CHAPTER IV
The Camp and Temperamental Excursions
This summer in California for the first time the Sunrise camp waslocated near the sea.
After several days of investigating the countryside, in the meanwhileusing the little mission town of Capistrano as their headquarters, thetravelers discovered what they considered the ideal situation furthersouth along the coast.
Near the border of one of the immense ranches for which southernCalifornia is famous they came upon a little stream of water flowinginside a channel. The channel had been deepened in order that the supplymight last through the dry season. Not far away stood a small framehouse. In harvest times the laborers on the ranch occupied this smallhouse as a lodging for the night when the distance made it impossiblefor them to return to their own homes.
By a piece of rare good fortune Mrs. Burton was able for almost anominal sum to rent this little place for her sister and herself.
The shack was lightly built, the roof formed of dried palm branches laidthe one upon the other until the effect was like a thatched roof,although neither so warm nor so secure. Since it never rains during thesummer in southern California, one requires only protection from the sunand wind. Near the house the camp-fire tents were set up in the form ofa crescent.
Behind them the ranch stretched on for miles, a thousand-acre carpet ofsmall green plants. For, as Marta Clark remarked when they weretraveling down the state, it appeared as if California were preparing toprovide the world with one gigantic bean feast.
Several hundreds of yards away the beach was silver and purple and rosewith the sea verbena and ice plants which spread like a colorfulembroidery over the sands. Here and there were tiny coves and clumps ofrocks.
Near the camping site there was no main traveled road, but a smallbranch one which would improve with use. The closest place of humanhabitation was a seaside colony of artists, perhaps a mile or morebeyond.
Here Mrs. Burton was able to find a garage for her automobile.
Partly because she was actually in need of his services and more toimpress him with the idea, Mrs. Burton had persuaded Dan Webster to takecharge of her car during the summer. As a matter of fact, aside fromBilly, who did not always count, Dan was the only masculine person atthe Sunrise camp, Mr. Jefferson Simpson having departed as casually ashe originally had arrived, soon after the tents were set up.
Mrs. Burton preferred being shut away from strangers during theirholidays and presumed the girls shared her desire.
Soon after their conversation about the camp fire a new regime of wareconomy was established at Sunrise camp. There were uncomfortablemoments when strange dishes of none too appetizing a character wereproduced. But always the cooks declared it the fault of the tooparticular persons who refused to partake of them and not of the fooditself. They did acquire new methods of bread making, substituting branand corn-meal for wheat flour which were really improvements on the old.Moreover, the summer before the Indian girl, Dawapa, had taught theSunrise Camp Fire members a number of the old Indian uses of corn. Withperishable fruits and vegetables so abundant, it was unnecessary, duringthe summer at least, to suffer any real discomfort from war economies.
Now and then one of the girls would develop a too rigorous idea ofself-denial to meet with the approval of her Camp Fire guardian. Butafter a time Mrs. Burton ceased to worry over original departures,permitting the girls to adjust matters for themselves.
However, it is not the adjustment of mere material things which is thedifficult problem with human beings in living together, but theadjustment of one unlike nature with another.
As much as possible after his open disagreement with Billy, Dan Websterendeavored to avoid his brother's society. They never had beencongenial or spent much time together since the days when they werechildren. But at present Dan and Billy were sleeping in the same tent atnight and in the daytime Billy was always mooning about camp insistingupon one of the girls listening to him. He preferred Vera, but if shewere too busy, any one of the other girls could substitute.
This would have made no difference to Dan except that Billy blandly andserenely continued to expound his views upon peace in spite of the factthat every member of Sunrise camp disagreed with him.
Hard as it was to endure, Dan's hands were tied, for he had solemnlypromised his mother not to use physical violence with Billy, and nothingelse would stop the flow of his misplaced eloquence.
So, as Dan was an ardent fisherman, he used to spend days away from campfishing and swimming. He was fond of the Camp Fire girls, especially ofMarta Clark and of Sally Ashton, but he could not endure too large adiet of exclusively feminine society. Moreover, Dan was too accomplishedan athlete and too fine a fellow all round not to make friends whereverhe went among men.
One afternoon it chanced that Dan was alone and preparing to go inswimming at a rather dangerous point about three miles below Sunrisecamp.
The spot was deserted and Dan was beginning to undress when he becameconscious of the uncomfortable sensation that some one at no greatdistance off was watching him.
Glancing about, Dan discovered the calm figure of his brother standingonly a few yards away when he had sincerely hoped that at least severalmiles separated them.
In reply to Billy's friendly "hello," his brother returned no answer.Nevertheless Billy strolled quietly across the space between them,taking a seat on the rocky cliff, apparently as cheerful and undisturbedas if he considered himself a welcome interruption.
"Better not go in swimming from this cliff, Dan; this place looks prettyunsafe. The waves are so violent you might be thrown against the rocks,"he began, offering his entirely unsolicited advice in the most affablemanner.
As a matter of fact, upon most occasions, Dan Webster was ratherunusually sweet tempered. But at present, because of his owndisappointment over not being allowed to volunteer for some branch ofwar service, and because of what he considered his brother's disloyalopinions, the very sight of Billy enraged him.
"Billy Webster, I wonder if you are a coward about every mortal thing? Isuppose you understand that cowardice is what I believe lies at the backof your pacifism. I suppose it is natural to wish to call an ugly factby a pretty name. Besides, it is a lot pleasanter and easier to talkabout the beauty and sacredness of peace and the rights of men than tofight and die for them. But please don't trouble about me and run alongback to camp. I don't want to go into this subject with you again as Icame away largely to get rid of your society." Dan made an effort tospeak quietly.
"All right, I'll be off in a moment; don't wish to worry you," Billyagreed, and, except for a slight flush which Dan did not observe, heappeared unmoved. "Do you know I am glad you reopened this subject.Ever since you spoke of the same thing the other day I have beenwondering if what you said was true and I am a pacifist because I am aphysical coward. Of course I know I am afraid of a lot of things thatdon't frighten you, but I believe you are mistaken about this business,Dan. If I were up against a stiff proposition I might still be afraidand yet go through with it. My feeling about peace really has nothing todo with the part I may some day be called upon to play in this war, apretty poor part at best I expect. I wish you would believe this if youcan. But good-by; I am off."
Then, before Dan could make any response, Billy moved away. Once out ofsight, he lay down upon the beach with his head propped on his slenderhands, keeping a watchful outlook upon Dan, who was swimming nearly amile out from the shore. When Dan had finished and climbed back up thecliff, then only did Billy set out for Sunrise camp.
There were also temperamental difficulties, needing adjustment among theCamp Fire girls.
Frankly, both Sally Ashton and Gerry Williams had been bored by theirlong journey down the California coast and their many pilgrimages to theold Spanish missions along their route. With their natures it wasimpossible for either of them to understand how any human being couldobtain a great deal of pleasure from mere scenery and what persons werepleased to call romantic at
mosphere. To Sally and Gerry romance tookshape in a very different guise.
During the trip they were at least sustained by the hope that, oncesettled in their summer camp, they would begin making agreeableacquaintances, notwithstanding, up to the present time, Sunrise camp haddeveloped about as many social opportunities as a desert island.
Therefore, one morning, with the perfectly definite plan of going forthin search of adventure, Sally and Gerry set out upon a littletemperamental excursion.