Part 3

But another little girl had gone to the dog's rescue. Sheila Quinn, walking homeward from school, had seen the accident. She had run out into the street and had gathered the dog into her arms. When Pat and Renee had reached the spot she had laid Mr. Dog upon the grass and was examining him.

"Is he dead?" cried Pat and Renee in one voice.

"Oh, no! See him try to lick my hand! He knows we want to help him! I guess he's more scared than hurt! Here, it is his leg. See, it is broken."

"How can you tell?" asked Pat, filled with admiration at the quick careful way Sheila had examined their patient.

"Run your hand gently over his body; see, it doesn't hurt him! But look at his leg--how it hangs! And watch him, he'll wince if I just move as though to touch it! We won't hurt you, doggie dear, just keep quiet and we'll fix you up all nice."

"What will we do?" asked Pat anxiously.

"We must put it in a splint and bandage it," promptly answered Sheila, looking around her as though to find the necessary things.

"I know--I know! There's the white stuff Aunt Pen got at the Red Cross, we can use that! She forgot it--it's in the car."

"That will be just the thing!"

"Get it, Renee! And here are some sticks--won't they do for splints?" asked Patricia eagerly.

"It ought to be something firmer, at least until the bone is set." Sheila was straightening out the poor little leg with so gentle a touch that the dog only whimpered. "If you'd let me use your scarf we could make a sort of pillow----"

For answer Pat snatched the woolen scarf from her shoulders. Sheila, rolled it tightly into a firm pillow. Renee had returned with Aunt Pen's package and she and Patricia commenced tearing it into strips. Their fingers, eager though they were, made awkward work of it.

"Let _me_ do it! You hold his leg," exclaimed Sheila. She tore off strips two inches wide. Then she neatly covered the woolen scarf with a wider piece. Renee and Pat, deeply concerned, leaned over the dog and watched. Pat held the injured leg and Renee gently stroked the dog's head.

"Isn't he a darling?" cried Pat. "I just _hate_ Watkins for hurting him!"

"It wasn't Watkin's fault--he might have saved the dog and had a serious accident and hurt--you girls! The dog ran out in front of the car! This will be a lesson to him."

The splint ready Sheila gently placed it under the dog's leg and instructed Pat how to hold it in place. She wound the bandage around and around, careful to avoid the break, but firmly, so as to hold the splint securely in place. Then she straightened up from her kneeling position with a long breath.

"There, now--that will do nicely, until someone can set it!"

"I think you're wonderful--the way you can do things!" cried Pat, always generous in her praise. "Where did you ever learn? And oh, I forgot, we don't know your name and we'd like to----"

The three girls, grouped about the injured dog who lay very contentedly with his head pillowed on Renee's lap, presented striking contrasts. Pat, like a picture in a fashion book in her trim green broadcloth coat and turban set jauntily on her smooth dark hair, had a frankness and sunniness in her face that was invariably winning despite a slight imperiousness of manner; Renee, small for her thirteen years, her delicate face, framed in golden curls, touched by the shadow of the sorrows she had known, seemed like a fragile flower. And Sheila Quinn, a head taller than even Pat, her black hair neatly braided in two tight pigtails reaching almost to her waist, her face and form showing the vigor gained from healthy exercise and simple living, had something both of Patricia's winsomeness, Renee's quiet poise and a happy contentment all of her own which came from the Quinn philosophy of "just make the best of everything, sweetness, there's sure to be some sunshine somewhere!"

Sheila laughed. "Which question shall I answer first? I'm Sheila Quinn! I know you are Patricia Everett, but----" she hesitated as she glanced toward Renee. Patricia added:

"This is Renee LaDue who has come way from France to live with us!"

"Oh, how nice!" Sheila glanced with friendly curiosity up and down the little figure. "And I learned bandaging and all that at the scout meetings. I was highest in my first-aid test," she concluded proudly.

"Scouts----" queried Pat.

"Girl Scouts," explained Sheila. "I belong to Troop Six and it's the best troop in the city!"

"Les Eclaireuses!" cried Renee. "There were some in the School of St. Cloud. I loved them--they used to bring the soldier's coats and socks to Susette for us to mend! They were like little girl soldiers."

Again Patricia felt small and insignificant before the greater experience of Renee and now, Sheila! But her nature was too sunny to show the moment's sting of pride. Besides, she was immensely curious.

"What do you have to do to be a Girl Scout?"

"Why, just want to join! I mean just want to be all that a scout must be and then put in your name. I wish you'd join Troop Six--it's the best and everyone just loves Captain Ricky--she's the scout captain."

"What do you have to want to want to be a scout?" asked Pat.

Sheila squared her shoulders. "This is what you have to want," and she repeated with dignity, for she was leader of her patrol and felt the responsibility of her position, "to do my duty to God and my country, to help other people at all times, to obey the scout law. There are lots of laws but they're the kind you just _like_ to obey. Captain Ricky says the real meaning of scouting for girls like us is service to God and our country; that it helps each one of us to build strong characters that anyone can depend upon! And when girls are scouts why, we don't stop to think that one, maybe, is rich and another poor and one's black and one's white or one's a Jew and one's a--a Baptist--we're just all scouts and loyal! Oh, I love it!"

"Renee, _let's_ be scouts!" cried Pat. "Let's tell Daddy we want to join Troop Six--it's the best in the city!"

Mr. Dog, his patience exhausted, had commenced to stir restlessly and lick his bandaged leg. The three girls exclaimed in dismay:

"We've forgotten the dog!"

"What shall we do with him?"

"I'd better take him home. I am sure my mother can set his leg and then we'll put it in a stronger splint," said Sheila.

Pat and Renee could not dispute Sheila's claim to the interesting patient.

"Then we'll come over to-morrow to see him. I think he's a nice dog because he looks just like Miss Prindle's General who has all kinds of prizes, only dirty!" Patricia motioned to Watkins who, resigned to waiting, had become more concerned in the afternoon newspaper than in the fate of the dog.

He looked a little angry now when Pat explained that they intended to carry the dog in the automobile to the Quinn home, but there was something in Pat's face that stilled the protest on his lips.

Pat exclaimed with delight when she found that Sheila lived in the old brick house whose windows were in sight of her own. With Renee and now Sheila, the world that had seemed only the day before to be so lonely, now seemed full of friends. Sheila did not tell Pat that she had often watched her come and go from the house that was so like a palace compared to her own. Sheila knew that there had been just a little envy in her heart at times and she was ashamed of it. For, after all, not for worlds would she exchange her dearest mother and the three small brothers for the wealth of the Everetts!

"Let's have lots of good times together," Pat called in parting, "and we'll come over first thing to-morrow to see the dog!"

So much had Pat and Renee to tell of their day that Mr. Everett quite forgot an after-dinner engagement he had made with a business acquaintance. All four of them, Aunt Pen and Daddy, Pat and Renee sat before the fire. Pat, with a diplomacy not suspected by her innocent family, led up very carefully to what she wanted "more than anything else in the world!" That was always the way she put it. She used the very words now as she told of Troop Six--the best in the whole city!

"Bless Pat!" cried her father, using Melodia's favorite expression, "_I_ can't keep up with you! Yesterday it was one thing and to-day it's another, and it's always what you want more than anything else in the world!"

"Yes, Daddy--_this_ is!"

"A Girl Scout----" he glanced over the children's heads at Penelope and his brows lifted as much as to say, "Well, this is _your_ garden--what have you to say?"

Aunt Pen answered his look.

"Do you know, Thomas, I think it's just the thing! It will bring the girls in touch with joys and responsibilities they've not known before!"

"It makes us build up--oh, something about character!" In her excitement Pat could not remember Sheila's grand words. "Renee says that in Paris they are like girl soldiers. And Sheila says we'll love the girls in the troop; there's Keineth Randolph and Peggy Lee and True Scott and a lot of others----"

"I know Mrs. Lee, and if Peggy is like her mother she is a fine girl," added Aunt Pen.

"Keineth is John Randolph's girl," put in Pat's father.

"Then we may?" Pat asked anxiously.

"You may," laughingly answered Mr. Everett and Aunt Pen in one voice, covering their ears that they might not be deafened by Pat's boisterous "hurrah!"

Upstairs Pat chattered on, although Renee's eyes were almost shut with sleep. They opened their beds and each laid out her nightgown and slippers.

"You know I'm glad Maggie's downstairs now--we ought to take care of things ourselves; we'll _have_ to, if we make good scouts! Oh, good gracious!" Pat whirled a stocking in midair. "We'll have to try exams and I'm always scared to death. But you'll help me, won't you, Renee?"

And little Renee, her heart overflowing with gratitude, glad to do the smallest service within her power, answered heartily, though sleepily, "'Deed I will!"

*CHAPTER VI*

*EAGLES AND GOLDEN EAGLETS*

"A bun fell on my kitten, She died where she was sittin'----"

sang Sheila, holding up for inspection the blouse she had just finished ironing.

The front doorbell rang, its rusty tone resounding through the house.

"Goodness gracious," exclaimed Mrs. Quinn, smoothing out her apron. Few came to the sombre front door of the old house; somehow instinct seemed always to lead visitors along the flagged walk to the door leading into the cheery kitchen.

Sheila, flying to the door, had guessed in an instant who the callers were! She led Pat and Renee back through the long hall and the injured dog, comfortably established in a basket near the stove, set up a vigorous barking by way of welcome.

"He's all right, or will be as soon as the break mends, mother says! This is my mother, Pat," and Patricia turned from the dog to Mrs. Quinn, who greeted the girls with her cheery smile.

"The children would have him here and I guess the poor dog is glad enough to find a home," she explained, nodding toward the basket which the younger Quinns, with scraps of old carpeting, had made most comfortable.

"Mother says he's an Irish terrier, so let's call him Paddy!" And Paddy, as though he liked and accepted the name, barked and wagged his stump of a tail and tried to jump out of his basket.

With little effort to conceal their curiosity Patricia and Renee were staring about them. Patricia had never seen a kitchen like this before! She could not tell just what made it so different--it might be the neat rows of pretty china dishes on the shelves of the open cupboard, or the shiny tins and pots and pans in the stove corner, or the bright rag rugs on the spotless floor, or the gay patterned cloth across the table at the window, or the blooming plants on the sills framed by crisply ruffled muslin curtains! And Mrs. Quinn, a pink bow at her neck brightening her faded dress and heightening the color of her thin cheeks, looked as though she belonged there with the geraniums and the bright rugs and the spotless dishes! Patricia was thinking that it was just the sort of a room one felt like staying in--and anyone could feel sure that--if there was any sunshine anywhere--it would be slanting across that floor.

Renee was standing with her hands quaintly clasped.

"It is like home," she cried. She caught sight of a little wooden stool and exclaimed: "Oh--like Susette's!"

Sheila had told Mrs. Quinn that Renee had come way from France. The motherly woman now drew the child to her and let her tell of Susette and the cheery kitchen at St. Cloud so that the tiny shadow of homesickness might pass from her heart.

Patricia was joyously announcing that her Daddy and Aunt Pen had said they might join Troop-Six!

"And I saw Captain Ricky and she told me to bring you girls to-day! Scout meeting is at three o'clock at Lincoln School," Sheila added.

"Renee--do you hear that? Goodness, I'm scared! What do we have to do first?"

"Form in patrols for inspection. I hope you can come into the Eagle Patrol with Keineth Randolph and Peggy Lee and myself!"

Patricia had innumerable questions to ask. She and Renee sat upon the floor, one on each side of Paddy's basket which had been drawn out into the middle of the room. Sheila resumed her ironing, explaining that it must be done before she could do anything else. Mrs. Quinn commenced a vigorous beating and stirring that promised goodies of some kind, joining now and then in the merry chatter. This was the beginning of many such pleasant hours in the kitchen of the old brick house!

As the girls were going home Patricia said suddenly to Renee, speaking out of a moment of deep thought: "What was it made it so jolly--there? I believe it was the piano! Who'd ever think of having a piano in the kitchen?"

"No!" declared Renee. "It was the rocking chair and the piece-work cushions and the stool!"

At the scout meeting Renee, unused to large groups of children, felt a wave of shyness grip her. She was grateful for Pat's vivacity--no one would notice how quiet she was! At first there seemed to be a great many girls and as though they were all talking at once, but soon she made out through Sheila's rather offhand introductions that the girl with the nice eyes and jolly smile was Peggy Lee, that the smaller one with the golden hair was Keineth Randolph and that these two with the three girls standing near Pat made up the Eagle patrol.

Capt. Ricky, who was really Miss Fredericka Grimball, only no one ever called her anything but Capt. Ricky, greeted warmly the new recruits. She was a tall young woman, her fine face made beautiful by beauty of character rather than feature and with a personality that won her girls' liking and at the same time their respect.

She whispered to Sheila that she would place Pat and Renee in the Eagle Patrol! A shout went up in answer which was quieted by Capt. Ricky's whistle and her command to "fall in!"

Pat felt delightfully like a soldier as she drew up her slender five feet of body between Renee and True Scott. But she was an absurdly awkward soldier as she obeyed the commands and her pride met a sad fall when upon inspection she had to hold out ink-stained fingers!

After a brief drill the Captain gave the command to the Color Guard to form. From the ranks three girls stepped forward and with military precision brought from its place at one end of the room the Troop flag. Every scout's hand went instantly to the forehead in salute! Together they repeated:

"I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the country for which it stands; One nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!"

Renee could not follow their words, but in a clear, sweet voice she sang with them the "Star Spangled Banner," and as the words rang out, "Then conquer we must when our cause it is just," there was an added brightness in her eyes, for she had come closer than the others to "war's desolation."

In Sheila's kitchen the girls had studied the scout laws; they repeated them now, carefully. To Pat, whose life so far had had few "laws" or "rules" of any kind, they seemed to mean more, now, as she repeated them in chorus, and she wondered deep within her heart if she could really keep them all! But just at that moment she caught a glance and a smile from Capt. Ricky that put courage in her heart where the faintness had been! It would be well worth trying!

A business meeting followed. The business on hand to be discussed ranged in character from reports on "war savings," "thrift kitchen work," "city beautiful plans," a "back-to-school" campaign, knitting and sewing, to a noisy argument over a coming hike. The girls all tried to talk at once, and but for Capt. Ricky's whistle might have succeeded; nevertheless, out of the jumble of words Pat and Renee caught the impression that these merry girls were really doing a great deal of earnest work as well as play! In these khaki clad youngsters strong characters were in the building, "that anyone could depend upon" as Sheila had put it!

"Sheila, I know something un-us-u-al is going to happen!" whispered Peggy Lee, leaning across Pat and Renee. The Eagle patrol had grouped together, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "When Capt. Ricky looks like that she's got some grand surprise----"

"Maybe it's an overnight hike! We take our ponchos and blankets and dog-tents and sleep outdoors!"

"It's too cold for that now, Ken! Perhaps it's a real party like the one we had last spring!"

But none of them had guessed right! Capt. Ricky had a surprise for them but it was even better than the overnight hike or the "real party!"

When the business of the meeting was over she stepped before them, her hands clasped behind her back in a most mysterious manner. She began:

"Scouts, I have been given a great privilege--and you shall all share it with me! An honor has come to Troop Six!" She had to wait, then, for a moment; loud cheers interrupted her! She did not seem in the least disturbed. "But like all the honors that have come to Troop Six this has been won through merit, earnest effort and hard work. We may well be proud of her who has brought us this honor; we can all follow her example and seek the standard she has attained! We can hail her as a leader among us! Sheila Quinn, please step forward!"

A ripple of "oh-h-h" ran through the girls! Sheila's face turned crimson. Peggy and Keineth excitedly pushed her forward.

Capt. Ricky's left hand clasped Sheila's and with her right she held up a glittering badge.

"Sheila, it is my happy privilege, upon the recommendation of the National Commissioner, to award to you the Golden Eaglet, the highest honor that can be won by a Girl Scout!"

A din of cheering drowned out anything more that Capt. Ricky might have wanted to say. Peggy and True Scott were capering about like jumping-jacks. There were shouts of "What's the matter with Sheila! She's all right," "Three cheers for Troop Six," "Now a tiger for the Eagle Patrol," and through it all Capt. Ricky stood smiling, clasping Sheila's hand, and Sheila, the color of a red poppy, looked wildly about as though seeking some corner that might swallow her up.

Someone called "speech"; Peggy took it up, then it came from every corner! Capt. Ricky nodded to Sheila. Sheila swallowed hard to clear her voice of the tight band that seemed to choke it.

"I'm awfully glad I won--just for the sake of the Troop! It was hard work at first but afterwards one thing helped another. I hope you'll all be Golden Eaglets and I'll help anyone that wants to work for it and--Oh, I can't say another word!" and poor Sheila made a dash for the corner where the Eagle patrol awaited her with eager arms.

There were "eats," then, for it was of course a great occasion, and Peggy insisted that Sheila must eat six of the raisin cookies that were served. Pat, feeling now as though she had always belonged to Troop Six, asked, humbly, "if plain Eagles might not have just five?" and helped herself as she spoke!

The girls walked home together, a merry troop! Peggy Lee and Keineth Randolph turned after a few blocks; as Pat, Renee and Sheila went on Pat slipped her hand through Sheila's arm.

She had been deeply impressed by Sheila's modesty of manner. She was certain if she had been awarded such high honor she would have strutted like a peacock!

"Doesn't it feel grand to be a Golden Eaglet?" she asked Sheila solemnly.

Sheila hesitated. "I--don't--know! It makes me sort of--scared! I must live up to it, you see, and sometimes--it's awfully hard!"

For a few paces the girls walked along in silence. Serious thoughts had crossed each mind. An honor won was not enough--it must be lived up to!

Pat, who could not be still for very long, was the first to break the silence. She gave a merry chuckle.

"Well, I guess Pat Everett has a long way to go before she can be a Golden Eaglet! I've got to learn to be just a good scout first and you can believe that the next time I go to a scout meeting--I'll wash my hands before I go!"

*CHAPTER VII*

*AUNT PEN PLANS*

The Everett family was holding a "pow-wow." That was what Pat called the after-dinner hour when they gathered about the library fire. Renee thought it quite the jolliest time of the day; almost always Mr. Everett had so many funny or exciting things to tell and he and Aunt Pen never shut the girls out of their conversation; when sometimes their talk became serious and of problems which the girls could not understand, then either Mr. Everett or Aunt Pen carefully explained. And in turn Aunt Pen and Pat's father would listen with deep interest to the girls' account of their day.

"It's not nearly as jolly when Celia's home," Pat had confided to Renee, "'cause she always talks and won't pay any attention to me!" Although Aunt Pen, overhearing her, had laughed and said, with a world of meaning: "Poor chatterbox!"

Letters had come from the south that day. They read them over now as they sat in the "pow-wow." In her letter to Pat's father Mrs. Everett had told him how glad she was they had taken Renee and how eagerly she looked forward to knowing the little girl! As Mr. Everett read this Pat squeezed Renee's hand and Aunt Pen patted the fair head. To Pat her mother had enclosed a little note.

* * * Be a dear good child and help your Aunt Pen by doing whatever she wishes you to do. Keep your father from being lonely without us, and remember that sometimes he is very tired when he comes home at night and likes to have some one read to him! And be very considerate of the little stranger you have taken into your circle. * * *

"Mother needn't worry! I'll just like to do all of those three things, you'll see!" cried Pat, folding her precious note and tucking it away in her pocket.

But Aunt Pen's letter was the one that claimed their deep attention!

* * * If everything goes along all right at home--and I know it will with you there, dear Pen--we may stay until spring. We are very comfortable, the hotel is quiet and the food is good. Celia seems brighter and is quite contented. Chauncey is out of danger, too, and in a short time we may go to the hospital and see him. * * * It was very hard for me to make up my mind to leave home just now, but I could not hesitate when I knew that it was for Celia's good. And you, dear girl, made it easier for me by taking my place. * * * I am worried about Pat's school. I really don't think she ought to go back to Miss Prindle's at all--there is so much sickness everywhere, and I simply cannot stand any more worry. I think I'd rather she stayed right at home. But she ought to have some work--dear Pen, please plan this out for me! I feel so helpless way down here! I will leave it all to you, knowing that whatever you do will be for Pat's good. * * *

"Read that last again," broke in Pat's father with a twinkle in his eyes. Pat was looking rather anxiously at Aunt Pen.