CHAPTER EIGHT
WHAT HAPPENED DURING A THUNDER STORM
No further remarks were made to Nita, but every one wondered if sherealised the importance of the written law which had been pinned to herpillow where she must have seen it.
For the next hour the Band was very busy preparing dinner and thenremoving its traces. Nita did not join them and no one felt inclined togo and coax her out of her sulks.
The food was placed in the cupboard and Miss Miller made twopropositions: A walk to Baldy Pate on a Nature Quest, or a swimminglesson. As both could be enjoyed, it remained for the girls to saywhich should be first.
Zan explained. "If we go on a hike we'll be warm on our return and aswim will feel good and cool us off."
The others agreed, so Hilda was sent for the whittling knife and Zanfor the hatchet. Miss Miller went to her tent and took a small bottleof chloroform and several layers of absorbent cotton, besides a fewspecimen boxes and a butter-fly net. Jane had a note-book in case theywished to enter any items. Nita had not appeared, so the Band startedwithout paying any attention to her, knowing it to be the kindestprocedure in the end.
They had not gone a hundred yards when Miss Miller suggested that eachone go a different direction through the woods and meet on the top ofBaldy to rest and relate experiences.
The idea met with approval and each one started alone to find a new andadventurous way leading to the mountaintop.
While the members of the Band were blazing unique trails leading to thetop of Baldy Pate, Nita crept from her tent and read the note which hadbeen pinned to her pillow. She threw it down on the ground and stampedupon it with her heel, simply because there was no other way to venther spite on the innocent paper. Looking about for something to do, shespied the cupboard. With a shrug of her shoulders, she ran over andflung open the door. She was famished for food, so she took all shewanted to eat and threw the rest out in the pool where the current sooncarried the bread and lighter edibles away, but the heavy particlessunk to the bottom. Finding nothing she could do to cause discomfort tothe other girls, she decided to take a walk along the road she had seenwhen she rested on the bridge. The sun was blazing down, so Nita took asun-shade she found in Miss Miller's tent and started on her lonesomeadventure. But she felt sure there must be some other estates near theBaker Farm, and perhaps she might meet some young folks--who knows!
Miss Miller, being an adept in the woods, reached the top of Old Baldysome time before the girls did. As she sat on the high brow of Baldyadmiring the wide view down the valley, she followed with her eyes theribbon of silvery water that wound from the Big Bridge, through thewoods, coming out in a great green meadow where many horses grazed. Ayellow roadway ran parallel to the stream where it issued from cover ofthe woods, and Miss Miller saw a tiny form--or it seemed tiny from thatdistance--carrying a purple parasol, and beside her stood an Englishdog-cart with a young man in it. Miss Miller wondered where she hadseen a purple sun-shade something like that one! She had not noticedparticularly the one Zan took from the house in case it would be neededsome time for Miss Miller's comfort.
The Guide then looked about her and found the mountaintop covered withlow bushes of berries. "Blue berries--so early!" exclaimed she, andbegan picking them while waiting for her charges' arrival.
One after another the girls came up their particular trail, withstories of what they had seen on the way. While waiting for Elena toappear, they lay in the short grass on the summit. Miss Miller hadfilled her butterfly box with berries and now sat down.
"The clouds over the valley seem to threaten a storm," said she,turning about to examine the sky overhead and behind her.
"I thought I heard a faint rumble a moment ago," added Hilda.
"Oh, no, you didn't," replied Zan. "That was a farm-wagon rumbling overthe Big Bridge."
"Where is the Big Bridge, Zan? We haven't seen it yet, have we?" askedJane. Thus the subject was turned from any reminder of the storm.
"No, it is down at the end of our property just where it connects withHamilton's place. The river is quite wide there, as several smallstreams flow into it after it leaves Bill's place."
"Girls, if we had a few more berries, I could make a berry pudding,"said Miss Miller.
"Then we'll pick some more," returned Elena, rolling over to rise toher feet.
As she did so she came directly under a berry bush and took hold ofit to assist herself in rising. A piercing scream frightened hercompanions speechless.
"Augh! A snake! I grabbed hold of a nasty old snake!" she yelled,shaking herself and trying to wipe the contaminated hand on the grassin a mad frenzy.
The others ran over to see the snake and Zan said, "He didn't bite, didhe?"
"Mercy no! Wasn't it bad enough to feel his body wriggle!" sputteredElena, nauseated at the remembrance of the touch.
"Don't think of it again! Quick, Elena, change your thought and thinkof something else!" came from Miss Miller, as she shook Elena suddenly,to make her take notice.
"Eh--what!" said Elena, wondering at the Guide's queer action, but atthe same time forgetting to be ill.
"Show me where it went! Hurry--quick! I want to catch it forobservation!" Miss Miller said, excitedly.
"That way--under the laurel! But mercy sakes, Miss Miller! Don't gonear the horrid thing!" cried Elena, now forgetting her nausea in heranxiety to keep the Guide from the snake.
Miss Miller ran over to the bush followed closely by Elena and theother girls. No sign of the snake could be seen as, of course, theGuide knew it would have slipped away long before.
She turned with a sigh of disappointment to find Elena as eager to seethe reptile again as the others were.
"Feeling quite right again, Elena?" asked Miss Miller, smiling at thegirl.
"Wh-y, ye-es! But ugh! It was slippery!" replied Elena.
"Then you forgot to use your 'ready help'! What an opportunity for youto have won a point in advance of the others. I was the only one whotook advantage of it, so I am ahead in this race," said Miss Miller.
"What do you mean?" asked Zan, puzzled.
"Wouldn't you have screamed and shaken it off, had a snake slid down onyour hand?" queried Elena, amazed.
"If I felt startled, I doubtless would, but I would also have applied'ready help' the moment I felt as ill over the incident as you seemedto be. As it was, not one of you appreciated the circumstances to help,so I had to step in."
"But, Miss Miller, you didn't do a thing!" exclaimed Jane.
"No? I made Elena, as well as all of you, think of something entirelyforeign to the snake. By rousing your interest in another object, youunconsciously overcame the nausea, and later, I gradually drew yourthoughts back to the very object that seemed to cause your illness,but in what a different frame of mind you examined the idea the secondtime. Well, girls, after all is said and done, it gets down to usingour 'thinking machine more' does it not?" laughed the Guide.
"I guess you're right again--you may go to the head of the class,"declared Zan.
"Do you know, girls, if I was President of this land I would have alaw made that would make it imperative for every man, woman, and childto _think_! First of all, to think of what God means to us. Second,to think of what life means. Third, what does brotherhood reallymean. Fourth, and all, inclusive, to think more of what can be doneto improve the child! The child who will be the future citizen--afather or mother of future generations! Oh, I tell you, it will take_thinking_ to lift the curse of the world, and then when one hasthought deeply, to put into execution the good things that came to onein deep thinking!"
The girls smiled at what they considered Miss Miller's hobby, but theyalso admired her vastly for such thoughts.
While the talk drifted into other channels, Jane and Elena sought forand found some beautiful butterflies which they placed carefully inthe boxes. As they turned to go back to their companions, Elena had aninspiration.
"Jane, you know it is Miss Miller's birthday the end of thismonth--what do
you say to our making her a lovely tray with some of ourbest butterflies?"
"Tray? How would you make it?" wondered Jane.
"Why, we can send in to one of the department stores and buy the woodenframe with the glass and back ready-made. By grouping grasses andbutterflies artistically on the cotton under the glass, and screwingthe back on again, we would have a beauty!"
"Sure! That'll be fine, Elena! And why can't we try for a _coup_ at thesame time?"
So the girls decided to write that night and send for the tray, keepingthe whole plan a secret from the others.
Just before the two hunters rejoined the others, a sudden peal ofthunder startled every one. Miss Miller looked at the sky withapprehension in her eyes.
"Dear me, it is black as ink over Baldy and those two girls haven'tcome back yet!" cried she.
"It's surely coming up fast--when a storm comes in that direction,it's generally a hummer, too!" said Zan.
The sun, which had been shining brilliantly, now was partially obscuredby the scudding clouds, and Miss Miller was about to shout for themissing girls when they appeared running through the bushes.
"We're too far from camp to make it in time, Miss Miller, and there'sno other shelter near, is there?" called Jane.
"Oh, yes! I forgot to tell you what I found on my trail here," repliedZan, hurriedly. "Bob and Fiji discovered a cave last summer but theywould never take me there. I tried to locate it but failed. On my waythrough the woods I accidentally found the great opening under the rockand stopped a moment to investigate. It will easily shelter every oneof us!"
"All right, Zan--lead on quickly!" ordered the Guide.
The woods became as dark as evening while the peals of thunder crasheddown and forks of lightning shot about the girls as they ran singlefile along the faint trail made by Zan.
"Dear me, Zan, I felt a drop! We will be deluged if you have muchfarther to take us!" cried Miss Miller.
"We're almost there--keep up your courage and win a _coup_!" laughedZan, trying to cheer the others.
Then after a few more turns in and about the giant trees, she cried,"Here it is--tickets, please! Have them ready!"
JANE AND ELENA COLLECTING BUTTERFLIES.
_The Woodcraft Girls at Camp._ _Page 160_]
It took but a minute for the others to fly after the leader into thedark interior of the cave. It was made by some huge rocks leaningagainst each other with tree-trunks to brace them from rolling downwhen the earth had been washed away from underneath. Situated in theside of the steep cleft of the ravine, with the opening toward thevalley, it proved an admirable refuge.
After every one had assured herself that there was no immediate dangerof the whole side crashing in upon them, Zan explained how the boysused to play Indians and camp out on fine nights. They had a fewplates and pans on a narrow ledge in the cave, and some hemlock greensfurnished a bed.
"How far from camp is the cave?" asked the Guide.
"Oh, about half a mile! We can follow down the ravine and get to ourcamp without trouble when it clears off," said Zan.
The rain swept down the mountain-side in torrents, while livid fireflashed in at the mouth of the cave accompanied by crash upon crash ofdeafening thunder. Miss Miller saw that a few of the girls were timidand looked fearfully about at the rock-ribbed walls of the cave to seeif they were still in place.
"Don't you girls love to hear thunder roll and crack forth like thesound of cannon?"
"You really don't mean that you _like_ thunder, Miss Miller?" gaspedElena.
"Why, yes, don't you? I think the privilege of watching lightning isone to be taken advantage of every time it is offered."
"But it is so dangerous! Suppose you were struck?"
"I know that the Great Spirit governs our destinies and I have no moreto fear from a streak of lightning, if I am sensible, than I would havefrom yonder tall pine," said the Guide.
"But that pine is dangerous, too, in a storm!" said Elena.
"Then let's say, for a figure of speech, my bathtub at home. That I amas safe out there as at home."
"Oh, well, that's different. Every one knows a bathtub is perfectlysafe, while lightning isn't," declared Jane.
"I see! Then it resolves itself into familiarity with the things you_know_ about--and the danger of lightning is in its elusiveness atbeing studied and not in its power?" laughed Miss Miller, pleased atthe way the girls walked in the trap.
"Mother always closes the doors and windows during a storm and won'tlet me sit on the porch, either. Why is that?" asked Elena, while theother girls forgot their fear in the interesting discussion under way.
"Some people say that a place might be struck unless tightly closed. Ihave even heard of folks that refused to have a lamp or light lightedduring a storm, for fear the lightning would follow the path of light.But that is sheer nonsense. The only thing that _might_ occur fromwide-opened doors and windows is the strong current of wind that wouldtear along the floor if the draft was strong enough. This might conductthe lightning, especially if the rain blew in with the wind, for wateris a great conductor of electricity. Sometimes, the clouds hang verylow and the dart might possibly follow the line of least resistance.The notion that it will follow in the pathway of a light, is on theface of it an absurdity, for electricity itself is so much brighterthan a pale shaft from a lamp or gas-jet can be, that it would neversee the latter. Then, too, it would be allowing electricity to haveintelligence to _see_ a pathway of light, and that would be paganism.All intelligence comes from God, the Spirit, and no current of force,or object of material sense can rob Spirit of its prerogative. When wesift out many fears we find them actually based on old superstitionsthat have in some way been handed down since the days before theChristian Era."
"Miss Miller, why is it that a barn is more often struck than a housein town?" asked Jane, after a short silence.
"I am glad you thought of that, because it is interesting. It is apositive fact that very few accidents by lightning are recorded inlarge towns or cities. Not because there are no tall buildings orspires for the bolt to follow, but for some unknown reason lightningdoes not touch thickly populated places but seeks out solitary objectsin the country, or on mountains and plains. Probably the farmersknow this and that is why almost every dwelling in the country has alightning-rod at the corners of the roof. Too, I have often thoughtthat the chemicals generated by the cattle that stand in a barn havemuch to do with attracting electricity. I have even compared cases andfind that a barn where the cows or horses are present, is struck and avacant barn that has not been in use for a time, is left intact."
"Maybe you can tell us why pine trees are struck when the othertrees are left without a mark? I have seen pine trees torn andsplintered--ten to one of other trees," said Zan.
"Generally, a pine tree grows up straight and tall above its fellowsabout it. A pine having rosin in its sap should prove a non-conductorfor the shaft, so I should say that the cause of its often being avictim to lightning must come from the fact that its spire pierces thelow-hanging clouds passing over it and thus letting the electricity outto follow the object that entered the proscribed place. The higher on amountain-side the pine grows, the oftener you will find one shattered.But I have noticed that other tall trees growing on high places, are asoften struck, if the pine is not as tall as the companion trees."
"Miss Miller, who thought of the lightning-rod?" asked Zan.
"Why, my dear, don't you know? I thought every grammar school childremembered our good old Benjamin Franklin for that! He it was whobrought it down into subjection for mortals to use. Before that time,people actually believed that God sent it for a warning. In these days,the man we call the Wizard of Electricity, Thomas Edison, has been ableto harness it for practical purposes to lighten labour and extend theluxuries of living to mankind."
"I suppose we will experiment some day, and find out that lightning isno more dangerous than the rain-drops," ventured Hilda.
"It doesn't appear t
o be imminent though!" laughed Jane.
"What makes lightning, Miss Miller?" asked Elena.
"It is caused by a sudden discharge of atmospheric electricity. Theidentity of lightning was discovered by our Benjamin Franklin inAmerica and Romas in France. There are several kinds of lightning,forked lightning being the dangerous kind. Heat lightning is seen inthe skies at night after an unusually hot day. Sheet lightning spreadsover a great surface and is of various colours. Chain lightning isswift, in long rippling lines looking like links of a chain. Globularlightning is a ball of fire and travels slower than the former kinds."
The girls were intensely interested in the teacher's explanations, butthe rain was ceasing and the thunder sounded farther off.
"Some day we will take up the subject of electricity and lookthoroughly into its claims. When you find out more about it you willlose much of your dread of it. The same plan might be adopted byElena and the snakes. The more she knows about reptiles the less shewill fear them, and the more interesting they become. You will lookupon them as the living creature formed by the Creator. Then, you willunconsciously extend to them the admiration due them for their variousways of doing good to the earth upon which they live."
"Ugg! Who could ever admire a snake! After the way that slippery thingfelt when I had a grip on it! I shall never want to hold one again,"said Elena, shuddering.
"That is why I mentioned it again. If you girls had ever studied thatform of life you would be surprised how beautiful and interestingsnakes are. Maybe we will find time to catch a few specimens and watchthem in captivity. I brought a splendid magnifying glass with me, andseveral pads for taking down notes. We can rig up a small shack andconstruct some furniture for it; it will be our scientific bureau whereall our insects and other interesting data can be prepared and kept."
"Your plan sounds awfully jolly, if you don't make us catch thesnakes!" said Elena.
"When it comes to providing the specimen we will take turns," repliedthe teacher.
The shower passed over as quickly as it had arisen, so the Band decidedto start for Camp. The ground had been very dry and the rain soaked inrapidly, leaving the surface comparatively dry.
"I wonder if Nita was frightened at the shower?" said Zan, as theyfollowed her down the trail.
"I'd rather have had company on that Bluff--but it is her own fault,"said Hilda.
"Oh, girls, see the rainbow--isn't it a beauty!" exclaimed Miss Millerat this point.
The girls all stopped and admired the wonderful hues in the bow andJane asked, "What makes a rainbow, Miss Miller?"
"Look, girls! There's another one--right near the other!" cried Zan,pointing.
"There usually are two, according to the brilliancy with which the sunreflects upon the opposite clouds when they are resolved into rain.Look at those two carefully! See the lower one is brighter than thesecond one. Also look quickly before it fades and see that the coloursare reversed in their order; and in one, red is the highest colour,while violet is strongest in the second."
The girls stood straining their eyes to see things they had not thoughtof before. Miss Miller waited a moment to give them time to verify herstatements, then she said, "Every rainbow has seven arcs presenting theseven colours of the solar spectrum. Sometimes the moon will producerainbows but they are of very pale colouring. I could tell you allabout the degrees and rays that go to elucidate facts about a rainbow,but you would only be in a maze when I was through, so I will tell youthe simple fact of causation, then some other time we might go intothe subject from a scientific basis.
"A rainbow is produced by the decomposition of the white light of thesun when it passes into the rain-drops, then reflecting from theirinside face; or when solar light passes into drops of water under acertain angle.
"When we are placed at a certain angle on the earth, we look up at thespot where the rainbow is said to be, and the sun shining oppositeit produces on the retina the sensation of colours. You never see arainbow at high noon, yet the rays of the sun are intense enough. Butthere is no reflection at noon, upon clouds that you can see. There maybe a rainbow at that time somewhere in the clouds, but _you_ can't seeit.
"The geysers in the National Park out West produce the same phenomenon,but in not such brilliant colourings. Sometimes, a double rainbowappears over Niagara Falls, and on almost any clear day you can see onelarge rainbow."
The girls listened to the interesting explanation while following theGuide down through the ravine. As they neared the Bluff, the sun beganshining again in unclouded brightness, and only the drops of water onleaves and rocks told one of the shower.
Arrived at camp, everything was found to be in good condition, thetents having shed water beautifully; the Guide's selection of siteproved wise inasmuch as the rain drained away from all sides of thespot where the tents stood.
Zan ran to her tent to see if Nita was sleeping. But no one was there.She came out again and looked at Miss Miller in astonishment. The Guideexpected to hear that Nita had gone to bed to hide her ears from thethunder, and was surprised when Zan told her that Nita was not to beseen.
"She took refuge with Sherwoods' when the first peal of thundersounded," said Miss Miller.
"I'll run down and let her know we are back. If she wishes to joinus, all right, but I won't coax her to," whispered Zan, and the Guidenodded her approval.
But Zan came back alone after a long interval. She expressed concern inher face when Miss Miller asked about Nita.
"Mrs. Sherwood said she saw one of the girls coming down her foot-pathwith my mother's purple sun-shade. She was surprised and watched her goalong the road that leads to the Big Bridge."
"There, now! That is where I saw that purple parasol! I sat on top ofBaldy while waiting for you girls and as I looked at the valley view Ispied a tiny form walking along the road with a dash of purple over herhead. I sat wondering where I had seen a purple sun-shade--it seemedquite recently. But now I remember you carried one from the house whenyou brought some of the luxuries," said Miss Miller.
"How far is the Big Bridge, Zan?" asked Jane.
"Let's walk down there and meet Nita," suggested Hilda.
"Oh, the Big Bridge is at the extreme end of the farm and dividesHamilton's stock-farm from ours. If Nita walked as far as that, shewould naturally seek shelter at Hamilton's. And Mr. Hamilton would sendher here in a machine, or let one of his hostlers drive her back. Nitawouldn't walk back--it's too far for her," said Zan.
"Well, then, as the afternoon is far spent, what do you girls say toour daily swim? We can't start a lesson on gardening to-day, and Idon't believe that any of us want to sew until we are satiated withfarm-life and country sights," ventured the Guide.
"We'll all vote for a swim--the rain has swollen the creek so that theFalls will make lots of fun for us in the pool," cried Zan, delightedly.
"That's so! I never thought of that!" exclaimed Hilda.
"Hurry up, get undressed!" ordered Zan.
"Will the pool be perfectly safe if it is deeper?" Elena asked timidly.
"Safe as ever--nothing is safe unless you master it!" added MissMiller, going to her tent to don her bathing-suit.
"We never thought to write for bathing-suits! We'll have to wear ourunion suits again," called Zan, as she entered her tent.
"I remembered while I was cooking supper last night and I intendeddrawing your attention to the matter again without directly remindingyou, but Nita's actions caused the subject to fade away. This morning Irecalled it again while I was washing, then I forgot again," admittedthe Guide.
"I'll just hang a note on my tent-flap--then I'll sure remember towrite when I get in," declared Zan.
The bath that day was enjoyed by all, and Elena almost overcame hertimidity of the water. Hilda found she would float naturally if sherelaxed the tension of her fear thought and let herself go in thewater. It was a fine sensation--finding the water would buoy her uponits face.
After the girls had dressed and Miss Miller planned fo
r supper, theywondered where Nita could be! She should have been back if Hamilton'sexpected to drive her over.
"Zan, if these neighbours have a telephone, can you go to Bill's houseand 'phone?" asked Miss Miller, unwilling to admit that she was worriedover the girl's absence.
"Bill's wire doesn't connect with anything but our house, but I willrun there and get Hamilton's and find out where Nita is," said Zan,jumping up.
"Jane will go with you for company's sake," said Miss Miller.
Evidently, the information Zan heard on the telephone was of a mostuncomfortable kind, for she hurried back to the Bluff without speakingof it to Jane, who was supposed to be with her for company's sake.
"Miss Miller, please come over here a moment!" said Zan. Her voicedenoted concentrated anger and annoyance.
The other girls plied Jane with questions, but she could say nothing,as Zan had not confided in her.
"Miss Miller, Mr. Hamilton himself answered the call, and I told himwho I was and what we were doing down here.
"He said he was glad we were down; Daddy wrote him about our camp, andsaid he was to drop in now and then and see if we needed anything hecould supply.
"I told him no, that we were doing fine, but that one of our girls musthave lost herself--was she at his house?
"He didn't speak at once, then he said, 'Did she have a purple parasollike your mother's last summer?'
"'Yes, yes, that's Nita!' I cried. 'Can you bring her over--she isn'taccustomed to walking very much?' And, Miss Miller, what do you thinkhe told me?"
Zan was so angry that she almost cried as she spoke.
The Guide soothed her wisely, and said, "Go on, Zan, I am most anxiousto hear the rest."
"Mr. Hamilton drove to the next town's freight station to-day to getsome dog crates and he says he passed a young fellow on the road whosat in a dog-cart leaning over the side talking to a girl with apurple parasol. He says the fellow is a Military School cadet, of aboutsixteen, who spends his summers at his grandmother's summer place,several miles farther on from the Hamilton place. Mr. Hamilton did notwait to see what the two finally did, but he did not see either of themon his drive back from town."
Miss Miller was stunned. She stood perfectly still for a time, thensaid, "Zan, have you ever known Nita to show any preference for boys'company?"
"Oh, yes. And, Miss Miller, she often said to me, what a lucky girlJane was to have a chance to see so many nice fellows! Then, when shecomes to my house, she always acts so silly when Fiji is about. He getssimply disgusted with her ninny airs and foolish things she does toattract his attention!"
"Humph! I see!" murmured the Guide, but she did not explain to Zan whatit was she saw.
The two rejoined the girls and supper preparations continued insilence. Miss Miller had almost decided to send out an alarm by Mr.Hamilton when she saw Nita coming up the slope.
"Oh, hello, girls! Anybody get wet?" called she, as she came nearenough to be heard.
Although the three other girls knew nothing of Nita's escapade, they_felt_ that she had misbehaved in some way.
"Nita, can you explain satisfactorily where you have been all thistime--and not have been caught in the rain?" asked the Guide, sternly.
"Oh, I had a nice time! Better than if I had gone mountain-climbing, Iguess. I'm quite old enough to take care of myself, and, you see, I amsafe and sound!" laughed she, with a hint of confusion.
"I see more than you give me credit for! You will get a pencil and padat once and write to your mother, exactly where you went and what youdid this afternoon."
"What difference will it make to mother? She isn't down here to takecare of me?" replied Nita, impudently.
"Because she is your guardian by law and she must hear what you have tosay," said Miss Miller.
"But she placed me in your care!" exulted Nita, triumphantly.
"Very well then, come with me and I will hear you--later I will seewhat is to be done," came unexpectedly from the Guide.
Nita frowned, but having trapped herself, she could not retreat bysaying that Miss Miller had no right to question her.
At first the stubborn girl would not speak a word, so Miss Miller wentover to her trunk and began unlocking it.
When she found that she must confess or go home, she told, little bylittle, about the afternoon's experience.
Finally, Miss Miller heard all she needed to know. Nita had walkedalong the road past Hamilton's place until a young man in a finedog-cart came by. He mistook her for a dear friend in the city andstopped to invite her for a ride. When Nita explained that she was notthe friend, he was very charming indeed, and wanted to drive her backto the camp. She demurred at first, but the shower threatened and hesaid she must get in and permit him to take her to his house which wasnearby, until the rain was over. The house was much farther than Nitadreamed, and they just got under shelter of the wagon-shed in time. Shedid not go to the house, as the downpour prevented them. As soon as theshower was over they started back, but Mr. Everton lost the way andtook the wrong turn. That was what delayed them so long.
"Nita, you will write and tell your mother everything you told me justnow, and anything you have forgotten to say. Will you allow me to readthe letter before you close it, please, as it must be plainly explainedto her. If she wishes you to come home, all right; but if you remainhere, it will be on a very different basis than heretofore. If you donot write, I will, and I will not interpret your act as kindly as youmay do for yourself!"
Nita began crying, and begged Miss Miller not to send her home. Shewanted to stay at camp. Her mother and father were dreadfully strictwith her and she would have a wretched summer in the city if she wenthome.
"Then I should think you would take the same interest in camp as theothers do--if you are sincere in wishing to remain. You have shirkedevery given task and made things very unpleasant for all of us, sincewe came to camp," said the Guide.
"Well, please, do not send me back and don't write! I'll explaineverything to mother!"
"Sit down and begin. I will have to attend to supper and will look overthe letter afterward."
Miss Miller returned to the fire where the girls were busy concoctingsome food that Hilda and Zan said they could cook. As the Guide joinedthem, Hilda laughed and said, "I think I'll resign in favour of someone who can bring something appetizing out of this mess!"
Nita took the pad and pencil from her folio and sat down on a stonejust outside of her tent. "Just as I begin having a lovely time withJack Everton! I wonder if that mean old snoop thinks I will let motherknow about my beau! I'll write _two_ letters: one she'll read andapprove for me to mail, and the other I'll hide until she gives me backthe first. Then I'll slip the real one in an envelope and tear up theother! Mother'll answer and say everything is all right; that she'sglad I'm here, and that she don't want me to come home!"
Nita chewed the end of the pen for a few moments, planning a letterthat would bring back a desirable reply from her mother. The epistlewritten, she began the second letter which was to be approved by MissMiller, but the call for supper came before she had half finishedwriting it.
Nita went over to the group about to sit down and took her placewithout a word of apology for not having assisted in the preparation ofthe supper.
The silent prayer period was filled with grateful hearts communing withthe Great Spirit, but Nita sat and looked sneeringly at one and theother of her companions. Not that Nita was irreligious, or that shescorned to pray, but she was in a mood that would have refused to obeyin anything, no matter how divine.
Immediately after the meal, Nita returned to her letter and Miss Millerjoined her later. When the writing was concluded the Guide read whathad been written and was delighted to find that Nita had confessedfully the mistake of the afternoon. Miss Miller folded the letter andturned to address Nita more kindly.
Nita was scowling and, at the Guide's words, flounced into the tent."Hateful spy! What right has she to send that letter?" muttered thegirl.
Miss Miller stood silently pondering the sudden change in Nita. Then,having had wide experience with girls at just this critical age, shenodded her head comprehendingly, and went inside.
"Nita, do you object to my mailing this letter now?"
Nita refused to reply, but buried her face in the pillow.
"I was wondering if you had any reason for mailing it yourself. If youhave, I will leave it here."
Nita was trying to figure out whether the teacher heard her mutter ornot. Then, realising that she must pretend to be penitent, she said, "Idon't care, Miss Miller, one way or the other! Only, a girl doesn'tlike to feel that she isn't trusted to send her letter to her ownmother!"
"Very well, then, I'll leave it on your trunk and you can attend toit!" replied Miss Miller, leaving it and going out.
It was the work of a minute for Nita to tear the letter into small bitsand then insert the one she had first written. This done, the envelopewas addressed and stamped.
Long after the girls had gone to bed and were asleep that night, MissMiller sat by her little stand and wrote a long letter to Dr. Baker,telling him all about their camp-life and the various things the girlshad already accomplished. Then she mentioned the episode of Nita'safternoon and asked what he would advise her doing in the matter. Shealso said that Nita had sent a letter to her mother and naturally, she(Miss Miller) would await a reply before taking further steps.
This letter was carried down to Bill's early in the morning before thegirls arose, and Bill promised to place it in the mail-box with oneElena had given him for the postman.
Miss Miller heaved a deep sigh as she returned to the Bluff, for shewas a conscientious Guide and felt her responsibility to the fivegirls. She also made all allowances for Nita, and realised that thepresent environment was just the right antidote for her advanced idealsof company and pleasure.
The Woodcraft Girls at Camp Page 8
