CHAPTER IV
ROBERT CARTER'S ASTONISHING GIRLS
August, the month for holidays, was bringing much business to theproprietresses of Week-End Camp. Such a crowd came swarming up themountain now that Lucy, who had set the tables with the assistance ofher chum, Lil Tate, and the two sworn knights, Skeeter Halsey and FrankMaury, and had carefully counted noses according to the calculations Nanhad made from the applications she had received, had to do it all overto make room for the unexpected guests.
"Just kilt-plait the places," suggested Lil.
"If they keep on coming we'll have to accordeon-plait 'em," laughedLucy.
"Gee, I'm glad your eats don't land in your elbows!" from Skeeter.
"Me, too!" exclaimed Frank. "Miss Helen tipped me a wink that there'sBrunswick stew made out of the squirrels we got yesterday. And there issho' no elbow room at these tables."
"Look at 'em swarming up the mountain. Where do you reckon they'llsleep?" asked Lil.
"Have to roost in the trees."
"I bet more than half of them didn't bring their blankets," hazardedLucy.
"Yes, that's the way they do, these town fellows," said Skeeter,forgetting that he too had been a town fellow only a few weeks beforethat time.
The summer in the mountains was doing wonders for these youngsters.Sleeping in the open had broadened their chests. They were wiry andtanned and every day brought some new delightful duty that was nevercalled a duty and so was looked upon by all of them as a great game.Theirs was the task of foraging for the camp, and no small job was it tofind chickens and vegetables and fruit for the hungry hordes that soughtthe Week-End Camp for holiday and recreation.
They had found their way to many a remote mountain cabin and engaged allchickens hatched and unhatched. They had spread the good news among thenatives that blackberries, huckleberries, peaches, apples, pears andplums were in demand at their camp. Eggs were always needed. Littlewild-eyed, tangled-haired children would come creeping from the bushes,like so many timid rabbits, bringing their wares; sometimes a bucket ofdewberries or some wild plums; sometimes honey from the wild bees, darkand strong and very sweet, "bumblebee honey," Skeeter called it. All wasgrist that came to the mill of the week-enders. No matter how much wasprovided, there was never anything to speak of left over.
"These hyar white folks is same as chickens," grumbled old Oscar."They's got no notion of quittin' s'long as they's any corn lef' on thegroun'."
"They sho' kin eat," agreed Susan, "but Miss Douglas an' Miss Helen donesaid we mus' fill 'em up and that's what we is hyar fur."
The above is a conversation that, with variations, occurred duringalmost every meal at the camp. Oscar and Susan, the faithful servantsthe Carters had brought from Richmond, were proving more and moreefficient now that the first sting of the country was removed and camplife had become a habit with them. They were creatures of habit andimbued with the notion that what was good enough for white folks wasgood enough for them. Their young mistresses were contented with thelife in the camp, so they were, too. Their young mistresses were notabove doing any work that came to hand, so they, too, must be willing todo what fell to their lot. Susan forgot the vows she had so solemnlysworn when she became a member of the housemaids' league, to dohousework and nothing else. She argued that a camp wasn't a house andshe could do what she chose. Oscar had, while in town, held himselfabove any form of labor not conducive to the dignity of a butler servingfor many years in the best families. But if Mr. Lewis Somerville andMr. Bill Tinsley, both of them belonging to fust famblies, could skinsquirrels, why then, he, Oscar, must be a sport and skin them, too.
These week-ends in August were hard work for all concerned and now therewas talk of some of the guests staying over for much longer and spendingtwo weeks with them. That meant no cessation of fillin' 'em up. Previousto this time, Monday had been a blessed day for all the camp, boardersgone and time to take stock and rest, but now there was to be no let upin the filling process.
Susan, for the time completely demoralized by the return of her belovedmistress, had left her work to whomsoever it might concern and hadconstituted herself lady's maid for Mrs. Carter. She unpacked boxes andparcels, hovering over the pretty things purchased in New York; shefetched and carried for that dainty lady, ignoring completely the steadystream of week-enders climbing up the mountain or being carried up bythe faithful and sturdy mountain goat, with the silent Bill aschauffeur.
Helen had reluctantly torn herself from the delectable boxes and parcelsand was busily engaged in concocting a wonderful potato salad, somethingshe always attended to herself. Gwen was making batter bread afterhaving put to rise pan after pan of rolls. Oscar had begun to fry theapples, a dish ever in demand at camp. The Brunswick stew had beensafely deposited in the fireless cooker early in the day and all wasgoing well.
"There!" exclaimed Helen, putting the finishing touch to the last hugebowl of salad and stepping back to admire her handiwork. "Thatsubstantial salad unites beauty and utility."
"It sho' do, Miss Helen, it sho' do!" declared Oscar, adroitly turninghis apples just as they reached the proper stage of almost and not quitebeing candied. "They's nothin' like tater salid fer contitutioning afoumdation stone on which to build fillin' victuals. It's mo' satisfyingto my min' than the staft of life itself. All I is a-hopin' is that theywon't lick the platter befo' I gits to it."
"You are safe there, Oscar, as I made this extra dishful to be kept backso you and Susan will be sure to get some."
"Susan, indeed!" sniffed her fellow-servant. "She ain't called on toexpect no favors at yo' han'. To be foun' by the wayside, a fallin' downwantin' jes' at this crucible moment!"
"I think she is helping mother."
"Then I's got nothin' to say--but I 'low she helpin' yo' maw with onehan' an' Susan Jourdan with yudder."
Mr. Carter and Dr. Wright looked into the kitchen a moment. Dr. Wrighthad been showing his patient over the camp, as all of the daughters wereoccupied. Mr. Carter was delighted with the arrangements and amazed atthe scope of the undertaking. Could this be his Helen, the queen of thekitchen, attending to the preparation of this great quantity of food? Henever remembered before seeing Helen do any more strenuous work thanplay a corking good game of tennis, and here she was handling a fryingpan with the same skill with which she had formerly handled a racquet,looking after the apples while Oscar cracked ice and carried up into thepavilion the great pitchers of cold tea destined to quench the thirst ofthe week-enders.
Helen was looking wholly lovely in her becoming bungalow apron, with herflushed cheeks and hair a bit dishevelled from the hurry of gettingthings done without the assistance of the capable Susan. Robert Carterlooked in amazement at the great bowls of potato salad and the pans ofrolls, being taken from the oven to make room for other pans.
"In heaven's name, what is all this food for?" he asked, laughing.
"Have you seen the week-enders swarming up the mountain?"
"Why yes, but they couldn't eat all this."
"Don't you fool yourself!" and Helen gave her dear father a fried applehug. She was very happy. The beloved parents were back with them. Dr.Wright assured her that her father was improving. The camp had been hervery own idea and it was successful. They were making money and she wasgoing to take her share of the profits and give her mother a trip. She,Helen Carter, only eighteen, could do all of this! She had no idea whatthe profits amounted to, but Nan and Douglas had only the week beforecongratulated themselves that they were putting more money in the bankthan they were drawing out. She cared nothing for money in the bankexcept as a means of gratifying the ones she loved. The poor littlemumsy had been shut up on shipboard for months and surely she deservedsome recreation. She was astonished at Douglas for being so stingy. Itwas plain stinginess that would make her think more of having somepaltry savings than of wanting to give to their charming, beautifullittle mother her heart's desire, so Helen thought.
Dr. Wright was smiling on her, too. He seemed to think
she was a veryremarkable girl, at least that was what one might gather from hisexpression as he stood by the kitchen and gazed in through thescreening at the bright-eyed, eager young cook.
"Where are the other girls?" asked Mr. Carter.
"Oh, they have a million things to do! We always divide up and spreadourselves over the whole camp when the train gets in. Lucy has justfinished setting the tables, and that is some job, I can tell you, butLil Tate and Frank Skeeter always help. Nan has been making mayonnaiseenough to run us over Sunday, and now she has gone with Douglas toreceive the week-enders and show them their tents and cots. Douglas isthe great chief--she does all the buying and supervising, looks afterthe comfort of the week-enders and sees that everything is kept cleanand sanitary. Nan writes all the letters, and believe me, that is nolittle task. She also makes the mayonnaise and helps me here in thekitchen when I need her, but Gwen is my right hand man. But what am Ithinking of? You haven't even met Gwen!"
The young English girl was looking shyly at the big man and thinkingwhat she would give to have her own father back again. Dr. Wright hadtold Mr. Carter of Gwen and her romantic history, how Helen had foundthe wallet in the scrub oak tree containing all of the dead Englishman'spapers, of old Abner Dean's perfidy in taking the land from Gwen whenthe receipt had not been found, although the child was sure her fatherhad paid for the side of the mountain before he had built his cabinthere. Mr. Carter had been greatly interested in the recital and nowhis kind friendliness brought a mist to the eyes of the girl.
"I am very glad to know you, my dear. Dr. Wright has told me of you andnow I hope to be numbered among your friends."
Gwen looked so happy and grateful that Helen had to give her father onemore fried apple hug before she pushed him out of the kitchen to makeroom for the important ceremony of dishing up supper.
"Where did I ever get them, Doctor, these girls? Why, they are perfectbricks! To think of my little Helen forgetting the polish on herfingernails and actually cooking! I don't see where they came from."
It was rather wonderful and George Wright was somewhat at a loss himselfto account for them as he watched the dainty mother of the flock triplightly across the rough mountain path connecting the cabin with thepavilion. Robert Carter himself had character enough to go around, butwhen one considered that his character had been alloyed with hers tomake this family it was a wonder that they had that within them thatcould throw off tradition and environment as they had done and undertakethis camp that was proving quite a stupendous thing for mere girls.
"Well, Dr. Wright," trilled Mrs. Carter, "isn't this a delightfuladventure for my girls to have amused themselves with? The girl of theday is certainly an enterprising person. Of course a thing like thismust not be carried too far, as there is danger of their forgettingtheir mission in life."
"And that mission is----?"
"Being ornaments of society, of course," laughed the little lady.
Mrs. Carter had long ago overcome the fear she had entertained forthe young physician. He had been so unfailingly kind to her and hisdiagnosis of her husband's case had been so sure and his treatment soexactly right that she could have nothing but liking and respect forhim. She even forgave him the long exile he had subjected her to onthat stupid ship. It had cured her Robert and she was willing to havecut herself off from society for those months if by doing so she hadcontributed to the well-being of her husband. She had been alldevotion and unselfishness in the first agony of his illness. Thehabits of her lifetime had been seemingly torn up by the roots andfrom being the spoiled and petted darling she had turned into theefficient nurse. As his health returned, however, it had been quiteeasy to slip back into her former place of being served instead ofserving. It was as much Robert Carter's nature to serve as it washers to be served. The habits had not been torn up by the roots, afterall, but only been trimmed back, and now they were sprouting out withadded vigor from their pruning.
Very lovely the little lady looked in her filmy lace dress. Her charmingface, framed by its cloud of blue-black hair, showed no trace of havinggone through the anxiety of a severe illness of one whom she loveddevotedly. Nothing worried her very long and she had the philosophy ofa young child, taking no thought of the yesterdays or of the morrows.Dr. Wright looked on her in amazement. Her speaking of the camp asan adventure chosen by the girls as something with which to amusethemselves would have been laughable had it not been irritating to theyoung man. And now, forsooth, their business in life was to becomeornaments of society!
"Humph!" was all he said, although he had to turn on his heel and walkoff to keep from asserting that their mission in life should be tobecome useful members of society. He had a dread of appearing priggish,however, and then this was Helen's mother and he wanted to do nothing tomar in any way the friendship that had sprung up between that elusiveyoung person and himself.
"Where are all the children, Robert?" asked Mrs. Carter, wondering inher well-bred mind why Dr. Wright should be so brusque.
"There aren't any children, Annette," sighed Mr. Carter, "but Ishouldn't sigh but be glad and happy. Why, they are perfect wonders!Helen is in the kitchen, not eating bread and honey, but cooking andbossing, and all the other girls are flying around taking care of theboarders."
"Boarders! Oh, Robert, what a name to call them! I can't contemplate it.Who are all those people I saw coming up the road?"
"They are the boarders."
"Not all that crowd! I thought they had only a select few."
"No, indeed, they take all that come and I can tell you they have madethe place very popular. I did not know they had it in them. I believeit was a good thing I went off my hooks for a while, as it has broughtout character in my girls that I did not dream they had."
"It seems hardly ladylike for them to be so--so--successful at runninga boarding place. I wonder what people will say."
"Why they will say: 'Hurrah for the Carter Girls!' At least, that iswhat the worth-while people will say."
"Well, if you think it all right, I know it must be," sighed the poorlittle lady, "but somehow I think it would be much better for them tohave visited Cousin Elizabeth Somerville until we got back or had hervisit them in Richmond. I don't at all approve of their renting myhouse. Douglas is so coarsened by this living out-of-doors. She has thecomplexion that must be guarded very carefully or she will lose herbeauty very early. I think the summer before a girl makes her debutshould be spent taking care of her complexion."
Robert Carter laughed. He was always intensely amused by his wife'soutlook on life and society and looked upon it as one of her girlishcharms. Common sense had not been what made him fall in love with hertwenty years before, so the lack of it did not detract in any way fromhis admiration of her in these latter years. She was what she had alwaysbeen: beautiful, graceful, sweet, charming; made to be loved, served andspoiled.
"Where is Bobby? He, at least, cannot be busy with these awfulboarders."
"Bobby? Why, he is now engaged in helping Josh, the little mountain boywho is serving as expressman for the girls, to curry Josephus, the mule.These boarders are not awful, my dear. You will find many acquaintancesamong them. Jeffry Tucker came with his two girls, the twins, and afriend of theirs from Milton, Page Allison is her name. There areseveral others whom you will be glad to see, I know. I think it would bewell for us to go up in the pavilion where they dine and then dance, andyou can receive them there as they arrive."
Mrs. Carter patted her creamy lace dress with a satisfied feeling thatshe was looking her best. It was a new creation from a most exclusiveshop in New York--quite expensive, but then she had had absolutely nonew clothes for perfect ages and since the proprietor of the shop hadbeen most pleased to have her open an account with him, the price of thegown was no concern of hers. It set off her pearly skin and dusky hairto perfection. She was glad Jeffry Tucker was at the camp. He was ageneral favorite in Richmond society and his being there meant at leastthat her girls had not lessened themselves in the eyes of the elite.
Surely he would not bring his daughters to this ridiculous camp unlesshe felt that it would do nothing toward lowering their position.
The pretty, puzzled lady took her place at one end of the great longdining pavilion as the week-enders swarmed up the steps, attractedhither by the odor of fried apples and hot rolls that was wafted o'erthe mountainside.