CHAPTER XXII

PEG OF TAMARACK HILLS

The evening was cool and daylight lingered. True to her promise, Peg with Aunt Carrie came again to visit Camp Comalong.

"I have the fire all ready to start," announced Julia, "but it is too early yet. Girls, do you realize I have been official fireman all summer?"

"But you wouldn't allow us to interfere, wanted to be fireman, engineer and all that," said Cleo.

"Yes, you claimed we would waste matches," chimed in Corene.

"Do you notice we are all in uniform to-night?" said Louise. "Peg, yours is almost like ours."

"Yes, I have worn a Scout uniform, since--Girls," she said suddenly. "I never told you, but I am a Scout myself!"

"You are?" in chorus.

"Yes. I joined in Pittsburg. But when I found myself sort of buried in this mineral work it would be useless for me to talk or even think of Scouting. That was why I didn't mention it."

"And I wanted the child, so much, to go in for all your lovely times," murmured Miss Ramsdell. "But there was no use. She would stick to her work."

"And just think, after all, I never found the clue I searched for!" Peg's face now looked more boyish than ever, for it took on that seriously determined look usually foreign to the feminine.

"What was it?" asked Louise.

"Wait, I'll get my box and show you," offered Peg; and Cleo went to the "safe" with her to get out the square japanned box. They returned to the council almost immediately. Then Peg took from the box a number of stones.

"See," she said to her audience, "you asked me what zinc looked like. Here are some pieces."

The Scouts examined the specimens and passed them from one to another.

"And are they found around here?" asked Miss Mackin.

"Yes; dad found some and I found others. That is what I have been searching for with my little hand-drill. Don't you remember you saw me on the big rock the day of your picnic?" asked Peg.

"Yes, we thought you were digging gold," joked Corene. "But I suppose zinc is quite as valuable."

"Indeed, it is, if we could only find the lost vein," went on Peg. "The men you have seen prowling around here are hired by Mr. Fairbanks. But if they had discovered the ore on daddy's claim I should have fought them for it," declared the plucky girl, emphatically.

She was taking out from the box stone after stone.

"See this," she said, holding up a flat, gray piece. "This is the clue. See those marks?"

Instantly the same thought flashed through the minds of the Scouts.

The Star Clue!

"We found pieces like that!" gasped Cleo.

"You--found them!"

"Yes, up by the big rock!" Every word spoken now seemed electrically charged. It was Grace who said this.

"Wait! Wait!" begged Corene. "I'll get ours," and she dashed into the tent to drag from the "safe" the Scout's own treasures. Then she laid the granite pieces on Peg's lap.

"Oh!" almost screamed the girl. "Do you know what this means! Auntie, they have found the lost star!"

Everyone was talking now, and no one seemed to say anything intelligible; exclamations and sudden bursts of half formed sentences fairly puncturing the calm evening atmosphere. Peg was almost overcome, but being a real girl she was not given to such heroics.

"It all formed the cutest little star," exclaimed Julia, finally. "We marked the spot so we can't possibly lose it. We will take you right to it to-morrow morning," she offered sincerely.

"I don't know how I shall wait, but I'll have to, of course," said Peg. "You see, daddy put that star there the very day he was taken ill, and no matter how he tried to direct me I never could locate it."

"But your dear father could hardly tell you anything, darling," said Miss Ramsdell. "He was not with us long after that."

"However did you come to discover it?" asked Peg, who was piecing together the magic stones that formed the star.

"We were following the danger--dynamite signs," said Cleo. "Have you seen them?"

"Oh, yes, indeed," replied the visitor. "They were put there by the Fairbanks men to frighten me off. At first I did steer clear of them, but after kicking a few over and then watching the men plant them, I saw they were perfectly harmless," declared Peg.

"We did that too, kicked them over, I mean," said Julia. "And did they do that just to frighten you?"

"That and much more. But was there a sign near the star?"

"No; quite some distance from it," replied Corene, "and it was just buried in a little soft pocket."

"That's just what dad said!" exclaimed Peg. "Don't you know, auntie? He kept saying 'by Big Nose in a little green pocket.'"

"Yes? Strange that we should happen to use the same expression," put in Julia.

"And what does it all mean?" pressed the fascinated Isabel.

"It means that below that mark there is a vein of zinc. It runs from the rock, and dad was ready to bore for it just there," declared Peg.

The sunset was pouring out its glory and the streams of color cut through the trees to beautify the little council group of Girl Scouts. Aunt Carrie told them of the perseverance of her niece, who had devoted all her girlish energy to fulfilling her father's cherished plans.

"You see, we came up here to follow out my brother's ideas," said the little lady. Julia was now slipping away to light her campfire. "We have traveled a great deal, and followed many trails, but this one discovered in Tamarack Hills offered the biggest prize."

"And just when everything was brightest, daddy had to go," put in Peg. "I am sure no one could blame me for seeming queer when I was duty bound to take up his unfinished work."

"Only the thoughtless could ever have questioned your purpose," said Miss Mackin. "You see how eager our girls were to get acquainted with you."

"Yes--_your_ girls," emphasized Peg.

"Those other two fright-freaks were simply jealous," declared Grace warmly. "They must have been furious that a girl like you could get the best of their big upholstered father."

Everyone laughed at this description. Mr. Fairbanks really was sort of tufted and overstuffed.

"But I simply cannot believe you have found that vein mark that I have searched months for," repeated Peg. "I don't see how I shall ever wait to go up there. And to think Uncle Edward will be here to-morrow."

"And that you will both stay with us again to-night!" broke in Julia.

"You really couldn't separate those stone pieces, you know," said Cleo. "You will need all those queer markings to follow out your clue with."

"Yes, I could show those selfsame marks on a drawing that stone was marked from. The lines are eaten in with acid," explained the visitor seriously.

"We thought they were made by acid; that is, Mackey did; don't you remember, girls?" asked Louise.

The campfire blazed merrily now and the insistence that Peg and her aunt remain overnight finally was agreed to.

"Put the treasures away," suggested Cleo, "and let us sing 'Scouts Every One.' We are going to have such a glorious evening!"

"And yet," said Miss Ramsdell, "my niece tells me you are giving up camp?"

"Yes, we felt it was so much needed by some city children," replied Corene, "and we really have had a lovely summer. You see, we all have cottages up here, and can stay till the last boat makes the last trip of the season."

"Oh, no, we can't," corrected Isabel. "We all have to be back September fifteenth in dear old Essveay, you know."

"Right, Izzy," said Corene. "I was just trying to fool myself. Here's Clee, all ready for her song. Get your uke, Louise."

Stars flickered and breezes hummed in with the girls' song; for what in life is half so sweet as the joy of a peaceful campfire?

And the very next day the star pieces were traced in their mysterious markings, the maps and outlines were matched up and the great zinc vein was finally uncovered by trustworthy hands.

All they hoped for was finally fully realized, and Peg's labors were not in vain.

Leave our little friends here, content and happy until we meet them again in the next volume of this series, to be called "The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge."

THE END

THE GIRL SCOUT SERIES

By LILIAN GARIS

Cloth. 12mo. Frontispiece.

THE GIRL SCOUT PIONEERS, Or, Winning the First B. C.

THE GIRL SCOUTS AT BELLAIRE, Or, Maid Mary's Awakening

THE GIRL SCOUTS AT SEA CREST, Or, The Wig Wag Rescue

THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP COMALONG, Or, Peg of Tamarack Hills

Other volumes in preparation.

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, NEW YORK

THE GIRL SCOUT SERIES

By LILIAN GARIS

12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors

Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid

The highest ideals of girlhood as advocated by the foremost organizations of America form the background for these stories and while unobtrusive there is a message in every volume.

THE GIRL SCOUT PIONEERS or Winning the First B. C.

A story of the True Tred Troop in a Pennsylvania town where they find unlimited opportunity for good scouting. Two runaway girls, who want to see the city, are reclaimed through troop influence. The story is correct in scout detail, and also furnishes an absorbing narrative.

THE GIRL SCOUTS AT BELLAIRE or Maid Mary's Awakening

The story of a timid little maid who is afraid to take part in other girls' activities, while working nobly alone for high ideals. How she was discovered by the Bellaire Troop and came into her own as "Maid Mary" makes a fascinating story.

THE GIRL SCOUTS AT SEA CREST or The Wig Wag Rescue

Luna Land, a little island by the sea, is wrapt in a mysterious seclusion, and Kitty Scuttle, a grotesque figure, succeeds in keeping all others at bay until the Girl Scouts come. This volume furnishes a worth while story.

THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP COMALONG or Peg of Tamarack Hills

A story of the great outdoors in which the girls of Bobolink Troop spend their summer on the shores of Lake Hocomo. Their discovery of Peg, the mysterious rider of the blue roan "Whirlwind," and the clearing up of her remarkable adventures afford a wholesome and vigorous plot.

Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York

THE BETTY GORDON SERIES

By ALICE B. EMERSON

Author of the Famous "Ruth Fielding" Series

12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors

Price per volume, 80 cents, postpaid

A new series of stories by Alice B. Emerson which are bound to make this writer more popular than ever with her host of girl readers. Everyone will want to know Betty Gordon and all will love her.

BETTY GORDON AT BRAMBLE FARM or The Mystery of a Nobody

At the age of twelve Betty is left an orphan in the care of her bachelor uncle, who sends her to live on a farm. Betty finds life at Bramble Farm exceedingly hard.

BETTY GORDON IN WASHINGTON or Strange Adventures in a Great City

In this volume Betty goes to the national capitol to find her uncle. She falls in with a number of strangers and has several unusual adventures.

BETTY GORDON IN THE LAND OF OIL or The Farm That Was Worth a Fortune

From Washington the scene is shifted to the great oil fields of our country. A splendid picture of the oil field operations of to-day.

BETTY GORDON AT BOARDING SCHOOL or The Treasure of Indian Chasm

An up-to-date tale of school life. Betty made many friends but a jealous girl tried to harm her. Seeking the treasure of Indian Chasm makes an exceedingly interesting incident.

Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York

About this book:

Original publication data: Publisher: Cupples & Leon Company, New York Copyright: 1921, by Cupples & Leon Company

End of Project Gutenberg's The Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong, by Lillian Garis