CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE THUNDER BIRD SPEAKS
Immediately after dinner, the Band gathered again in the living-roomand Miss Miller began showing the girls how to make different kinds ofknots. This was something new and it proved very interesting althoughit took a long time before anything like a successful knot resultedfrom the many twists and snarls made in the rope.
Then, Miss Miller showed them how to make a threadlashing, and tosplice a rope correctly. This also was unusual work and provedinteresting.
"I want to have you each try for a degree of Frontier Scout and eighttests successfully taken along these lines will win the degree foryou. I wanted to teach you how to solder a tin and temper a knife. Youalready know how to use an axe correctly, and knowing how to do thethings shown you this afternoon will make seven altogether. I spoketo Bill the other day about showing you how to milk his cow, and helaughed but proved willing to teach," said Miss Miller.
"Oh, Miss Miller, save us that experience!" cried Jane.
"I'd be scared to pieces to go near that wild-looking animal, MissMiller!" exclaimed Nita, fear shining from her eyes.
"Why, she wouldn't hurt you," laughed Zan.
"But just think! She may turn and butt me!" said Nita, shuddering atthe idea.
"Ha, ha! She couldn't, Nita--her horns are worn off with age!" screamedZan, the very suggestion of grey old Bossy butting making her doubleover.
"Well, I think I'd rather lose a degree or take some other test,"insisted Nita, so the subject was dropped for the time being.
The next hour was given to making records in Tally Books, filling inclaims and witnessing properly all the claims the girls were entitledto take, and then the question of how to win additional _coups_ andgrand _coups_ started again. Whenever a pause occurred in camp routineand fun, that seemed to lack something to fill in, the subject of howto win _coups_ was always the most interesting to discuss.
Zan had gone to the porch to bring in a bucket of drinking water andshe now announced that the rain had ceased and she had seen enough bluesky to make an old maid's night-cap.
"I don't think it can last!" said the Guide.
"Oh, don't say it so dubiously, Miss Miller. Haven't we had enough ofrain all week?" cried Jane.
"It is through now, however! The wind has veered!" exclaimed Hilda whohad gone to the side-door and watched the weather-vane on the barn.
"The wind may change again within a moment's time," ventured the Guide.
"Oh, pshaw! We'd rather take a chance on the weather than stay coopedhere any longer!" said Elena, backed by the sense of being shut up in ahouse, even though the day had been disagreeable.
"Well, are we going to start for the Bluff?" came from Zan.
"Yes, but we may as well take our left-over dinner with us. It won'tbe such fun to get that camp-fire burning in the soaked fire-place,"replied Hilda.
As the suggestion was a good one, the girls each took a dish or pailand started on the trail to camp.
"It really is too bad we couldn't take the cheerful fire with us--butI left the wire shield in front of it, in case it blazes up again,"remarked Nita.
"That was very thoughtful of you, dear. I quite forgot about the fire,"admitted the Guide.
"We won't need it again, so it doesn't matter much," came from Jane.
"Supposing it begins to pour rain again before night--shall we run tothe house for the night?" said Elena, who had been listening to Nita'sconversation with the Guide.
"It won't rain any more, never fear!" called Zan.
Wickee was not fond of walking in wet leaves, or past bushes thatshowered water all over him as he passed, so he dropped to the rearof the line and walked carefully in the narrow pathway that had beenwell-worn during the past month.
At camp, everything looked dismal and uninviting. The rain had beatenthrough into the cupboard and all the groceries were sodden. It hadtrickled on top of the ice-chest and by following a groove in the lid,managed to force an entry inside. The consequence was that a pool ofrain-water stood two inches deep about the ice, butter, pudding forsupper, and other items that were floating about when the lid wasraised.
"I hope to goodness, the cots are dry! And the crex mats in the tents!"complained Nita.
"Humph! Feel of the mats!" laughed Zan, jumping up and down in her tentto hear the water squash underneath the piece of matting.
"My bed's all dry!" shouted Jane joyously.
"So's mine!" came from Elena.
"I'm thankful to say that mine is dry, too!" said Miss Miller, proddingthe mattress.
"I put the rubber blanket over mine, so I know it's dry as bones!"laughed Zan.
"That is what we all should have done, for the dampness will permeateeven if the tents are water-proof," said the Guide, spreading therubber over her cot.
The other girls followed Zan's idea and then came out to see what wasto be done about supper.
Just as they sat down on some rustic stools that had been made by theBand during the past weeks, the sun shot forth a ray as if to saygood-night. The birds refused to come out and greet it, however, andnature seemed too wet to rejoice at the tardy appearance of the sinkingorb of day.
"Let's build a roaring fire of our dry wood and sit about it tellingghost stories!" suggested Jane, after supper.
So, it came to pass that at bedtime that night, five sought their cotsin a shivery frame of mind, due to gruesome stories, at which eachtried to outdo the other in relating.
It was quite dark and the wind, which had not shifted, was blowingweirdly through the forest, ever and anon sending a dripping leaf, orwet twig into the faces of the fearsome girls.
"I can't help thinking of that cheerful log we left burning in thefire-place at the house," called Jane.
"And what a delightful walk it would be through the woods and over thebuckwheat field!" sneered Zan.
"So long, girls, I'm in bed!" came from Hilda's tent.
"Mark for you in the morning--slang!" quickly added Elena.
Miss Miller, although standing on a thoroughly soaked mat, listened tothe girls with a smile. She had raised a faint remonstrance when theghost stories had become nerve-quaking, but the girls laughed merrilyand begged to continue.
Just as she was ready to jump into bed a crack of thunder soundeddirectly overhead and a vivid flash of lightning illuminated the woods.
Shrieks from the other tents did not tend to make matters morecomfortable, for it was inevitable that a shower was about to get them.
"Close the flaps and see that your tents are all well secured!" calledthe Guide.
In a short time the wind tore along the clearing of the Bluff and triedto rip up anything that was not rooted in the soil. The rain came downin a deluge while thunder and lightning seemed to come simultaneously,until the girls hid their heads under the bed-covers.
The water finally managed to trickle through the seams of the canvasand soon little pools of water stood in the hollows formed by the sidesof the forms under the covers. Miss Miller had wisely inspected thepegs and ropes that held her tent down taut, but the girls neglectedthe advice given them a short time before. They took for granted thatall would be well with the tents.
Then, a lull in the storm gave the girls courage to call to each other,"It's over, thank goodness! We're still dry!"
But they spoke too soon. A few minutes afterward a flash and peal ofthunder announced a second storm, still heavier than the first one.A regular hurricane blew up the slope from the roadway and at everygust the tents threatened to give up their hold and fly away with thecyclone. The girls hurriedly jumped from their beds and held on to thestraining ropes.
"I know just how a ship-wrecked sailor feels when the shred of sail isabout to be torn away in the squall!" shouted Zan, so as to be heardabove the commotion the storm caused.
Although her canvas was safe, the Guide arose and hurriedly dressed incase she would be needed at either of the other tents.
She was just about to light a can
dle when a horrifying yell, as fromone throat, came from Hilda's tent--or at least where the tent hadbeen. A terrific gale of wind had forced a way under the canvas andlifted the tent clear off the ground and flung it against some trees.The girls were left exposed to the elements and no partiality was shownby the rain on account of meager clothing.
"Help! Girls, come and help us get the tent!" screamed Jane.
Miss Miller was about to open the flap of her tent when the wind blewout the lighted taper. She leaned over to place it on the stand whenscreams from Zan and the third tent announced some catastrophe. Theyhad hurriedly opened the tent-flaps and the wind, taking advantage ofthe opportunity, blew in and at once filled the hollow canvas opening.In another second both tents were blown over and down against theground.
All five girls flew to Miss Miller's remaining tent and clamoured foradmittance--the water pouring down their backs and their feet wet fromthe soggy grass.
The Guide shouted for them to enter one at a time through the tinycrevice she made in the opening of the tent. They crowded inside andstood shivering and ready to weep at their predicament.
"What _shall_ we do?" cried Nita, who had never been exposed to suchrude behaviour of the wind or weather.
"We can run down to Sherwoods', but they won't have any beds! They onlyhave one room upstairs, you know," said Zan.
"You horrid thing, you talk as if this was a picnic!" whimpered Hilda.
"It is. After it is over you'll all sit and laugh at the figuresyou're cutting now!" shouted Zan, grinning in a superior manner at hercompanions.
Suddenly Miss Miller clasped her hands. "Thank goodness, we carriedthe trunk of steamer rugs into my tent the other week when you neededmore room in your tents! I've got them right here and you girls candrop those soaking gowns and wrap the blankets about you for warmth andcomfort."
The four extra thick blankets were taken from the trunk and one fromthe Guide's bed, giving each girl one. Zan had held a match during thetime Miss Miller had to open the trunk, but it had burned down and goneout again. In the thick darkness the girls took off their gowns andwrapped the dry blankets about their forms.
The storm ceased as suddenly as it arose, so the Band debated thepossibility of reaching the farm house that night.
"I left that lovely fire!" said Nita, with a sigh.
"And it can't be more than nine o'clock!" added Hilda.
"I say, let's start! We can't be more uncomfortable than huddled here.And we certainly can't sleep in one cot!" suggested Zan.
"Wait until I see if I can find the candle I had when the deluge came,"said Miss Miller, groping about for the table.
"We'll need more than one light, Miss Miller," said Zan.
"I'll see if I can find the small stump I had last night," replied theGuide, finding the matches and lighting one.
The candle was soon lit and the stump found, so all prepared to leavethe shelter of the small tent and seek the house.
Zan carried the new candle while Miss Miller fastened a hat-pin in thebottom of the stump and carried that. The girls easily avoided bushesand long wet grass in crossing over the Bluff, although their moccasinssoon squeaked with water.
"I wish I knew where the lantern was--it would be so much steadier alight," ventured Zan, from the rear.
"I left it at the house the other day--I forgot to bring it back tocamp," admitted Elena.
"I wish we had made a law to make folks pay forfeits for forgetting!"snapped Zan, impatiently.
"What's the matter with you to make you so cross? You're well rolledup in that blanket and you've got the torch, too!" retorted Elena.
Zan bit her lip but said nothing. The truth of the matter was thatshe felt guilty in driving Miss Miller out in the night with a rubberblanket wrapped about her. Zan reasoned that all the trouble would havebeen avoided if they had all paid attention to Miss Miller's advice inthe beginning and pitched their tents in good ground between the treesas she did. Her tent stood any gale, while theirs--well, compare them!
"Oh, gracious me! There goes my blanket!" cried Nita, as the articleslipped from her back and fell in the grass.
Just as Zan stooped to hold the candle so Nita could see where to takehold of the blanket, a puff of wind snuffed it completely out.
"Pshaw! Did you ever see the likes!" growled Zan.
"Here, light it at mine!" called Miss Miller.
Plodding along the narrow trail, now on one side in the wet grass, nowon the other where the bushes shook drops all over them, they finallycame to the maple grove.
"Thank goodness, we are thus far!" sighed the Guide.
"And the worst bit to cross or I'll miss my guess!" retorted Zan.
"Oh, no, we'll soon be through and over the wall of the buckwheatfield. There, we can skirt the edge of the wall until we come to yourlawn," added Jane.
"If you're not mired before you get to the field," said Zan, warningly.
"Why, what do you mean?" cried several voices.
"The Sap bush generally oozes water after a heavy, rain like to-day's.If we feel water bubbling up about our feet we'd better come back hereand go around the grove," said Zan.
"We've had days of dry weather and the rain will have soaked in theground immediately, so I guess we are safe to cross," replied MissMiller, wearily.
Zan said nothing more but waited anxiously.
They managed to get over the snake fence safely and part way throughthe grove when a strong wind blew the branches of the maples enough toshake down a quantity of water from the leaves. As troubles never comesingly, the water fell upon both small flames and extinguished them,leaving the Band in total darkness.
"Zan knows the way, so we'll follow her," suggested Jane.
"Don't blame me if we get stuck!" grumbled Zan, as she unwillingly tookthe lead.
All went well for a short time and Zan began to congratulate the Bandupon their speedy arrival at the house. She was about to make a remarkof that kind to cheer them when one of her feet sunk down over fiveinches in water. The bubbling about her foot warned her to pull outquickly.
She did so and jumped back. But the girls behind had not heard thewater gurgle and had kept right on after Zan. By the sudden springbackwards, Zan and the girl behind collided and both rolled down in thesodden grass.
"Couldn't you look where you were going!" half-cried Elena, as shetried to crawl upon her feet. One moccasin had dropped off and shecould not find it in the tall grass.
"I _was_ looking but it was so dark that the eyes I carry at the backof my head could not see you!" chuckled Zan, to whom a spill more orless in the wet woods meant nothing.
"I'll have my death of cold as it is, to say nothing of walking in barefeet through this soaked grass!" complained Elena.
"Instead of grumbling you ought to be glad you won't get anything worsethan your death! Wet feet can't harm you if you've gone the limit,anyway!" retorted Zan, irritatingly.
"I wish my mother knew of the way I am soaked!" Elena continued,whining.
"Well, she won't, thank goodness! She'd use every speck of mustard inour cupboard, and keep us up all night to heat water in which to rollyou and the mustard!" Zan replied.
"Are you two going to keep us here all night while you quarrel oversome one who isn't here, nor even expected?" asked Jane, peevishly.
Miss Miller had quietly chosen the way back, determined to go about thegrove if necessary, so she had not heard the altercation between Elenaand Zan.
By taking the round-about way to reach the house the weary and wornBand did not cross the front lawn, but arrived at the back door. Asthe doors were never locked they soon were indoors and before thefire-place where Nita's log still blazed cheerily up the chimney.
"Girls, have any of you seen Wickee since he followed us to the woodsthis afternoon?" said Zan, suddenly.
No one had, but all had heard the scratching at the front door.
"He wasn't at camp with us to-night, for he would have begged forsupper," added Nita.
Some of the girls ran to the front door and, opening it, displayedWickee on the door mat. He was perfectly dry and had been camping onthe porch in preference to returning through the cold wet woods whenhis mistress went to camp that afternoon.
As Zan went out to the well to bring in a bucket of water, she calledto all of the others, "Oh, come here and see Lake Superior!"
When Miss Miller and the girls reached the porch a strange sight,indeed, met their gaze. The torrents of rain that had fallen could notseep into the ground quickly enough and had run down from the gardensand grove, over the surface, until the lawn was reached. As the frontlawn had a decided depression in the centre a lake about an acre inextent was the result.
"Imagine what would have happened if we had stumbled into this in thedarkness, coming by the path we generally use?" said Miss Miller.
"We'd have had something worth Elena's crying over," said Jane.
"Well, I don't care, now! I'll be sick anyway after this soaking!"whimpered Elena.
"Indeed you won't! You'll go straight home if you continue that strainof thought here where all of us are proving that health is not subjectto wet skins!" replied Miss Miller, sternly.
Elena was so amazed at the unexpected attitude of the Guide that shehurried into the house and said not another word of fear of sickness.
The girls assisted Miss Miller in making hot lemonade to warm theirchilled bodies. Then, every one was ordered to rub down thoroughly withTurkish towels, and pop into bed under blankets which had been warmedthrough before the blazing fire.
No one felt the slightest discomfort from the drenching, but the girlsall complained of the closeness of sleeping in rooms. They felt as ifthey were cramped in boxes.
"I don't know what we shall do at home. I begin to see what Daddy meanswhen he says 'folks don't need over-heated homes and poorly ventilatedrooms,'" sighed Zan.
"The doctor is perfectly right, too. Half the ills the presentgeneration suffers from are caused by poor ready-made foods, lack ofsufficient exercise through rapid-transit, and the sweetmeats andindolence two-thirds of our women indulge in, to say nothing of latehours, excitement and major evils," added Miss Miller.
"Daddy has written a book on just that subject, Miss Miller! How queeryou should speak like he does. He thinks that this generation is usingup the vitality and perfect health bestowed upon us by our ancestors,and if we don't start soon to build a fund for ourselves and ourdescendants we will dwindle into a puny race. That is why he is such aradical for less medicine and more common sense in every-day living,"replied Zan.
"Well, we'll all read that book, Zan, when it is ready, and no doubtfind out how to live better," said the Guide.
Breakfast was eaten in the house while the welcome sun streamed in atdoors and windows, and the birds came out of their refuges and sangblithely to one another.
No one wanted to remain indoors any longer than was necessary, so theystarted for the Bluff as soon as dishes were washed. The water thathad formed the pond on the lawn the night previous had soaked into theground leaving the lawn a soggy looking place, indeed.
As the Band neared the Bluff the sound of rushing water made them lookat each other in surprise.
"Oh, I bet anything, the terrific fall of rain has started a freshet!If it is, girls, it will be wonderful! Do let's run!" shouted Zan,leading the race.
"It is! it is! Look at that torrent pouring down the ravine and fallingover the Bluff, Miss Miller!" cried Zan, excitedly, as they came outfrom the woods.
It certainly was a beautiful sight! The water that rushed down throughthe ravine roared over the Falls; the pool being encircled by thesteep banks turned the water back on itself when it could find nooutlet excepting the narrow stream at the lower end. Thus, a miniaturewhirlpool formed which added greatly to the wildness of the scene.
"Our tents are a fine mess!" exclaimed Elena, disgustedly, seeing thedamage made by the wind the night previous.
"Humph! Miss Miller's stood all right! I see now why we should havechosen a spot as Miss Miller did--we, too, could have anchored ourtents to the tree-trunks and had a better hold for our stakes thanwe found in the shallow ground here," admitted Zan, looking over thewreckage.
"I suppose the sooner we get busy rigging things up again, the betterit will be for their drying out. All that bedding and the cots have tobe dragged out and hung on bushes to dry!" said Jane.
"I'll go down and have Bill come up to help us. We will borrow a linefrom Mrs. Sherwood and hang the wet bedding on that," offered the Guide.
All that morning was spent in straightening out the damage of the nightbefore, and when, finally, tents were well secured alongside the tentof the Guide, the Band was ready for a big dinner.
The Guide had been attending to the cooking while the girls worked overtheir tents and beds, and at noon they all sat down to rest and enjoy awell-earned meal.