CHAPTER XV
THE COUNCIL FIRE
The girls of the Manasquan Camp Fire did little that day except to cooktheir meals and keep the camp in order. The order to unpack had come,fortunately, in time to save a lot of trouble, since very little hadbeen done toward preparing to move, and, when it was all over, Eleanorcalled the girls together, and told them just what had happened.
"There is a fine lesson for all of us in that," she said. "If Bessie hadbeen weak, she might very well have been tempted to say what GeneralSeeley wanted her to say. She knew she hadn't done anything wrong--andshe said so. But she was told that if she would confess she wouldn't bepunished, or even scolded, and still she would not do it, even when shefound that it meant trouble for her and for us. And, you see, she earnedthe reward of doing the right thing, for the truth came out. And itwill happen that way most of the time--ninety-nine times out of ahundred, I believe."
"I should think you'd be perfectly furious at Jake Hoover, Bessie," saidZara. "He makes trouble for you all the time. Here he got you blamed forsomething he'd done again, and nearly spoiled things just when they werebeginning to look better."
"But he didn't know that, Zara. He did something wrong, but he couldn'thave known that I was going to be blamed for it, you know."
"Aren't you angry at him at all?"
"Yes, for killing that beautiful bird with his horrid snare. But I'msorry for him, too. I think he didn't know any better."
"What will happen to him, do you think, Bessie! Will he be sent toprison?"
"I don't believe so. General Seeley is a kind man, and I think he'll tryto make Jake understand how wrong it was to act so, and send him home. Icertainly hope so."
"I don't see why. I should think you'd want him to be punished. He'sdone so many mean things without being found out that when he is caught,he ought to get what he deserves."
"But it wouldn't be punishing just him, you see, Zara. It would be hardfor Paw Hoover, too, and you know how good he was to us. If it hadn'tbeen for him I don't believe we'd ever have got to Pine Bridge at all."
"Yes, that's so. He was good to us, Bessie. I'd like to see him again,and tell him so. But I can't--not if Farmer Weeks can get me if I evergo back into that state."
"There's another thing to think of, too, Zara, about Jake. He's morelikely to be found out now, when he does something wrong."
"Oh, yes, that's true, isn't it? I hadn't thought of that. He won't beable to make Maw Hoover think you did everything now, when you're notthere, will he?"
"That's just what I mean. And maybe, when she finds that the things sheused to blame me for keep on happening just the same, though I'm notthere, she'll see that I never did do them at all. It looked pretty badfor me this morning, Zara, but you see it came out all right. And I'mbeginning to think now that other things will turn out right, too, justas Miss Eleanor's been saying they would."
"Oh, I do hope so! There's Miss Eleanor coming now."
"Well, girls, have you chosen your fire names yet?" asked the Guardian."You'll have to be ready to tell us to-night at the big fire you know,when you get your rings."
"Why, I hadn't thought about it, even. Had you, Zara?"
"Yes, I had. I think I'd like to be called by a name that would makepeople think of being happy and cheerful. Is there an Indian word thatwould do that?"
"Perhaps. But why don't you make up a new word for yourself, as we madeup Wo-he-lo? You could take the first letters of happy and cheerful,and call yourself Hachee. That sounds like an Indian word, though itreally isn't. And what for a symbol?"
"I think a chipmunk is the happiest, cheerfulest thing I know."
"That's splendid! You can be Hachee, and your symbol shall be thechipmunk. You've done well, Zara. I don't think you'll ever want to burnyour name."
"What is that? Burning one's name?" inquired Zara.
"Sometimes a girl chooses a name and later she doesn't like it. Then, ata Council Fire, she writes that name, the one she wants to give up, on aslip of paper, and it's thrown into the fire. And after that she isnever called by it again."
"Oh, I see. No, I like my new name and I'll want to keep that, I know."
"I've always liked the name of Stella--that means a star, doesn'tit?--so that my name and my symbol could be the same, if I took that."
"Yes, Bessie. That's a good choice, too. You shall be Stella, when weare using the ceremonial names. Well, that's settled, then. You mustlearn to repeat the Wood-Gatherer's desire to-night--and after that youwill get your rings, and then you will be real Camp Fire Girls, like therest of us."
Then she left them, because there was much for her to do, and thatafternoon Bessie and Zara made very sure that they knew theWood-Gatherer's desire, and learned all that the other girls could tellthem about the law of the fire, and all the other things they wanted toknow. But they waited anxiously for it to be time to light the greatCouncil Fire.
All afternoon the Wood-Gatherers worked, gathering the fagots for thefire, and arranging them neatly. They were built up so that there was agood space for a draught under the wood, in order that the fire, once itwas lighted, might burn clear and bright. A cloudless summer sky gavepromise of a beautiful starlit night, so that there was no danger of arepetition of the disappointment of the previous night--which, however,everyone had already forgotten.
After supper, when it was quite dark, the space around the pile was leftempty. Then Mrs. Chester, in her ceremonial Indian robes, stood up inthe centre, near the fire, and one by one the different Camp Fires, ledby their Guardians, came in, singing slowly.
As each girl passed before her, Mrs. Chester made the sign of the Fire,by raising her right hand slowly, in a sweeping gesture, after firstcrossing its fingers against those of the left hand. Each girl returnedthe sign and then passed to her place in the great circle about thefagots, where she sat down.
When all the girls were seated, Mrs. Chester spoke.
"The Manasquan Camp Fire has the honor of lighting our Council Fireto-night," she said. "Ayu!"
And Ayu stepped forward. She had with her the simple tools that arerequired for making fire in the Indian fashion. It is not enough, assome people believe, to rub two sticks together, and Bessie and Zara,who had never seen this trick played before, watched her with greatinterest. Ayu had, first, a block of wood, not very thick, in which anotch had been cut. In this notch she rested a long, thin stick, and ontop of that was a small piece of wood, in which the stick or drillrested. And, last of all, she had a bow, with a leather thong, which wasslipped around the drill.
When everything was ready Ayu, holding down the fire block with onefoot, held the socket of the drill with the left hand, while with theright she drew the bow rapidly back and forth. In less than a minutethere was a tiny spark. Then rapidly growing, flame appeared and amoment later, along the carefully prepared tinder, the fire ran to thekindling beneath the fagots. And then, as the flames rose and began tocurl about the fagots all the girls began to sing together the Camp FireGirl Ode to Fire:
"Oh Fire! Long years ago when our fathers fought with great animals you were their protection. From the cruel cold of winter you saved them. When they needed food you changed the flesh of beasts into savory food for them. During all the ages your mysterious flame has been a symbol to them for Spirit. So to-night we light our fire in remembrance of the Great Spirit who gave you to us."
Then each Guardian called the roll of her Camp Fire, and as each girl'sceremonial name was called she answered, "Kolah!"
"That means _friend_," someone whispered to Bessie and Zara.
"We are to receive two new members to-night," said Mrs. Chester, then."Wanaka, they come in your Camp Fire. Will you initiate them into theCamp Fire circle?"
Then she sat down, and Wanaka took her place in the centre. Bessie andZara understood that it was time for them to step forward, and theystood out in the dancing lig
ht of the fire, which was roaring up now,and casting its light into the shadows about the circle. All the girlsstood up.
Bessie came first, and Wanaka turned to her.
"Is it your desire to become a Camp Fire Girl and follow the law of theFire?"
And Bessie, who had been taught the form to be followed, answered:
"It is my desire to become a Camp Fire Girl and to obey the law of theCamp Fire, which is to Seek Beauty, Give Service, Pursue Knowledge, BeTrustworthy, Hold on to Health, Glorify Work, Be Happy. This law of theCamp Fire I will strive to follow."
Then she held out her left hand, and Eleanor took it, saying:
"In the name of the Camp Fire Girls of America, I place on the littlefinger of your left hand this ring, with its design of seven fagots,symbolic of the seven points of the law of the Fire, which you haveexpressed your desire to follow, and of the three circles on eitherside, symbolic of the three watchwords of this organization--Work,Health, and Love. And--
"As fagots are brought from the forest Firmly held by the sinews which bind them, So cleave to these others, your sisters, Whoever, whenever, you find them.
"Be strong as the fagots are sturdy; Be pure in your deepest desire; Be true to the truth that is in you; And--follow the law of the Fire."
Then, as Bessie, or Stella, as, at the Council Fire she was to be knownthereafter, made her way back to her place, all the girls sang theWo-he-lo song by way of welcoming her as one of them.
Then it was Zara's turn, and the same beautiful ceremony was repeatedfor her.
"Now the Snug Harbor Camp Fire is going to entertain us with some newIndian dances they have learned," said Mrs. Chester. "I am sure we willall enjoy that."
And they did. No Indian girls ever danced with the grace and beauty thatthose young American girls put into their interpretation of theold-fashioned dances, which made all the other Camp Fires determine totry to learn them, too. And after that there was a talk from Mrs.Chester on the purpose of the organization. Then, finally, taps sounded,and the Council Fire was over.
"So you really are Camp Fire Girls," said Eleanor, to the two newmembers. "Soon we shall be back in the city and there I am sure thatmany things will happen to you. Some of them will be hard, but you willget through them all right. And remember we mean to help you, no matterwhat happens. Zara shall have her father back, and we will do all wecan, Bessie, to help you find your parents. Good-night!"
"Good-night!"