CHAPTER FOUR
BEGINNING THEIR CAMP LIFE
The next few days were so filled with the final work to finish thescholastic year, and closing of school, that every one of the girls waskept busy, and had little time to think of camp.
Once Thursday came, however, the only exciting thing remained to be donewas Commencement on Friday; so the four girls met at Dandelion Tent toplan for the camp.
"We ought to have our folks give us a great send-off, like they did withthe regiments that mustered from the town families," said Julie.
"If they'll only give us all I asked for, we will be satisfied," laughedJoan.
"What did you do?" instantly said three voices.
"First, I told mother what we would have to have for camp, then I gotmother to visit your folks and tell them what we really ought to have tomake life comfortable in the wild woods."
"Oh, oh! That's why Eliza told us she would fix us up with some jams andother food-stuff," laughed Julie.
"And mother asked me did we want any furniture or china?" added Ruth.
"What did you say?" asked Julie.
"I told her we'd rather she donated the price of china or furniture thistime, and let us invest it as we found need."
The girls laughed and Mrs. Vernon ran out of the side door, saying: "I'mmissing all the fun! Do tell me what it is about?"
Then Julie told her what Ruth had replied to her mother's question, andthe Captain laughed also. "I see Ruth is developing a wonderfully keensense of finance."
"You'll say so when you see this scrap of paper, Verny," said Ruth,taking a crumpled oblong of tinted paper from her middy blouse andpassing it over to the Captain.
Mrs. Vernon looked at it in surprise, and gasped: "Why, of all things!"
"The price of china and furniture that mother figured we would smash ordamage," explained Ruth.
"Girls, it's a check for twenty-five dollars from Mrs. Bentley. We'llhave to vote her a letter of thanks at once."
"Hurrah! Now, all ready for three cheers for Mrs. Bentley!" shoutedJulie, jumping upon the camp-stool and waving her hat.
Instantly the girls began a loud hurrah, but the folding chair suddenlyshut up, with Julie frantically trying to balance herself. Before asecond hurrah could have been given, Julie was sprawling across the camptable right on top of the hats, pans and what-not that had beenaccumulated to take to camp. Such a clatter of tins and wild screams oflaughter that filled that tent!
Finally Julie emerged from the wreckage and stood up, tentativelyfeeling of her bones and head and body. "Am I all in one piece, girls?"she asked, trying to appear anxious.
"You are, but my hat isn't!" retorted Joan, holding up a crushed strawsailor with the brim severed from the crown.
"I'll have to work and buy you another," said Julie.
"Please don't! I despise sailors and had to wear this one because mothersaid I would need no new summer hat if I was in camp," hastily explainedJoan.
"Come, girls, we must indite that letter to Ruth's mother now. Sit downquietly and suggest something fine," interpolated Mrs. Vernon.
So the letter was composed and given to Ruth to deliver, then the lastplans for leaving home were perfected, and the Patrol separated for theday.
Saturday found the girls again at Vernon's place, eager to hear what daythey were to start for camp. Everything that they had on their lists hadbeen provided, and now the only thing to do was to say good-by andleave. This the girls felt could not be accomplished any too soon fortheir peace and comfort.
"Why, Verny, if we don't get away in a day or so, those seven girls whoare possessed to join us will steal us and hold us as hostages until youagree to take them in our Troop," said Julie.
"Patience! They'll have to wait now, and learn the lesson you girls havefinished before they can join this Patrol. Why, I wonder if you realizehow high you have climbed on the rungs of the ladder of Scout Idealsduring these past few weeks?" said Mrs. Vernon.
"I can't see any change," said Joan.
"What! don't you think your friends here have improved any whatsoeversince we decided to begin a Troop?"
"Oh--the girls have--a little, but I haven't!"
"You have, too, but you don't see it yet. Wait."
"All the same, Verny, tell us when we _can_ start?" begged Julie.
"Well, Mr. Vernon sails for his European trip on Monday, so I seenothing to keep us home after that. Can you all be ready to go onTuesday morning?"
"You know we can--why ask?" laughed Julie.
"Maybe you'd prefer us to start Monday afternoon after you come homefrom the steamer," suggested Ruth.
Mrs. Vernon laughed. "Hardly as soon as that."
When Tuesday arrived, however, the girls found many little things todelay them, so it was past nine o'clock before they met at the oldheadquarters, but the tent had disappeared.
"Here we are, Verny, bag and baggage!" shouted Julie, as they tramped upthe side-steps of the porch.
"And some of our folks are coming over in a few minutes to see us off. Isuspect they have various advices to whisper to you, as well as leavewith us some forgotten parting words," said Joan.
"Eliza's going to give us a parting pie," added Betty, so innocentlythat every one laughed.
"Well, the visitor that we invited to camp with us for the summer ishitched up and waiting to start," Mrs. Vernon informed the girls, as shepointed towards the barns, where a horse was seen going down the backroad.
"Why, Hepsy's hooked up to a buckboard? What for?" asked Ruth.
"We won't need it this summer, so Uncle Verny suggested that Hepsy takeit along for us to use if we had to go to the stores at Freedom, orshould we want to go away on a picnic."
"Say--that's a great idea! I never thought of it," said Julie.
"Which proves that you have no monopoly on great ideas," retorted Joan.
Then the automobile drove up to the steps and was soon followed by aheavy rumbling auto-truck that was used for heavy cartage at Mr.Vernon's factory. He had sent it down for the newly-fledged Scout Troopto make use of to carry tents, boxes and what not to Verny's Mountain.
The advance line of family members now came straggling up the road towatch their girls depart. Before the truck started, the other friendsarrived, so there was quite a crowd to wish them good-by and good-luckas they climbed into the car and wildly waved hats and hands.
The ride seemed very short that morning, for so much had to be talkedover, and the village of Freedom was reached before they could realizeit. Then began the ascent up the woodroad to the plateau. Here the carhalted, and the chauffeur assisted the driver of the truck intransferring the boxes and baggage to the buckboard Hepsy had broughtthus far.
"We'll have to stable Hepsy somewhere, girls," suggested Julie, as shestood and watched the men work.
"Yes, we ought to make that our first concern, for Hepsy may notappreciate outdoor life as we do--especially if it rains."
"We'll build her a hut," promised Ruth, eagerly.
"And let her sit out under a tree for the four weeks it will take us toerect it?" laughed Joan.
The girls were too eager to reach their campsite to wait any longer forthe men to complete the baggage transfer, so they informed the Captain:
"We'll take our suitcases and start up, Verny!"
Mrs. Vernon readily agreed to this, so they started off and were soonout of sight. Once they had reached the old cabin, Julie said:
"Let's get out of these city clothes and get into our scoutcamp-uniforms."
This met with general approval, and soon the girls were gleefullycomparing notes about each other's appearance. But this was interruptedwhen shouts and crackling of brush was heard. Then poor Hepsy was seensnorting and pulling to bring the loaded buckboard up to the plateau.
"Gee! That's some haul--that grade!" complained Jim, as he mopped his hotbrow and stood looking back at the steep road.
"And Hepsy's so soft from no recent work!" added Mrs. Vernon, as shereache
d his side. Jim was too easy with the horses for their own good,so she said what she did to let him know his sympathy was misplaced.
Hepsy began nibbling at the luscious grass that grew near her feet, andMrs. Vernon laughingly added: "Poor thing! She must be almost dead to beable to start right in and eat like that."
The luggage was taken to the hut and then Jim went back for a secondload. The back seat of the buckboard had been removed so the camp outfitcould be easily piled upon the floor of the vehicle. But it did not holdvery much, hence it was necessary to make several trips.
When all was carted up to the campsite, Mrs. Vernon said: "Now, Jim,remember to bring the oats once a week for Hepsy, and any other things Iwrite for. See that all mail is forwarded to Freedom, where we can getit."
Jim promised to see that everything was done as requested, then he, too,left. When the last chugs from the automobile truck and the car diedaway, Mrs. Vernon turned to the girls.
"Well, scouts, here we are for a whole summer of delights!"
"Hip, hip----" began Julie, and the others joined in.
"Don't you think the hut has grown smaller since we were here last?"asked Betty, wonderingly.
"That is because you were picturing the place on a much grander scaleafter you got home than it actually is. It is your thought that has todwindle again to take in the proportion of the hut as it is," repliedthe Captain, amused at Betty's experience.
"I thought the very same thing, but I hated to say anything that soundedlike criticism," admitted Joan.
"Tell the truth, girls, I think that hut is tiny, but it looked bigenough the other day," laughed Julie.
"Then we must build ours larger than this," said Mrs. Vernon, turning tolook over the stock of things needing shelter.
"It looks like an awful heap of stuff, doesn't it?" asked Ruth.
"Yes, but we needed everything, so we had to bring them."
"What shall we do first, Verny?" asked Betty.
"Better pitch the tent first of all, and arrange the cots, then we canwork as long as we like, without worrying about having to make ourbeds."
The girls quickly unrolled the large canvas tent they had purchased, butwhen it came to erecting it, they found it a much more difficult taskthan they had anticipated. Jim and the gardener had helped pitch it thefirst time, but now they were absent.
However, after many failures, the tent was up, albeit it looked wobblyand one-sided. The cots were next opened and placed under the canvas,and the lockers were dragged to their right places.
"Where's the crex rug Verny said we could bring for the ground insidethe tent?" called Julie, thrusting her head from the opening of thecanvas. But she forgot Ruth had placed a pole directly in front of theentrance to hold up the flap temporarily.
"Ouch! Who left that tree-trunk right in the way?" cried Julie, as shebumped her head smartly.
"That's the porter standing at the door of our hotel!" retorted Joan,laughing as she saw Julie scowling.
"Well, where's the crex rug, anyway?" demanded Julie.
"Come to think of it--Jim threw it out when he unloaded the truck, andthen he must have forgotten to pick it up again," said Mrs. Vernon.
"We'll have to use grass for carpet to-night, then," said Julie.
"Unless you run down and drag it up," ventured Ruth.
"That's what we brought Hepsy for, girls. Who'll drive her down andbring back the rug?" called Mrs. Vernon from the hut.
All four were anxious to drive and enjoy the fun, so Julie jumped on thefront seat and the others sat dangling their feet from the back of thebuckboard. The Captain stood smiling and watching as they went, thinkingto herself, "What a good time they will have in camp!"
When the amateur truckman returned, Ruth called out: "Guess what, Verny?We found the seat of the buckboard in the bushes, too. Wasn't itfortunate we went for the rug?"
"We might have hunted all over the camp for that seat when we want to gofor a drive, and never have thought of it being left down there," addedJulie.
When the girls ran over to see what next to do, they found the Captaineyeing a board about sixteen inches in length. She was calculating aloudand wondering if it would fit.
"Fit where? What is it for?" asked Joan.
"You'll soon find out. Now you girls can unpack the hamper and getluncheon ready--I'm hungry," replied Mrs. Vernon.
She knew this would meet with great approval, and soon they were busyunpacking the ready-made lunch, and placing it on a large flat rock.
"Ruth! quick--brush that awful bug from the butter!" shrieked Julie, asshe stood with both her hands filled with dishes.
"Oh--oh! I can't! It's an awful looking creature!" cried Ruth, runningaway from the rock where the luncheon was spread.
"Joan--come here! What's that beast on the butter--see?" called Julie,trying to set the tier of dishes down on the grass.
"It's only a young dragon-fly--don't you know one when you see it?"laughed Joan, shooing the insect away.
"I've seen them flying in the sunshine, but never on the butter-dish,"said Julie, picking up the dishes again and placing them on the cloth.
Mrs. Vernon had started for the rock-table when she heard the shouting,but now she laughed heartily. "Joan, where did you study insect-lifethat you know so much about one of the common members?"
"Wasn't it a dragon-fly, Verny?"
"Not at all. I should think every one of you girls could tell adragon-fly, because we have them about our gardens at home."
"What was it, then?" asked Joan.
"I'm going to send to Scout Headquarters for a book on Insect Life, andhave you study the different ones you find while in camp. Then you'llbecome acquainted with them and never forget again. The same withflowers and trees--I must send for books that you can refer to and teachyourselves all you need to know about these things that every good scoutknows."
"Oh, come on and let's eat. Every ant and bug in the land will get therebefore us, and we'll have to eat leavings," said Julie, whipping ahornet from the jelly dish.
So with all kinds of insects for guests, the girls ate their first lunchat camp. They were so hungry that stale bread would have tasted good,but given the delicious things prepared by the Vernons' cook, it wassmall wonder they all felt uncomfortably full when they left therock-table.