CHAPTER SEVEN
A LITTLE BUSINESS
At breakfast the day following the "Lost Scouts'" adventure, Mrs. Vernon remarked: "Girls, yesterday's experience taught me an important thing, and that is, we need a set of rules for camp, so that every member of Dandelion Troop will have her proper share of work and duty to perform.
"We have been keeping house in a haphazard way, with no responsibility attached to any one but Julie and me. Now, each day there must be some sort of regulations and punishments, if duties are neglected. The fire yesterday showed me that that system was good."
"Your idea is all right, Verny, but what will the rules cover, and why have punishments?" asked Julie.
"Because every day will probably bring new problems to us, so that set rules will not do, but each day must have added rules. If these rules are not obeyed, the scout who is negligent ought to be made to pay for her lack of obedience."
"Have you formulated any plan to begin with?" asked Joan.
"I thought that Julie, as Scout Leader, could consult with me about that. Although I think we ought to select a new orderly for each day, to see that the other scouts do what is required of them. If we begin with Ruth, Betty next day, and so on through the new membership, one each day, it brings us to the eighth day. Of course Julie, Joan and I will not be orderlies. But the Leader and Corporal are over the Orderly, and the Captain over all of you."
"What do you expect the Orderly to do, Verny?" asked Joan.
"She will read the rules for the day immediately after breakfast. Every scout must take turns in being cook for camp one day. One must be wood-gatherer, one must see that food supplies are on hand, some must do the fishing, and so on through the entire housekeeping list. This trains every one alike, and no partiality will be shown one who is a fine cook or one who is an awful one!"
The girls laughed, and the Captain continued: "Then, we don't expect one to do all the heavy work while another goes free, and by partitioning the work and control each one does her bit. In case of any gross negligence or breaking of rules, the Officer of the Day, the Corporal and the Leader will decide the punishment. Should need arise, the whole Troop may act as a jury to judge the matter."
After the Captain had finished speaking, the scouts sat down and compiled a set of Camp Rules, and Ruth was asked to print them neatly on cardboard, because Ruth was the artistic scout of the group.
This business disposed of, Julie said: "Now what shall we do to-day, girls?"
"But you haven't chosen an Orderly for the Day!" called Judith.
"Oh, that's so! Well, it lies between Ruth and Amy, as they are the more experienced scouts, to act the first day."
"Don't choose me. I've got my work cut out already, if you expect these rules nicely printed," declared Ruth.
"All right, then; it's Amy. No partiality meant, girls," Julie reminded them.
"More like 'malice aforethought,'" giggled Joan.
"Why? Isn't it an honor to be the Orderly?" demanded Julie.
"It may seem like an honor, but when it is thoroughly investigated it turns out to be just plain old hard work!"
"Sure, Julie! Don't you see, all the other scouts go scot free for the day, while the Orderly has to see that everything is done properly and then take the blame if nothing is right," laughed Judith.
"Well, Amy is able to carry the burden, and it is only for a day; then another one has to do it," said the Captain.
When the weighty business of selecting rules and deciding on a recreation for the day was over, Mrs. Vernon said, "Which did you decide to do first, hike or swim?"
"Is Mr. Gilroy coming over to visit us to-day?" asked Ruth.
"He invited himself to supper to-night, but I doubt if we see him before that time. Why?" answered the Captain.
"Because if he was coming, he would hike with us, and we'd rather wait for him, and swim first. But it doesn't matter now."
"We'll go for the hike first, and when we get back a fine, cool swim will feel good," suggested the Orderly for the day.
"Verny, do you know of any places one might choose for an objective on a hike?" asked Joan.
"Yes, Mr. Gilroy gave me a county map that shows every good trail within twenty miles of here. I'll get it and we'll look it over." So saying, the Captain went to her tent for the paper.
They all sat about Mrs. Vernon as she studied the map and read aloud of various trails that sounded interesting. At last she said: "Here's one that seems inviting. It is named 'River Bend,' and the trail winds along one of the streams that is an outlet of our lake. The description says the blazes are old but distinct, and no one can miss the may. Shall we try that trail?"
"Where does it end?" questioned Hester.
"How long is it to anywhere?" asked Anne.
"It's seven miles, and forks when one reaches the hut of an Indian canoe-builder. One fork runs to River Bend village, and the other to a ravine that is said to be most picturesque."
"We'll take that trail and decide which place we prefer to see, the village or the ravine, after we have hiked a while," said the Orderly.
"Why not take a little flour and fat and catch some fish at noon, and sup while on the trail?" asked Julie.
"Why not carry our dinner stuff and have a regular meal while we are about it," said Anne, who could not forego a dinner.
The other scouts laughed, and Mrs. Vernon replied, "All right, it sounds inviting."
So each scout carried a tin cup and platter, while the Orderly saw to it that each one carried part of the dinner material. It fell to the Captain's lot to carry the frying-pan, and to Anne to carry the two-quart pail; the others had the flour, bacon, potatoes, etc.
River Bend trail led down to the end of the lake, where the stream started. It wound in and out, as it followed the uneven edges of Little Moose Lake, running over mossy knolls, through rivulets, past waterfalls, and around impassable obstructions. Thus the detouring added greatly to the distance the map had vouched for.
The scouts had paper and pencils in case they wished to sketch anything interesting, but most of the paper was used in writing notes along the way, to be entered later in their records. They had gone about two miles when Julie stopped short and held up a warning hand.
"Verny, listen! I heard a baby crying pitifully over in those high bushes."
"Mercy me! Do you suppose there can be any gypsies here?" cried Amy, the timid.
"Gypsies – nothing! But how could a baby get in that jungle?" retorted Joan.
Then they distinctly heard the plaintive wail, as of a very young child in fear and distress. Even Mrs. Vernon turned pale at the picture that presented itself to her thought.
"Girls, we've got to investigate this. It doesn't seem plausible that any one would bring a kidnapped child to this wilderness to lose it, but one can never tell!" declared Julie.
"It's a baby, that we know, so it's up to us to save it," added Ruth.
"The poor little dear!" wept Betty, the tender-hearted.
So the scouts began cutting a way through the almost impenetrable growth that divided the trail from the place whence came the cries. But as they went deeper in the jungle and got nearer the spot they were aiming for, the cries ceased.
"Dear, dear! I hope the little thing isn't past aid?" murmured the Captain, anxiously.
That urged the scouts to greater endeavor, and finally Julie broke into a tiny clearing of about three feet across, and saw a little grey rabbit, which had been caught in an old mesh-wire trap set by some one long before and forgotten.
"Oh, you poor little creature!" cried Julie, falling upon her knees to rescue the soft little thing.
"Is it alive, Jule?" asked a chorus of anxious voices.
"Yes, but it is awfully afraid of me. I can't do anything for it."
"Maybe it will bite you – do be careful, Jule!" called Amy, deliciously thrilled at this fearful risk her friend was taking.
"Bite!" scorned Julie. "It's starved, and too weak to even nibble."
"Wait, Julie! Let me throw my hat over it so it won't see what we are doing. Then it won't feel so frightened. Remember the 'Boulder' we all saw, and when it moved we had a panic? Well, our sense of sight was all that caused that fear. It is the same now – what the rabbit doesn't see it won't fear," explained Mrs. Vernon.
While it was hidden under the broad-brimmed scout hat, the rabbit was not aware of the willing rescuers, and soon Julie had the snare open, and Mrs. Vernon held the little creature in her hat.
"Shall we let it go now?" asked some of the girls.
"It may have an injured leg where the trap caught it. I think we will carry it home and feed it well, and then if it is all right, it can run away. It is sure to be caught by some larger animal if it is unable to jump or run," said the Captain.
"This will make a dandy story to write down in our record book, Verny, won't it?" asked Ruth, eagerly.
"Yes, but it will also show how inexperienced we are in wildwood sounds, – to mistake the rabbit's cry for a child's wail."
"But it did sound exactly like a baby, there's no denying that!" exclaimed Julie, frowning as she realized how they all were caught napping.
"This reminds me of a story Alec told us yesterday when we were waiting at the campfire for you lost scouts," said Hester. "He and his Troop went on a three days' hike in the country last year, and at night they found an old abandoned barn where they decided to sleep. The floor was in good condition, with a bit of hay piled up in one corner. But the loft overhead was in such bad condition that in many places the flooring was broken down completely. As there was no ladder or stairway to reach it, the boys concluded there was no use in examining it – no one would be up there!
"So they stretched out on the hay and were soon sound asleep. But some time after that – no one knew how long they had been asleep – Ned nudged Alec and whispered: 'Some one's in the loft!'
"Alec sat up and listened. Sure enough, he could hear a man snoring as distinctly as he could hear Dick breathe.
"So he roused the other scouts, and they very quietly crept over to the side where they could get a grip on the joists to help themselves up. Each scout had armed himself in some way. One had an old pitchfork with but one prong. Another had a rake handle, one found the curved handle of a feed-grinder, and so on.
"When they got to the shaky, decayed floor above, the snoring had stopped, so they knew the tramp was aware of their approach. They had to be awfully careful, too, so as not to fall through any of the broken places in the floor. But they each had their lanterns, and used them before they took a step. Alec went first, and threw the light back and forth to avoid a sudden surprise from the tramp.
"'There's something moving over on that pile of old burlap sacks!' whispered Alec, the instant he saw a creeping movement there.
"Several of the boys then jumped and began beating up the sacks violently. But as suddenly, a pair of wings flapped up in their faces with a whirring sound, and a barn-owl began to screech madly as she rose and flew through a hole in the roof."
Hester laughed as she reached this part of the story, and all the scouts joined in. Julie, who had not heard it before, said:
"Thank goodness, we girls are not the only ones to be taken in, then!"
"Alec said there are lots of wild creatures that make sounds exactly like human beings. And that owl snored just like a man."
By this time they had regained the trail, and Mrs. Vernon tenderly adjusted the trembling rabbit. The hat so covered it that it could curl inside and not see a thing to cause it any fear, and thus it was carried along, to be cared for later on and then regain its freedom.
The scouts found many interesting subjects for discussion along the trail, until they reached a wide shallow stream that came down the steep mountainside and emptied into the river.
"It's not on the map, and it sure cuts off further progress," said the Captain.
"It's shallow – we can wade it," suggested Julie.
"Let us go upstream and find a narrow ford, or some rocks that we can cross on," added Mrs. Vernon.
They went up on the near side of the stream, but the banks became so rocky and impassable that they found it was useless to try to climb them. The scenery was wild and wonderful, so several good pictures were taken of the tumbling waters and rocks, and then they all retraced their steps.
"Now, it's wade or go back," declared Joan.
"Stuff your stockings down in your boots and sling them about your necks by the strings," advised Julie.
This was done, and one after another the scouts waded through the stream, shouting, screaming if one slipped on a stone, laughing when one stepped in a hole and got wet to the waist, but having plenty of fun.
"How did bunny stand the voyage?" called Julie, the moment the Captain stepped up on the bank.
"Bunny is curled up fast asleep, I guess," said she.
"I wish it was noon. Did any one hear the twelve o'clock whistle blow?" laughed Joan.
"Why – are you hungry?" questioned Anne.
"Aren't you?" retorted the Orderly.
"Sure! I always am," laughed Anne, frankly.
"Then why not say it is dinner-time, Verny?" asked Ruth.
"You must be hungry, too!" declared Judith.
"I bet we all are, if Verny will take the count," asserted Hester.
"Well, we may as well stop here beside this stream and eat, as to go on and fare worse," admitted the Captain.
"Some one's got to fish," said Judith.
"Why not all fish and the sooner catch what is needed?" advised Mrs. Vernon. So this suggestion was followed out.
Four goodly sized fish rewarded the combined efforts of the fishermen that time, and then two scouts were detailed to clean them, while two went to build a fire. Others were tolled off to attend to other work, and in half an hour a savory meal was ready.
When all signs of cooking and eating were cleaned away, Mrs. Vernon took the bunny again and said they had best go on.
"Outdoor cooking and eating always makes me feel fine. I can walk a hundred miles now, and feel it no more than if it were a trifle," said Julie, taking a deep breath.
"All the same, we haven't gone five miles yet, according to Verny's map, and there is still that walk home, so don't brag too much, Julie," advised Betty, seriously.
"We haven't voted yet whether we want to go on to the village or to the ravine," now said Ruth.
"I'd like to visit the old Indian canoe-maker, and have a chat with him," said Joan.
"His time is money, so he will charge us for chatting," returned Julie, grinning.
"I think Joan's idea of visiting the Indian a good one, girls; why not go there instead of to either of the other places?"
The Captain's suggestion was agreed upon, and the scouts turned in at the willow-arched walk that led to the Indian's hut. A wide brook ran under the willows, and here they saw several canoes waiting to be used. The pathway that ran alongside the brook was littered with rubbish of all kinds, – the accumulation of years of slovenly housekeeping and lazy carpenter work out of doors.
But it was evident that the Indian was neither slovenly nor lazy when it pertained to making canoes. Every canoe there was a splendid example of workmanship. When the scouts reached the door, the owner came out to see them.
"Morn'," said he, bowing seriously to his visitors.
"Are you Mike, the Indian?" asked Mrs. Vernon, after acknowledging the salutation.
"Me Mike – wan'da canoe?"
"No, we came to visit you. We are friends of Mr. Gilroy's," explained the Captain.
"Huh! Mees'er Gilloy use Mike's canoes."
"So he told us. He says they are the finest anywhere," said Julie, ingratiatingly.
"Bedder buy one," came from the Indian.
"Verny, we might rent another one – we only have two in the lake, you know, and we all prefer canoes to boats," whispered Joan.
"We can't afford any added expense," replied Mrs. Vernon.
But Mike understood the meaning of that whisper, so he wisely said: "Come see fine canoes."
He led the way to his shop on the banks of the little stream and displayed the various methods of his trade. The girls found it all very instructive and interesting. Then he said:
"Mike take canoe to lake fer leddy – no charge."
"What do you mean by that?" wondered Julie.
"Mike give fine canoe – one week try; leddy not like, Mike come take him home. No pay."
"But we don't want any more canoes. We have two now," asserted Mrs. Vernon.
Mike shrugged his shoulders silently.
"How much you rent canoe for?" asked Julie, believing the Indian could comprehend better if she used bad English.
"Mike no rent his canoe – sell him cheap."
"We can't afford to buy one, but we might rent it if you make a low price," bargained Julie.
Mike shook his head decidedly. "No rent – onny buy."
"Come, girls! We must start on, now that we've had our visit," said the Captain, turning to go.
The scouts reluctantly turned also, but Mike saw their faces, and also knew that the lady was boss. So he seemed to reconsider.
"Mike got good fren' by Mees'er Gilloy. Mebbe fren's of him be fren's of Mike. How much you give for rent canoe?"
Every one turned suddenly at that hope held forth.
"What do you ask?" countered Mrs. Vernon.
"Got money now to pay?" asked Mike, cutely.
Julie exclaimed, "Certainly!" But the Captain saw through the shrewd bargainer, and said: "We'll have Mr. Gilroy do this business for us."
Now Mike had no idea of losing these customers, nor of having to deal with a good business man like Mr. Gilroy, so he said guilelessly: "Solly dese gals no paddle home in dis canoe."
Several of the scouts instantly wished to do so, but the Captain said: "Corporal, see that your Troop does not fall for this enticing snare."
The scouts laughed when they comprehended Mike's intentions, and Mrs. Vernon courageously walked away. But Mike followed.
"Canoe rent for four dollah week."
"What! that's sixteen a month! I guess not!" cried Julie.
"Fren's of Mees'er Gilloy get him fer tree dollah week."
"No sir-ee!" retorted Julie. "Mike, I'll pay you two dollah week – or six dollah mont – or feefteen dollah season. What you take?"
All the scouts laughed, but Mike frowned. "Me tak feefteen dollah now to Augus' furst," said he.
Every one hushed to get every word of this bargaining.
"We want him in Augus', too. Him worth feefteen dollah, no more, till September ten," declared Julie, slapping her palms together to emphasize her words.
Mike sighed audibly. "All light. But Mike no carry him an' lose day. Gals mus' tak now an' pay down."
Then every one turned to every one else, and word ran round: "Who's got any money?"
"I've got three dollars – that's all," said Mrs. Vernon.
"Mike, we got tree dollahs only. Come to camp and get rest," said Julie.
"You tak him along?" asked Mike, anxiously.
"Are you 'fraid to trust us?" countered Julie.
"Oh, no! Mike no wan' trouble carry him so far, da's all."
So the three dollars was paid down, balance to be paid when Mike called for it; canoe to be taken along with no added work expected of Mike.
Mike launched the canoe in the stream that passed his shop, and several of the girls squatted in the bottom. But it proved overweighted for such a shallow stream, and two had to get out again. Julie and Joan then paddled it safely to the deeper river, where Amy and Judith, being lightest of the scouts, got in and sat in the bottom.
Mrs. Vernon and the rest of the Troop stood watching eagerly while the two girls paddled silently and swiftly up the river to the place where the tumbling stream joined River Bend. Here they halted to allow their other friends to catch up with them.
Julie and Joan were complimented upon their prowess, and when Ruth and Betty exchanged places with Amy and Judith, the canoe went on its way up the river, while the other scouts continued hiking back towards camp.
"It wouldn't take us long to reach home if we were all in canoes," said Anne.
"It would if you were in one – you are so heavy!" laughed Hester.
A titter sounded from the girls, but Mrs. Vernon held up a hand for silence. "Was that thunder I heard from over the mountain?"
"No, that was only Julie's paddle echoing down the stream," giggled Judith. But a louder rumble told the Captain she was right in her surmise.
"Dear me! I hope we won't be caught in another thunder-storm," said she, holding the bunny closer to her side.
But in answer to her fear, a sudden flash and a nearer peal of thunder warned them all to seek shelter if possible.
"If it rains we're bound to be soaked!" sighed Anne.
"You big silly! Did any of us think water was dry?" asked Hester, scornfully.
"I do wish those girls hadn't left us in the canoe! If it rains they may upset," worried the Captain.
"They didn't leave us in the canoe, Captain. And we are just as likely to meet with mishap as they," laughed Judith, to cheer every one up.
"Well, it's going to break mighty quick! See that inky cloud scudding across there?" exclaimed Amy, pointing at the sky.
"Verny, why not make a quick shelter to crawl under?" suggested Anne.
"Think you can do it?" answered the Captain.
"Hester's got the rubber cover that Mike gave us for the canoe when it is not in use, and we might stretch that between four trees," added Anne.
"That's so. Let's try it!" agreed Hester, eagerly.
Quickly, then, the scouts chopped down the scrub bush where four young trees were found for the corners, and then, while Anne and Hester secured the four corners of the cover, the other girls ditched around the spot so the rain would run off and not soak their camping place.
Anne and Hester completed their work before the others, and then hastily bunched a mass of chopped-down bushes all around the temporary tent to break the driving rain when it came. The spot thus enclosed was not large, but by huddling together they managed to keep dry.
"How nice it is to sit in a dry place and watch everything else gradually soak with the rain," ventured Amy, comfortably.
"No one would have dreamed that a shower would come up to-day, the weather was so perfect when we left camp," said Judith.
"Do any of you girls understand weather-lore?" asked Mrs. Vernon.
No one did, so the Captain continued: "If you study wind and cloud, wildwood creatures and other animals, you will find much to interest you in the weather.
"When rain is coming you will see the sheep turn their tails to windward, but if the day is to be fine the sheep will graze with faces to the wind.
"Cows always gather and huddle together at a sheltered end of the pasture lot when a storm is approaching. Cattle are restless and uneasy before a storm breaks. And cows will fling up their heels, or sheep will gambol as if to make the most of the sunshine just before a prolonged spell of bad weather. Pigs, too, will grunt loudly and cavort about uneasily in their pens, carrying bits of straw from their bedding in their mouths, before a heavy rainstorm.
"With wild creatures you will find partridges sitting in the fields when thunder is in the air. But the moment the storm blows over, the birds are alive with energy again. Rabbits and other night-feeders can be found out hunting on a sunny day, but that means there will be a wet night.
"Most of our birds in field and forest know when a storm is brewing, and they can be seen seeking for extra food to carry home, or, perhaps, devouring it quickly, storing it up against the time everything is soaked with the rain.
"Bees seldom fly far from the hive when rain is threatening; flies are annoying and sting sharply before rain, and many times they cling tenaciously to wall or furniture, – that is to keep flat to a surface, so their bodies will not become damp.
"A large ring can be found to encircle the moon the night preceding a rainstorm. Should the storm be two or three days off, the ring is wider and you will find fainter shadows inside the main circle, – one for each day.
"Mountain moss is found to be soft and limp, and smoke generally beats downward when the East Wind presages rain. Callouses on the feet will ache painfully; spiders will be seen strengthening their webs against moisture-weight; morning-glories will close up tightly; mushrooms are found to be numerous; and there are a dozen other weather-signs that I forget now."
The scouts had listened with interest, for this was new to them, although Hester added: "I've heard the saying, 'Mackerel sky, twelve hours dry.'"
"Yes, and another one goes, 'Rain before seven, fine before eleven,'" said Judith.
"You will find in summer that heavy dews in the night mean fine weather the following day," added Mrs. Vernon. "Also any thunder-storm that comes with the wind soon passes away, but let it come against the wind, and it is apt to last."
"This one came with the wind and is blowing away already. See!" exclaimed Amy, eagerly.
"Yes, girls, now we can do as the Arabs – fold our tent and steal away," said Mrs. Vernon, rising carefully so as not to jar the bunny which had remained very quiet all this time.
"I wonder what the girls in the canoe did while the rain was falling," said Judith.
"Leave it to Julie to find a way. I'll say she landed them all on the bank and then turned the canoe upside down over their heads," laughed Hester.
When the canoeists arrived at camp, sometime after the hikers got there, they exchanged experiences. Hester's surmise turned out to be exactly right, and the girls in the canoe were as dry as those who sat under the rubber cover.