CHAPTER XI

THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP

Ruth had no desire to ride back to school on the same train with the sorority girls, so she decided to wait over until Monday morning. Besides, she had an important letter to write on Sunday evening, and she needed the quiet of her own room to compose her thoughts. As she sat at the window, she saw Wilkinsons’ machine, filled with the joyful members of the house-party, pass in the street below. But Ruth was no longer envious; if her scheme worked--as she felt it must--the tables would be turned; Marjorie and her friends would be begging favors of her!

A letter and a package in her post-office box on Wednesday came in prompt reply to her letter of Sunday. She broke the seal in breathless haste. Its contents seemed to come up to her expectations, for she smiled brightly, and literally ran to Evelyn’s room.

“I’ve a grand new plan!” she exclaimed enthusiastically, after she had opened her friend’s door without knocking. “A rival for ΦΑΒ!”

“No!” cried Evelyn, dropping the book she was reading. “It isn’t possible to start another sorority, is it?”

“Almost as good,” answered Ruth, holding out her letter. “A Girl Scout Troop! My cousin tells me all about it; here, read this!”

The other girl took the letter and read the details concerning the organization of a troop. It did sound very interesting. The letter closed by stating that a handbook would follow.

Ruth was already untying the string of the package. The girls sat down side by side on the couch, and turned the pages together.

“Do you suppose anybody can belong?” asked Evelyn doubtfully.

“Yes, it seems to say so--any girl over ten years old!”

“But what’s the fun then? If Lily Andrews, and just any old girl can belong, who wants to be a Girl Scout?”

“Don’t you know Lily Andrews is quite popular now?” Ruth laughed sarcastically. It seemed impossible that such a girl could really stand higher among her class-mates than she did herself.

After a minute or two, she said, “I guess we won’t have to take anybody we don’t want; our troop’ll be different.”

“I’ll bet Miss Allen won’t let you start anything secret!” said Evelyn.

Ruth stood up. “I believe I’ll go see her right away,” she announced, “and talk it all over with her.”

Miss Allen received her graciously, and carefully examined the book.

“I would have to look more closely into it,” she said. “And I think I’ll consult Miss Phillips. I have always heard that the Girl Scouts is an organization along athletic lines.”

Ruth was not a favorite with Miss Phillips. She frowned. “Oh, don’t let’s have any teachers in it! Except you,” she added diplomatically.

“But you have to have a Captain--a woman over twenty-one. And I see each troop has thirty-two members, but there are ninety-five girls in the school--how would you decide who was to belong?”

“Why, that’s easy--I started it, so Evelyn and two or three more of our friends would vote on the new members.”

Miss Allen smiled. “You want another sorority, Ruth,” she said. “And that you can’t have. But this Girl Scout idea appeals to me. I’ll think it over, and let you know.”

Miss Allen and Miss Phillips spent the evening in going over the handbook. They were delighted with its contents; the Girl Scout movement seemed to be just the thing the school needed.

“It is my idea,” said Miss Phillips, “to start the troop with only such girls as have 80% or over in their lessons, and are at the same time members or substitutes on one of the school teams. This will give the organization a high standard at the outset, and besides, I think it will make both lessons and athletics more popular. Then, if a girl drops in either, she can be temporarily deprived of the Troop’s good times!”

“Splendid!” exclaimed Miss Allen; “but do you think more than thirty-two girls in the school will qualify?”

“If they do, we can start two troops. I guess you can easily find two teachers to act as Captains.”

“I think the girls ought to be allowed to elect their own Captain, don’t you?” asked Miss Allen; and Miss Phillips nodded her approval. “They will have to meet on Friday evenings, of course,” she continued. “But what about the sorority?”

“I don’t think a girl should be allowed to belong to both ΦΑΒ and the Girl Scouts,” said Miss Phillips emphatically. “For one evening in a week is all that can be spared!”

The next night, when dessert was being served, Miss Allen rose from her seat at the front of the room. The girls instantly became quiet, and turned attentively to listen to what she had to say.

“Girls,” she announced in her usual quiet tone, “we have decided, if you are in favor, to start a Girl Scout troop here. It was Ruth Henry’s idea, and after careful consideration of the matter, we have found the organization to be splendid. The members will wear a uniform, meet once a week, and on Saturdays take hikes and boat-trips; and perhaps this summer go camping.

“There will be lots for a Girl Scout to learn--first-aid, out-door cooking, horsemanship--in fact, almost anything you are interested in.”

She paused for a moment, and the girls signified their approval by breaking into a hearty applause. Ruth looked important, as if to take the credit of it all to herself.

Miss Allen continued: “We have decided to make both scholarship and athletic ability the qualifications for membership. Any girl who wishes to belong must have at least 80% in all her studies, and must be a member or a substitute on some school team. And if there are more than thirty-two girls eligible, we will start two troops.”

The girls were surprised at Miss Allen’s remarks, and many of their faces registered disappointment. Frances Wright rose from her seat.

“Well, Frances?” asked the Principal.

“Miss Allen, when will the Girl Scouts meet?”

“Friday evening.”

Frances looked astonished. “How about the sorority?” she asked.

“No girl can belong to both the Girl Scouts and the sorority,” Miss Allen replied significantly. “It would take too much of her time. She must choose between them!”

Since there were no other questions, Miss Allen took her seat, and for the rest of the meal, the dining-room buzzed with the excited voices of the girls, discussing the new proposition.

After supper Ruth made her way to Marjorie’s room.

“What do you think of it?” she asked Marjorie.

“It’s wonderful!” the other girl exclaimed.

“Would you rather belong to it than ΦΑΒ?”

“I almost believe I would. It sounds so much more worth while. To tell you the truth, Ruth, aside from the excitement of being asked, it isn’t much of an honor to belong to ΦΑΒ!”

Ruth looked triumphant. “I knew I’d make you girls see you weren’t so much!”

“I never said we were!”

“Well, you acted it. How about the house-party at Christmas?”

“Oh, Ruth--I am sorry about it!”

“Yes, you are! I’d just like to keep you out of the Girl Scouts to pay you back!”

It was then that the door opened and Lily Andrews came in, with a book in her hands, reading as she entered.

“What has happened to you, Lily?” asked Ruth. “Turned dippy-stude?”

“No, only I do want to make the Girl Scouts, and I’m almost afraid my lessons won’t let me!”

“Good work!” said Ruth, as she produced her handbook, and began to read the Tenderfoot test questions aloud.

The next night was sorority meeting, and the members went prepared for a fight. After the business was over, the senior president opened the discussion.

“It would be a shame,” she said, “for ΦΑΒ to allow a passing fancy like the Girl Scout troop to shake it. We have been here a long time. We stand for the oldest traditions of the school. We must think carefully of all the Alumnæ before we make any move.”

Several other girls spoke along the same line. Finally, Marjorie stood up.

“Girls,” she said, “I have been thinking about it seriously and I have decided I would rather be a Girl Scout. We meet here Friday after Friday, and do nothing but have a silly business meeting, chat, and drink cocoa. And when we ought to be studying or practicing for some team, we are going to a feed. We never learn anything new. We have friends, but we are not supposed to make any close ones outside our own set. And once a year, we make the whole freshman class--except four girls--miserably unhappy. So I’ve decided to hand in my resignation to the sorority.”

Everybody was quiet for a moment. Ethel Todd was the first to speak.

“I’m so sorry, Marjorie!” she said.

Tears came to Doris’s eyes. “It won’t be the same without you, Marj,” she said. “Please don’t do it!”

“Besides,” said Mae, “hadn’t you better wait till you’re asked to join the Girl Scouts?”

Marjorie laughed. “Well, if I’m not asked, it will be because I’m down in my lessons--and I’ll never get up in them as long as I belong to ΦΑΒ!”

“Marjorie’s right,” said Frances. “And this fall, when I saw Evelyn and Ruth almost breaking their hearts over not being asked, I just felt as if I couldn’t go through the pledging another year. I hand in my resignation, too.”

After some hesitation, and some more discussion, Lulu decided to follow suit, and two of the Juniors joined the ranks.

“Whatever will we do?” asked Mae, “elect new members?”

“We’re not allowed to,” replied the president. “Vacancies can only be filled once a year--six weeks after school starts. We’ll have to go on as we are. But if more than eight girls resign, the sorority must be abolished. We have to keep eight girls to allow it to exist. Oh, girls,” she pleaded, “don’t follow the impulse. Wait! Think of the Alumnæ! Think if you ever had a daughter and sent her here, she would stand a good chance of belonging.”

“And she might be left out like poor Virginia Hall, whose mother was an ΦΑΒ!” Marian Guard laughed. “You know Virginia is impossible!” she exclaimed.

Doris had been thinking hard. “Girls,” she said, “I don’t want to be mean, and you know I’m not athletic, so I probably won’t make the troop; but I think the sorority ought to be abolished, and now is the best time to do it. So I, too, resign.”

“Oh, Doris--you’re president of the freshman class!” exclaimed one of the seniors.

“Yes, and for that reason more than any other, I want to do away with ΦΑΒ!”

The senior president intervened. “Girls, that makes six resignations. But let’s don’t take them as final. We’ll wait till next week, and give everybody the chance to think it over.”

Marjorie made one request. “May Miss Phillips be invited to come in next week after the business part is over?”

The president frowned; but several of the girls seemed to want it, so she finally consented.

“And remember, girls,” she said, “this must be kept secret until at least next week. You are still members of ΦΑΒ. Promise!”

“We promise,” murmured Frances and Marjorie, and two or three others; and the girls adjourned.