CHAPTER ELEVEN
STAR GAZING FROM PINE NOB
Half an hour later Nita returned to camp with a face swollen and eyesred from weeping. She said nothing and the girls made no audiblecomment on her appearance. Miss Miller felt sorry for the girl, forit was apparent that she had experienced a heart-breaking period. Butthe Guide could not imagine what had caused the trouble--was it thatgood-for-nothing boy Everton or was Nita home-sick, or possibly, butnot probably, she was ashamed of her actions during the past few days.
The girls took an early swim and then packed their kits for the nightout. Each had a rubber blanket beside the camp-blanket, so these wererolled about the other items selected for the night.
At the barn, Cheokee was soon hitched up and all the duffle-bags werethrown under the seats. The girls jumped in while Zan fastened thetraces and told Wickee he had to run behind, or alongside the surrey.
Pine Nob was high enough to enable one to see for twenty miles aroundthe country, so a magnificent view could be obtained from its summiton a clear day.
"Friends, I'm about to earn another merit. Observe that I do not intendlosing it immediately by using slang, so if I seem to run away suddenlyafter delivering my idea, it is not because of any attraction at thehouse but merely because I dare not remain where I may be tempted tolose my reward!" laughed Zan, as the others climbed in the surrey.
Every one smiled and waited. "Since our arrival the camera brought byJane has remained asleep in the living-room. I go to rescue it fromidleness!"
With that Zan rushed off toward the house, while Cheokee was starteddown the road to wait at the side-porch for his mistress. Zan earnedthe merit that time and Elena made a note to enter the plan of a CameraClub in the Tally Book.
The Band reached Pine Nob without mishap, but the sun was too low totake any good pictures, so it was postponed for the morning.
The fire was made, supper enjoyed and Cheokee fed and left tide to astrong tree for the night. Then Miss Miller advised all to get theirbeds made before darkness overtook them.
"Oh, aren't we going to sleep on the ground?" asked Hilda.
"There isn't a thing in sight that we could possibly make a bed of!"added Jane, looking about in amazement.
"Oh, yes there is! We are going to win a _coup_ by making beds fromwild-material only--and mighty good beds you will find them, too!" saidthe Guide, smiling at their doubts.
"Twigs, and leaves, and moss?" questioned Nita, ironically.
"No, hardly that, but come with me and you will see," replied the Guide.
Cheokee was tethered to a stump near the camp-site and left to enjoyhis supper of oats. Miss Miller then took a trail that had not beennoticeable until attention was directed to it. This, she followed intodense woods for half a mile or so, before coming to an aromatic grove.Young trees, as well as half-grown spruce, grew in a thick wall underold pines.
The Guide took her sharp sheath-knife from its case and started to cutonly those branches which showed young tender green tips. "While I cutyou girls can gather and make bundles of it."
"What for?" wondered Nita.
"You'll soon see, and then to-morrow you will say, 'How _can_ Mrs.Sherwood sleep on feathers when these kind of beds are so cheap andconvenient!'"
"Oh, I know! It's for bedding!" cried Elena.
"I bet you've read some of White's books, haven't you?" said Zan, whosebrothers were in love with White's wood stories.
"Better not talk so much and work more--darkness will catch up beforeour beds are made," warned the Guide, cutting without a pause.
Finally, every one was laden with branches, and soon the plateauwas reached and Miss Miller sought for a place where the ground wascomparatively level. Here she threw the greens.
"Now watch me weave a spring bed," said she, sitting down a sort herbranches, long, medium and short pieces.
She laid a row of long pieces of spruce with the tender soft green tipsdirectly away from her. This she made about four feet wide, with thehard ends of the wood facing her. Upon this, lapping about two feet,she laid another row--then another, until the bed was about six feetlong. She then placed the next layer on top but turned the ends theopposite way, managing to run the hard wood in and under the firstlayer. The second layer was laid of shorter branches. The third layerwas laid of still shorter ones, without much hard wood to cover. Whatthere was was run under the soft ends of the second layer so that not abid of wood could be seen or felt. Done, she stood up and admired thebed.
"One of you girls throw yourself down--test it!"
Two or three followed the suggestion at once and each one sighed withblissful anticipation of the night's rest.
"Isn't it soft!" cried Elena.
"And springy!" added Zan.
"I love that piney odour. I always loved balsam pillows!" said Jane,sniffing at the green.
Hilda and Nita said nothing but they remained on the bed when theothers got up, thus showing what they thought of it.
Miss Miller assisted the girls in making their beds and when this wasdone, they wanted to go to sleep.
"But we haven't seen a single star! I thought we were going to take atest in star-gazing!" reminded the Guide.
"Oh, pshaw! What time is it? Isn't it most nine o'clock?" yawned Zan.
"No, it isn't! It's only seven-thirty!" laughed Miss Miller.
"Well, girls, let's go to it!" retorted Zan, where-upon she drew uponher criminal head the laughter of the Band.
"There goes Zan's merit for camera hunting!" shouted Elena.
Zan good-naturedly accepted her doom and turned her face toward the skyto find the first star.
"Hah! there's a star!" cried she, in a short time.
"Where, where? It can't be, it's too light to see stars!" said Elena,who had hoped to be the first to succeed with the stars.
"Yes, I guess Zan is right; I see one, too, but, girls, you have toconcentrate on seeking, or you'll miss the faint twinkling," came fromthe Guide.
After that the quiet was broken by cries, "There's one! I see another!"and so on.
Finally Miss Miller, not wishing to tire the girls the first night ofstar gazing, asked, "Who wants to go to bed--or who will choose to huntsome planets?"
No one was ready to retire, it seemed, for the new game was toointeresting.
"For everyone who finds and names the correct planet and can tell somefacts about it, we will award a merit!" suggested Miss Miller.
For some time thereafter, not a sound could be heard except the snoringof Wickee and the soft thud of Cheokee's hoofs as he wandered about thetether.
"I see Venus--right there," cried Hilda, pointing.
The girls turned in the direction pointed out and Miss Miller said,"Yes, that is Venus. Now, can you tell us anything about it?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. But I know that Venus and our earth are oftencalled sister planets, and at Christmas time it is often called theStar of Bethlehem, as it shines so bright at that season. Then, too, Ibelieve it is the brightest star we can see with the naked eye," saidHilda.
"Yes, that much is correct and you have won a merit, but for thebenefit of the others I will add that Venus' brightness is causedby the clouds that surround it and reflect the sun's light just aslooking-glass would. Our clouds also reflect sunlight. Often we willsee masses of cloud banked up, so like snow-mountains and reflectingsuch brightness that it dazzles us to gaze at them. The thick cloudsthat surround Venus prevent us, on earth, from seeing any of itscontinents or oceans that may be there. Sometimes, when a cloud thinsout we can peep through and catch a glimpse of the markings of thisbeautiful planet."
When the Guide concluded, the girls turned their attention to the skyagain. Soon after Jane called, "I see a great big star--or ratherplanet. I suppose it is Jupiter, as I know Jupiter always travels nearVenus."
"Yes, Jane is right, too. Now tell us all you know about him. You maygossip freely, for we all like Jupiter and are eager to hear all thereis to know about him," said Miss Miller. "
But I would correct your word'travel,' for Jupiter does not travel with Venus; because it is sobrilliant we see it with more clarity of vision; Venus also being sobright, we can pick these two out without difficulty. Sometimes the twoplanets seem quite near each other, which might lead you to think theytravel in the same path."
"Well, I know this much correctly, anyway," said Jane. "Jupiter iscalled the Giant Planet because it is the largest of the sun's family,and is about 1300 times larger than the earth. Then, too, our earthonly has one moon while Jupiter has at least eight, and I don't knowhow many more will be discovered in time."
Jane's manner of ending her description made the other girls laugh, butMiss Miller said, "Did you ever look through a telescope at the skywith its myriads of stars and planets?"
No one had, and the Guide said, "You've all missed a treat. When we goback to the city we will make it one of our Band's treats to visitsome institution where there is a telescope. Elena, make a memorandumon your sleeve to enter that in the Tally Book."
Elena giggled, for she was not aware that any one had seen her use hercuff for a memo pad.
"Before we leave Jupiter, I think that I should add that Galileo--theman who first used a telescope, you know--sought for Jupiter one nightand discovered the moons travelling around the great planet. PoorGalileo tried to prove to his fellowmen that the earth was not the onlyworld but that it was a mere planet like many others to be seen. Folksin those days believed that the earth was the centre of all things andthat the sun naturally travelled around it, as the moon and stars did,also.
"They were so furious with Galileo for trying to tell them the truththat they cast him in prison. When he showed them how the moons ofJupiter travelled around it in an orbit, just as the moon went aroundthe earth, people began to think seriously of his statements. Some saidGalileo was a magician and had bewitched his telescope, or else hadbewitched his followers. After a time, however, they were forced toadmit that he was right, and since then every one reveres the name ofGalileo as that of a wonderful astronomer."
"I'd like to find Mars! Please don't any one else take it 'cause I wasborn under that planet!" said Zan, during the period of silence thatfollowed Miss Miller's talk.
"Oh, no, Zan, you were not born under any planet! You surely have notmentioned such foolish ideas to your father, have you?" cried MissMiller, surprised at the girl's statement.
"Why, no, I never gave it a thought, except what I heard read from aNew York paper. They print horoscopes and tell about governing planetsand signs of the zodiac. Is it foolish?"
"I should say it was! I know that a certain newspaper, so-called,makes a circulation-booster of a section devoted to the study calledastrology, for silly folks to read and worry over. It seems all wrongto me for any one to waste a thought on such trivial things whenprofounder studies are right at hand awaiting our choice. It is truethat according to certain laws of gravitation and natural law, thetides of the ocean are affected by the moon and planets, and farmersplant crops at certain seasons of the zodiac, but to lay claim toa star or planet having power or intelligence to control our livesand future acts, is to become a necromancer. As you can read in thefirst Book of the Bible, God made all things and he gave man alldominion over all created things. Man, as His child, was given powerand intelligence like unto God, made in His image and likeness, andnowhere in the Bible can you read where He refuted that government anddominion! We still have power over stars and planets, and I, for one,refuse to be domineered by a light, shining millions of miles awayfrom me. What kind of a guardian do you suppose that planet wouldmake?"
"Then why do folks call Mars the Planet of War, and say that it isalways a blood-red for a long time before a war or national strifeoccurs?" asked Zan.
"No one really knows that Mars is more war-like in its office thanVenus or Jupiter. But I will not tell you more of Mars until Zan hasfound him and told us what she knows," said Miss Miller.
"I see Mars--but Zan wants the privilege," said Nita, in a whisper.
"Oh, no, Nita; if you've found him first, you have prior claim. I'll goon star-gazing and find something new!" said Zan.
"Well, it is that fiery planet just over the oak tree," directed Nita.It was correct and she was led to speak of anything she knew of Mars.
"I don't know much beside what I heard in a theatre-play called theMartians. They had a great map on the drop-curtain and I looked at themarkings that were supposed to be on the planet. Then I heard once thatMars is a world like ours and has winter and summer. In winter it hasvast fields of ice and in summer rivers and dark places that may begreen hills and valleys. I guess it has inhabitants, too, but I don'tknow what scientists think about that."
"Nita is right as far as facts go, but one important item was omitted.Mars has practically no clouds, whereas the earth has an abundance ofthem. Therefore, it must be continually fine weather on Mars, forthere cannot be any rain. Whether any people live to enjoy permanentfair weather, we do not know, because Mars is such a distance awaythat even with strongest telescopes we can only see different colouredmarkings on the surface of the planet. I sometimes think that Marswould have to have a wonderful irrigation system to succeed withvegetation if it is inhabited. As it could have no rain, it would haveto conserve the melting snows of winter to water its valleys in summer."
"Hurrah! I've found my planet! You never will guess where it islocated!" laughed Zan.
Several attempts were made to locate it, but to no avail.
"Yet it is the most prominent and to our eyes the largest in the sky,"continued Zan, aggravatingly.
Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and others were all mentioned, butZan shook her head at each guess. Finally the Guide said, "Give up."Zan laughed with delight at having cornered the teacher.
"Ha! The moon! It is just rising above that pine!"
They all laughed, and Zan was told to tell what she knew.
"Well, I know that the moon isn't made of green cheese, althoughthere are some folks who still believe so. Then, too----" but Zan wasinterrupted by the others rolling on the grass and laughing.
"Miss Miller, they should each have a demerit for disturbing the peacelike this," said Zan, in mock severity.
"They'll soon cancel it then, with a merit, just as you constantlycancel your merits with _de_-merits for crime!" laughed Miss Miller.
As soon as the girls had quieted down again, Zan continued her haranguein a lecture-tone.
"The moon has mountains known to us as moon-mountains. There are manyextinct volcanoes on its face that are supposed to have formed thesemountains. The moon is a satellite of the earth--it follows the earthlike the little lamb followed Mary. If our earth should take it intoits head to shoot off to a corner of the ether, a few million milesaway, the moon would just trail along after, and most likely cry allthe way for its mother earth."
The girls were delighted with Zan's lecture and Miss Muller had to pullher face into control before she said, "We won't be able to tell factfrom fancy, you are so ready with both kinds of information."
"Fancy will not deserve a demerit, I trust!" said Zan.
"Oh, no, but how can it win a merit? You must give us facts that willstand water at Headquarters," said Miss Miller.
"I know that the moon was once a wonderful planet like our earth is butits seas dried up and its surface broke into chaotic mountains--likelyfrom volcanic eruptions, as its mountains present such an appearancethrough the telescope. It has no trees, flowers, or living creature!It may be grand to look at from this distance but it is really a greathulk of desolation, and I'm sure I'd not care to live there!"
When Zan concluded, Miss Miller asked how many knew the cause of themoon's changing so often each month, to our belief. No one ventured toreply, so the Guide tried to demonstrate to them.
"If I take a round object--here's a stone--and hold it between the moonand my eyes, the side toward me is dark while the side of the stonetoward the moon is light where it reflects from the moon. Now, supposeI hold th
is flash-light for the sun. As I move, or turn the stonearound, the side which was toward my eyes before gradually turns towardthe reflection of the sun's rays upon the moon and thence to the stone.As we are stationary on the earth, while the earth revolves, we advancetoward the light, then leave it again, thus seeming to see the moongrow or dwindle as the time may be."
As soon as the girls understood, the Guide was about to turn off theelectricity when the ray showed Nita yawning.
"Girls, if any of you are sleepy we will go to bed. We have beenenjoying ourselves so that I made no note of time," advised the Guide,looking at the others for signs of sleep.
"Oh, don't say bed yet--we want to hear some more!" cried some of thegirls.
"Really, Miss Miller, I am not so sleepy and tired as my eyes--theyache dreadfully and I don't know why," said Nita.
Miss Miller knew, however, that it was the stormy weeping of theafternoon. Trying to divert the girl's thoughts would be the bestsoothing lotion for her eyes as well as for her heavy heart. So theGuide continued:
"Who can tell me where the Dipper is located? The big Dipper, I mean."
After much twisting of heads, one of the girls pointed it out.
"Yes; now I will give you the names of the stars that are to be seenall the year round. I will give the Latin name too, for almost allastronomers use the Latin terms but we use our common names for them.
"The all-year stars are found in the northern part of the sky, and ofthese the Ursa Major, or Great Bear, is the best known. The two starspointing north in a direct line are sometimes called 'The Pointers' forthey point to the Pole Star.
"The Pole Star is always in the same spot and the other stars seem tomove around it. If we could leap from here to the North Pole we wouldfind that star directly overhead.
"In spring you will see Great Bear almost over your head; in summerit will be between the Pole Star and the northwest horizon. It autumnit will be found between the Pole Star and the northern horizon, andin winter it is between the Pole Star and the eastern horizon. Thesepositions are very necessary for you to know, for both these stars helpto locate many other constellations. The stars forming the Great Bearhave been known since ancient days--in fact it is catalogued in a bookof stars made over 2000 years ago, and the constellation has not movedor changed its form since that age.
"Now let us look for and find Great Bear--it is formed of seven brightstars in a group. Two pointing at the Pole Star, which will assist youin locating the constellation, and the others to the left of the firsttwo."
After much wondering and questions, the girls were able to recogniseUrsa Major, and thereafter they had no further difficulty inimmediately finding it.
"The next group of stars are almost opposite the Great Bear, being onthe other side of the Pole Star. It is called Cassiopeia, or Lady inthe Chair. It looks like a great letter 'W' half-over on its side.
"At no great distance from each other you will see two stars placedbetween the Pole Star and Great Bear. These bright stars are calledThe Guards, as they appear to guard the Pole Star. The old legend saysthat Great Bear wanted to get at the Pole Star but the gods placed theGuards between the bear and his prey to prevent the Pole Star beingdestroyed.
"I brought a pair of field-glasses so that you can see the smallerstars. Now I want you each to take a look at them as I explain aboutthem," said Miss Miller, taking a leather case from the ground at herside.
"The two stars I am pointing to are Mizor and Alcor--the first one isthe large bright star, while the second is the small star that seemsquite near to its companion. The Turks use these stars as a test ofeye-sight for soldiers. If a man cannot see these stars with his nakedeye he cannot enter the army.
"It has recently been discovered that these two stars are not reallycompanions but that Alcor is far beyond Mizor, although, being in adirect line of vision with it, it appears to be quite near the brightstar.
"It is only during the months of July and August that we can seedistinctly the group called the Great Square of Pegasus. Why itshould ever have been entitled to the name is more than present-dayastronomers can tell. It surely has no resemblance to a winged horse."
"I can't see Pegasus," said Nita, at this juncture.
"Look for a bright square formed of four brilliant stars; they are onthe other side of Cassiopeia, just as far from her as she is from thePole Star--it has several stars seeming to form the handle of a pan.The handle-stars are another constellation called Andromeda, whilethe three stars near each other at the end of the handle are calledPerseus. When you have found these stars I will tell you the legendconnected with them."
One girl after another located the stars mentioned while Miss Millerdirected them by pointing or description. The moment the last tolocate all had done so correctly, the story was demanded.
"There once lived a king named Cepheus whose wife was Cassiopeia. Theyhad one child, a daughter Andromeda, whose beauty was known of farand wide. Cassiopeia boasted of the unparalleled beauty of Andromedaso much that the nymphs Nereids heard of it. They became jealous andbegged their father Nereid to avenge them as they alone wished thehonour of being beautiful.
"Nereid thereupon sent a great flood over the land of King Cepheus anddevastated everything. But the effects of the flood might have beenovercome in time had not a terrible sea-monster like unto a dragon beenswept up with it. This dragon went about destroying every one that camein his pathway. It had been Nereid's order to the dragon to seek forand devour Andromeda.
"Finally the king sought Ammon for advice. The oracle declared that thedragon would not go until Andromeda had been offered as a sacrifice.The king, broken-hearted, told his wife and daughter of the dreadfulverdict, but Andromeda willingly gave her life for the safety of theland and people.
"She was carried to some rocks and there chained to await the comingof the monster. Instead, however, a gallant youth named Perseus passedthat way and saw the princess. Her marvellous beauty enlisted his armand sword and when the dragon came up from the green water to claimhis victim, Perseus fought with and killed the beast. He then carriedAndromeda back to her home and was given her as bride for his valour.
"The story of the sacrifice and valour reached the ears of the goddessAthena and she gave Perseus and his bride a place in the heavens, whilethe king and queen were not far off. As a reminder to mortals of theinevitable result of envy, malice, and hatred, Athena placed the dragonin the sky also, although he can never touch or harm any of Cepheus'family again."
The girls sought again the different constellations mentioned withnew interest. Miss Miller waited until they had thoroughly satisfiedthemselves before she continued.
"You will have to use the glasses to find the three little stars called'The Kids.' Then, too, the bright stars known as Capena extend somewhatto the left of Perseus. To the right of Perseus, but farther away, is agroup of stars called Seven Sisters--they are also known by the name ofThe Pleiades.
"Now turn your gaze to the right of Perseus, on a line with him, andyou will see a glaring star that goes by the name of Demon's Eye. Thisstar fades and brightens alternatively, so that the Arabs, a mostsuperstitious race, felt the Demon's Eye approved or disapproved oftheir plans and wars."
Miss Miller got up from the blanket which had been spread out for theBand to sit upon, and said, "Now we must go to bed. There are many,many other interesting legends and stars to tell about but it is toolate to review more to-night. In the Fall and Winter when we meet inour Councils we can take up the ones that appear in those months.Orion is one of these beautiful constellations; Canis Major and CanisMinor are two more. The bull, Taurus, which Orion fought, seems to becharging directly upon him; the two bright stars watching the conflictare called 'Giant's Eyes.' At home we will study about the Lion, theSickle and Berenice's Hair, to say nothing of the Crown, the Ox-driver,and the Northern Cross, and I know some of you girls will get the StarGazing coup. But now, bed for every one of us!"