eat-you-all-up-with!” The scene and drama -ended with the timely coming of the woodcutters and the demise of -the snarling wolf. - -Loud applause greeted the little folks who had thoroughly enjoyed -playing the parts and were pleased that the girls liked their -efforts. Hilary watching June, whispered to Lilian that she felt -like hugging the child. “She looks and acts so like Mother!” - -Squirrels’ Inn then put on The Ballad of Mary Jane in pantomime. -Hilary as Mary Jane looked the prim school teacher in long dress, -stiff shirt waist, high collar. Her hair was in a tight knot. She -entered carrying a bag of school books, reading a small volume and -passed and repassed at the front of the stage to show how “To teach -the village school she walked each morning down the lane,” this maid -who “could manufacture griddle-cakes and jest in ancient Greek.” - -Frances Anderson was the “stalwart Benjamin”, who leaned on his hoe -with open mouth and saw “the beauteous maiden pass at breaking of -the dawn”. Little did he look like the future pirate who was to -burst in and rescue Mary Jane, from her cruel father (Nora) with the -“fatal knife”, and his rival, Lord Mortimer (Betty). Lilian, attired -in the same poncho in which the wolf had appeared, and wearing paper -horns, represented the cow from which Mary Jane dramatically rescued -Benjamin by means of her umbrella. - -A fashion show came next, requiring little stage setting but much -dressing. This was given by one of the senior klondikes and was very -pretty. Mrs. Astorbilt was first announced and entered in evening -gown. She was followed by the sport girl, the business girl, and -others for whom costumes could be prepared upon short notice, the -Merrymeeting girl closing the parade, and wearing the full costume, -with headband, armband, and a diamond upon her sweater. She carried -a big volley ball under her arm and held up to view the Merrymeeting -trophy cup. All the girls had looked so pretty that each had -received hearty applause; but the Merrymeeting girl appealed to camp -loyalty and was cheered vociferously with “rah, rah, Merrymeeting!” - -An alphabetical romance was given by another cabin. In this the -lines were of the alphabet alone, repeated with varying expression, -occasional well known abbreviations, as q. e. d., i. e., or U. S. -A., included. - -The last stunt was called “Five Minutes in Laugh-a-lot.” Great -curiosity was evident among the audience as in the darkness they -could dimly see a figure arranged on the table and covered with -something white. “Elaine?” “Operating room?” were suggested, but the -stage director ordered silence and the lights were not turned on. - -Dim figures stole in with flashlights. “Bz-zz-zz! Bz-zz-zz! -Bz-zz-zz!” they sang, moving arms for wings and tiptoeing an insect -dance around the table. It was now evident that this was a cot in -Laugh-a-lot, the sleeper covered with mosquito netting which was -merely a bit of suggestive stage property, having no foundation in -fact. The mosquitos hovered around and now and then one would make a -dive in her direction. Then hands would wave widly and the netting -fail of its purpose. All this because little Dorothy Freneau’s plump -cheeks had exhibited several mosquito bites for a day or two. - -Presently the mosquitos joined hands, danced to the front and sang -softly a mosquito song, written by the councillor under pressure in -about five minutes. At its close they went out still buzzing, while -some one from behind the table raised a large flashlight to indicate -the coming of the sun. This was the farewell song: - - We are hungry old mosquitos - Looking for a bite; - Dotty’s cheeks are fat and rosy, - And they suit us quite. - Bz, bz, bz, bz, And they suit us quite. - - But when daylight comes upon us, - Off we go in haste, - For they kill poor old mosquitos, - Make ’em into paste! - Bz, bz, bz, bz, make ’em into paste! - - We are hungry old mosquitos, etc. - (Last stanza repeated.) - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - THE FIRST CANOE TRIP - - -“We want six more for the war canoe,” shouted the swimming teacher -from the stern of that long, graceful, dark blue vessel. - -“Come on, Miss West.” - -“Throw me a life preserver to sit on,—please—we’re going three in -this canoe.” - -“You and I, Frances,” said Marion. - -“No, you and I, Marion,” firmly insisted another girl, both Frances -and Marion yielding to avoid controversy. - -“Four more for the war canoe,” from the megaphone again. - -“All right, Betty,” said Hilary, “you and Cathalina go on in the war -canoe,—they need more and it will be easier for you, I believe. Lil -and I will take this one by ourselves. Do you want to paddle bow or -stern, Lil?” - -“I don’t care, Hilary.” - -“You’re not quite so husky as I am, and stern will be hard for you -if you aren’t used to it. I guess you’d better paddle bow.” - -“Not for that reason, Hilary. Why should you take the hardest -place?” - -A good-natured squabble followed, in which Hilary won, settled -Lilian in the bow and pushed the canoe out from the sands, jumping -in at the stern. “I’ve got that dandy stroke that Mr. Clark showed -me. It keeps the canoe going straight forward and you rest your -paddle just a second on the edge, so it’s easier.” As Hilary spoke -she gave the shore a final push with her paddle, and sent the canoe -gliding smoothly into the deeper water. - -“O, isn’t this fun? I just adore canoeing!” - -“Adoration, exclamation, consummation,” murmured Lilian. - -“Hesitation, coronation,—there are about a hundred of ’em if you are -wanting a rhyme.” - -One by one the pretty canoes were selected and launched. At first -there was apparent confusion as the girls flitted hither and -thither, choosing paddles and partners under the general oversight -of the athletic director and swimming teacher, but at last the fleet -was ready to depart. - -The occasion was a picnic at Swan’s Island, a large island in -Merrymeeting Bay. As this was the first real canoe trip of any -length, only the good paddlers and swimmers were permitted to take -out the canoes. The rest went in the Aeolus and Truant, while the -Midget with a few passengers carried the lunch. Up to this time -there had been instruction, and paddling within certain limits. - -Aeolus and Truant led the way. The war canoe followed, with even -strokes of the paddles, a great improvement over the first “ragtime” -efforts. Then the other canoes, by ones and twos, swept out from -shore to round the point into Merrymeeting Bay. - -“Look out, Hilary, don’t go out too far. The current is awfully -strong out there. Look at Eloise and Helen. My! Are they going to -make it? They may have an upset if they are carried down to those -rocks.” - -Eloise, Evelyn and Helen had gone out too far from the Merrymeeting -banks and were struggling against both current and tide, which was -going out. But they paddled away, while the Midget was watching to -see if they needed help, and had just started toward the girls when -they drew out of the stronger current and came up to the other -boats. - -“Why did we start so late and against the tide?” asked Lilian. - -“Didn’t you hear about the canoes? The men had to go after them this -morning. The tide came up so high last night and the girls had not -drawn them up high enough. Usually somebody goes down to see if -everything is all right, but of course on the night of an unusually -high tide it would be forgotten, by the ‘irony of fate’. Four canoes -were missing.” - -“Did they find them?” - -“Yes; some of the Boothbay folks got them and took them in there.” - -“Look at our flotilla, Hilary. The English fleet isn’t in it with -us!” - -“It is lovely, isn’t it? I just love these blue canoes. But ‘bucking -the tide’ is no joke. This is hard work. However, think of the howl -that would have gone up from one and all of us if we had had to give -up the trip!” - -“Don’t you wish we had Campbell along?” - -“I do indeed, and for no sentimental reason either, Miss Lilian.” - -On they paddled. Soon the launches were far in advance. The distance -to the island seemed to increase. Eloise, Helen and Evelyn had -caught up with Hilary and Lilian and shouted across occasionally. - -“Look at Jenkie with Mr. Clark. Isn’t she lucky? See the way he -paddles, and look at the way she just dips her oars. Listen, she’s -calling.” - -“Come on, girls; this isn’t hard.” - -“O, no, Jenkie, not with Mistah Clahk to do the wuhk!” replied -Evelyn. - -For the first long pull it promised to be a hard one. But after the -launches had reached the island and delivered passengers and cargo, -the Truant returned to pick up girls that were too tired and tow -their canoes to port. - -The picnic went on as picnics do, but not all picnickers breathe the -exhilarating air furnished by the Maine breezes. The girls were soon -quite rested, though arms and shoulders might ache a little. Bathing -suits and towels had been brought along for a good swim. The lunch -was pronounced wonderful and good appetites made quick work of -disposing of it. “Seconds” and “Thirds” were permitted for -sandwiches and fruit. Some of the girls had brought books or -magazines. Others had fancy work. Some looked for new birds or new -flowers to add to their number of points. As all the common flowers -had been brought in, each new flower counted a point. All the girls -had helped gather wood for the fire. Ah, how much better bacon -tastes cooked outdoors! Besides the fun, the consciousness of being -able to paddle one’s own canoe, both literally and figuratively, was -the chief result of this picnic, and every trip in this beautiful -country made the girls love it more. - -The paddle home was almost as hard as that to the island, for a wind -came up, blew in their faces, and made the bay choppy. Tide again -was against them. In the waves made by the wind and those from -passing steamers all the skill of the paddlers was called into -requisition. But the presence of the launches gave confidence to any -of the girls who needed it, and the canoes rode the little -white-capped waves most prettily. - -“Send for Edna, Cathalina, to rub my back,” exclaimed Hilary -stretched at length on her cot. “Bring on your Sloan’s liniment, -Absorbine Junior and St. Jacob’s oil! Look out, Betty!”—as Betty -plumped herself down by Hilary and began to rub a shoulder. “Deal -gently, Elizabeth; how are your own arms?” - -“There were so many to paddle in the war canoe; we hardly got tired -a bit. But I’m just as hungry as if I hadn’t eaten three sandwiches -and other things in proportion at the island.” - -“So’m I. Dot has a birthday tonight, so we’ll have ice cream and -cake. Maybe you will be asked to the birthday table, Hilary.” - -“No, I don’t think so, too many little folks that Dot will want.” - -“But she is so crazy about June.” - -“True; but I’m not June. However, we’ll all have cake, even if it is -not birthday cake.” - -“The supper bell; O, joyful sound! Are the rest of you lame old -ladies going to manage to get down to the dining-room on time?” - -Hilary rose with exaggerated stiffness. “I’m going to apply for a -position as special guide to take venturesome tourists through the -St. Lawrence rapids in a canoe.” - -The girls from Squirrels’ Inn were a little late in reaching the -dining-room, though others were still gathering and the bell for -order before grace had not yet rung. Dotty came dancing from the -birthday table to show them her birthday bouquet. - -“Isn’t it lovely? The camp mother made it. See? Every little flower -is made of a dee-lish-shus piece of candy in the center, with all -colors of paper for petals, and this lacy white paper to hold it -all, twisted tinfoil and all! I wish I could have had you big girls -at my table too.” - -“Thank you, Dotty,” said Hilary, “it is just as it should be.” - -The birthday table was especially decorated, with fresh bouquets and -extra goodies which had been sent to Dorothy. Packages were piled at -Dorothy’s place; happy faces surrounded the table. But the supreme -moment was when the tables were cleared for the last course and Dot -went over to the kitchen for her birthday cake. The girls watched as -the candles were lit for her and the cake put into her hands. Slowly -and carefully she walked, watching lest her green candles blow out, -while the girls sang: - - “Happy birthday to you, - Happy birthday to you! - Happy birthday, dear Dorothy, - Happy birthday to you!” - -“Dorothy rah! Dorothy rah! Rah-rah, Dorothy!” - -“Did you notice her name on the frosting?—Dorothy, in cinnamon -drops.” - -“Yes, Isabel, I certainly did,” said Virgie. “I never had a birthday -celebration in my life. I wish my birthday came in camp time.” - -“When does it come?” - -“September first! Not even in school time!” - -“My, what a pity. You could almost have one.” - -“I’ve half a mind to change it, put it in August some time. Why -not?” asked Virgie, laughing. - -“There was a girl that did that once,” said Frances. “She went clear -through with it, then somebody told.” - -“What did they do to her?” - -“Nothing. They were too kind.” - -“I suppose she wanted it so awfully. But mercy, I’m having too many -kinds of good times that I never dreamed of having a year ago not to -be able to stand not having a birthday cake.” - -“We’ll just have a celebration at school for you. Our first feast -shall be in your honor.” - -“I thank you!” and Virgie bowed formally. “Patty said that we have -four birthdays on the same day next week with four separate birthday -cakes. Maybe we’ll get a taste of one yet, Isabel.” - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - THE JUNIORS - - -June, of the Juniors, was having, in her own words, the “greatest -fun of her lifetime.” Never had she lived with so many other little -girls. Laugh-a-lot had overflowed into “Little Content”, a tent next -to the shingled cabin, and “Hillside Inn”, located where the name -indicates. The latter tent had its name conspicuously posted on a -board, though the sign artist found that there was not enough room -for the last “N” and put up the sign without it. - -The youngest of the Juniors were two eight-year-olds, Dorothy -Freneau and Josephine Rathmell. Dorothy was short and chubby, with -appealing blue eyes and engaging ways. Josephine was taller, thin, -with olive complexion and short, fluffy, dark hair. Despite the -difference in size and complexion these little girls were called the -Twins, because of their years, their birthdays only a week or so -apart. “Dot” and “Jo” were great favorites in camp, loved but not -spoiled, for neither was babyish nor selfish and in all the camp -sports or trips each wanted to play her part well. As Dotty had -taken a special fancy to June both girls were often found in her -company. - -Among June’s other friends was an enterprising child of Isabel’s -type, who had copied her brothers and who sought June’s -companionship, largely because she was so different. June, like -Hilary, was of the consoling, steady type that makes a good -confidante, and this ten-year-old had more than one woe to confide. -For June herself camp life was doing a good deal in helping her to -overcome her timidity. She learned and tried to practice the -definition of a “good sport”, which was pinned up in the -dining-room: - - “Somebody happy, jolly and kind; - If she loses a game,—well, never mind.” - -There were some things which she found it hard to take pleasantly in -this first experience with the companionship of a group. She hated -the mischievous tricks that some of them played, but tried to be -patient whenever she was the victim. She learned to look in her bed -to see if either caterpillar or pebbles were there, and made it over -pleasantly whenever it was “made French”. One child upset a box of -blueberries upon it when it was open to air, and one morning her -suit-case was missing, found later in a distant klondike, where it -had been carried “for fun”. - -“They think that it is really funny,” she confided to Hilary. -“Several times I’ve had it upon the tip of my tongue to say as -Mother has said to us ‘anybody could do that; a smart person -wouldn’t even think it funny’, but I can’t do it, since I’m not -bringing them up as Mother is us, and then they’d think I was mad. I -must be different not to like it. And I did hate it about the -sheets. Will the stain come out? Of course that was just an -accident.” - -“Don’t worry about that. Mother gave us common sheets and she knows -that we can’t be as careful in camp life, though there is no sense -in being destructive. Just get along as nicely as you can and keep -pleasant. We have always had to be careful, for financial reasons, -and then there is good sense in having some ‘thrift’. I don’t -imagine that the parents of these girls want them to be as careless -with their own and other people’s property as a few of them are.” - -“I’ll try to do the best I can, but it seems so stingy not to lend -things to the girls, and if I do I don’t have them when I need them. -The other day when it was so wet Bess had my rubbers and I got my -feet wet, and the head councillor met me and said, ‘Why, Junie, -where are your rubbers?’ and I almost cried!” - -“That is more serious. I don’t know what you will do except to -refuse to lend them. Wrap them in a paper and keep them in your -trunk if necessary.” - -“Then they’ll say I’m mean.” - -“Let ’em. They all have or have had the necessary things; let them -look after their own. Don’t you remember how it has been said again -and again, ‘Don’t lend; don’t borrow.’ And just yesterday the head -councillor said, ‘It is _not_ selfish to look after your own -property.’ Those few careless girls make a lot of trouble for her, I -guess. Notice all the things that are left in the office or assembly -hall.” - -“I really do like that generous kind that will give anything they -have,” said June thoughtfully. “Bess would give away her head, I -guess; but her rubbers are gone and her sweater and a lot of other -things and that is why she borrows. I can’t borrow, someway, so I -come to grief if I don’t have my own things.” - -“A lot of the girls just leave everything to their mothers, you -know. They haven’t lived in a minister’s family where things have to -be managed and everybody has to take a little responsibility.” - -“O, Hilary, I forgot. We have to have the doings next Friday or -Saturday night. Have you any ideas? Our councillor said for each of -us to think up something if we could and we are to meet after supper -tonight to talk it over.” - -“How about some Mother Goose tableaux, or some charades for the -girls to guess?” - -“O, yes; that would be fun,” said June, clapping her hands. “Will -you help me get dressed that night?” - -“Yes, I’ll help in whatever you get up if your councillor wants me -to. I’ll see you at supper if I have any more ideas.” - -The meeting of the committee after supper was a momentous occasion. -What they were planning had to be kept a secret from the other girls -or the entertainment would lose that element of surprise in which -half the fun consists. - -“I just can’t think of a thing!” declared Dot. “O, yes I can, -too,—why I can do something that we girls at school did in a drill -one time.” - -“Good, Dotty,” said the councillor, “you can do it by yourself or -show one or two of the other girls how to do it with you. Now that -is your responsibility. Can we depend upon you to do it?” - -“Yes, I’ll get it up all myself.” - -One thought of one thing, another of something else. Hilary was -brought in, and another meeting planned for the following morning -before games. A long hike was planned for Friday, which would -probably tire the girls, and caused a postponement of the Junior -entertainment to Saturday night. But this pleased the Juniors as -giving them more time. Dot and Jo were practicing some thing very -hard to do. June was fixing something of Hilary’s to wear. Borrowing -for theatricals was considered proper! - -Curtains were up for the entertainment this time. The Junior -councillors had gathered in the Juniors to dress for their parts. -Important as it seemed, some little folks will forget to note the -time which will slip away so fast! - -“Isn’t it nice to have curtains?” said Jo. “When we had Little Red -Riding-Hood we had to get things ready in the dark.” - -The first number on the program was a concert by the world’s -greatest artists. Madame Galli-Curci appeared first, accompanied by -Lilian with the guitar. The small prima donna had refused to sing -anything appropriate to her years. “No, sir, I won’t sing a child’s -song. Yes, of course, I know ’em. How could I help it, when we sing -them at school? But it has to be a grown-up song or else I won’t be -Galli-Curci!” - -“Madame Shumann-Heink sings ‘Holy Night’.” - -“I wouldn’t call that a child’s song. Besides it is summer now. What -songs do you know, Lilian? I can learn anything in two days.” - -“Remarkable child!” sighed the councillor who was helping. “Get her -anything she wants, Lilian.” - -Jo folded her arms and stood calmly to wait what would be done. -Lilian came to the rescue, and after trying over a number of songs -she found that Jo was familiar with the tune of “O Promise Me”. - -This rendered that night in a high childish voice created quite as -much of a sensation as the real prima donna could have desired, -particularly in respect to the pronunciation of the words and -division of syllables. “You-an-dI” and “or-gunn” were especially -appreciated by the audience, who were apparently carried away by the -effective close, “O, prom-uss me, O, prom-muss me!” Enthusiastic -encores brought Jo back several times, but while she handled her -train with ease and bowed and smiled with all the graces of the -stage, she refused to repeat her effort and had not learned an -encore. - -After the rest of the artists had appeared, four little girls gave a -drill as wooden dolls, while one of the councillors played -“Narcissus.” This was Dot’s idea. - -The Mother Goose tableaux were especially pretty. They included Old -King Cole, Little Boy Blue and other of the well know classics which -were quickly guessed by the audience. Little Bo-peep had her crook -and was shading her eyes as she looked for her sheep. Simple Simon -was fishing in his mother’s pail. The cupboards in the wall which -had been a part of the original farm-house kitchen were just the -thing for old Mother Hubbard. - -“The last two numbers will be charades,” announced Dot. “The first -is two words, in one act.” - -The curtains were drawn aside, revealing one happy little girl -curled up on a rug. She was deeply absorbed in a book, and ate candy -from a box close at hand. The audience hesitated, whispered, and -finally some one called “Little Content”. That was the right answer, -and the curtains closed. When they were again drawn they disclosed -the entire group of Juniors sitting upon the floor and laughing. -Having been prepared by the previous charade, the audience at once -cried, “Laugh-a-lot! Laugh-a-lot!” - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - - CAMP ATHLETICS - - -“Net ball.” - -“Out.” - -“Come on, now; she serves awfully swift; look out.” - -“Come on, Jenkie! Put all your strength into it!” - -“Hit it up! Hit it up! Keep it going!” - -“I served then; one point for us.” - -“What’s the score?” - -“Five all.” - -“Good! Good, Virgie!” - -“Now Eight,—your turn.” - -“Only one assist.” - -“Come up a little further. You can stand there. Every inch counts.” - -“My turn to serve?” - -“Hit it!” - -“O, how could I? A mile above my dear head!” - -“What’s the matter with this team? That’s the third time, Isabel, -that you’ve knocked Pat over, and Betty got hit in the eye.” - -“Y’see, you ran out of your place and were in my way.” - -“You dropped your comb, Bertha.” - -“What’s the score?” - -“Twelve to seven.” - -“Whose favor?” - -“The Pennacooks’.” - -“Come on, Kennebecs!” - -“Wake up, girls; don’t let ’em beat us!” - -“Did everybody serve? Begin all over? All right; I don’t want to -cheat.” - -“That’s the way, keep it up; send it back.” - -“Out.” - -It is volley ball, in which two of the six teams are playing. Back -and forth flies the big ball. Like the flag, it must not touch the -ground. Girlish figures run hither and thither, strike the ball and -send it flying over the net to the opposite side, where the -performance is repeated. Good spirit prevails. They are playing to -win, for the sake of the team and for personal reasons as well; but -however eager or disappointed they may feel, no one shows ill will. -Pride and camp spirit prevent that. Sometimes it is a little hard to -accept the hindrances which the little girls or the less experienced -ones offer, but as a rule these are coached and encouraged by the -rest of the team. A good play is applauded by both sides. - -“Now try it, June. That’s it. Put a little more strength into it -next time. Hit it hard and send it a little higher. You get another -turn. Toss it up and then bang away!” - -“Send it to me and I’ll hit it over.” - -June takes her stand, tosses up the ball and hits it. It goes off to -the side, but one of the girls who stands there, hits it over the -net. Back it comes and over it goes again, sent by a hard blow from -Hilary. - -“They’re coming up fine.” - -“Thirteen to ten.” - -“Yes,” cried the captain of the Kennebecs. “Where’s some wood?” she -cries, rapping on her head. “Come on, Kennebecs!” - -“Thirteen to eleven,” announces the referee, as the Kennebecs score -another point. The game grows exciting. - -“Good work, Lilian.” - -“Get it, Margaret. O, you weren’t quick enough!” - -“Be ready.” - -“Come on, Pennacooks!” - -“What’s the score?” - -“Fourteen to twelve.” - -“Betty’s serve.” - -The Pennacooks, nerved to greater effort by their higher score and -the increasing score of the Kennebecs made the fifteenth point and -won the game. Two games out of three they had thus won, and the -Kennebecs generously gave the first cheer for the winning team. - -“No hurry, girls,” said Lilian, dropping down in the shade. A -red-eyed vireo in the bushes had not stopped rooting for both sides -during the game, and an olive-sided flycatcher had come out to sit -on a wire by one of the tennis courts and inquire which side beat. -So Hilary interpreted their remarks, as she pointed them out to the -girls. - -Hilary, June, Eloise, Lilian and Cathalina were among the defeated -Kennebecs, while Isabel, Nora, Betty and Frances were of the -victorious Pennacooks. Helen and Marion played with the Ossipees, -who were at present playing baseball down on what might be called -Merrymeeting Green, near the water front. - -“The baseball games aren’t over yet,” Lilian continued, “and besides -they’ll have to rest.” The girls stretched out or curled up where -tall bushes and some trees offered shade. - -“Whom do we play in basketball?” - -“The Ossipees.” - -“Well, we must beat them,” declared Hilary. “I’ll simply pass away -if we can’t.” - -“Team work, girls,” said Eloise, who was captain. - -“My, it’s hot this morning in the sun,” said Lilian. “Cathalina, -I’ll beat you in tennis this afternoon, if we can get a court after -rest hour.” - -“All right as to playing. As to beating, we’ll see.” - -“You’re the two champions among the Seniors, aren’t you?” - -“I guess so,” replied Lilian. - -“Of course you’ll get a court, then. And you’ll have an audience, -too. Which court do you want? We’ll see that you get it. I’m -terribly thirsty. Let’s go over to the club house and get a drink. -We can sit on the porch till the girls come. There’s always a -wonderful breeze there. I suppose your team is at baseball next, -Nora?” - -“Yes, and we must be going, too,—come on, girls.” - -This was a busy week in athletics. The July tournaments were on. -Tennis was being played off as could be managed about the courts. -The schedule was posted in the club house. Lilian and Cathalina were -easily the best in tennis and had yet their match to play. - -In volley ball, baseball and basketball, the six teams played -against each other. Every girl in camp was assigned to a team, -though a few were excused for some special reason, and only took -part in the games at times. There was not the intense excitement or -the temptation to over-strain that there is sometimes in the games -between schools; but there was great interest in these active sports -and a very human desire to excel. - -Volley ball and tennis were played upon courts, which were located -on the level ground back of the camp buildings. Beyond the courts -stretched a big meadow, partly level, but sloping down to bushes and -trees along the back water of the Kennebec. On the other side of -courts and meadow were bushes and trees and the charming road or -lane which wound along past Sunset Rock, the pine grove and the -birches, through Merrymeeting boundaries, to the world of the -mainland beyond. Just back of the club house and at the beginning of -this little road were the posts and baskets for the basketball -games. - -That afternoon, though the sun was still hot, the cool Maine breeze -stirred the sunny locks of Lilian and Cathalina as the girls met for -the final test of skill in tennis. Both girls played well, having -played for several years. A few councillors and a number of the -girls occupied a bench or two, or found seats on the grass beside -the favorite court, the one nearest the lane. - -“Now, Lil,” said Cathalina, as swinging their racquets they walked -toward the court, “you are such a dear, that only I’m afraid of one -thing.” - -“What’s that?” - -“That you will hate to beat me and won’t play your best.” - -“I thought that all out, Cathalina, and I think that the only fair -thing is for each of us to play her level best. And don’t you let me -beat you because you hate to beat me, or get lazy and do not care!” - -“I guess that is the more likely,” acknowledged Cathalina, laughing. -“I’m a lazy-bones, but I promise to do my best. Beware!” - -“Here comes the champs!” - -“What’s the matter with the champions?” - -“Rah, rah, Lil!” - -“Rah, rah, Cathie!” - -The comparatively small company gathered near the court were more -audience than rooters, and applauded impartially both players, -though Isabel never failed to cheer some good play by Cathalina, and -Virgie shouted at the top of her Western lungs for Lilian. - -“Look at Lil. Good work, Lilian; you have a wicked serve!” - -“Fifteen—love.” - -So evenly matched were the girls that most of the games were deuce -games. Fourteen were played before Lilian won the first set. - -The second set was won by Cathalina, who played with brilliance and -determination. Her most effective play was what the girls cheered as -a “slam”, almost impossible to return, which she delivered with -surprising force for one so slight. This she had learned from -Philip. But Lilian, too, had a brother, had been accustomed to -playing with Cathalina, and was not as much disturbed by this play -as were the more inexperienced girls against whom Cathalina had been -playing during these days of tournament. - -“Do you read my mind, Lil,” asked Cathalina once, when Lilian so -quickly reached the particular spot back in the court where she was -needed. - -“I’m sorry, Cathalina; that was a peach,” said Lilian, as one of -Cathalina’s returns went an inch or so outside. - -“Great cut, Lilian,” remarked Cathalina, when Lilian’s ball went -over the net, hit the right spot, and refused to bounce to -Cathalina’s racquet. - -In the third set, excitement rose among the spectators. Endurance -was not Cathalina’s strong point and she grew tired, but played on -apparently as well as ever. She had won four games, Lilian five, and -the score of the present game stood forty to thirty in Lilian’s -favor, when she returned, backhand, a difficult ball from Cathalina. -It dropped over the net and Cathalina was not quite quick enough to -reach the net from the back of the court. The game was Lilian’s and -wild applause proclaimed her winner of the tennis tournament. - -Meanwhile in the bushes two deeply interested spectators had arrived -by way of the lane. Having been informed by Jo and June, who were -playing “jacks” on the club house floor, that Cathalina and Lilian -were finishing the tournament, two masculine visitors decided to go -to the courts by the back way and remain unseen if possible while -watching the progress of the game. June had suggested it, saying -that it might “fuss” the girls, since they were not expecting -company. - -“You’re a bright, kind little June-bug, aren’t you?” asked Campbell, -and June gave him one of her happy smiles, as he strode off with -Philip Van Buskirk. - -“Well-well! Which will you root for, Philip, sister or best girl?” - -“We’ll not dare root for anybody if we have to keep out of sight.” - -“Wise reply. True, and doesn’t give you away.” - -Philip scarcely knew where loyalty demanded his presence. He was -proud of his pretty little sister, but every time he looked at the -graceful Lilian he fell more deeply in love. - -“How about a love set with Lilian, old man?” queried Campbell. - -“I’ll play one any day,” replied the unembarrassed Philip. - -“But ‘love’ means ‘nothing’,” added Campbell. - -“Unfortunately so.” - -“Good for Cathalina!” exclaimed Campbell, with cousinly regard, at -an especially good play. Before this he had found where Hilary was -sitting, and did not find the game so engrossing that he could not -include Hilary in his line of vision. - -Then came the last plays, Lilian’s victory, and Philip found himself -watching her, as she received congratulations and talked happily -with the girls. The boys waited a few moments till most of the crowd -were moving off, a few Greycliff girls still around Lilian and -Cathalina, then walked around into sight. - -“A surprise for you, Cathalina,” called Campbell. - -Turning, the girls saw Philip and Campbell, and with many -exclamations of wonder and pleasure, went to meet them. - -“Why, Philip Van Buskirk!” exclaimed Cathalina. “Why didn’t you -write that you were coming?” - -“Didn’t know it myself till the last minute, Kitten. Say I was proud -of your playing. And Lilian, that was great!” - -“Were you back there all the time?” - -“Just for the last two games. It was all we could do to keep still -and not join in the rooting, but June warned us not to appear before -the games were over.” - -“When did you arrive, Philip?” asked Hilary. - -“This morning. Campbell wrote that this would be a good time to -come, I wired him and came. He says that there is to be a picnic up -here tomorrow.” - -“Yes, indeed; we entertain the Boothbay boys.” - -“Let’s sit down right here and talk,” suggested Cathalina, moving -toward the benches. “Then we can show you around a little.” - -“I’m afraid we’ll have to put that off till tomorrow,” said -Campbell, “if we go down to camp with the tide. But we can visit a -little while.” Thus speaking, he waved Hilary to a seat next to -Cathalina on a bench and dropped on the grass at her feet. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - - PICNICKERS FROM BOOTHBAY CAMP - - -“O, dear! It’s going to rain today, Eloise, look at the fog!” - -“That doesn’t mean anything up here, Isabel.” - -“But it was so cloudy last night, too. If anything happens to spoil -the picnic I’ll be mad.” - -“Nothing will,” contributed Frances. “If it storms, they’ll wait -till the storm is over and then come. And if it keeps on raining, we -can have fun in the club house and the dining room. But I don’t -think that it will rain.” - -“I want to see what happens on a picnic when the boys are here,” -said Isabel. “When do they come?” - -“Right after rest hour, probably. They have to get ready, of course, -and the Aeolus won’t leave here till after dinner.” - -“Why the Aeolus?” - -“There are so many boys that the big boat will go after them.” - -“And what do we do?” - -“The program will be announced at breakfast or dinner, I think. -Probably there will be some games, different things to make us get -acquainted. We are supposed to be the hostesses and will show the -boys around the grounds if they want us to, but I imagine that the -little boys will want to tear around by themselves. The older boys -will pay more attention to us, though. They will all be very polite -and appreciative, for their head councillor is quite particular -about their manners.” - -It was almost three o’clock when the boats appeared from Boothbay -Camp. The day had cleared, though occasional clouds obscured the -afternoon sun. The Aeolus came gliding in, full of boys of all -sizes, with their councillors. Many of them wore white duck in honor -of the occasion. Others were in the usual camp uniform. Standing in -or on the Aeolus, they hailed Merrymeeting, first with the Boothbay, -then with the Merrymeeting yell, and were answered by such girls as -happened to be about, for the place of reception was at the club -house. - -Cathalina was watching for Philip and Campbell, whom she intended to -have a delightful time if she could manage it, and proud she was to -introduce them to all the interesting girls. Campbell, in turn, -introduced the other councillors and other boys, and the picnic was -well started. The younger boys and girls had a hare and hounds -chase, which was somewhat strenuous for the boys in white duck, but -they came out of it in good humor, if a little warm and disheveled. - -“They shall have their heart’s desire, the dears,” thought -Cathalina, as she stood apart for a moment and looked at the -chatting, laughing company. It was not hard to manage it, for -Campbell never got very far from Hilary, and Phil was usually where -he could quickly reach Lilian. - -“Pardon me, Philip, I want Lilian to take you around a little and -show you Marshmallow Point and the pine grove, and, Hilary, will you -take Campbell? There is Sunset Rock, too, and the lane. The boys -must see all the places we rave about. I’ll join you later.” -Cathalina had seen to it that neither Hilary nor Lilian had planned -to take part in any of the games that were arranged for, and had -frankly told them why. “I want you to be free to entertain Campbell -and Philip. The other girls and I will help with the rest.” - -Neither Lilian nor Hilary, then, were surprised or embarrassed, and -the four strolled first down to Marshmallow Point, properly called -Chopp’s Point, where they viewed the remains of many a camp fire and -sat on the rocks to talk of their schools, the camps, and many other -interests both serious and amusing. But when they topped the hill -again, Lilian and Philip turned toward the pine grove, while Hilary -and Campbell walked on past the club house to the little road and -Sunset Rock. No explanation seemed necessary. - -“This is where we find the cranberry plants,” Hilary was saying, as -she stooped to pick a bit of the vine with an unripe cranberry on -it. “Our prettiest blueberries are near Sunset Rock.” - -“Where is that?” asked Campbell. - -“Up this way.” - -Lilian was just pointing out the pine grove to Philip and they had -turned to go there when they looked back to see Hilary and Campbell -turning the other way, but looking back to wave friendly hands. - -“There are the most beautiful rocks of all in the pine grove, -Philip, and along the shore of Merrymeeting Bay.” - -Down the narrow trail they walked into the grove, Lilian leading. -Little blueberry bushes, prickly juniper, bright green moss, -sprawling arborvitæ, tall sweet ferns and other greenery lined the -way. Then they reached the thick carpet of pine needles and climbed -down a natural stairway, none too regular, made of pine roots padded -with moss and brown pine needles. - -“This is the way to the swimming cove,” said Lilian, pointing to the -rocks and the water, which appeared through the trees. “The hunters’ -cabin is on in that direction, a short walk. Would you like to go on -there?” - -“I’d rather sit out on the rocks, I believe, and talk to you while I -have the chance,” replied Philip quickly, “but wherever you want to -go, I’ll be glad to tag along.” - -“I’d rather visit, too, Philip,” responded Lilian pleasantly, as she -looked about for the best location. “Let’s climb back up to my -favorite rock. We’ll be close at hand if the girls want us, and by -ourselves if many of the folks come down to the grove.” - -Lilian’s sweater made a comfortable cushion for both as perched upon -the firm old Maine rock they began to talk to each other of their -dreams and ambitions. It was just as engrossing as it had been upon -their ride from Rochester to Buffalo. While they talked, the bell -rang for swimming. - -“They are back from the hare and hounds chase and that is the call -for swimming; do you want to go, Philip?” - -“No; do you?” - -“Not a bit; Tell me some more about your pipe organ lessons. Which -do you like best, organ or piano? I suppose piano is easier.” - -“My old organ teacher and I quarrel every once in a while about -that. He began with piano, too, and likes it, of course, but says -that anybody who gives pipe organ study a fair trial likes it -better, so many more effects and so on, and so much power in the -organ. But I hold out for piano still, though I thoroughly enjoy the -pipe organ work and do not find it so hard because of having played -piano so long. One reads music, you know, and has the fingering of -keys and the idea of expression and all.” - -“Have you had harmony and counterpoint?” - -“Yes; have you?” - -“No, but I must, because I try to make up little songs and do not -know whether the accompaniments are right or not. O, dear, I’ll -never catch up to you!” - -Philip’s face showed how little he thought Lilian needed anything -more to make her perfect, as he replied, “You are way beyond me, I’m -afraid. Let me help you with accompaniment. I’d love to try it! Send -me the melody and words and what idea of accompaniment you have, -whatever you have written, and I will see if you have broken any of -the rules at least, and if you want me to, I’ll perhaps suggest some -chords that would be good.” - -“O, that will be wonderful!” Lilian clasped her hands in delight. -“But wouldn’t it bother you too much? You will be so busy with your -own work.” - -“I’d consider it a privilege.” - -“Well, you are nice!” But something in Philip’s tone made Lilian -hurry on to say, “I have always wanted to be a singer, Philip, but -Mother says it’s an awful life. She says that I can have the lessons -and sing without being a concert singer. But still sometimes I think -I would like to try it.” - -“I’m very fond of music, you know,” replied Philip, “but Father -needs me in the business, and I like his line, too. I want a regular -job. I think every man ought to have one, and as I don’t care to be -a public performer or a music teacher, I think I’ll just keep it for -recreation, boring my family with occasional practice and much -private enjoyment of my own.” - -“From what Cathalina says, I judge that your family is never bored.” - -“They do seem to stand it, but they are a long-suffering lot. And -lately,” Philip’s face sobered, and he twirled the sweet fern that -he held, “I’ve been planning for a musical wife, that is ... she’s -pretty young now ... if I get home from war to ask her.” - -Lilian’s heart tried to turn over, but did not succeed, and as he -spoke of the war she looked at him quickly,—“O, Phil!” - -“We are bound to get into it, Father thinks, and says that when we -do get in I may go, not before. Campbell and I and most of our -friends are making our plans accordingly.” - -Silence for a few moments. Lilian played with a sprig of -blueberries, which Philip had picked for her, and Philip still -twirled the bit of sweet fern. - -“Say Lilian, would you mind writing to me?” - -“I’d love to, Philip.” - -“Right along, I mean, not just once in a while. I’d like to tell you -things, and know what you are doing all the time and where you are.” - -Philip spoke so earnestly that Lilian almost gasped. Matters were -moving rapidly in this new friendship. - -“You see you’re,—well, you’re different. I never met a girl like -you. You’re so _sweet_, you know!” and Philip put his long brown -fingers for just a moment over the little tanned hand on the rock. - -Lilian’s blue eyes met Phil’s dark ones and fell before them, while -Philip watched a sweet, serious face surrounded by a bright halo of -hair on which the afternoon sun was shining. - -“Here come Cathalina and Eloise, Philip,” and Lilian waved a hand to -the approaching girls. - -“It’s about time for the supper, Lilian,” said Cathalina, “and I -thought we’d better look up you folks. Supper is half an hour -earlier, you know, and I wasn’t sure that you knew it. Whoo-oo, -everybody!” - -Cathalina raised her voice a little and repeated her announcement of -“almost supper-time”, that a group of boys and girls down on the -cove rocks might hear her. “Where are Hilary and Campbell, Lilian?” - -“They started to walk down the lane to Sunset Rock, to see birds, I -guess.” - -“Yes, to see birds,” laughed Cathalina, as she and Eloise ran back -along the winding path. “I feel as if I were an entertainment -committee, don’t you, Elo’?” - -“Yes, indeed, with young councillors and boys and girls to meet and -introduce. I hope that everybody has been having a good time.” - -“I know that Phil and Campbell are! And there aren’t any lonesome -looking youngsters hanging around anyhow. Everybody has had -something to do or somebody to talk to.” - -For the cafeteria supper, the “bread line” was arranged with the -purpose of making it easy for the boys and girls to be grouped -together while eating their supper. First a girl, then a boy, they -filed into the dining-room, past the tables which had been arranged -cafeteria fashion, the girls’ young councillors serving. Then out by -the other door went the long line, carrying their suppers to be -eaten upon the green. “Seconds” were permitted, except for ice cream -and cake. The quick disappearance of supplies and the merry -conversation among the picnickers indicated a good time. After the -councillors had had their picnic lunch and the tables were moved -back, music and games occupied the company till time for -leave-taking. - -“I shall be up tomorrow, if nothing happens,” said Philip to the -girls. “And if Campbell can get away I’ll try to drag him along.” - -“Yes; ‘try to drag me along’ is good!” said Campbell. “If he does -not select a time when I can get away there will be trouble.” - -“How soon must you leave, Philip?” asked Cathalina. - -“Tomorrow evening. If you have anything to send home, have it ready -when I come up. Good-bye, everybody. We have had a wonderful time.” - -With parting gestures and camp yells, the manly crew boarded their -boats and took their departure. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - - A SHORE DINNER - - -“What is this ‘shore dinner’, Marion, that I hear the girls talking -about?” - -“I don’t know, Betty; ask Frances.” - -“O, Frances!” - -“Whoo-hoo,—in a minute.” Frances presently came in from hanging her -bathing suit on the line outside the klondike. - -“What is it, Betty?” - -“The ‘shore dinner’, Frances; what is it, and where is it? I have -been hearing the girls ask, ‘O, are you going to the shore dinner?’ -but someway neglected to inquire. Do we go to some place on the -shore and have a clam chowder or something?” - -“No. The shore dinner is of sea foods, to be sure, but we have it at -New Meadows Inn. They take us down to Bath and from there we take -the trolley car to the Inn. I went last year and want to go again. I -just love their lobster stew!” - -“‘Love’ food, Frances?” - -“I’m afraid I do, Miss Patty.” - -“Can we stop in Bath, too?” continued Betty. - -“Yes,—at least they always do let us shop a while.” - -“Good! I’m going. How about you, Lilian?” - -“O, I’m in for everything,” laughed Lilian, who was very happy these -days. “Will you go, Hilary?” - -“Indeed I shall. Do you suppose I’d miss a trip like that? Besides, -I’m interested in this Maine country. I never was in New England -before. I hope we’ll have the trip to Augusta soon.” - -“Is Augusta the capitol of Maine?” - -“Listen to her! Go and ask Virgie. She studied geography last year. -Are you going, Cathalina?” - -“Of course I am. I am particularly fond of clams and lobster.” - -“Ugh! clams!” said Betty. “But if you all eat ’em, I will or perish -in the attempt.” - -“Mercy, Betty! Taste ’em and go slow is my motto,” said Hilary. - -“It is always just as well to have decided whether or not you want -to take a trip,” suggested Frances. “We’ll be asked and have to make -a quick decision perhaps. They have to know about the numbers going, -of course, both to order the dinner at the Inn and to plan about -boats. Will June go, Hilary?” - -“She will hate to miss anything, but I’m a little afraid to have her -go. It might upset her to eat that stuff when she isn’t used to it, -and the trolley sometimes makes her sick. I’ll talk to her about it. -June has lots of sense, but once in a while she takes a spell and -will or won’t do something. The worm turns, you know.” - -“Yes, I know the feeling,” said Lilian. - -“Why, Hilary, at times you have a touch of almost human -intelligence,” said Frances, grinning broadly. “Get little sister to -decide for herself?” - -“That is the idea.” - -As in odd coincidence it often happens, the shore dinner trip was -announced at breakfast. The younger girls were advised not to go, as -the only attraction was the shore dinner, and that a doubtful -pleasure, unless they liked sea foods. All who so desired, however, -were permitted to go and were to leave their names at the office at -once or within a reasonable time. The dinner would be ordered by -telephone and the boats would start in time to catch the twelve -o’clock trolley car at Bath. - -Hilary had not had time to prepare June’s mind to stay at home, but -to her relief June came running to her soon after breakfast. - -“I’m not going, Hilary. The girls say that they just have old clams -and lobster and things like that, and I can’t eat any ice cream -afterwards at Bath because it wouldn’t go with the shore dinner, and -you know that I can’t even eat oysters. Are you going?” - -“Yes; is there anything you’d like me to get for you at Bath?” - -“We need some more films for the camera, and I need a bathing cap. -Mine’s all busted up.” - -“‘Torn,’ little sister.” - -“O, Hilary, I heard you say ‘bust’ the other day.” - -Hilary laughed, and to change the subject, said, “I suppose you will -not object if I bring you something good.” - -“You can’t. Don’t you remember what was said at breakfast? Nobody -can buy candy or anything to eat this trip, because they couldn’t -keep from eating it and so it’s safer not to buy ’em. See?” - -“Sure enough. All right. Have a good time, Junie, and don’t try too -many wild stunts.” This last because it was so astounding to note -how June had ‘come out’ since coming to camp. Timid at first, afraid -to get out of her depth in the water, used to considering what would -be proper for the minister’s little girl to do, conscientious June -had now thrown all timidity to the winds, frolicked in the water -like a water-sprite since she had learned to swim under instruction, -and was daily getting so much of the group spirit that Hilary was -sometimes afraid of her going to the other extreme. But the daily -exercise and happy times outdoors were giving her much color and the -scales were marking greater gain every time that June was weighed -with the rest. - -“Think what a dress-up occasion this is, girls,” said Lilian, as she -dived into her trunk for “real clothes”. “Doesn’t it seem funny to -wear a suit and gloves?” - -“Gloves!” exclaimed Cathalina. “_I’m_ not going to wear gloves!” - -“My, Cathalina, how you’ve changed!” - -“Yes, isn’t it funny? But I just love to dress like a camper. I -think our costume is fine, too, and very becoming.” - -“Going to wear your sport hat?” - -“Yes.” - -All the way down to Bath the girls in the Aeolus, for the numbers -were too many for the Truant, chatted, sang, or tried to compose -verses worthy of the annual prize song. And never did the girls tire -of the beautiful river, its eddies through the Burnt Jackets, its -rocky banks, its breezes and flying or floating gulls. The trolley -ride carried them over a winding way again, up hill and down dell, -past typical New England homes in town or country. Presently they -found themselves at New Meadows Inn and were ushered into its -dining-room. - -“O, Cathalina, thank fortune you are with us,” whispered Isabel, as -she sat down next to Cathalina. “You will tell us how to eat the sea -food, won’t you?” - -“If there is anything you do not know about,” replied Cathalina -smiling. “You’ve eaten soup?” noticing that the lobster stew was -coming. - -“Mean thing! Yes we’ve had soup before!” - -The lobster stew proved most popular. “We don’t have lobster stew in -Dakota,” explained Virgie, as she accepted the offer of a second -helping. - -“It is always offered here,” said Frances, “and all right to take -it, and some only care for the stew.” - -In came the clam course. The Western girls looked at each other and -Isabel whispered to Virginia, “Shades of clams and ‘craw-daddles’ in -our old creek at home! Now tell us, Cathalina.” - -In a low tone Cathalina replied, “Open the shell, take the clam off -where it is fastened to the shell and hold it by that end with your -fingers, dip it in the little cup of broth, then in the melted -butter, and eat it.” - -“Why, they’re _good_,” said Isabel in surprise, “taste like -oysters.” - -Fried clams, lobsters on a little platter, New England doughnuts and -a plate of crisp cookies, pickles, and hot cups of tea or coffee, -all came in for a share of praise from these hungry campers. Coffee -was not served at camp, but permitted on these special occasions. - -At Bath they divided into parties, a councillor in charge of each, -and scattered to the bookstores, the shoe stores, the jeweller’s, -the drug store, the dry goods stores or the ten cent store on their -different errands, till the time agreed upon to meet at the boat. -Then again the curving Aeolus took them up the river. - -“Swimming meet tomorrow, girls,” reminded Hilary, “you going to try, -Cathalina?” - -“No; I’m not speedy enough to race, though I’ve learned to swim so -much better already. It’s a shame that I can’t with all the summers -I’ve been at the shore. I’m going to do more of it at school next -year. Are you going to enter, Hilary?” - -“Yes, you know that I always have to try everything. I’ll not win, -though. How about you, Virgie?” - -“Not I. I never saw water I wanted to swim in till I came to school -last year. I love to swim now, but I’m no fish like Izzy.” - -“There it is again! She calls me a fish now!” Isabel pretended to be -offended. - -“Which is it, Isabel, the ‘crawl’ or the ‘overhand’?” - -“The ‘crawl’ this time.” - -Arrived at camp, the girls saw the Dixie from Boothbay Camp tied up -at the dock, and half way up the hill they met Campbell, who greeted -them and walked back to the club house with them. - -“Is this the way you reward me for calling upon you?—coming home -just as I have to leave!” - -“It is not quite that bad, I hope,” said Cathalina. “Do you have to -hurry off?” - -“Before long, I’m afraid, whenever the ‘captain’ says the word. We -brought up some mail and other things.” - -“Come up on the porch,” invited Cathalina. - -One of the swings and a few chairs held the party, which included -Hilary, Eloise, Cathalina, Betty and Lilian, besides their guests. -Then Jo and June came running around, their heads scarcely to the -level of the porch floor. - -“O, here are the girls. I wonder if they stood the sea food all -right. How’s the lobster?” inquired June, waving at Hilary and not -seeing the young man in the swing. - -“Now what do you mean, young lady,—addressing your sister as a -lobster? Come right up and apologize!” - -“O, Campbell, you’re so funny!” The little girls ran up the steps, -crossed the porch and June squeezed herself into the swing by -Campbell, Hilary moving over. - -“Do you like the little boys, Campbell?” - -“Yes, Junie, we have great times. I’ll tell you about them one of -these days. You are coming down to Boothbay on the picnic, aren’t -you?” - -“O, I should say I am!” - -“Careful, June,” warned Hilary. “Watch your speech.” - -“Did you ever hear the story of the hunters’ cabin?” - -“Our little cabin, Campbell?” - -“Yes, or thereabouts.” - -“No; except that hunters often go there during the hunting season. -We found the skeleton of a fox up there the other day. Tell us what -the story is.” - -“The story I heard is that there was an old smuggler who had his -cabin up here, buried his treasure and was lost in a storm in the -harbor. The treasure is still buried here, ah-ha!” - -“O, really?” - -“Nonsense, Campbell; you’re making it up. Somebody would have found -it long ago.” - -“I’m no authority myself, but that is one of the stories that they -were telling in camp last night.” - -“Come up some day, Mr. Stuart, and we’ll go up there and dig!” said -Jo. - -“Where is the place?” - -“O, just a little way—up Merrymeeting Bay,” sang Lilian. “It’s in -the pine grove.” - -“Well, I’m a busy man these days, with a lot of lively kids to look -after. Save some of the treasure for me.” - -“Yes; you may have all we find,” generously offered Hilary. - -“Don’t make such a rash offer, Hilary,” said Eloise, “we might -really find something. Can’t you stay to supper, Mr. Stuart?” - -“No, thank you; it’s after five o’clock now, the next meal at six, -and we must get back to keep our especial division of boys from -running off with the place.” - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - - THE PICNIC TO BOOTHBAY - - -“This is certainly one wonderful time to me,” remarked Virgie to -Isabel. “Lobster and clams on Tuesday, either a trip or something -going on every minute since, and now this picnic to the boys’ -island. I have to shake myself sometimes and say ‘remember the -Maine’ or something for fear I’ll get spoiled. And G. G. G. G. again -next year!” - -“Explain your abbreviations; something to do with Greycliff, I -suppose.” - -“Yes; Greycliff Gay, Grand and Glorious. Won’t we be in fine trim -for the sports there? We girls never half appreciated our privileges -there.” - -“It takes camp life to wake us up, doesn’t it?” - -“Yes. Then, of course, there are so many other things that you have -to do at school.” - -“A few lessons, for instance.” - -“And I have too much sense to tire myself out on athletics and not -get those lessons. I say to myself every so often ‘Virginia Hope, -here is your chance to learn something; don’t miss it!’” - -“Miss Randolph has the right idea. Do you remember how she says to -us once in a while ‘Take the hard courses, girls. Make your minds -work and you will never regret it’?” - -“I’m going to have school and a little athletics during the year, -and camp in the summer, with lots of it, if I can, after this.” - -About ten o’clock the girls started for Boothbay. As this was a very -popular picnic, held annually, nobody but a few councillors remained -at home. The boats went down the river with the girls singing as -usual, the weather propitious, young hearts gay. - -“Shall we have a visit with Campbell, Hilary?” asked June, who had -been quite taken with the young man. - -Lilian glanced roguishly at Hilary, who had replied soberly to June. -“Yes, perhaps so, but I think that he will be quite busy with the -entertaining and all.” - -“Probably he will have a few minutes for you and Hilary, June,” said -Lilian. June perceived that there was some undercurrent of mischief, -but not understanding just what, subsided. - -“I wish Philip were here,” said Hilary, “don’t you, Lilian?” - -“Cathalina’s the one who would wish so the most,” said June, -“because he’s her brother.” - -“Can’t the rest of us like him too?” asked Hilary, who was rather -regretting her blunt retort to Lilian’s teasing. - -“O, yes; we all couldn’t help liking Philip, but sisters, of course, -are nearest.” - -At this the girls smiled and Cathalina said, “I forgot to tell you -all about my letter from Philip. I read it in a hurry just before we -left. Somebody must have brought up some mail late last night, -because I looked just before we went to our klondike and there was -nothing for any of us in the box. He wrote that he met Lilian’s -brother in New York the other day. They just happened to be at lunch -at the same place and were eating away without knowing each other, -when in walked Judge North, and sat down by Dick, saying that he -found he could get away from somewhere after all. Then he spied -Philip and Philip saw him. They had met at Rochester, you know. Dick -is reading law with his father, isn’t he, Lilian?” - -“Yes. Our families seem to meet by chance, don’t they?” - -“Philip said that he is a fine fellow. He took Dick and the Judge -out home later for dinner, and Father and the Judge had a great talk -over the war, politics, business and everything. I say ‘Dick’ as if -I knew your brother, Lilian, but Philip called him that in the -letter and I have heard you speak of him so for so long. I wouldn’t -think of addressing him so familiarly.” - -“We have been trying to call him ‘Richard’ lately, since he is so -grown up, but can’t remember to do it.” - -“‘Richard’ is prettier,—‘Richard North’,” commented Cathalina. - -“Dick wrote me a little scribble, too,” said Lilian. “I was so -surprised, because I rarely hear from him. We get news of each other -through Mother, of course. He said that next to Mother, Mrs. Van -Buskirk was the most lovely woman he ever met.” - -Cathalina looked pleased at this. “O, isn’t that nice? and that he -is so loyal to his own mother, too.” - -“You must meet our mother, Cathalina, and it would be nice if they -knew each other.” Lilian did not mention that she, too, had heard -from Philip. She intended to tell both Cathalina and Hilary, who was -now her closest friend, but the conversation in the pine grove, and -the letters, were just her own now. - -“Here we are at Boothbay. I believe that Thorn Island is the name of -the boys’ island. We are going around to the other dock, aren’t we? -These are certainly high rocks. What a great old river the Kennebec -is! Where’s our little Canadian warbler?—O, Betty!” - -Betty had been sitting up in front with Marion and Frances, but -joined Cathalina as soon as they landed. - -The boys and their councillors had made great plans for the -entertainment of the girls. The picnic meal was at noon, instead of -the later time when it was celebrated at Merrymeeting. With great -gallantry the boys waited upon the girls, who enjoyed every minute. -The girls had been reminded by their head councillor that morning at -breakfast that they should show their appreciation of the courtesies -offered at Boothbay, and that they should consider how much easier -it always was for the girls to accept attentions than it was for the -younger and shy boys to offer them. - -In the afternoon the boys played a “left-hand” game of baseball with -the girls, then staged a regular game, at which the girls rooted -impartially for both teams. There were also some singles and doubles -in tennis, which showed the boys’ skill. It must be admitted that in -athletics the boys are usually ahead. But the girls did not mind -being beaten, even when the boys were compelled to use their left -hands to throw and catch, and the boys admitted that the girls -played well, “for girls”. - -Not until after the cafeteria dinner did Campbell have time to visit -with Hilary, on whom, however, he quite often kept an eye. But when -the games were in progress, he came up and asked her to take a -stroll around with him. This singling out of Hilary did not pass -unnoticed by the other girls, and Hilary knew that she might come in -for a good share of teasing from the Merrymeeting company. But so -far there was only good comradeship between Hilary and Campbell, at -least, so far as any expression of feeling was concerned. Both were -quite young, with some school years before them and life purposes to -be worked out. - -“O, Campbell,” called June as Hilary and Campbell passed a group of -the younger boys and girls who were playing a game. “Tell me more -about the hunters’ cabin before we go, will you?” - -“All I know is what I told you the other day. Ask Jack here. She -wants to hear those smuggler and pirate stories, Jack, that the boys -were telling.” - -“O, could you tell me, Jack?” - -Jack was a bright-eyed youngster of about fourteen years, who was -usually ashamed to be seen talking to a girl. But in his enforced -position as host it was different. Several of the boys and girls -immediately sat down upon the big rock near to hear or help tell the -story. - -“Who told it in the first place, Jack?” asked one of the boys, a -little fellow of some nine years. - -“A boy last year was telling the first I ever heard about this -country. I think he made it up, because he told us the awfullest -yarns all the time about ghosts and pirates and everything; but it -was fun to listen, and we all added to it.” - -“Come on and tell, Jack.” June was sitting with her elbows on her -knees, her face in her hands, ready to listen in breathless -interest. - -“All right. You know that cabin up at Merrymeeting doesn’t look very -old, does it?” - -“No. It’s made of shingles, isn’t it? Seems so silly to try to have -a story like that one about it.” - -“Well, that wasn’t the original cabin, according to Tom’s story, but -built on the same place where the old smuggler’s cabin stood. And -somewhere around there his treasure is buried, under the cabin, in -the cracks of some of the rocks and ledges, or maybe some tree has -grown over the place. He was a terrible old fellow, a sort of -retired pirate, I guess, and Tom said that the smuggler used to live -along the Kennebec and knew that it would be a good place to hide -his stores and treasures. So he built this cabin, the old one, I -mean. He would be gone for months and then his old boat would come -up the Kennebec in the night when the tide was coming this way from -the sea. And he’d drag old sacks full of something from the boat to -the cabin. He was so fierce looking that everybody was afraid of him -and if any boat was on the river when he came along they’d get out -of the way or hide somewhere till he had passed. Once somebody heard -horrible groaning from his boat,—” - -“O, Jack!” It was getting too vivid for June. - -“One time some people with some officers went to see what there was -in the cabin, while the old man was away. But they only found the -bunks and some food and an old chest with clothes in it.” - -“Perhaps he just had food in the sacks and ate it up while he stayed -at the cabin,” suggested practical June. - -“Yes. Perhaps he wasn’t a pirate. And perhaps he was,” said Jack. -“You just listen now. This is what Tom told. One night in a -rainstorm a boy that lived on a farm near the river came to shore in -a canoe, because he couldn’t get home in the wind and bucking the -tide. The waves were just _dashing_ every way by the time he got -into the Merrymeeting Bay, and pretty soon the canoe went plump, -crash, bang, smash, right on the rocks near the cove. But of course -the boy could swim and he kept up a minute or two, when he was -carried back from the rocks by the water, and finally he crawled up -on shore. It was in the days of Indians, and he was afraid of being -found by some of them that were not friendly or had had too much -fire-water, so he got among the bushes first. Then he saw a light in -the cabin, shining through cracks, and crept up, real still, to see -if he dared go in. There he saw the old pirate, or smuggler, -whatever he was, taking jewelry out of the chest. It flashed and -sparkled and the old man chuckled and chortled, as he ran the jewels -through his fingers. They always do that in stories, you know,” and -Jack laughed. - -“This is a fine story,” said Jo, while Dot said, “O, I hope he -didn’t kill the boy!” and snuggled closer to June. - -“Then the boy made a little noise, accidentally, stepped on a stick -or something, and the old man whisked the things into the chest, -caught up his gun, looked to see if his long knife was at his belt -and ran out. The boy was so scared that he scrambled up on a ledge -and climbed a tree, while the wicked old pirate hunted around, and -growled to himself, and said, ‘Nobuddy’d better come a-spyin’ on me! -Nobuddy’d better come a-spyin’ on me! I’ll give his bones to the -fishes!’” - -Jack told this part of the story with relish, while June, Jo and -Dot, with the rest of the little girls, kept big eyes on him and in -imagination sat in the tree with the boy of long ago. - -“Did he catch the boy?” - -“No; I guess he thought it must have been a bear or some other -animal. He went back into his cabin and barred up the door, and -after a while the boy saw the light go out. It had been shining -through the chinks, you know.” - -“What else?” - -“Nothin’, except that the boy waited a while and slipped down from -the tree and got away from there as soon as he could. He had an -awful time getting home through the wood, afraid of meeting a bear, -and he didn’t have his gun, of course, had lost his canoe and -everything in it. By good luck he was on the mainland, and walked -home. They used to tramp around so much and so far that I imagine -that wasn’t much to him. We can hike a good distance ourselves, you -know.” - -“The Indians really used to come to Merrymeeting, you know,” said -Dot. - -“O, yes, and maybe this old smuggler or pirate traded with ’em. But -they say that he buried a lot of treasure up there and that his -ghost was seen hunting around and whispering in a hollow voice, -‘Four from the pine tree, Ten from the ledge, Six grey stones at the -water’s edge!’” - -“Whoever made that up,” laughed one of the boys, “got up a good one, -for there are about a million pine trees more or less, and all the -stones along the bay are grey ones, I guess, to say nothing of all -the ledges of rock and stone along there!” - - “Four from the pine tree, - Ten from the ledge, - Six grey stones - At the water’s edge.” - -“I’ll remember that,” said Dot, “when we start digging!” - -“It’s a great yarn,” said Jack. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - - A RAINY DAY AND “GOOD SPORTS” - - -“It’s been pouring all night and look at it now!” exclaimed Isabel -in disgust. “Goodbye our hike to Wiscasset! I had to help get the -shutters down in the night, I mean I insisted on helping, because I -was awake when the storm came up. The ground will be soaked and we -can’t have games either, can’t go out or swim or anything, I -suppose.” - -“Why can’t we swim?—’cause we’d get wet?’” - -Isabel laughed. “That seems to be a good one on me. Yes, thank -fortune, we can swim if it does rain, though I suppose if there were -a real big storm we wouldn’t.” - -“No, because water is a great conductor of electricity. I heard -Lilian and Hilary talking about their trip and Lilian was wondering -if ‘all those dead fish’ they saw somewhere when they were on the -boat had been killed by lightning or what had killed them, and then -I remember what Father said one time, that fishes always go to the -bottom or hide away in a storm. I couldn’t be sure, though, let’s -look it up some time. We haven’t had but one thunderstorm and that -wasn’t worth mentioning.” - -“It’s too cool and nice up here for thunderstorm weather, I guess.” - -“This looks to me like a steady, all day pour. But they’ll have -something for us to do, or we can write or read or have fun in the -club house.” - -“We can put on our ponchos and rubbers and go out when we feel like -it. I love to be out in the rain.” - -“Good for you, Isabel. That’s the camp spirit. Hurrah, nice old -rainy day,—going to have lots of fun.” - -“The girls can work on the prize songs for one thing. That will come -soon. I wonder who will make the best Merrymeeting song.” - -“Time will tell. Of course Lilian will try her hand at it, and maybe -Cathalina.” - -An indoor field meet was announced for the usual time of games and -duly the girls arrived at the dining hall, disposing of ponchos, -rain coats and rubbers as best they could. The chairs had been moved -back to leave a large space free for the play. The megaphone -announced “This is the annual indoor field meet. Prizes are to be -given to the winners in the different contests. These contests will -now begin. Will the following girls take their places up on the -floor?” Then more fun began than the girls themselves could ever -have thought up, so Isabel and Virgie concluded. For it seemed that -all the funny contests ever staged in parlors or at picnics were -presented in some amusing way. From marshmallow to hurdle races the -selections were entertaining to both contestants and audience. The -girls who were to take part had been selected beforehand by the -athletic director, that little matters like age and size might seem -appropriate to the part taken. No one refused to try the feat -demanded, and when the councillors were ordered to perform, the -merriment grew. - -One easy-going, plump little camper created some amusement in the -“bean race”. “Hurry up,” called one of the older girls, “you haven’t -a single one of your beans carried over yet and everybody else has!” - -“I can’t help it,” returned the little girl placidly, working away -quietly at the pile of beans on the floor, “they won’t get on my -knife.” - -But patience and perserverance won. Not nervous about anything, when -the beans did “get on her knife”, she carried them without spilling -to their destined place and was the first to have her bean supply -all accounted for. - -The “shot-put” was contested by girls and councillors with big -balloons, the line men soberly measuring the distances. Grins were -measured. A one hundred-yard dash proved to be walking on a string -(stretched from one point to another) with stepping off, and -watching the string and one’s footsteps through a field glass held -reversed. But the contest which aroused the most enthusiasm and the -wildest excitement was one called a relay race, in which the choice -of girls had much to do with the amusement. Four on a side, they -stood at opposite walls of the dining hall, and were numbered in -order. The plan was simple enough, merely to open a suit-case, which -was placed by Number One of each side, don the dress, hat and coat -which were found inside, open an umbrella, and walk over to the -opposite side. There the clothing would be returned to the -suit-case, the umbrella closed, the quick return made and all handed -to Number Two, who continued the performance. Dimple Dot, the quiet, -dignified Cathalina, cultured Marion, fat May and determined Virgie -were of this company. The side through first would win, hence the -mad scramble which brought tears to the eyes of the laughing girls. -Isabel, through the megaphone, gave the same order which she had -given for the other races, though perhaps not entirely appropriate -here. “Ready,—on your mark—all set—go!” - -Cathalina threw dignity to the winds and was especially deft in the -whole performance. Little Dot was almost swallowed up in the -bungalow apron which did duty as dress, and presented a comical -figure as she ran across the floor, stepping on her long draperies, -lost in the big hat and coat, and swallowed up in the umbrella. “I -guess Cathalina and Marion never hurried like that in their lives -before,” she gasped, as she sank on the floor after taking off her -garb and returning it to the suit-case. She had won the race for her -side, for May was not quite through. - -The line up for prizes was made a matter of much dignity, as pieces -of candy, popcorn crisps or cookies were presented to the winners. -Then the girls helped place the tables and chairs in order for the -noon meal which was almost ready. - -In the afternoon there came more rain and heavier. Puddles stood in -the grass. Little streams ran down the paths and joined in larger -ones. Water poured from the dining hall roof and beat a tattoo upon -the umbrellas of the returning girls, for again entertainment was -planned with the big hall as headquarters. This time the good -old-fashioned games were used. And there were some little city girls -that had not played “drop the handkerchief”! The “farmer in the -dell” was kept going for some time. Musical chairs was played -without chairs, girls in a line crooking right and left arms -alternately to be grasped when the music stopped by the girls who -marched around them. London Bridge was called for, and the question -asked by the leaders was, “Which would you rather be, the best -swimmer in camp, or the best tennis player?” Girls in the line -passing under the bridge wondered why Frances had so many behind -her, till their turn came to hear the question. Lilian, Cathalina -and some others took their places behind Marion in favor of tennis, -but most of the girls desired to excel in swimming, and their long -line easily won in the tug of war which followed. - -“O, look, girls, the sun!” - -While they were absorbed in the games it had stopped raining. The -bell by the club house rang and the athletic director announced -swimming. “Into your bathing suits,” she cried, “and don’t forget to -gather up your rain coats and other things to take with you!” - -“We’ll not get wet after all, Izzy,” said Virgie, teasing, as they -paddled down from their klondikes to the shore through puddles, sand -and mud. “Do you dare me to do a somersault and dive from the high -board?” - -“What is the use of daring? You’ll do it anyhow if you feel like it. -I am practicing on the ‘crawl’ stroke, but it is so easy to drop -into the one you are used to using. Doesn’t Cathalina look sweet -with that pretty cape or cloak to match her suit? Here’s for the -rolling deep!”—with which Isabel threw herself from the dock into -deep water, came up to breathe and shake the water from her rosy -face, and made for the float, from which she and Virginia expected -to dive. Even the girls who had not been swimmers were growing -accustomed to the watery element, gaining both in confidence and -ability. - -“The bell will ring for a boat ride at four o’clock,” was the -announcement after the whistle blew for all to come out of the -water. “Come now, everybody out! Go up and get thoroughly dry and -take sweaters for the trip.” - -By the time the Aeolus had started with its happy company, a fresh -breeze and bright sun were already drying off the walks and grass. -It seemed a different world. The blue water was dancing and the tide -favorable to their ride up Merrymeeting Bay. Past “Marshmallow -Point”, past the swimming cove, past gulls posing on fishing weirs, -the Aeolus glided. - -“There’s the hunters’ cabin, Hilary. See how it looks from the bay.” - -“Not very far from shore, June; suppose the old pirate sank his -treasure chest with chain and anchor?” - -“What if he had!” - -“Six grey stones at the water’s edge,” repeated Hilary in a -sepulchral tone. - -“Now Hilary, don’t laugh! Honest, don’t you think he could have done -it?” - -“How should I know?” - -“O, Hilary, I think you’re mean.” - -“Because I don’t add my imagination to yours?” - -“Look, girls,” said Rhoda as they turned to come back. “There comes -the Virginian. We’ll get her waves. Don’t you just love to go up and -down?” - -“That is nothing to what we shall do in the deep sea fishing next -week,” said Marjorie. “They say we go ’way out and anchor, and bob -up and down while we pull in the monsters of the deep!” - -The Virginia saluted the Aeolus with three long blasts, and Aeolus -not to be outdone in courtesy returned the salute through a long tin -horn, while the girls called “Rah, rah, Virginian!” - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - WHO’LL WIN THE PRIZE? - - -“O, Lil-i-an!” - -“Lilian’s out on the point working on a song.” - -“Words and tune too?” - -“I don’t know, very likely. She has her guitar with her and told us -that she was not to be disturbed ‘on pain of death’. But she laughed -when she said it, and if you want to see her, go and hunt her up.” - -“Imagine Lil’s going off alone!” - -“First she and Cathalina were working on a Merrymeeting song, then -we all got at it and evolved one of a sort. O, it’s a rouser, _mihi -crede_!” and Betty waved both hands, as if directing some -Merrymeeting celebration. - -“What’s ‘meehee craydeh’?” asked Virgie. - -“‘Believe me’; you find it in Cicero, though he did not use it in a -slangy way, of course. At least I suppose not, in his famous -orations. You ought to take Latin, Virgie. It would be lots of fun -now, because you would have it to Patty. Dr. Carver wouldn’t have -the beginning Latin classes last year, so Patty took them. _We_ had -it to Dr. Carver, alas. Here comes Lilian now. Did you get ‘lonse’ -all by yourself, Lil?” - -“Yes, and the divine afflatus wouldn’t afflate. I guess it works -better when you’re all round. I thought if anything would bring the -Muse it would be the ashes of the camp fires and the thoughts of the -Indians that used to meet there. I just had a little idea, but not -of a regular Merrymeeting song.” - -“Did you know that the people on some of the land here first got -their deed, or whatever it was, back in 1726?” - -“My, they must be old!” - -“O, you know what I mean, their ancestors, of course.” - -“Yes, I’ve been inquiring about all the legends and stories of this -place. This used to be heavily wooded, all over the point, and they -used to come down and shoot bears, right where this camp is. Dear -me, when you get into New England you are where things have -happened!” - -“Yes, and in the West, too,” reminded loyal Virginia. “We have wild -Injun stories there, too, if we haven’t any Captain Kidd.” - -“That is what my verses are about, Captain Kidd, If I finish them I -may hand them in, though the prize will be for some regular -Merrymeeting song, in praise of Merrymeeting, you know, something -that will go with yells and celebrations. At least that is what I -should think would take the prize, what I would give it for if I -were on the committee of councillors. But when I get something into -my head I have to finish it, or try to.” - -“I’ll help you, Lilian—I’ll make up all the first lines of the -couplets and you make the second lines, or whatever lines have to -have the rhyme.” - -“Aren’t you generous, Virgie!” - -“Who’s going to claim the prize if the song you all wrote together -wins it?” asked Virginia. - -“We haven’t thought that up yet,” replied Betty. - -Not long after this conversation the songs were called for and a -meeting appointed at the club house to try out the songs previous to -the awards by the committee. The songs were to be sung before the -assembled campers, preferably by the composer, if not, by the young -councillor in charge of the proceedings. Another councillor was at -the piano. This method was explained at the beginning. - -“There was an unusually large number of songs handed in this year, -which is very gratifying to the committee, but will make the choice -more difficult. As far as possible the author of the verses, or the -klondike, if part or all of the girls have learned them, will sing -them here tonight. First we shall have the Laugh-a-lot songs.” - -Most of these were short efforts, but raised a great deal of -applause for the composers, though the term author is more -appropriate, since the songs were set to popular or familiar tunes. -One small author sat on a councillor’s lap and was so overcome when -her pretty little song was sung that she turned her face away; and -at the vociferous applause which followed, she quite hid her head on -the protecting shoulder. - -One of the Intermediates in Piggly-Wiggly sang all alone, in a -gentle voice, two pretty verses about river, bay, island and clouds. -Helen, Eloise and the rest of the girls in that senior cabin gave -praise to Merrymeeting in a rousing chorus set to Yankee Doodle. -Lilian, Cathalina and Betty did the singing for Squirrels’ Inn. -Lilian had decided not to offer her Captain Kidd verses, declaring -that there were too many active things to do at camp to bother about -a “masterpiece”. Then, too, it would not turn out to be a real -Merrymeeting song. - -After the singing of the list, a few which were easily recognized as -the best were asked for again, and the committee promised as quick a -decision as possible. As it turned out, several songs were adopted -as Merrymeeting songs, and several prizes were given, one to -Squirrels’ Inn included. - -June, Jo and Dot came around to ask Lilian what had become of the -Captain Kidd song. - -“Why, where did you ever hear that I was writing one?” she asked. - -“I heard you and Hilary talking about it one time,” replied June. - -“It isn’t much,” - -“We want to hear it any way.” - -“I’ll send it to the _Moon_ and if they accept it you shall hear it -read there.” - -“All right. Did you hear any more facts about Captain Kidd?” - -Lilian laughed. “I don’t know that I have any ‘facts’ about him, but -I find that there is a story about the real Captain Kidd and the -Kennebec. It is said that he used to attack boats that came to this -trading center, kill off everybody but one, whom he left to help him -carry the goods to his hiding place, and then kill him too. Nice old -pirate! And they say that the name ‘Merrymeeting’ applied not only -to the five rivers beside the Kennebec that come into Merrymeeting -Bay, but to the meeting of the tribes here.” - -“Then the boys’ stories were true, or at least some of them!” said -June with satisfaction. - -“How can you be glad that such terrible things happened,” teased -Lilian. - -“O, I wouldn’t have had ’em happen,” explained June carefully, “but -if they did happen I want to know about it, and it would be great if -we could find some treasure. Miss Patty, do you know where we could -get something to dig with?” - -“No, June, and remember, kiddies, that you can’t dig up the -place,—it isn’t yours. And if you ever go to the hunters’ cabin, -Hilary and some of the big girls must go with you.” - -“O, dear, then we can’t have any fun, I suppose, and if we did find -anything it wouldn’t belong to us anyway!” - -“Finders keepers,” suggested Dot. - -“That wouldn’t be honest, I’m afraid,” said June. - -“That ethical point can be decided if you ever come across any -treasure. I’m sure that you would be amply rewarded! Have fun -thinking about it anyhow.” - -“S’pose we’d find some big red rubies,” suggested Jo. - -“And di’monds,” added Dot. - -“And pearls,” said June. “Haven’t we got the imaginations though? -Say, Lilian, please read us the verses!” - -“O, all right, I had fun, too, writing out the story.” - - The Merrymeeting Pirate. - - In the early days when Captain Kidd - Sailed up the Kennebec, - He had his gold in his vessel’s hold - And prize from many a wreck. - - When on to Merrymeeting Bay - The river boats would glide - In rippling cove or piney grove - This pirate dark would hide. - _Refrain_: - O, Captain Kidd, we’re glad - We’re glad you’re not here now! - - The goods that they had brought to trade - With early pioneer, - For Indian wild or settler child, - Was soon to disappear. - Alone he’d board the wave-washed deck, - The crew could not resist; - The pirate’s glare, their deep despair, - Could feel through rain or mist! - O, Captain Kidd, we’re glad - We’re glad you’re not here now! - - With knife and gun and cutlass sharp, - He’d cut and hack and shoot, - Just saving one till set of sun, - To help him carry loot. - But on Brick Island, in the Bay, - He met his well-earned fate; - For on his track, when he came back, - Were men that pirates hate. - O, Captain Kidd, we’re glad; - We’re glad you’re not here now! - - They captured him, and no one knows - Just what those sailors did. - With empty threat the end he met,— - And _exit_ Captain Kidd! - His treasure lies somewhere about - Beneath the wrinkled rock, - Or in some cave where wild winds rave - Or screaming sea-birds flock. - O, Captain Kidd, we’ll find, - We’ll find your treasure-trove! - - Of coins a little box or two, - The legend says they found, - But would you wear his jewels rare, - You still must search this ground. - At if at eve his ghost you meet, - Just follow if you dare; - Get spade and pick, or knife and stick, - And dig for treasure there! - O, Captain Kid, we’ll find, - We’ll find your treasure-trove! - -The little girls clapped their hands. “O, Lilian, I think that’s -great! Did he really ‘meet his fate’ on Brick Island?” - -“That is what the story says, that he was captured there, and that -they really did find some coins around here somewhere.” - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - - AT THE HUNTER’S CABIN - - -“Hurry! Don’t let the youngsters see you Campbell. They went out the -lane a while ago with ‘Mother Nature’ and may be back at any time. I -think they went after flowers and will not go through the woods to -the shore, I’m pretty sure.” - -“We’ll just go right down to the pine grove, and if they see us we -can’t do it, that’s all.” - -Campbell had come up before supper with several parents and some -boys from Boothbay, and had just come in from canoeing with Hilary. -They were laughing, as they walked up from the shore and beckoned to -Cathalina, Betty and Eloise, who happened to appear. While Campbell -unfolded a little plan, they stood in a smiling group, approving the -scheme, which developed further under the ideas of more -conspirators. Campbell fished in his pocket for something which they -all examined with interest. Cathalina thought a moment, and with one -word, “wait”, sped away toward her cabin. There she searched her -trunk for a few minutes and flew back to her companions. - -“Just the thing! Don’t you want them, Cathalina?” - -“No, I happened to bring them because they were in with the rest.” - -As if strolling, the party moved toward the pine grove, but when -they had reached its shelter their demeanor changed and they -scurried along the trail, through the trees and over the rocks that -lined the shore of Merrymeeting Bay. - -“We’ll have to be quick,” said Campbell, “before my party has to -leave.” - -“Where shall we put it?” - -“Look; just the place!” - -“I’m afraid they’ll think it’s fishy.” - -“Let ’em; they’ll soon find out, anyhow.” - -“O, Campbell, have more imagination.” - -“They will like it in the end. Let me know how it comes out, girls.” - -“Indeed we will.” - -“Be sure to have them start out early tomorrow morning before -anybody else does.” - -As they came back toward the club house, they saw June, Dot and Jo -sitting on the steps, talking earnestly and mysteriously, as -gestures and looks indicated. - -“Hello, June,” called Campbell, holding out a hand. “And how are Dot -and Jo by this time?” June sprang to meet him, Dot took his other -hand and Jo stood smiling by. - -“Where’ve you been, Mr. Stuart?” asked Dot. “We looked for you after -supper.” - -“Just now we’ve come from the pine grove and around the rocks,” -replied Campbell, promptly and truthfully. “Big storm last night, -girls, must have beat upon the rocks something fierce! I wonder if -it opened up any of the caves where Captain Kidd’s treasure is!” - -“Campbell!” exclaimed Hilary, laughing. - -“We’ll go up tomorrow and see,” said Jo, entering into the spirit of -Campbell’s joking. “But we children are not allowed to play around -there alone. I don’t see why, because there’s nobody ever there but -camp folks.” - -“Could the big girls take you? They could get up early for once, -couldn’t they?” - -“Why, Mr. Stuart! You know we get up as early as the boys do, and -have a dip and everything, early bird hikes,—” - -“Of course you do, Jo, excuse me!” - -“We’ll prove it,” said Cathalina. “We will take you tomorrow -morning. Be ready and we’ll stop for you,—we’ll whistle Campbell’s -fraternity whistle.” - -“All right! Goody!” The little girls jumped up and down as small -girls sometimes do. - -“Hunting treasure!” exclaimed Campbell. “What could be more -thrilling?” - -“Wear your sweaters, kiddies,” Hilary admonished, “it will be cool.” - -“What time shall we get up?” - -“About six o’clock?” - -“O, that isn’t early enough. That would only give us an hour or so -before dip.” - -“Mercy,” said Eloise, “how long do you want?” - -“Could you come for us at five or five-thirty, before _anybody_ is -up, you know?” - -“I guess so,” said Hilary. - -Bright and early the next morning, Cathalina and Hilary whistled -softly outside of Laugh-a-lot and were joined by three stealthily -moving figures which slipped out of the klondike, permission having -been asked the night before. - -“Isn’t this fun?” said Betty. “What if we really should find -something?” - -Little birds disturbed in their slumbers twittered a little from the -trees as the girls passed. Jo had a spade, which she had secured -soon after the conversation with Campbell. June had a trowel, and -Dot carried a stout stick, which she had sharpened. - -“We had the awfullest time doing anything to get ready last night, -because the girls asked what we were doing.” - -Arrived at the cabin, the little girls peered eagerly around and the -big girls pretended to do so. The hunter’s cabin itself was of no -particular interest, because of having been explored before. They -did not consider taking up the floor to dig or doing anything to -injure property that belonged to other people. “O, don’t I wish I -owned this place,” sighed Dot. “I’d dig and dig whenever I needed -exercise!” - -“There’s an awfully old looking pine tree, Dot,” said Jo, “and not -far from that ledge either.” To the older girls’ great amusement, -Dot brought forth a ruler, which they had not noticed before. - -“They are actually going to measure according to that silly verse,” -whispered Cathalina. - -As if to explain the performance to more critical judgment, June -said, “Now I don’t suppose that there is anything in that verse, but -if we are going to dig at all we may as well have some plan.” - -“O, what’s this?” cried Jo, turning up something near the pine tree -from which they were about to measure. The three little girls -dropped on their knees as Jo pried up from the ground an -old-fashioned brooch set with a small garnet. It was well packed -with dirt and took some cleaning and blowing on Jo’s part to make it -apparent what jewel it contained. It was, however, remarkable, -considering how long the pin must have been there if dropped by -Captain Kidd, how little spoiled it was by wind and weather. The -little girls looked soberly at each other and began to examine the -place. - -The next find was made by Dot and was a little silver coin, too worn -for any marks of identification to be distinguished. This time the -older girls sat down on the ground to examine it. “See how crusty it -is with dirt!” exclaimed June excitedly. She was sitting at the foot -of one of the larger trees and lifted a little mat of pine needles -where the curving root showed a little hollow. - -“O, look here, I feel something hard!” Slipping her hand down -further, she fished out a queer-looking metal case of some sort, all -battered and dingy, encrusted with dirt and rattling with its -contents as June held it up. “H’m,” said she, “I guess it looks old -enough for Captain Kidd’s time, or maybe the Indians put it there, -or some hunter. Beads or pearls, which?” - -The girls had quite a time in getting off the cover, which was at -one end, but finally it flew off. - -“Just beads.” - -“Probably for Indians.” - -“Take ’em out and see what’s underneath.” - -“Empty the whole thing out into your lap!” - -The last bit of advice was followed, and there came tumbling out of -the funny old long case a stringy little mass of beads and jewelry. -This they began to disentangle at once. - -“Here’s a coral necklace.” - -“Look at this little gold cross with a weeny ruby, but one arm is -broken off! Too bad.” - -A silver buckle of old style, a plain gold pin, a pair of long jet -earrings, a delicate gold chain with a tiny heart on it, a small -ring set with a real turquoise and another set with a garnet and -pearls completed the list. June looked quizzically at Cathalina. -“Seems to me I’ve seen that gold chain and heart before. I bet you -and Campbell put this box here last night!” - -“What makes you think so?” parried Cathalina. - -“I just do. Didn’t you wear that chain at our first party?” - -“How could I if it were here?” - -“O, but it wasn’t here. You dear old Cathalina, you didn’t want us -to be disappointed, did you?” It was like June to take it so, -instead of feeling that the girls and Campbell wanted to make fun of -the little girls. - -Dot and Jo were looking a bit rueful and Dot remarked dolefully, “Of -course we can’t keep ’em, then,” and turned the turquoise ring about -on her finger. - -“Of course you can keep them if you like them. We thought that you’d -like to find something, and of course you can’t dig around much to -spoil the looks of things here.” - -“Well,” said philosophical June, “of course we’d like to find some -real Captain Kidd stuff, but after all, Dot, it’s better to have -these pretty things than to dig around and not find a thing.” - -“That’s so,” replied Dot, looking more cheerful. “Let’s divide them, -if Cathalina really meant them for us. Why don’t you want them, -Cathalina?” - -“I never wear them. O, I did put on that necklace once lately. I had -forgotten it. Mother gave me quite a lot of old jewelry one day, -saying that no one ever wore the pieces and that I might keep them -or give them away, as I liked. I happened to have it with me and -thought of it when Campbell said ‘let’s fix up something for the -girls to find.’ The turquoise ring I had when I was about Dot’s age, -and I thought of that for her, of the garnet one for Jo, and of the -little chain for June. But divide them any way you like.” - -“My, you’re good to us, Cathalina,” said Dot. - -The children had quite a lively time while dividing the “treasure”. -They decided to keep it a secret about the digging, and asked the -older girls not to tell. “We didn’t put that coin there, though,” -said Hilary. - -“That’s so!” exclaimed Dot. “We did find something, then!” - - - - - CHAPTER XX - - AS TOLD BY BETTY - - -Dearest Polly and Juliet: - -You can’t imagine how we girls enjoyed your combination letter in -reply to the little card we sent,—just to tell you where we were and -to let you know that we are thinking of you. It is fine, Polly, that -Juliet is with you on the ranch this summer. Maybe she will look -like more than your “shadow” by the time she leaves the ranch. In my -“mind’s eye” I see you both tearing around on horseback,—or is it -bronco-back? - -We appreciate all the more your writing to us because you have been -so busy with the summer’s work. We all went out on the rocks, Patty, -too, and sat there eating blueberries while Cathalina read the -letter to us. You have already received her letter, of course. She -said that she tried to give you a general idea of the camp and told -you about some of the good times we’ve had, and they have been going -on steadily since. It would take pages and pages to tell about them. - -The August tournaments are on now. We have been playing off tennis -and trying hard to have our team win in the other games. Since -Cathalina wrote, we have had some fine trips, too. One was our -second trip to Popham Beach for surf bathing. That was the real salt -water, you know, sandy beach and everything. The water was cold, but -you feel so fine, all in a glow afterwards. Those big waves,—I just -love them. There is a place to buy ice-cream and other things, and -we are always hungry, you know. We go to a house not far from the -beach to change to bathing suits, and after the swim we have a hot -lunch on the shore, hot beans and bacon or “wieners” and sandwiches, -pickles, cake, different good things, and my, how we eat! This last -time it took a good while to eat our lunch and then we shopped a -little in Bay Point, which is the name of the little town, and all -this made us late starting home. It is a three hours’ ride, anyway, -and you may imagine that we were late getting home, and hungry -again. We had to stop at Bath for errands and to pick up a visitor -who was coming up to camp, then had to “buck tide” all the way up. -The smaller boat got in while the folks were eating supper, but our -big boat was heavier, with more passengers, couldn’t get through the -Burnt Jackets and went around the longer way. The folks saw us turn -around and go back and were worried, I guess, for one of the other -boats came to meet us, but developed engine trouble and we beat it -home! The girls pretended to be starving, and went up the rise to -the dining-room saying, “We want food! We want food!” and two or -three of the councillors who came out to meet us answered, “We want -our children! We want our children!” - -As we have been having good weather right along, it was decided to -have the deep sea fishing trip this week, too. We go to the same -beach, but go out to sea and fish. Last year they had rough weather -and some of the girls had a hard time to stand it, after they -anchored and were tossed around and up and down and back and forth! -But this time it wasn’t rough at all. O, we rode some nice big -waves, but that was fun. Our two boats caught forty fish. We had so -much fun through it all. Evelyn Calvert caught the biggest fish of -all and was so excited and even scared over it. Eloise and Helen are -a “perfect scream” when they are together, say the funniest things -with the most sober faces, and keep us laughing half the time. We -have met so many interesting girls up here, too, besides the -Greycliffers. Frances Anderson is a peach and Marion Thurman is a -dear,—but Cathalina said that she told you all about Squirrels’ Inn. -Virgie is having a great time with Isabel, who keeps her down -somewhat. Can you imagine Isabel’s keeping anybody down? Virginia is -all right, but after being bottled up so long she sometimes wants to -try all sorts of things. I heard Isabel telling her the other day -that she wanted to get back to school alive anyhow. - -O, I must tell you about the scare we had. You know how noises do -sound in the night. At first whenever a squirrel would run over the -roof somebody would squeal, but we are used to that now. Once a -mouse ran around the big room, and must have been scared to death, I -judge, when we all jumped up on our cots and shrieked. Anyway we did -not see him again. - -This time it was moonlight and we were all asleep, our shutters -opened as usual, the big doors “bolted and barred”. The windows are -all screened and rather high from the ground. Cathalina sleeps just -across from me, and when I suddenly woke up that night I saw her -sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes and looking startled. “What was -that?” she whispered over to me. We listened and heard the bushes -rustle and crackle and it seemed as if a stone rolled down the bank. -Then we imagined that some one was coming up the steps in front. By -this time nearly all the girls were sitting up to listen, and Patty -woke up too. - -“What are you all awake for, girls?” she asked. - -“Just listen,” several of us whispered, and put our fingers on our -lips to warn her. Just then came a terrible bump on the door. Marion -screamed and ducked down in bed. Cathalina flew over to Lilian, -whose cot is not far from hers. Patty jumped up as if she were shot, -and went toward the door, putting on her bath robe, while Hilary -picked up a baseball bat that was standing in a corner and joined -Patty. She tried to laugh, and said, “I will protect you or perish, -Miss West,” but I’m sure her teeth were chattering. - -“Sh-sh,” said Patty. - -Next we all flew to our windows and looked out. They’re screened -tight, so we couldn’t lean out. Not a thing could we see but -moonlight on the bushes and trees. - -“Open the back door and look, girls,” said somebody. “Not on your -life,” said Nora. - -“Nobody could get up there.” - -“Yes they could; they could climb!” - -“Somebody go to the club house!” - -“Yes, and get murdered on the way!” - -“I wonder if it could be a bear.” - -“No bears here now.” - -“Get your revolver, Hilary.” - -“Haven’t got any.” - -“Sh-sh. I just said that for the benefit of the burglar.” - -“Could it be the boys trying to scare us?” - -“They wouldn’t do such a thing, besides they couldn’t get up here -without being found out.” - -By this time it began to be a lark to some of us, and we got over -being so frightened. Then there was a rubbing sound against the -klondike. Patty was puzzled, we could see, but she said, “I think -that it must be some animal, probably a loose horse.” Then she told -us to keep still so she could listen, and we all got scared again. -Lilian whispered that she heard breathing, and when Nora said, -“Course you do, it’s me,” everybody laughed. - -Patty began to get tired of our nonsense and said, “Girls! No -burglar would try to get in here after all that shrieking! It is a -wonder that the people at the club house haven’t been roused before -this!” - -Just then somebody did run up the steps and knocked on the door. A -most welcome voice called, “What’s the matter, girls?” Patty -unfastened the door in a jiffy and there were the councillor and one -of the girls from the nearest cabin. They had heard the commotion -and finally decided to come over. Patty told them, and the girls -just stood aside and pointed at two stray cows that by this time -were some little distance away, over where the bushes grow thickly -at the top of the bank. - -We all settled down then and went to sleep after a while, but we -nearly collapsed with merriment the next morning going over it -again,—the way the girls looked and what they said and how -ridiculous it all was! One would remember one thing that was said -and another something else, till Patty said that we might “use the -occurrence” in a “stunt” if we chose. Maybe we shall, but there was -another cow episode that was a little more wildly exciting, perhaps, -when we were on a six point hike from North Bath, through the woods -on the mainland opposite. One of the girls threw some sticks as they -passed some cows, and the cows chased them. They were not “dumb -driven cattle,” by any means! Even Virgie, who is used to cows, -climbed a tree, and we have teased Isabel nearly to death for -getting on a big rock and asking Virgie in anguished tones if cows -could climb rocks. Virgie said, “Yes,” as she was climbing the tree, -and Isabel did not know what to do; but the cows went past. They -were fierce looking things, had long horns. Now you would have -lassoed a few, wouldn’t you? - -There is so much to tell that it would take volumes if I tried to -write it. But when we get back to school we can have a good old -visit and tell all we know and some that we don’t know, as usual. I -do hope that you both will be there. You did not say a word about -school in your letter. However, the ranch doings were of more -interest to us all just now. All the girls send heaps of love to you -both. We hope to see you at the opening of school. - - Lovingly, - Betty - - - - - CHAPTER XXI - - A FIVE-POINT HIKE - - -“There goes the bell. Are you going, Hilary?” - -“I don’t know, Frances. I’m awfully sleepy, and it is hot this -afternoon.” - -“Good breeze, though.” - -“Do we get points for this hike?” - -“Five miles, five points.” - -“All right, Frances, I’ll try to get up a little energy and go! How -about you, Lilian?” - -“Why you know I twisted my ankle a little this morning in games and -it doesn’t feel right yet. I’ve been rubbing it, but I do not -believe that a five-mile walk would help it any.” - -“O, no; you ought to rest it today. Did you see the nurse?” - -“No, it did not swell or anything. I just gave it a wrench, I guess. -It will be all right.” - -“I’m not going either,” said Cathalina. “I will go down to the house -and get you some liniment, if you like.” - -Marion, Frances and Hilary proved to be the only Squirrels’ Inn -representatives on this hike, for Betty decided to stay with Lilian -and Cathalina, and Nora had other plans. The three hikers donned -their elkskin hiking shoes, took their smallest purses and started -with the rest out the road toward First Trott’s. It was too early in -the afternoon for much shade, though the narrow road wound between -ferns and woods as ever. The sun had baked the ruts hard, too, and -came down hot upon youthful shoulders. But why get points if one -does not earn them by effort? - -“I’m going to see how soon I can walk it,” said one girl, striding -past, though for the most part the girls were going in groups, some -strolling, some walking briskly or sturdily along. - -“Goodbye, then,” said Frances, “there isn’t any hurry this time, -with such a short hike and time to rest there. I’d rather take it -more slowly and eat a few blueberries or stop in the shade -occasionally, wouldn’t you, Hilary?” - -“Indeed I would. But I didn’t bring my field glasses. I thought that -there would be few birds flying while it is so hot, and we’ll be -coming home for supper before it cools off very much.” - -“How far is it to Second Trott’s?” asked Marion. - -“Opinions differ, but on our hikes it is always considered a -five-mile hike there and back, or to the school-house, which is not -far beyond. What sort of a performance, by the way, are they going -to have there? Do either of you know what we are going to do?” - -“Why, yes, Frances,” replied Hilary. “They said it was a lawn fete, -or something of the sort, and that we could buy ice cream and candy -and lemonade, maybe other things.” - -“I wonder if they will not let the boys come up, too,” said Marion. - -“I wouldn’t be surprised to see them,” Frances assented. - -Hilary had not thought of that, but her mind immediately visualized -a certain young councillor whom she would be very glad to see. - -Soon they reached the turn in the road after Second Trott’s. With a -gentle rise it wound around some fine old rocks, on whose top grew -great pine trees. In these a little flock of chickadees was turning -somersaults. Further on was a bit of backwater, near which grew some -water plants, and a line of brilliant cardinal flowers. Climbing -along steep and dusty hill, the girls found themselves in sight of -the white school house, known as Chopp’s. There, indeed, was a group -of Boothbay boys, some just arriving as the Merrymeeting campers -came up. They had come by a different way, upstream from Boothbay -Camp, then docking at the mainland, on the opposite side of the back -water, which makes a peninsula out of Merrymeeting. - -The first thing was to cool off a little and enjoy ice cream and -other goodies afforded by the ladies who served the refreshments. -Home-made cake, candy and nuts proved popular. The lemonade, alas, -was all gone before the Merrymeeting girls arrived, but there was -plenty of cool water. Campbell was looking for Hilary, afraid that -perhaps she was not coming, and walked to meet the girls, as they -approached. “Where’s Cathalina?” he asked. - -“She and Betty stayed with Lilian. Lil twisted her ankle this -morning, not much, but enough to keep her from any long hike. I -promised to bring her some sweets.” - -“Well, come on, girls, before everything is gone, and I’ll see that -you get some ice cream and cake.” - -Campbell beckoned to another councillor and they waited upon the -girls, bringing the cooling water, which tasted so good after the -hot walk, and the more substantial refreshments, as they could be -waited upon. - -“O, you don’t know how good this is!” exclaimed Hilary. - -“Yes I do, for I thought I never was so thirsty in my life and we -did not have much of a walk. But Bob and I came up in a canoe and it -was hot on the water.” - -“I always get sunburned till I peel off, on a canoe trip,” said -Frances. - -“That remark is somewhat ambiguous, Frances.” - -“All right, Marion, I’ll change it. On a canoe trip I always get -sunburned till I peel off later. My nose, arms and shoulders will -have an entirely different epidermis when I return from the wilds of -Maine. My, don’t I hate to think of it!” - -“I would,” said Hilary, “if I were not going to such a wonderful -school. It is on the water, too, and while we do not have time for -the good times of a camp, not straight along, you know, we do some -very interesting things and I am going to try to get more of them in -the next year. My schedule will not be so full, and while I want to -get in all the studying that I can, and there are so many fine -courses to take, I suppose it is silly not to get some of the -_different_ things that you never can get anywhere out of school.” - -“Are you going to keep on at Greycliff instead of going to a regular -college?” asked Campbell. - -“I am for this year, but I am not sure about the next. When I -started to Greycliff I expected to finish two years there instead of -high school. But you know they have two years of college work, too, -and most of our little crowd decided last year to return another -year anyway.” - -“It isn’t such a bad idea to miss the freshman year at college -anyhow,” said Campbell. “It is the hardest year.” - -“Yes, and one will miss a lot of the hazing, but girls don’t make it -as bad as the boys do, and I suppose I’ll get to be as fond of -college or university life as I am of dear old Greycliff, though -that does not seem possible.” - -“What sort of a school are you going to, one of the girls’ colleges -or a co-educational school?” - -“That isn’t decided yet. It depends on what Father thinks about it. -He and Mother are still discussing it, and Mother says that Father -has to decide the matter. I have such wonderful parents that I am -sure what they decide will be just the thing.” - -By this time the other councillor from Boothbay, with Frances and -Marion, had strolled out to where some games had been started, -leaving Campbell and Hilary still talking over their ice cream. - -“I’m going West on a short trip with Uncle Mart at Christmas time, -Hilary. Would you mind if I stopped off to see you, or will you be -at home?” - -“Would I _mind_!” exclaimed Hilary. “Why, Campbell, I’d love to have -you come. No, after having been away nearly all summer, I shall plan -to stay with the folks at Christmas time. And Father and Mother have -been just aching to have you and Philip and some of the rest come to -be entertained at our house,—ever since they have listened to my -description of the Stuarts and Van Buskirks, and all the sisters, -cousins and aunts that you have. We have so few near relatives.” - -Campbell was wishing that Hilary would not be quite so general in -her expressions of interest in the Van Buskirks and Stuarts, but -could not but be satisfied with the heartiness of her response to -his suggestion of a visit at Christmas time. Hilary was no coquette, -but it was a source of her attraction, so far as Campbell was -concerned, that he could trust her sincerity. The fact that Hilary -was interested in real living more than many of the city girls whom -Campbell knew was another source of interest to him. “Hilary talks -sense,” Campbell had remarked to Philip. “She likes a good time as -well as anybody, but that isn’t the main thing in life, as she sees -it. It’s some fun to send candy or flowers to a girl who will really -appreciate it, and not pat herself on the back and think ‘How sweet -I must be to have the boys sending me flowers!’” And Philip had -thought of another girl of the same true sort to whose winning he -intended to devote himself. - -“Well, I’ll have it to look forward to, then,” said Campbell, in -reply to Hilary’s cordiality. “I shall write to find out if it is -all right when the time comes. You don’t mind not playing the games -out there,” he continued, waving his hand toward the boys and girls. - -“No; I much prefer this,” acknowledged Hilary demurely. - -“I have a fine plan, at least it will be fine for me if you consent, -and I came up in a canoe on purpose. Do you suppose you can get -permission to go back with me?” - -“Why I believe I can.” For what were points for hiking to Hilary -when an invitation from Campbell was in question? - -Patty was not there, but Hilary asked the camp mother if Mr. Stuart -might paddle her home, and permission was granted. Smiling, Hilary -ran back to Campbell, stopping a moment to tell Frances of her -change of plan. “She asked me if you would upset the canoe,” Hilary -reported to Campbell, as they started off briskly, “and I told her -that you could do anything!” - -“That was rather a doubtful reply,” remarked Campbell. - -“She understood all right, but looked at me so soberly, just as if -she were going to refuse, asked me if you were Cathalina’s cousin -and all sorts of things that she knew perfectly well, just to make -me think that perhaps I could not go, but I knew that she was doing -it for fun.” - -“Did the girls mind your going?” - -“No. Frances was lovely, and said that she would tell Marion.” - -Hatless and brown from the sun, a typical summer girl and boy, -Hilary and Campbell swung along the way to the shore where the canoe -waited. It was pleasant to be taken care of, Hilary thought, as -Campbell did the launching and most of the paddling, and told Hilary -to “fold her hands and look pretty”. - -“How could I!” she exclaimed with a laugh. - -“You don’t have to try,” returned Campbell with an approving glance. -But this was the nearest approach to sentiment that he made that -summer. “Where shall we go? Into the bay and up the Androscoggin a -little way?” - -“That will be fine,” Hilary assented. “We still have an hour or so, -haven’t we? We were only there about half an hour, I think. I didn’t -wear my watch, though.” - -“I’ll get you home in time,” declared Campbell. “Let’s forget the -time o’ day and just have a good old talk.” This they proceeded to -do, but after all managed to arrive at Merrymeeting dock in time for -Campbell to join the Boothbay flotilla, which started from the other -shore for Boothbay Camp. - -“Goodbye, Campbell, I have had such a good time.” - -“So have I, and I hope we can have a few more visits before camp -closes.” - -The bell was ringing for swimming, for which there was just time -enough before supper. Hilary met the girls coming down to the shore -as she went up to get her bathing suit. - -“Why from this direction?” asked Marjorie. “The last I saw of you, -you were eating ice cream at the school-house.” - -“O, I came home in an aeroplane,” joked Hilary. - -“She was paddled home,” explained Jean to Marjorie, as they ran past -Hilary. - -Hilary found some of the girls of Squirrels’ Inn just getting ready -for the swim, and they all went in together. “This,” said Frances, -as they swam out to the float, “is the end of a perfect day for you, -isn’t it, Hilary?” - -“I think I’ll have to acknowledge it,” said Hilary, turning over to -float a while, “but we are going to work a while on our canoe after -supper, aren’t we?” - -“Yes, unless something else turns up.” - -Much mystery was in the air relative to the decorating of canoes. -Each group of girls contesting had one in some sequestered spot and -was decking it for the annual canoe pageant. Prizes were to be given -for the prettiest and for the most original idea. Crepe paper had -been brought up in quantities and in all colors from Bath. Wire and -string were in great demand. Some of the girls were working hard on -designs and decorations. The little folks had great ambitions, but -depended more on their councillors to work out ideas. The older -girls could do their own decorating, with assistance at the last -from the long-suffering man power of the camp; for not a tack or -wire was to be hammered into these graceful and expensive canoes. - -“I know what you’re going to have,” asserted Virgie to June. - -“No you don’t; you just hope I’m going to tell you!” - -“Yes I do, I guessed.” - -“Who told you that you were right?” - -“Nobody.” - -“O, you just think that you can get me to tell you, Miss Virgie, but -we are going to have the funniest and best of all, I’m sure. Just -wait till tomorrow night!” - - - - - CHAPTER XXII - - THE CANOE PAGEANT - - -Lilian was trying on Eloise’s bathing suit of red and black, and -wrapping the cloak of the same colors about her, she folded her arms -and repeated, “Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest!” - -“Yo! ho! ho! and a bottle of rum! Wait till I get on my fierce beard -and mustache and you’ll see what a pirate can look like!” - -“What do you think of this?” asked Hilary, as she tried on a fiery -looking turban made of silk middy ties. “And look at the flag Patty -has made for us. Isn’t that a scary skull and cross-bones?” - -“Yes indeed! Patty’s a peach,—O, ‘fifteen men on a dead man’s chest. -Yo, ho, ho!—and a bottle of rum!’” - -“Aren’t you a case, Lilian North!” exclaimed Cathalina, who was -resting from her recent labors on the canoe, and lay on her cot -watching the girls. - -“O, Captain Kidd, we’re glad, we’re glad you aren’t here now!” -hummed Lilian. - -“Are you going to sing that?” asked Cathalina. - -“O, no; if I have time I’ll make up something like, ‘I’m Captain -Kidd, the pirate bold, who sails the Kennebec,—’” - -“My right arm helps ’em walk the plank,” added Hilary. - -“And little do I reck!” finished Cathalina. - -“Hurrah!” cried Lilian. “Poetry made while you wait by Squirrels’ -Inn and company. Give me another verse and I’ll take my guitar, -neatly concealed by evergreen, and make up a tune on two or three -notes as we go.” - -“A verse is a line, Lilian.” - -“Very well, a stanza, then. O bold and true, my pirate crew,—” - -“And if they’re not, what then?” asked Frances. - -“Thanks, Frances, that will make the next line. Ah, Davy Jones will -get their bones,—mm.” - -“Goodbye, ye merry men! Tra-la, another poem for our collection of -masterpieces! Say it all, Hilary,” continued Cathalina. - -Hilary, “struck an attitude” and with some prompting, repeated their -latest effort: - - “I’m Captain Kidd, the pirate bold, - Who sails the Kennebec; - My right arm helps ’em walk the plank - And little do I reck! - - O, bold and true my pirate crew, - And if they’re not, what then? - ’Tis Davy Jones will get their bones! - Goodbye, my merry men!” - -Most of the day had been spent by the campers upon the canoes, and -in some cases upon their own costumes, when these were necessary to -carry out the idea. It had been planned to use that witching time -when the sky was still beautiful from the sunset and yet the blue -mist of evening with moon and stars was just appearing in the east. -It did not seem best to plan for lighting up the canoes. While there -was plenty of water, it is true, to put out any blaze that might -occur, the canoes might not be in the most favorable position for an -upset. The most beautiful light was offered by Nature herself. - -The girls had worked hard. Not a canoe but was prettily dressed. As -each one was brought from its hidden retreat to be launched, -exclamations were heard on all sides. Admiration and surprise were -mingled. It was a matter of honor not to intrude upon the secrecy of -those engaged upon the work, but in some way the news about a few -had leaked out. However, only the sight of the canoes themselves -could give the full effect. The athletic director and the other -councillors knew the plans for the girls and arranged the order of -launching. With the heavier canoes, some of which had a light -framework wired and resting on top of the canoes, the girls had to -have some help. All those who were not needed to paddle or pose -stood upon the shore and dock as audience and judges. - -In the graceful fleet which passed the “reviewing stand” there was -the canoe decked in ferns and evergreen, with a few paper birds -wired to poise in flight above; one in yellow and white, with yellow -roses and butterflies; another trimmed in white cotton, so put on as -to imitate snow and ice, a diamond dust covering all, two -long-bearded, white-garbed paddlers guiding the canoe, and a big -white polar bear, sitting in the center and carrying a banner marked -“The Northland.” The war canoe was given to some of the Juniors, who -wanted to represent the Old Woman who lived in a Shoe, and had to -have several children to overflow the big shoe of wired paper. One -of the councillors in white cap and kerchief took the part of the -Old Woman, and the children in quaint costumes, with ruffles of -crepe paper, roused much enthusiasm among the spectators. - -This canoe won the prize for being the prettiest, and some of the -judges wanted to award it the prize for the most clever idea. But -that finally went to the three girls of Squirrels’ Inn, whose canoe -was decked to represent a pirate ship. A furled sail was put up in -the bow, to which the pirate flag was attached. Frances as Captain -Kidd, with Lilian and Hilary in costume, repeated in hoarse voices, -as they passed the judges, the couplet which Lilian had been -chanting, with “Yo, ho, ho!—and a bottle of rum!” Then all in deep -voices sang the new Captain Kidd stanzas to the tune of _Yankee -Doodle_, rendered slowly, while Lilian twanged an accompaniment on -the guitar. Burnt cork mustaches of fierce upward curve, made all -this more impressive. - -As the light grew more dim, the girls in the canoe marked the -Northland, turned on several flashlights, which lit up effectively -the diamond dust, and those in the pirate ship turned on several -large ones, which they had covered with their red paper. A few other -lights flashed out in different canoes as they all circled prettily -in the water and came into port once more. - -“There, that’s over,” said Hilary, as with the pirate flag over one -shoulder and Lilian’s guitar over the other, she entered the -klondike. “Patty will certainly have to get up our entertainment for -stunt night. We have only about a week to get ready now, and with -the Wiscasset hike, the canoe trip to Brunswick, and the White -Mountain trip, I can’t see where we get up anything, do you -Frances?” - -“No, I don’t. However, not all the girls will go on the White -Mountain trip, you know. Perhaps we can have some little easy part -to do that we can get quickly, or if we can think it up before we -go, we can have it in mind, you know.” - -“There come Patty and the girls now; let’s ask them.” - -“O, Miss Patty, how about our having stunt night next week?” - -“I have been thinking about that, girls. Who has an idea?” - -Nobody seemed to have one. - -“They have had everything there is to have, I’m afraid,” said -Lilian. - -“Well, let me relieve your minds, then,” said Patricia. “I had an -idea several days ago and have been trying to get it a little more -clearly outlined.” At this point Cathalina gave a meaning nod to -Lilian which Patty caught. “Yes, you think ‘the poor English -teacher,’ don’t you?” - -“It reminded me of outlines,” Cathalina acknowledged. - -“We must have a meeting tomorrow and I will tell you just what I -think we can do.” - -At the morrow’s meeting the girls enthusiastically approved Miss -West’s idea, applauded the productions already in hand and thanked -her warmly for taking the responsibility. It was, to be sure, hers -as councillor to see that the girls had some sort of entertainment -ready for their turn at stunt night, but these girls, as good -campers, were always willing to do their share and had no desire to -take advantage of their young councillor. Some of the parts were -given out and the girls began to learn them. They considered it pure -fun, for there was required no serious preparation. - -The canoe trip to Brunswick was next on the list of trips. The -canoes, stripped of their decorations, bore the jolly campers away, -around Marshmallow Point into Merrymeeting Bay, to the left, past -Brick Island of Captain Kidd fame, and on up the Androscoggin river, -the war canoe in the lead. So many wanted to go that each of the -smaller canoes bore three. Some of the little girls who could not -paddle were among those who sat more or less comfortably on life -preservers in the middle. Or it would be one of the older girls who -took the middle position, to change places with some tired paddler -in bow or stern as need might be. The girls were reminded of the -rules that no one was to change places in midstream. They must -paddle to shore and make the adjustment. Lunch was distributed among -the canoes, for the launches could not go up the shallow -Androscoggin. - -Hilary and Lilian took June with them. Frances, Betty and Cathalina -were together. Neither Betty nor Cathalina had as much endurance as -Frances, but they thought that by changing occasionally, all would -be able to make the eight or ten-mile paddle with ease. Eloise, -Helen and Isabel were together and rather evenly matched in paddling -ability, as were Marion, Jean and Nora. Patty, with another -councillor, carried some of the heavier packages or cans of lunch in -their canoe. - -“Hard luck, Miss West,” called Isabel; “what you have in the middle -of your canoe can’t change places and help you paddle.” - -“Some of it will help me paddle coming back,” answered Patty, -pointing to the milk can and package of sandwiches. “And Mr. Clark -has gone on ahead to see about getting corn for us to roast.” - -“O, joy!” exclaimed Isabel, “corn and bacon! I saw them putting in -the bacon.” - -“Do we wait till we get to Brunswick before we have lunch?” asked -Eloise. “Patty spoke as if we would.” - -“No, I don’t think so,” said Isabel. “We build a fire somewhere -along the river, I think.” - -“I don’t see the war canoe. I wonder which side of this big island -we take.” - -“I believe the one to the left is the way,” and Isabel pointed out a -few imaginary indications that the war canoe had taken that course. -But it turned out that while their canoe had no trouble in getting -through, this channel would have been too shallow for the war canoe. -It had gone to the right. There were many sand bars in the river, -but the paddling was easy. There was no wind and the water was calm, -like a mirror reflecting the rocks and dark green trees of the -shore, while the dark blue canoes came stealing up on the grassy -surface to add to the beauty of the scene. Not even the most -practical girl, her mind chiefly upon getting to the destination, -eating lunch and getting points for paddling, could fail to be -impressed by it. - -“Shall we go to see Bowdoin College?” inquired Helen. - -“In this rig?” - -“Excuse the question, Eloise; I forgot our picnic garb. I remember -the girls said that they usually go by trolley from Bath.” - -It must be admitted that a substantial lunch adds much to the joy of -such picnics. This one was especially good. The corn was boiled in a -big kettle, which was borrowed or hired for the occasion. Such -perfect and tender ears they were. Boiling was substituted for -roasting and saved much time, a second lot of ears going in the pot -as soon as the first came out. Potato salad and pickles, all the -sandwiches one could eat, cake, ripe pears and all the milk one -could drink,—what more could they ask? Yet still came marshmallows, -passed around to be toasted over the embers. - -“We’ll start home early, girls,” announced the young director of -athletics. “Then we can take our time, change often if we get tired, -and everything will be in our favor, no wind, and tide and current -in the right direction. I believe we could almost float home!” - -It was not quite like floating, however, and the girls earned their -points for paddling. But without trouble they all reached camp in -good season, and in good humor to think that they had carried -through a twenty-mile paddle. - -“How much do you think I paddled, Frances?” asked Cathalina, as they -put away their paddles. - -“O, you must have paddled half the way, in resting either Betty or -me.” - -“Scarcely that, I’m afraid. You paddled too long several times and -wouldn’t let me take it, you know. You were afraid I’d get too -tired.” - -“Not at all. Wanted the points.” - -“Never mind, I know you. You would take stern most of the way, too.” - -“I wish you were coming to Greycliff next year, Frances,” said -Betty. “How you would fit in with our crowd. You would love Polly -and Juliet, and how proud we’d be of you!” - -“That is awfully dear of you, Betty. For ‘half a cent’ I’d come. But -I don’t think I can.” - -“Think about it, anyhow,” Betty insisted. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII - - “STUNT NIGHT” WITH SQUIRRELS’ INN - - -Several things had conspired to put off the White Mountain and -Wiscasset trips, till within about ten days of the close of camp. -The first was a three days’ jaunt, when the girls were taken first -by boat, then by truck, with their packs, to the foot of Mt. -Washington, which they were to climb. The second led to historic -little Wiscasset, part of the way by boat, the rest a hike, except -for the little girls who were taken all the way by launch. The night -was spent under the stars near the old block house, meals were -carried in the launches, and the return the next day was on the same -plan, partly by boat, partly on foot. - -Patty despaired of having any practice for the Squirrels’ Inn -“stunt”, but concluded that inasmuch as they were not attempting any -formal performance before a critical audience, one or two hasty -rehearsals of the program as a whole in the club room would do. Only -Frances and Hilary were going to Mt. Washington, but the other girls -all went to Wiscasset. - -At last the fateful night arrived, stage property was quickly -collected, each girl having her own peculiar accoutrement to gather, -and Miss Patricia was on hand with the program in full, ready to -prompt or to take part with the performers. At the piano was a -musical councillor, who was to play the accompaniments, and Eloise, -who had been ill when her own klondike had their evening, had been -asked to help with the singing. That it was a musical program might -be taken for granted by any who knew Miss West’s tastes and her -chief avocation. But it is not to be supposed that she would -undertake any classical performance as a “stunt”. The music -consisted of the popular airs; the songs were little verses -illustrating Merrymeeting activities, all bound together by one -central idea. - -That announcement of the numbers might be avoided, the girls had -prepared small programs written on ordinary yellow tablet paper, cut -and folded. The audience upon the floor of the club room read upon -the outside: - - Squirrels’ Inn - Presents - The Merrymeeting Follies - of 19— - Monday Evening, August —— - -Inside they found the program in order, and tongues were busy as -they looked it through. - -“O, I wonder what that is. Do you suppose that the doctor will -really be in it?” - -“Took at this: ‘Bird Hike.... Bird, Mother Nature and Chorus’. -Birdie, are you going to take part?” - -“Of course not,” replied the nature lady, settling back in her -little rocking chair. “But I lent them my rubber boots and hat.” - -“I wonder,” said Betty behind the curtain, “if they will take it in -about the head band.” - -“Of course they will,” said Frances, who was just adjusting hers -across her forehead. “The headband—the connecting link which has a -symbol for all the things we do!” This with the explanatory gesture -of an orator. - -“There will be some funny symbols put up tonight,” said Betty, -tossing up a volley ball. - -“I guess so. Imagine a pickle jar on our head bands! Dear me, I hope -I don’t forget my songs.” - -“You haven’t had much time to learn them. Have you gotten over the -effects of mountain climbing?” - -“O, yes; there weren’t any, except my tired feet.” - -“Everybody here and ready?” asked Miss Patricia, looking last to see -if Isabel and Virgie, who were to manage the curtains, were in -place. - -At her signal, they drew aside the curtains, revealing the eight -girls—Frances, Marion, Nora, Hilary, Lilian, Betty, Cathalina and -Eloise, who were dressed in full camp costume, including head bands, -arm bands, and diamonds on the sweaters, and carried each some -emblem of Merrymeeting activities, from volley ball and paddle to -the silver cup marked Merrymeeting Trophy. - -After a chord from the accompanist, the girls sang to a popular -ragtime tune the “Opening Chorus” of the program: - - “Just a head band, - Golden and Blue; - Athletic emblems - Of what we can do— - Swimming, baseball, tennis, paddling, basketball, - Volley, hiking,—at our camp we do them all. - - But these symbols - Don’t represent you; - There are other things - That you do, - And if you will watch our little show tonight, - We’ll give you a head band that’ll be right.” - -The curtains were drawn together in the midst of the applause which -welcomed the first appearance, but in a few moments were again -parted and drawn aside. The audience for a second expected an encore -or a new number, then saw the point as June shouted, “O, there’s the -head band!” For across the stage at a convenient height and pinned -upon the wall was an immense dark-blue “head band”, upon which had -just been placed the customary M C with a small pine tree on each -side. The golden symbols, like the program, were cut from yellow -tablet paper. - -“I get it,” said Jo. “They’re making a head band with our -‘Follies’.” - -The first activity to be perpetuated in song was the “Marshmallow -Roast” of the program. When the curtains were drawn, they disclosed -in the foreground a camp fire made of sticks, in the center of which -glowed a lighted lantern covered with red paper. Close to this sat -the “marshmallow”, covered with white and occasionally shaking a -white powder from the drapery, by which she was concealed. Frances -stood back of her holding the stick on which she was supposed to be -impaled. The tune was “Old Black Joe”. - - “Marshmallow plump, - With sugar powdered o’er; - Marshmallow white, - They wish they had some more; - - Marshmallow brown, - As down their throats I go,— - I hear Camp Merrymeeting calling - ‘Marshmallow!’ - - CHORUS: - - Marshmallow, marshmallow, - I’m used for every roast; - I hear Camp Merrymeeting calling, - ‘Toast! Toast! Toast!’” - -Curtain. Curtains apart again. A fat marshmallow on the head band, -next to one of the pine trees. - -“This next ought to be funny,” said Dot, who was in the front row. -“‘Deep Sea Fishing, (a) Fish Chorus, (b) Fishermen’s Chorus.’ How -can they fix up fish?” - -“They don’t have to much,” answered June. “We are supposed to use -our imagination. Hilary says that they didn’t use to have all the -stage fixings that they think they have to now.” - -“Sh-sh, here they are!” - -Four girls in Merrymeeting costume sat upon the edge of the big -table under the head band. With sticks and lines they were fishing. -In front of them, facing the audience, but lying upon the floor in -swimming position, were four “fish”, just the girls, in customary -garb, without any attempt at a fish costume. To the lively tune of -Jingle Bells, and with the movements appropriate to swimming and -“flapping” of fins, they sang the following ditty: - - “We are the fishes gay, - Swimming every day, - In the ocean blue, - Just see what we can do! - We dart and dance about, - Each minnow and each trout; - We glisten and we gleam, - As we sidestroke down stream. - - CHORUS: - - Flap your fins! Flap your fins, - Fishies in the sea, - Oh what fun to splash and dive - And swim so gay and free! - Flap your fins! Flap your fins, - Fishies in the sea, - O, who would not a fishie be - In the bottom of the sea!” - -At this, the fishers started a rollicking chorus with waving lines: - - “We’re deep-sea fishers, - Watch us fish! - We ride out over the ocean - Where-e’er we wish. - - We don’t have to wait for the fish to bite, - They jump on the hooks when we heave in sight,— - We’re deep-sea fishers, - Watch us fish!” - -At the appropriate time the fishes turned and caught the lines, then -rose as the fishers jumped down from the table, and all danced -around in a circle, while the accompanist played the tune through -once, finishing it as the last fish or fisher disappeared through -the door in the midst of most enthusiastic applause, especially from -those who had memories of the deep-sea fishing trip. - -The Bird Hike was introduced by a solo from the bird, the burden of -whose refrain was: - - “Come along, there’s a bird hike here today; - Get you ready, there’s a bird hike here today; - I know them by their graceful walk, - There’s a bird hike here today. - I’m a poor old fowl, but I’ll fool ’em yet,” etc. - -Hilary was the “bird”, and sat on the corner of that most convenient -table, when—enter Mother Nature and Girls. “Clementine” was the tune -in which the following musical conversation occurred: - - GIRLS— - - Mother Nature, Mother Nature, - Shall we see some birds today? - - MOTHER NATURE (ELOISE)— - - Very likely, very likely, - If only quiet you will stay. - - GIRLS— - - Mother Nature, Mother Nature, - Here’s a rock where we may sit. - - MOTHER NATURE— - - Yes, sit down and all be quiet, - While we wait for birds to flit. - - GIRLS— - - Mother Nature, Mother Nature, - What’s that bird upon the limb? - - MOTHER NATURE— - - Steady now, give me the glasses, - While I take a look at him. - -Eloise as Mother Nature, in the well known hat pulled down over her -face, the scarlet blouse of the nature lady and the rubber boots -which had given her the title of Puss in Boots, was hailed with wild -applause and shrieks of delight from the audience. The nature lady -herself leaned back in her chair to laugh at this clever -representation. In a sweet contralto, Eloise sang her comments on -the bird while she gazed through the glasses: - - “Dear little bird in the bushes, - Under the old pine tree, - Singing alone, - In a sweetly cheerful tone, - Perching in the air(!) - Flying everywhere! - Notice the marks on his wings, girls; - Look at the stripe on his knee; - I’m sure this pretty bird - Will be the rarest thing we’ve heard - What kind of a bird, girls, - Can that bird be?” - -The girls now took up the air, repeating the same song with Eloise, -and assuming attitudes of delight when the Bird began to sing. But -how their expressions changed as he announced that as only a -Plymouth Rock rooster “cock-a-doodle-doo” was all that he could -sing, “when I flap my wing, scaring everything”. And while he would -like to be an “eagle” or a “flycatcher”, it was merely as a -“scratcher” that he could claim their interest. Curtain. - -The “Merrymeeting Moon”, which came next, was entirely different -from anything which had been given. Lilian, who represented the -chief editor, Maribelle Hartley, was prettily dressed in a real -party frock, filmy and beautiful, wore silver slippers and carried a -round “moon.” This was a round circle of cardboard, cut out in the -center to leave only a wide rim and covered with silvered paper. -Grace and gestures with this moon and a few steps here and there to -show the silver slippers accompanied a very pretty song written to -one of the more elaborate ragtime tunes. - -“Merrymeeting needs your gleaming, just to keep us all a-beaming,” -sang Lilian, addressing the silver moon which she was holding above -her head; and at the close of the song she stood with her face -framed within the rim while singing: - - “Can’t you all tell - That I’m Maribelle, - I’m the Man in the Moon, you see.” - -The audience was scarcely satisfied with one repetition of this, but -time was pressing and the program had to go on. By this time a fish, -a bird and a moon had been added to the symbols on the head band. - -The girls enjoyed taking off the camp doctor in the next act, called -on the program, The Infirmary, Doctor—and Gargling Girls. There had -been some mild cases of tonsilitis, immediately isolated in the -“Infirmary”, where, with skull and cross-bones, the girls had -announced the “Leper Colony” on a clever sign, and bewailed their -isolation. This was all portrayed in the sketch. First the girls -appeared, wrapped in long bath robes and singing pathetically about -the “tonsils’ retreat” and the “little cots, whose owners have -spots,— - - And the doctor’s job, - Their throats to swab, - Can’t be beat!” - -Their temperature was “torrid” and the gargle “horrid”. Then came -the doctor, who looked at their throats with the aid of an immense -kitchen spoon, and sang with great enjoyment a solo to the effect -that he had waited long to catch them, but had them fast quarantined -now. Giving each a spoonful from a large bottle, he stood before -them like an orchestra leader, and beat time with the spoon, while -in throaty tones to the tune of John Brown’s Body the girls sang, -“Gargle, gargle, gargle, gargle,” etc., and falling into a -procession behind the doctor, filed out. This proved so popular that -the “doctor” was forced to repeat his solo and lead again the chorus -of gargling girls. Frances, of course, as the tallest of the girls, -impersonated the doctor and tried to imitate his step and movements. -This time the curtains parted to show a spoon on the head band. - -“What do you suppose the next will be?” asked Jean in the audience. - -“It says ‘Pickles’,” replied Rhoda, “but who knows how they’ll do -it?” - - “Pickles - (a) Onion - (b) Cauliflower - (c) Quartered pickle,” read the program. - -When Isabel and Virgie drew the curtains, Betty, Cathalina and Nora -stood there decked in green crepe paper, Betty’s costume having -yellow trimmings. At once Betty, to the tune of “Reuben, Reuben” -began the song of the pickled onion: - - “Picnic pickles you’ve been eating, - All the pickles you could get, - I should think you’d hate to think of - All the pickles you have ‘et’,— - H’m-te-dum-tum, - H’m-tum-dum!” - (Turning around quickly) - - “Here behold the pickled onion - Round and sweet as I can be, - Where’ll you find another onion - Anywhere to equal me? - H’m-te-dum-tum,” etc. - -Nora now took up the song: - - “My name’s pickled cauliflower, - I’m as crisp as I can be; - Where’ll you find another cauliflower - Anywhere to equal me?” Refr. - -Cathalina’s inquiry was similar: - - “Once I was a full-sized pickle, - But they came and quartered me; - Where’ll you find a quartered pickle - Anywhere to equal me?” Refr. - -At this point the Picnic Pickles joined hands above their heads and -circled the stage singing: - - “Three sweet pickles in the barrel, - Picnic pickles can’t be beat; - Merrymeeting girls all love us, - Eat and smile and smile and eat!” - -“Merrymeeting Music” not unkindly took off several of the girls in -camp, among them one of the chief “yell-leaders”, and Rhoda, whose -really beautiful piano playing the girls had so much enjoyed all -through the weeks of camp. Marion represented her and sang; to -“Boola, Boola”: - - “I am Rhoda - I can play - Brahms and Chopin - Any day. - - If you listen - I’ll start you off - On the Prelude - Of Rachmaninoff.” - -Lilian, with her guitar, and Eloise with ukulele, sat upon the floor -to sing two or three of the camp favorites and represented the -“Jazz” of the program. - -Musical notes now appeared upon the head band next to the pickle -jar, and the audience again consulted their programs. “Whiskaway” -was to appear. - -Betty was slim and had made a remarkable though simple costume of -black, covering her arms with long black stockings and padding out -with cotton a muslin mask to imitate the muzzle of a dog. The rest -of the face had a comical expression, and the corners of the big -square of muslin had been tied into ears. A gentle old dog sometimes -wandered into camp from a neighboring farm, although dogs were -forbidden, and had been dubbed “Whiskaway” by the girls. - -Down on her knees Betty moved about, causing much amusement among -the little girls in front by the waving of her paws and the swinging -of the doggy nose, which was not very well fastened at the lower -part. At the last Betty assumed a begging attitude, her -stocking-covered hands hanging limply over, with such effect that -this tableau and chorus had to be repeated: - - “When a cold nose gives you a fright, - That’s dear Whiskaway; - When a footstep sounds in the night - That’s poor Whiskaway! - I love to sleep in the softest bed,— - I don’t care whether it’s the foot or the head. - I don’t mean to scare you, - But only prepare you - For poor, dear Whiskaway!” - -The ensemble chorus gave the new Merrymeeting song which had won the -prize. In this and the camp yell with which the performance closed -the audience could not help joining, and went away to sing these -masterpieces of poesy and song for the rest of the week. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV - - THOSE CAMPING DAYS - - -“Isn’t this the most exciting week?” queried Isabel. - -“It is indeed,” replied Cathalina, who was feeling disappointed over -tennis results in the August tournament, provoked at herself for one -or two bad plays she had made, yet glad for Lilian that she had won -the tournament again. The girls had just finished the final baseball -game and both teams, with a few spectators, had strolled off to rest -under the trees. A cool breeze blew from the water which sparkled -and foamed over the rocks. - -“Tournaments to be finished, the last points you can possibly get in -anything to be made, swimming match tomorrow, boys’ minstrel show -next day, then the last hike, the big banquet and prizes and -everything on Friday, and on Saturday the last senior lodge play! -This hectic life of pleasure has spoiled me for school!” - -“Nonsense, Isabel. We’ll feel all the more like it,” said Lilian. - -“There _are_ those who love to study, I’m told,” said Isabel, who -was feeling anything but intellectual that morning, “but the only -reason that _I_ do it is that I’m ashamed to be ignorant!” - -“You are certainly frank about it,” Eloise remarked with a quizzical -smile. - -“Then if you don’t study,” continued Isabel, saucily addressing -Eloise, “you can’t enjoy the real fun, because of what hangs over -your head in the way of cuts, lessons to be made up, letters home -from the faculty, and term work to be repeated because of failures.” - -“To hear you talk, anybody would think that you are one of those who -are always on the ragged edge,” reproved Betty. “Frances, Isabel is -one of the best in her classes at Greycliff.” - -“Thanks, Betty, for your kind tribute, but I have learned by -observation,” said Isabel loftily, “and profited by seeing the awful -times the idlers have. They have to pay the bill some time, and -that’s the only reason I work.” - -“Isabel is just thinking with her tongue about her reasons for -work,” said Virginia. - -“Lots of people do that,” acknowledged Isabel, laughing. - -“Unfortunately true,”—and Eloise gave Isabel a gentle push till she -fell over on the grass by Cathalina, who was lying at full length. - -“Don’t you wish you knew,” continued Eloise, “what they’re going to -do at the banquet—and how the dining-room will be decorated,—and -what the eats will be,—and how the councillors will dress up,—and -who will get the prizes?” - -“I wouldn’t miss the banquet for worlds!” cried Betty. “The girls -all say that it is always _wonderful_, and so exciting and thrilling -about the prizes. Why, sometimes the girls have the tears just -streaming down their cheeks, but root nobly for the one who took the -prize away from them!” - -“I don’t believe that I could do that,” said Virginia. - -“O, you’d be ashamed not to be glad for the other girl, wouldn’t -you?” - -“It would just depend on who she was and how she took it,” said -Virgie with decision. “If she were airy and smarty, I wouldn’t like -it.” - -“N-no, but anybody’d be ashamed to be that way up here, or at least -to show it. There is too much camp spirit among us.” - -Cathalina slipped her hand into Lilian’s and they exchanged an -affectionate look, which Hilary did not miss, and she patted -Cathalina’s shoulder approvingly. - -“I’m sorry for the girls that are leaving early,” Virgie continued. -“Two or three are going tomorrow. It’s a good thing that the games -are about over,—we’d have so few on our team.” - -“What do we do next week, Frances?” asked Helen. - -“Chiefly get ready to leave. It will take us all day Monday to -pack.” - -“How could it?” - -“I don’t mean every minute, but there will be things to fix and hunt -up. We can have some good times in between at the club house, and -play tennis or anything we want to, you know, but we leave Tuesday -afternoon, and by Wednesday hardly anybody will be at camp.” - -“Doesn’t it make you sick to think about it? Maybe I’ll never be -able to come back here!” Helen’s eyes looked misty. - -“We mustn’t think about it,” said Isabel. “Cheer up. Suppose you -could never go home and see your folks.” - -“Listen to the practical Isabel,” laughed Lilian. “That’s right, -Isabel; always look forward to the next nice thing that you’re going -to do!” - -“By the way, girls,” said Isabel, “the last _Moon_ will be read -Sunday, and I promised to see everybody and ask for a contribution. -Every one of you can hand in a personal or some little paragraph -about something that has happened in your klondike. I’m coming -around Saturday and if you haven’t written anything I’m going to sit -down and wait till you do. No promises go!” - -“Might as well do it, girls,” said Eloise. “When the energetic -Isabel has a duty to perform, it is a case of ‘do it _now_’. O, -dear, what fun we have had!” - -“_Are_ having, _going_ to have,” insisted Isabel. “Don’t start any -mourning, anybody. We’ll probably have enough of waterworks at the -end, and I, for one, don’t want to begin now.” - -“You funny, nice, dear old Isabel,” said Cathalina, reaching a hand -over to rumple Isabel’s curly head. - -Rapidly passed these last day of camp. The last games of the August -tournament were played. Reports of attainment and points earned were -handed in by the director of athletics, the swimming instructor and -other councillors. Excitement more or less suppressed spread among -the girls as they consulted with each other about whom to choose and -vote for in regard to the prize cups. From so many bright, helpful -and popular girls, who should be chosen as the best camper among the -seniors, the intermediates and the juniors? The girls were warned -against “campaigning” for their favorites. In this, points did not -count, except as indicating an interest in the activities. The best -“all-around camper” would not necessarily be the one who was first -in any particular activity. Former years in camp, giving what we -might call “cumulative” helpfulness and loyalty, counted also. - -The annual “minstrels” at the boys’ camp was one of the great -events. Gay boat-loads of girls on that happy night went down to -Boothbay Camp, gave enthusiastic support and applause to the -entertainment furnished by the boys, enjoyed every feature, and -joined heartily in the singing of popular or camp songs while the -curtains were drawn between “acts.” By lantern and flashlight they -again filled the boats for the unusual experience of a ride home on -the river after dark. A big flashlight served occasionally as search -light, but the pilot knew his river even without a moon. - -Mysterious indeed were the doings of councillors on the fateful -Friday. All girls were forbidden the dining-room after breakfast, -except a few who were asked to help bring down the “greenery” from -the woods. These had a peep at the unfinished decorations. There was -to be a picnic lunch at noon, to leave the dining-room free for the -elaborate decorating, and it was even a mystery where the lunch was -to be. In the arts and crafts room councillors were working on the -last menu cards, which were being painted and lettered, and -occasionally a few girls would invent some “necessary” errands, -which would take them through the room into Laugh-a-lot. But furtive -glances only increased interest. - -“I saw the cap the camp mother was making,” said one. “My, it was -pretty. There was a little crinkled yellow ruffle on the edge of -black crepe paper.” - -“Then that’s the color scheme! I suppose they’ll wear caps and -aprons,—they did last year.” - -“Yes, but it’s _never_ the same, so you can’t tell.” - -When the bell rang for lunch, all who had to go to the club house -for information were directed to the pine grove. But before this, -many of the girls had noticed the people who were trailing in that -direction with utensils and eatables. The big kettle of hot beans -and some other supplies were taken in the convenient and familiar -wheelbarrow. - -On the rocks at the right of the cove the fire was made and long, -fat “wienies” were being cooked in a big pan, which was supported on -the edge of the fire by two large chunks of wood. - -“O, the beautiful, _beautiful_ pine-grove!” exclaimed Cathalina, as -she took her place behind Hilary in the line, which had been halted -by the smiling head councillor some little distance from the fire -till the signal should be given that all was ready. - -“If I come back next summer, I’m going to bring my paints and -everything,” she continued. “I’ve made some sketches, but I want to -get the blue of the blueberries with the dew on them, and some of -the sunsets are so gorgeous,—or so delicate. I saw the most peculiar -effect one night when we were starting a camp fire on Marshmallow -Point for a marshmallow roast. There were heavy brown-gray clouds -and just one streak where the sun was trying to shine through, and -the queerest color to the water. I thought of the old poem where -‘the dark Plutonian shadows gather on the evening blast.’” - -“Look at this little vine with the scarlet berries,” said Hilary, -stooping to gather a bit that was trailing along the ground. “Has -this been taken in to Mother Nature yet?” - -“I think so, and there is another kind on the ground not far from -where the fire is. Yesterday I found the oddest little flower -growing right out of the rock in the cove. The flower was almost -exactly like the common little fall aster, purple of a sort, but the -plant was a single stalk and looked like an evergreen, made you -think of balsam. I’m going to ask Mother Nature what it is. I picked -it.” - -“Hurrah, here we go!” said Hilary, weaving the bit of vine in one of -her braids as the line started. - -A pasteboard plate received the necessary silver, hot beans spooned -out of the kettle by one councillor, two or three “wieners” forked -out by the presiding masculine genius of the fire, the bread and -butter for the sandwiches, mustard if one wanted it, the good -“picnic pickles” and a sanitary cup for either water or milk. -Dessert was to come later, delicious watermelons, not brought down -the hill, but served nearer the entrance to the pine grove. - -Evening came at last. Camp garb was laid aside for the pretty summer -dresses appropriate to the occasion. The girls thought that the bell -would never ring. The finishing touches seemed to take the -councillors forever! But at last the big bell clanged out its -invitation, and the girls came hurrying down the hill. - -The dining-room looked almost like a bit of the pine grove, for the -rafters were covered by the green branches of the whole trees that -had been brought to deck the place, and stood around the supporting -pillars and at the sides of the room. White pine, balsam and -arborvitæ filled the dining hall with spicy odor. And if any were -shocked at the cutting of these big “Christmas trees”, they might -have been told that they were carefully selected where thinning was -necessary and where the trees would never have reached a perfect -maturity when all had grown larger. - -“O, isn’t it a dream!” exclaimed Lilian, as she found the place card -with her name on it at the same table with Cathalina, Hilary, Betty -and Eloise. “Look at these darling menu cards!” - -“And read it,” said Hilary. “They’re too funny. Let’s see if we can -make out what the different things really are.” - -“What do you suppose ‘Brunswick Special’ is?” wondered Cathalina. - -“Maybe our pickles,” said Eloise. “No, it isn’t in the right -place,—O, I know, corn!” - -“And the ‘Young Fried Flappers’ are the fried chickens, of course, -and Charlotte Young’s name.” - -“Here’s ‘Piggly Wiggly’, now what can that be?” - -“Look at the place on the menu; O, that’s the jelly, to be sure.” - -“‘Truant’s Delight’ must be the ice-cream, and Virginia sauce must -be something we have over it and called in honor of Virgie!” - -Just before the courses were served, the councillors in a long line, -with their giddy postage stamp caps and ruffled aprons, sang a brief -song beginning, “O, we are the councillors gay, tra-la,” and were -greeted with the hearty applause of appreciation and given, both -collectively and individually, the “rah-rahs” of Merrymeeting. But -ah, those plates of fried chicken, mashed potato and hot rolls! And -the platters of steaming corn, served because of its popularity. -From bouillon to salted almonds and candy, the refreshments seemed -to be a success and the councillors saw to it that each girl had all -she wanted. The hour was early, even if dinner was a trifle late. - -More than one heart beat a little faster when the table which held -the three cups and little packages marked with different names was -moved to the center. Chairs were moved back and turned to face in -the right direction. The head councillors, in a brief speech full of -charm and sincerity, spoke of the camp ideals and of what these -prizes would represent, then began to call the names and present to -each the prize which she had worked for and won. Not all could win -distinction. Some girlish hopes were bound to be disappointed, -either when expectation was greater than the facts warranted, or -when the contest was so close that no one could tell how the vote -would turn. - -Hilary won the ring; Lilian, Cathalina, Eloise and Isabel, pins. -Hilary’s record was unblemished by any tardiness or absence. She had -identified birds and flowers, taken the hikes, climbed Mt. -Washington, and had been so generally helpful and well liked that -some of the girls had voted for her to have the senior cup. Lilian -had won the tennis tournament, and Cathalina had won second place, -having vanquished all her opponents but Lilian. Isabel, in addition -to a long list of activities, had won the swimming meet. Eloise, -like Lilian, had been especially good with the musical affairs, and -had made points in all lines. Both musical notes and a paddle for -canoeing were on her headband, with the usual symbols. Betty had not -quite enough points for a pin, but received arm band and diamond. - -The suspense was great when it came to awarding the honor cups to -the girls who had been considered and voted the best campers. -Frances of the seniors, Charlotte Young of the intermediates, a -sweet girl, whose election was practically unanimous, and little -June Lancaster of the juniors, were announced. June was quite -overcome and went forward for her trophy in great trepidation, while -Hilary beamed with pride in her little sister. The girls in excited -groups gathered to see the prizes of those who had won them, and -then gradually left the dining hall, looking back to see the -prettily decorated tables and the tired, but happy councillors who -were about to consume the rest of the chicken! - -The great event was over. Packing and leave-taking were close at -hand. A few days more saw the girls on the eve of their final -departure. Many times had they floated away from the little dock, -but always to return. - -The house party planned by Cathalina was really to be carried out. -The girls’ trunks were to go by train to New York, but Mrs. Van -Buskirk and Philip were to meet them with the big car in Bath, -whence by easy stages they would travel to the Van Buskirk home. -Cathalina, Lilian, Hilary, Betty, Campbell and Philip were the young -people of the party. Philip and Campbell would drive the car by -turns. - -At last all were ready. The boats were waiting. A bright sun had -shone out, after a dark morning, to render the last pictures of -Merrymeeting things of beauty and a joy forever. As the boats moved -off, there was waving of many hands to the few campers left standing -upon the dock. - -An unexpected hush fell upon the girls in the Aeolus, and to -Isabel’s great surprise she felt a lump in her throat and several -tears trickling down her cheeks. Two or three of the girls were -openly crying. - -“Mercy, girls,” said Isabel, “this will never do! Come on and sing! -Lilian and Eloise, start something!” - -“Camping Days,” suggested Eloise, and in a moment, to the old tune -of “College Days”, the cheerful voices of contented campers, looking -forward to their trip and home, mingled with the chugging of the -engine and the splashing of waters. - - Don’t you remember those camping days?— - Peppy girls and their peppy ways, - Swims and hikes to beat the band, - H’m—m’m, and wasn’t it grand? - Plenty of things for you to do, - Volley, basketball, tennis, too; - Time went so fast, it couldn’t last,— - Back in those camping days! - - Don’t you remember those camp fire nights, - After the sunset’s glowing lights? - Songs we sang and cheers so loud, - H’m—m’m, and the great old crowd - Starts to Brunswick, city of dreams, - Never will get there, so it seems, - Time went so fast, it couldn’t last, - Back in those camping days. - - When you’re home, you’ll think of the fun - In days of rain or days of sun, - One point off if you were late, - H’m—m’m, and wasn’t it great? - Don’t you remember the Sunday _Moon_? - Hope next summer will come real soon! - Time went so fast, it couldn’t last,— - Back in those camping days! - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREYCLIFF GIRLS IN CAMP*** - - -******* This file should be named 62654-0.txt or 62654-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/2/6/5/62654 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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