CHAPTER XVII
A PICNIC AND OTHERWISE
A rush of events followed. Chief among them was that of a Girl Scoutpicnic, inaugurated by Ted and Jerry, carried out by Nora and enjoyed byall.
It was a delightful hike out to the Ledge, that big, rugged rock thatleaned over a pretty, disjoined lake, made up of tributaries fromsprings and rain flows. Rocky Ledge was exactly that--narrow, rocky; atable or shelf that leaned out just far enough to form a little porticoover the frivolous waters beneath. It was a charmed spot, with manythrilling legends to its credit, and being different from the entirescenery surrounding, it gave the place its name--just like one girldifferent from her companions will stand out as an example, if shehappens to be that kind of different that is interesting.
Not that other parts of this territory were commonplace. No, indeed.There was a fertile farm country, Jerry's precious forests, Ted'swonderful butterfly haunts and even Nora's cedar groves; but these didnot touch the high spot enjoyed by that novel little ledge; hence thewhole territory was known as Rocky Ledge.
The picnic marked midsummer's festivity. Chickadee Patrol invitedmembers from other camps out to the Ledge, and when Pell insisted thatThistle and her aids "do up enough grub" for those invited, a strike wasnarrowly averted.
"You know, Pell Mell, the Mantons will bring barrels of things to eat,so why should we make samples of our miserable home-cooking failures?"demanded Thistle. Betta was standing hard by egging her on.
"They will bring the lunch, that is, The Lunch, but what about a littlefour o'clock snack? There are silver springs out there with water cresson the cob, and I know our girls are never loath to nibble a bite or twowhen out on location," Pell reminded her mutinous crew. That was Pell.She had a way of getting things done and at the same time making a jokeof it.
"Is Nora going to be inducted?" asked Betta. Next to Alma, Betta was themost avowed champion of the girl from the Nest.
"Yes, we had a letter today and Becky told us we would have a businessmeeting Wednesday, when your precious Babe Nora will be led to thestake. She will accept the halter of allegiance to Pell, Betta and therest of the mob----"
"If you feel so frisky, Pell, I wish you would work off some of theextra on this tin can. I am supposed to open it with a souvenir trickcan opener. I am sure Betta brought it from the state fair, B. C. 150.It has all the ear marks of antiquity without any of the teeth,"declared Wyn, who was struggling with an implement, curious andwonderful.
"That's a perfectly good can opener," defended Betta. "Jimbsy purloinedit from his own mother's table----"
"Which supports my theory," interrupted Wyn. "His mother's table is noneother than antique. But there! It did cut--my hand into the bargain,"and she defied all her first-aid rules by sticking a finger in hermouth. "Glad it cut something."
"Where's Alma?" asked Laddie. "She always gets out of the drudgery."
"Alma was tagged along to town to buy things," explained Thistle. "Beckyis hearing her lessons on the way. Alma is our little freshman, youknow, girls, and while she doesn't wear mourning, she is often insorrow."
"She has a great time with Nora, I notice," remarked Doro. "I fancybetween the two of them they have fixed it up about the prince.Shouldn't be a bit surprised if they invited him to the picnic."
"Now, remember," ordered Wyn, "don't dare say prince. Say duke if youmust, but spare Alma's feelings on the princeling. But honestly, girls,wasn't it a joke?"
"Not to Alma," answered Treble. "She certainly had a vision if she didnot see a prince. Here she comes. Look at the bundles! Land sakes alive!If it's more grub I'm going to duck. My fingers are mooing now fromspreading butter," and Treble plastered a slab of the yellow paste on asquare of bread, quite as if it were intended as mortar for asky-scraper.
An hour later they were on their way. Nora might have ridden out to theLedge in the little runabout, but she preferred to walk with the girls.
"I'm so excited about joining," she confided to Betta and Alma, her hikepartners. "I feel as if I were going to have my final exams."
"You don't want to," advised Betta. "You know your manual perfectly, andhave nothing to worry about. But we shall all be so glad, Nora, when youare really a Scout. It is all well enough to be a lone Scout out in thewilderness, but while we're around there is no sense in such isolation."
"The Lone Scout! Oh, I was fascinated reading about the provisions forsuch an individual arrangement. Just imagine being a troop of one," saidNora.
"About as interesting as Laddie's collection of one piece of genuinemica," replied Betta. "As much as I detest the girls" (she gave Alma'sarms an affectionate squeeze in explanation), "still, I would rather bepestered with them than to be a Lone Scout on the Big Mountain. There,Nora! That would make a stunning title for your coming book."
"What book?" demanded the unsuspecting Nora.
"The one that is coming next," serenely replied Betta. "But let ushasten! See yon girls are turning into the other yon road," she went on."We betta----"
A warning chuckle from Alma, cut short her "Betta." Until thisattractive girl learned to respect the all-American R she would neverknow peace with her companions.
Joining the others the merry party hiked along; singing, whistling,calling, laughing and making noises peculiar to girls out on picnicsbent.
Mr. and Mrs. Manton rode to the Ledge, deposited their treat and wereready to be on their way and leave the girls to their own good time,almost as soon as the party arrived.
"Oh, stay," besought Pell. "We are counting on having you in for ourgames----"
"I wish I could," replied the big brown Jerry. "But the fact is thiswife of mine has planned a little picnic all of her own. You see, whenshe got me in on this she knew I could not back out on hers. Yes," hesighed affectedly, "she has made me promise to take her out canoeing,and I am not sure what terror she has set for me at the end of thestream."
"Oh, are you really going down the stream?" cried Treble. "I have justlonged for a ride down through the rapids----"
"Well, you best not take it," spoke up Mrs. Ted. "I am going down thestream only to explore. And I would not go without the strong arm of aman at the keel."
"Oh, Jimbsy, where art thou?" wailed Thistle. "Why didn't we treat youright! Your gallant craft----"
"Get the water there, Cicero," shouted Doro. "This lunch is to havelemonade a la carte, and there isn't a drop of water in the house. Sorryto disturb the oration----"
"Gimme the pail," snapped the interrupted Thistle. "I never yet startedanything that Doro didn't finish."
But even the delightful lunch, served on a grassy table with every girlholding down her own table cloth, for a light little breeze flirtedoutrageously with the service--even all this did not tempt the Scouts totarry long from the delights of the great, wild open; and before thenormal eating hour had passed the girls were formed in groups andcircles, to suit their individual and collective tastes, and throughfield and glen their laughter supplied the marching tune.
Nora was clinging to Alma, with a motive. She had seen the great fieldof corn just behind the Ledge, where fertility could be depended upon,and she was wondering, secretly, if little Lucia might pick weeds outthere?
"Could we go over to those gardens?" she asked the leaders, when theother girls had all chosen their points for exploration.
"Why, certainly. I am glad to see that you are interested in realgardens," replied Miss Beckwith. "Those are called the Italian gardensbecause Italians work there, not because they bear any resemblance tothe wonderful gardens of Italy."
The temptation was strong within Nora to tell Alma just why she wantedto go up close to the big women with hoes and rakes; but the memory ofLucia's dark eyes, that looked so like dewy pansies when the childbegged: "You will never tell," that memory sealed Nora's lips, while sheeagerly sought out any small figure that might be that of the littleslave of labor.
"I don't like those horrid women," said Alma. "Why don't you want to goover the other way, ou
t into the pretty woodlands, Nora? Come on andlet's run back. I am almost afraid of that ugly creature coming overthat dug-up place," Alma declared.
"I don't like her, either," admitted Nora. "I only wanted to see--themwork--close by."
"Going in for scientific gardening when we make you a real Scout?" Almacontinued, as they both hurried back to the uncultivated territory."Lots of girls are trying it, but it's wickedly hard on the hands."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that, Alma. But I just----" She stopped andlooked frankly into Alma's gray eyes. "Alma," she began again with anunexpected sigh, "would you think me mean if I asked you to do somethingto help me without, well, without explaining fully?" she floundered.
"Why, no, certainly not, Nora. You must have good reason for not wantingto confide----"
"I do want to confide," Nora quickly took up the charge. "But this isnot my own affair. I have promised not to tell."
"Then don't bother to explain," said Alma, generously. "I'll do all Ican to help you. I am sure it's for a good cause."
"The noblest charity----" Nora checked herself. "I'll tell you. I wantto take my picnic lunch to--some place----" It was next to impossible togo on without going all the way.
"Nora, darling! You are truly a brave Scout!" declared the admiringAlma. "There you haven't touched your lovely lunch. Saved it for asecret charity. Just you wait until you are received into the band ofChickadees! I'll be your sponsor if I am allowed it, and I'll find away----"
"Alma! Alma!" gasped Nora, tragically. "You really must do nothing ofthe kind. As happy as I am now at the idea of being a Scout, I shouldn'teven join if I thought that in any way this secret would become known."She was breathless at the very thought, and had jerked Alma to astandstill right in the middle of a mud patch, in her excitement.
"Oh, don't worry," soothed Alma. "I had no idea of telling any part ofthe secret, that, of course, I really don't know anything about. I wasjust planning what I might say to your especial credit if the promotershould call upon me," she finished with a tinge of disappointment.
"Then help me carry my lunch back to--the woods near our house," saidNora while the glance she exchanged was a unspoken volume.
"I hope you are not going to give it away to some wild animal," Almacould not refrain from remarking.
"Oh, no indeed," Nora assured her companion.
"Then why do you not eat it?"
"I have promised----"
"Maybe it's Jimmie," said Alma, with a sly little chuckle.
"Jimmie! Why I have never spoken to him!"
"Oh, you should," the Scout assured her. "He is such a nice, usefulboy."
"Does he work on the farms?" asked Nora seriously.
"I guess he doesn't really work any place in particular, but almostevery place in general," replied Alma. "But let's hurry. The others willthink we got hoed in with the corn."
So they did hurry back to the picnic and back to their strategy.