The Woodcraft Girls at Camp

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  WINNERS IN HOME-COOK AND MOKODASSO-WININI DEGREES

  During breakfast, the girls commented upon the ability of the Guide todo anything and everything. As neither of the five girls had taken aninterest in cooking while at home, the experience shown by the teacher,in preparing meals, astonished them.

  Miss Miller tried to make everything she did an object lesson forthe girls, so she mixed the simple batter for the cakes to showthem how easy a matter a nicely browned cake really was. This, shededucted, would arouse a desire to know more of the cookery art. Ifshe had selected a difficult dish to prepare the girls might have beenfrightened by the process of mixing many ingredients.

  "I wish I could do some baking!" said Jane.

  "Why not learn now--never a time like the present," said Miss Miller,smiling at the eager face.

  "S'pose I burn something?"

  "Then, try again. It is not with the first trial that we always meetsuccess. Sometimes I have had to do a thing over and over before it wasright," replied the Guide.

  "It seems like an imposition to ask you to show us how to cook afterall the other things you are doing for us," remarked Jane.

  "Sometimes a little gratitude expressed in consideration for all onehas done before, urges the donor to greater effort. And both giver andreceiver are blessed accordingly," said Miss Miller.

  The girls were thoughtful, so she continued, "I am so glad to find youappreciative of the little I am doing that I am eager to do more; thelesson in cookery will be one of my expressions of love toward you."

  "Maybe we can all watch and learn how to do the biscuits," suggestedZan.

  "Of course; as many of you as wish to take the test in cookery canbegin this morning," replied Miss Miller.

  "Right away?" clamoured a few of the girls.

  "Hardly; I thought we would clear up the tents, do the chores, and trythe use of the hatchet and knife; when it gets near time for noon-daymeal we can prepare some fish for dinner. Hereafter, I think it wise tohave dinner at twelve and supper at six. That gives us a long afternoonand a pleasant evening."

  "We're ready for anything--where shall we tramp to-day to use thehatchet and knife?" said Hilda.

  "We'll not tramp--we'll stay right here and build a cupboard to holdour edibles as they should be kept."

  "A cupboard! What Humph!" and other exclamations showed the surprisethe Guide's words gave.

  "Are we to chop down a few trees and lop off branches to secure thenecessary lumber for the closet?" asked Nita, wondering if the ideawould prove irksome or unpleasant.

  "Not at all! I may decide to make lumbermen of you before the seasonends but I'll not undertake it while you all feel so disinclined to doanything except what your idle fancy suggests. It will take a betterunderstanding of the Law before you start on timber work."

  The Guide spoke in a joking way but her words were aimed at Nita'shabit of laziness and shirking duties.

  "I wonder what Daddy would say if he could see us sawing wood andhammering nails?" said Zan, chuckling.

  "My father would say, 'Here, Jane, don't spoil a perfectly good nail! Agirl can't strike it on the head, ever!'"

  "I never held a saw in my life," commented Elena.

  "Can you saw wood?" asked Zan of the Guide with such vim that theothers laughed heartily.

  "Is that some of your slang or was it fact?" asked Miss Miller.

  "I meant it--but it _is_ slang, isn't it?" laughed Zan.

  "Well, I'll reply--yes, I am very fond of carpentry. At home, I have abook-shelf, taborette, lamp-stand, and many little articles that I havemade at different times."

  "Well, come on, friends--let's get busy on Miss Miller's cupboard,"said Hilda.

  "Better finish the camp work first. If you girls think you can spareZan and me, we will go to the house and find some suitable boards. Isaw the tools necessary in the tool-house yesterday," Miss Miller said.

  "Why, yes, we have lots of good boards in the cellar, and besides,there are some pieces of moulding and quarter-round in the hay-loft.The boys stored it there some years ago when they wanted to buildsome rooms in the loft. They never found time, as every day had someadventure for us when we were first here," explained Zan.

  "And you girls can come to the house and help us carry the material tothe Bluff, as soon as you finish the dishes and beds," said Miss Miller.

  Zan and the Guide were soon in the low-ceiled cellar sorting piecesof lumber from a huge heap left there by the contractors when the oldhouse was renovated. A number of desirable pieces were selected by MissMiller who said, "We can take these pieces up to the back porch andtake them to camp whenever we have need of them. I think we can make anumber of articles that will prove useful."

  "My! but you have some long boards there!" said Zan, her head on oneside as she surveyed the load the Guide had piled up for use.

  "We won't need many to-day for the cupboard, and we need not worryabout the future," replied she, smiling.

  "Then why not leave them down here?" asked Zan.

  "I am not so comfortable down in this dark place with no air, that Iwould want to call often. We are here now, so the extra lumber can betaken to the upper air when the girls get here."

  In a short time, Zan heard the girls' voices and she ran to the sidegarden to show them the way to the cellar from the back area. Atrap-door folded down over the area steps when the entrance was not inuse, and opened outward and fastened by means of hooks and screw-eyesto the arbour built over it.

  Miss Miller was waiting for the girls and, after they came carefullydown the steep stone steps, said, "Here are some boards that Zan and Iwant piled on the back porch. The ones for our cupboard we will leaveto the last."

  "I'll tell you what! Shall we tie the cupboard boards in a bundleand drag them across the grass to the Bluff?" cried Zan, as the ideaflashed into her thought.

  "Ha! Learning to use your thinking-machine, eh?" laughed the Guide."But think again, unless you are pining to haul burdens."

  "Let's get out of this vault with the boards and talk of machinesupstairs!" said Hilda, stooping to take a long board.

  Elena was close behind her and she also picked up a plank. A pile ofkindling wood lay in Hilda's path and she found Nita and Jane in herway if she turned aside, so she endeavoured to climb over the wood.This would have been all right if the ceiling of the cellar had notbeen so low; as it was, the end of the board that tipped way up infront and down in the back, struck overhead, and threw Hilda backward.The board fell on the kindlings while Hilda stumbled over Elena, whowas intent upon getting her plank to the cellar-door. Hilda's suddenimpact made Elena drop her burden. Jane dodged the plank but Nita hadno time, so the end of the board came down on her toe.

  "Wouw! wough! Oo-hoo!" yelled Nita, dancing on one foot while she heldthe other foot in both hands.

  Elena had bumped her head on some short boards Zan was about to carryout, and the expressions on both Elena's and Nita's faces were so funnythat the others had to laugh although they immediately apologised forthe lack of self-control.

  "Well, I just guess you wouldn't see anything funny in _your_ feet!"whined Nita, still holding her toe.

  "We were not laughing at your funny feet, but at your ridiculous face!"retorted Jane.

  "Perhaps we will all use more caution in our next attempt to get out ofthis," ventured Miss Miller, skirting about the girls and reaching thearea steps with her lumber.

  As no further sympathy was vouchsafed the two girls, they soon followedtheir companions up from the cellar. After all the extra lumber waspiled up on the back porch, Miss Miller invited the labourers to restunder the front oak tree.

  "As Zan was saying in the cellar, the next thing is to get our boardsover to the Bluff," said Miss Miller, when the cool breeze hadrefreshed the girls.

  "Zan said to tie them up and drag them over! Is there any differencebetween boards and bundles being carted by Nancy?" asked Hilda.

  "Of course not! I forgot!" admitte
d Zan.

  Miss Miller laughed at the relief shown in the faces around her. Also,at the progress the girls were making in the use of their thoughts.

  "Dear, dear! That means some one will have to get Nancy!" continuedZan, after a minute's pause.

  "But your private wire from the house to the cottage is not out ofcommission, is it?" asked the Guide.

  "No-oo! but how will Nancy get here unless Bill leads her?" wonderedZan.

  "Bill has to visit the garden and out-houses every morning, he saidyesterday, to see if there is anything wrong. Why not ascertain on the'phone if he has left his home. If not, he can ride Nancy over and wecan use her going back; at the Bluff we can let her go down to herstall alone."

  Before any comments could be given, Zan had jumped up and was runningtoward the house to call up Bill.

  While waiting for the farmer to bring Nancy, the Band members went tothe tool-house and selected what material might be needed at camp.In one corner of the place stood a partly demolished express wagon,such as children play with. Miss Miller saw it in a glance. It alsohappened that Zan saw it.

  "Say, Miss Miller, won't the dragging boards cut up all the grass?Besides, Nancy can't climb over stone walls and snake fences!" declaredshe.

  "What would you advise?" came from Miss Miller.

  "Take the wheels of that broken wagon and tie two under the front ofthe lumber and two under the back end. Then, Nancy can go around by theroad and up to Sherwood's cottage, where we can let her drag it up theslope."

  "Splendid! Zan, you may consider yourself promoted into the class ofadvanced thinkers!" commended the Guide.

  Zan smiled with pleasure and Hilda remarked in a teasing voice, "Hump!just see Zan preen her feathers!"

  The wagon was quickly taken apart and pieces of wire found in thecloset which was a catch-all. By the time Bill came up the road withNancy, the impromptu vehicle was ready to hitch to the horse.

  Bill chuckled at sight of the dray, and tipped his old farm hat on oneside of his head. "That there's anuther patent o' th' teacher's, hain'tut?" chuckled he.

  "Nop! This time you've got to hand me the bouquet!" smiled Zan, proudly.

  "Wall, yuh gals'll all be comin' along fine, pritty soon, with such asmart lady as Miss Miller," commented Bill.

  He watched the party drive Nancy down the road with the funny wheeledapparatus rattling after, and then went on to inspect the gardens andout-houses.

  It was the first time that the members of the Band had walked alongthe road that ran through a section of the farm. When they nearedSherwood's place, a small section of woodland lay before them. Theshade was dense and the ground damp as the location was rather low atthe foot of the slope. Fern grew to a great height and wild flowers ofevery kind blossomed profusely.

  "Almost feels like the forests in Florida," said Jane, who had visitedthe southern part of Florida with her mother.

  "Have you ever named these woods?" Elena asked Zan.

  "No, we never come this way, much," replied Zan.

  "Then let's call it 'Everglades'--it's a lovely glade and the dampnessand luxuriant vegetation will bear us out in the name," suggested Elena.

  "Now, perhaps, as we have had lots of rain this season; but you'd findit a far different glade during July and August of a dry season,"replied Zan.

  When the travellers reached the bridge that spanned the creek, andlooked up at the Bluff from a new point of view, they were surprised tosee how high their camp seemed to be above the road.

  "I didn't know the camp was visible from the road," said Nita.

  "I had never noticed the road from the Bluff, did you, Miss Miller?"asked Hilda.

  "No, I hadn't thought of looking for it, yet I knew it must be inplain sight, as it runs by Bill's cottage and that is in full view fromour tents."

  "Let's sit down on the bridge and rest a bit before taking that climb,"suggested Nita.

  "I never did see any one get as tired as you do, Nita. When it isanything that you don't particularly fancy, you are the most tiredestperson!" said Zan, impatiently.

  "Well, come to think of it, I don't see why it was necessary for me tohelp when there are so many other useless hands here--Nancy is doingall the work!" retorted Nita.

  "You'd better get rid of all the ire you have stored up, Nita, forwe are going to pay fines for every mistake--I said mistake forpoliteness' sake--after our next council!" warned Zan.

  Nita laughed musically, but Zan knew that laugh and was aware that Nitawas in one of her most stubborn moods.

  She sat down on the heavy cross-bar of the bridge to rest but the othergirls had no desire to wait, and Nancy kept on going until the foot ofthe slope was reached. Here, the wheels were removed and the load ofwood was dragged up by the ropes.

  With the lumber deposited on the Bluff, Nancy was given a piece ofsugar and discharged from duty. The old horse stood watching the girlsfor a short time until Zan spied her standing in the foot-path that leddown to the cottage.

  "Just look at that horse? Did you ever see a more intelligent look ina dumb animal's eyes? She seems to say, 'What under the sun did youwant those old boards for--I'm going to wait and see!'"

  The others turned and laughed at Nancy's look. At that the old horseturned and went down the hill.

  "There, now she's insulted at our laughter!" said Miss Miller.

  The girls undid the rope that held the wood together, while the Guidewent to her tent and gathered her books and papers. Coming back to thegroup she said, "We will hold a council before further work or play isproposed."

  "But Nita isn't here--she stopped on the bridge," said Jane.

  "I'm afraid Nita will be tardy then, or perhaps miss the meetingaltogether!" replied the Guide, positively.

  The girls were beginning to understand their teacher better than theyhad ever thought of comprehending any one; not from her words, forshe did not need to say much when her face and voice expressed somuch. Thus, they knew that the council called was because of Nita'sdelinquency.

  "Zan, as Big Chief, you will call the roll," said Miss Miller.

  This was done and Elena was called upon to read the entries in theTally Book.

  "Now, girls, we must recognize our obligation to each other and notfeel as if this camp was started for pure pleasure and indolence. Wemust feel that a certain amount of fun combines with study or work tomake the time well spent. I detest this constant nagging or advising,and regret that it seems necessary to talk so much about duty. I wishto call your attention to a page in the Manual of Woodcraft that I hadno idea would ever be needed for us, under the sub-title of Law andPunishments."

  The girls looked at each other in dismay. To think that one of theirsmall number should make it necessary to take up the question ofpunishment!

  Miss Miller read: "Punishments are meted out by the Chief and Council,after a hearing of the case. They consist of: Exclusion from the gamesor boats for a time. Reduction in rank, or of fines, etc. The extremepenalty is 'death'; that is, banishment from the Tribe. Elena, enterthese items in the Tally Book."

  Silence reigned when Miss Miller finished speaking.

  "It is high time our Council took note of the stubborn conduct of oneof its members. Last night we were submitted to certain unpleasantnessbut later the cause of it appeared contrite. Twice to-day theappearance of undesirable qualities has turned our thoughts from dutyand pleasure. Now, the Chief is empowered to write down a copy of thesefines and place them in Little Chief's possession. Fine will be omittedfor any cause occurring before she reads of the Council's decision.After that, penalty will be served on any one committing a fault oromitting a given duty."

  Miss Miller was the stern teacher of the school-class as she spoke andthe girls felt the same awe with which she inspired them at school.

  Nita could not be seen on the bridge or along the road, so Zan placedthe paper in their tent on Nita's pillow.

  "The Council is adjourned," said the Guide, and they got up withpleasure.

  "N
ow for the cupboard!" cried Miss Miller.

  The boards were measured off the same length, and some of the girlsbegan sawing them along the pencil-lines. When the boards had beenapproved, the two sides were nailed to a bottom section. Then, a topwas fastened to the sides. The girls were beginning to thoroughly enjoythe construction work and every one was eager to nail the back on theframe just made. It therefore became necessary for the four to taketurns in placing a narrow board at the back. As four boards covered itexactly, one girl after the other took her board and attached it. ButJane had the last board and found it much easier to nail down than thefirst girl did.

  While the back was being fastened firmly, Miss Miller whittled and cutsix strips of moulding. These she divided, one for each girl and twofor herself. The first two she nailed inside the cupboard on marks madeon the side lengths of the boards. The girls saw at once that thesestrips were rests for the shelves.

  Three girls nailed their strips on very nicely, but Zan, impatient toget through with hers, drove the last nail in so that it bent doubleand forced the strip down from the pencil-line.

  "Oh, bother! Will that do, or must I pull the nail out?" asked she,looking up at Jane, who was watching the work.

  "Guess Miss Miller wouldn't give a reward for _that_!" said Jane,meaningly.

  "Well, out she comes!" and Zan took the hammer and turned it aboutto use the forked end on the nail. The head of the wire nail was notbroad and the hammer stripped it, leaving the remains of the wire stillsticking in the wood.

  "Did you ever! I s'pose the old thing will come off altogether, next!"grumbled Zan.

  She tried the hammer in every conceivable position but the nail seemedto be stuck for good. "I'll get you this time!" added Zan, placing thehammer under the strip and bending back the handle of the tool untilsuddenly the strip cracked and half of it came out with the hammerwhile the carpenter rolled backward.

  Miss Miller and the girls came over to see the cause of the commotionand the Guide soon found that impatience and carelessness had madeextra work for Zan and delayed the work.

  Zan fully appreciated the cause of the accident and felt repentant themoment she saw the damaged strip.

  "Miss Miller, my besetting sin did that! Please let me whittle a newstrip while the girls and you continue making the doors. I was justcrazy to work on those doors and screw on the hinges, but I'll do theother work as a punishment for impatience?"

  Miss Miller heartily approved this attitude and smiled.

  "Oh, you needn't show how glad you are that I realise my fault--I findit much pleasanter to obey my own dictated punishment than if _you_ hadto suggest it!" added Zan, frankly.

  The Guide and Zan's companions laughed, for it was a candid statementof truth. Who wouldn't prefer to endure their own suggested punishmentsthan follow some one else's?

  "In case your punishment is not sufficient to humble yourself and curethe fault, let us prescribe again," said Miss Miller.

  "Foregoing the delight of screwing on those hinges is almost more thanI can stand," said Zan, expressing deepest regret in her voice.

  The others laughed again and began work on the anticipated treat.

  Zan finally whittled a strip similar to the Guide's and this time itwas nailed on accurately. The hinges were on the two plain boards thatwould act as doors of the cupboard and Miss Miller held one in placewhile the girls screwed them to the side boards. When both doors wereon, the finishing touch was the screwing on of a bolt.

  Elena whispered something to Miss Miller and the Guide smiled at Zan,who had stood watching the completion of the closet. "We think thatyour punishment was more severe than the crime, so it is suggested thatyou be allowed to put in the last screw. Here is the bolt."

  "Wh-eee!" squealed Zan, as she jumped to take the screw-driver fromJane and sat down in front of the door and began to fasten the bolt tothe door. The others stood close behind and watched, thereby failing tosee Nita creep up through the woods and go in her tent.

  "Done, giminy crickets! Isn't it a peach!" cried Elena, her handsclasped in admiration.

  "Did that rule become effective--about slang?" asked Zan, comically.

  "That was an important matter the Council failed to discuss thismorning," admitted the Guide.

  "Well, don't inflict punishment to-day--the cupboard is too much for mybalance!" begged Elena.

  "Then one day's grace is allowed the three members who are so given tocrime. Hereafter, the fulness of the law will be meted out!" returnedMiss Miller.

  "The Chief will have to punish herself some more," laughed Hilda.

  While some of the girls shifted the cupboard up to the spot near thefire-place where it would be most convenient, Miss Miller walked overto the tents to replace the papers and book of the Band. She thoughtshe saw something move in Zan's tent, and going over found Nita on thecot, pretending sleep.

  When the Guide rejoined the girls she said nothing about finding Nitain the tent. The girls, however, were too busy to notice anything inthe Guide's expression and the moment she was within hearing, Zancried, "Ants! Miss Miller, what shall we do to keep out bugs?"

  "And supposin' it rains hard! Won't the water leak in?" wondered Jane,examining the wide chinks.

  "I'm afraid it will," laughed the Guide.

  The girls stared at her and Hilda asked, "What was the use wasting timeon something that leaks?"

  "But you've learned the use of tools and constructed a useful articleas well. The cupboard will prove most useful as you will find," repliedMiss Miller.

  "There then, Elena, you've got a swell entry for the Tally Book!"announced Zan.

  "And Zan is making most of her day of grace!" laughed Miss Miller,looking at her watch.

  "How long did it take us, Guide?" asked Hilda.

  "What time do you think it is?" asked Miss Miller.

  "Must be 'most eleven," ventured Jane.

  "Oh, no, it isn't more than ten," added Elena.

  "It is ten minutes to one!" announced the Guide.

  The girls were amazed. "Where _did_ the morning go?" Zan wondered.

  "So, you see, we must prepare lunch. And I was so eager to take youover to the garden and look over the vegetables to select some for ourmeals," said Miss Miller, with regret.

  "And Nita's not back yet! I forgot all about her in the fun over thecupboard," said Zan, looking toward the bridge.

  "Nita is in her tent. She was there when I returned to my tent with thepapers," said Miss Miller, quietly.