CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE COUNCIL FIRE BURNS ON THE DROSS

As the days passed swiftly, filled with wholesome pleasures for the Band, the improvement in each individual was more marked, for the established unity of the work in itself made for greater effort in each.

Perhaps of the five girls, the greatest change was taking place in Nita's consciousness and demeanour. It seemed to her that she had been living in an unreal atmosphere all of her life and but just awakened to the real delight in living. Her being was over-flowing with a deep sense of gratitude for the Guide who had been so patient with her short-comings, and the unusual health, the result of regular hours, simple food, and natural environment, combined to create a joy that Nita could not account for. Quite often, Miss Miller would smile unseen, as she heard Nita trill a few notes of song that hummed through her memory.

The effect of association and the need of habitual watchfulness to overcome faults, made a marvellous improvement in the other girls, so that the Guide was the happiest one of the Band at the result of her experiment with Woodcraft.

Since the day Nita went driving with young Everton, not a sign had come from him, although Bill had said that the young rascal was away for a few weeks, with an aunt at the beach.

Toward the latter part of August, the Band decided to go on a Nature quest, bringing back any new specimen of bug, plant or reptile, they might be so fortunate as to find.

It was a perfect day not too warm, with a dazzling blue sky overhead. The woods and meadows echoed with song, and a general medley of sound from live creatures.

The girls were crossing a marshy bit of ground near the Big Bridge, when Jane caught sight of some beautiful spires of goldenrod, although it was early in the season for it.

"I'm going to pick some for our camp--you can wait or go on slowly!" called she, to the girls who were ahead.

Balancing on a flat stone near the bank she hoped to reach, she found herself directly under a bending mass of the golden bloom. Just as she reached up to pluck at the stem, a huge bumblebee flew out and hummed near her nose.

"Oo-oo! help!" cried Jane almost falling over with fright.

"What's the matter--a water-snake?" laughed Elena.

"No--but an awful big beast! As big and fierce as an eagle!" shouted Jane, laughing at herself, when the bee flew away.

Having secured the rod, Jane hurried after the girls and then confessed that the eagle was but a bumblebee.

"He wouldn't have stung you, Jane, even if you attempted his life! They are too good-natured for their own protection!" said the Guide, as they trudged along the field-path.

"Let's sit down by this hedge and have a story, Miss Miller," suggested Hilda, who loved to hear the Guide's nature stories.

"Just for a few moments, then! We must not waste any time."

"Tell us something about bees, Miss Miller. Now, that our hives have come and we are waiting for a swarm to live in them, we ought to know something about their habits," coaxed Hilda.

So, the Guide told the girls all she could remember from her experience with bees when she was a girl at home. She added, however, that so many wonderful inventions had come to make bee-culture easier and pleasanter since her time, that it would be better to secure a good book about bees. At the conclusion of her short talk, Miss Miller said, "Can any of you tell me what time the bee was first found of value to people?"

No one could, so Miss Miller changed her question. "Well, can you tell me why bees were so carefully guarded in the olden times--in Biblical days, for instance?"

Even this could not be answered by the girls, so Miss Miller explained.

"In those olden days sugar had been unheard of. The only sweetener they used was honey. Should the bees die off there would be no sweets. Consequently, people were most careful of their bees. Very few people to-day realise that honey used in cake instead of sugar keeps the cake much fresher and the flavour is richer."

Miss Miller got up from the grass and warned her charges that they would arrive nowhere if they did not start. With a general laugh at the Guide's eagerness to get somewhere, the girls jumped up, shook their short skirts and resumed the hike.

They reached the road that passed Hamilton's farm and had just turned down a narrow path that led across fields toward a wonderful wooded hill, with three of the girls leading, and Zan on the left side, Nita on the right side of the Guide, when Nita exclaimed at a gorgeous butterfly that flew over her head.

Catching the butterfly net from Zan's hand, she chased it, running swiftly down the pathway past the other girls. No sooner had she started off than a horse was heard galloping on the soft sod back of the Guide.

Miss Miller turned and saw a rider coming directly toward her. Thinking it might be a telegram or other message for her, she turned to meet him. As soon as she came within good sight of the rider, however, she saw to her chagrin that it was young Everton. She stood right in the path wondering what to do.

Everton rode up and expected the Guide to move out of his way. She, however, had made up her mind what to do.

"Beg pardon, are you eager to reach any destination?" asked the Guide, holding her ground so that the young man had to rein in his horse sharply.

"I am anxious to reach a friend of mine--but I do not see how that concerns you!" retorted the insolent youth.

Miss Miller noted the glint in the eyes that Nita had spoken of, and she recognised at once the peculiar power some had of hypnotic control so fatal to peace and happiness of others when employed for vicious ends instead of worthy help. She noted the deep-orange stain on fingers as well as the twitching of muscles and sallowness of skin that came from nicotine. Even his horse rebelled against the nervous twitching of hands that lacked the strength to control anything, least of all his own animal instincts.

"Young man, I have every reason to believe that you are molesting a young girl placed in my charge. Therefore, I must ask you to turn about and ride the other way, as we shall not allow you to communicate again with Nita," said Miss Miller, sternly.

"I refuse to acknowledge any authority from _you_! I don't know you, nor do you know me, although I have heard said that an impecunious school-marm is acting as governess to a few girls at the Baker farm," sneered the young man.

Zan was up in arms at once, but Miss Miller was not one to take offence, especially when the insult came from a source she thought less than the dirt under her feet.

"Zan, will you run after Nita and ask her if she wishes to meet this--this, ahem--creature! If she does not and he persists in annoying us he will be taught the penalty of a highwayman!"

The rider sneered again but wondered why the woman hesitated over his name. Had he but known that Miss Miller refused to give him the privilege of being called a man, and a boy was too innocent a name for him--thus her hesitation!

Nita was running back with her captured prize when Zan met her and hastily explained. Nita blanched and clung to Zan's arm. "Oh, I never want to meet him again! What shall I do?"

Everton had been idly flicking his crop over the nervous young mare's ears, and the animal resented it by pawing the ground. He took pleasure in watching the mare snort, so he persisted. Without further warning the young animal gave a side jump, cleared the low rim of brush that fringed the bank and galloped wildly across the broken field. The rider evidently lost control of his mount, for the horse soon came to the stream where it turned back to cross the road near Hamilton's farm.

Miss Miller and the girls had climbed the bank and were watching the unexpected ending of the interview. Without a second's hesitation the horse plunged down into the river and struggled through the water, up the opposite bank and on, on toward the barns where it had been reared.

The Guide saw it pass the gate-posts safely, then turned with a sigh of relief and hurried to join Nita, who was all alone when the incident took place.

"Oh, Miss Miller! what a queer ending to that talk!" breathed Nita, although she had not heard the drift of the conversation.

"Nita, let this incident prove to you that the Great Spirit will help and protect you in every way if you will only try to do your part and remain obedient to His loving ways. I was pondering how to get rid of young Everton and save you from any unpleasantness at the same time, when the matter was taken out of my hands entirely and disposed of by One who knows!"

The incident made a deep impression on all of the girls, and the walk was continued in silence for a time.

The birds and bees and gay butterflies, however, soon loosened their tongues and by the time the mountain was reached they were as happy as ever.

As they crossed a glade on the mountain side, the Guide heard a familiar buzzing from the direction of an old burnt-off stump of a hollow tree. She crept toward it softly, and held up a warning hand for the girls to keep quiet. They tip-toed after her quietly, and when she smiled they wanted to know what was the trouble.

"A wild-bees' nest in that tree! From the noise, I should say it was a large one, getting ready to leave and swarm. If only we had a hive here, we might get it! However, we will get the honey-comb when the bees come out and that will be a treat!"

"How can you tell when they're out?" asked Zan.

"When they swarm they always leave the comb. If they fly to another tree this home will be left alone," said Miss Miller.

"Miss Miller, I'm so anxious to start bee-culture that I'm wiling to run back and bring a hive here!" exclaimed Jane.

"Let me go with her to help?" cried Zan.

"Isn't it too far girls?" wondered the Guide.

"No--we'll hurry Bill into hooking up Cheokee to his light buck-board and drive back with the hive, across the path we just came by. From there to this place is not far!"

"Well, all right! Then we'll wait here and watch where the bees fly!" said the Guide, but the two girls had already left the place.

The girls sat down to wait and watch while the Guide explained many peculiarities of bees. In an incredibly short time Bill came back with the hive, the girls following with a wire mask and gloves and a tin pan.

Miss Miller was amazed at their return and Zan said, laughing at their faces "We met Mr. Hamilton drivin' to Bill's house. He wanted to buy some of Bill's leghorn hens, so we caught a ride all the way home. While Bill got the hive and tools we hooked up the horse and here we are!"

"An' just in time, too! Them bees is goin' t' swarm right clost by, Miss Miller, 'cause th' Queen is hangin' round that tree like as if she didn't want t' let go of it!" said Bill.

And so it proved. The queen soon fluttered away and circled about the glade for a few moments, then settled on a low-hanging bough of wild cherry tree. Instantly, a mass of buzzing, living creatures settled about her and the swarm was on--full blast!

When it had been successfully hived and the girls drew a long breath once more, Bill cracked his hands together in token of congratulation for himself.

"That's th' neatest job I ever did on bees! Not a single mishap, and th' queen in that as happy as can be!"

The hive was very carefully taken to the buck-board and two of the girls jumped up in the back to steady it on the way to camp, for Bill said it must not be jostled in the least.

The hive was placed just below the Bluff where the sun shone warmly upon it, and the rocks sheltered it from storms. The mass of honey taken from the hollow tree was placed in the pan and carried back, the other two girls and Miss Miller taking turns in carrying it.

A new interest thus created made the next week fly on wings, and the Band found to their chagrin and deep concern that September was fast approaching when they must break camp and return to the city.

"Oh, Miss Miller I shall never be able to breathe indoors again!" wailed Zan.

"And to think of wearing corsets and heeled shoes again! Oh, girls, what shall we do after this freedom!" added Jane, woefully.

"Oh, Miss Miller! do you remember the day we took our _coup_ for the walking within the hour--how Nita had to sit down and take off her high-heeled slippers, rub her feet and go back in the wagon with you!" and Elena laughed at the memory.

"It wasn't so funny that day, Elena, but I've learned lots of things since then, and won a walking _coup_, too!" laughed Nita.

"And I noticed that you never wore those high-heeled slippers again!" added Zan.

"And never expect to again! I've found out what solid comfort I have missed in wearing freak shoes instead of sensible ones!" commented Nita.

All these things pleased Miss Miller immensely, for she saw permanent good in the summer's work. But one of the unlooked-for results of the camp that summer was revealed just before the Band prepared to pack up. Mrs. Sherwood came up one day and said, with tears in her eyes, how she would miss the happy family on the Bluff.

"Why," said she, turning to the Guide, "even Bill and me tried your new-fangled idee of sleepin' on'y we pulled our bed out on the porch. And say, Miss Miller, it really air fine, ain't it!"

"Do you mean to say that you have been sleeping out of doors, and never won a _coup_!" cried Zan, laughing.

"I don't know what your coo means, but I know we both like the nice sweet air of summer nights!" said Mrs. Sherwood.

"Do you still sleep on feathers?" asked the Guide.

"Naow, that's anuther queer thing! The first nights the featherbed was all right! Then Bill began squirmin' and sayin' it was too heatin'. Then I felt the same way, so we took it off one night and slept a heap better on the mattrass. Sense that, we've ben usin' th' plain mattrass!"

"Stick to it, and never go back to feather-beds, Mrs. Sherwood, and you'll feel a hundred percent better this winter," advised the Guide.

"Bill said somethin' 'bout your sayin' I ought to git rid of my stiff joints, an' d'ye know, girls! Sense I have hed to climb up an' down this hill so much every day, I reely am feelin' limber again! I'm shore I tuck off at least twenty pounds extra fat durin' this summer!" exclaimed the simple woman, gladly.

"My! That is some reducer! It ought to be advised to city folks who spend money on massage and Turkish baths!" laughed Hilda, while some of the girls thought to themselves that Mrs. Sherwood could lose another fifty pounds and not miss it.

The day before the Band planned to start back to the city, a letter came from the doctor saying that a whole Tribe of girls were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Band of Wickeecheokee girls, each one eager to plead to be taken in the Band for the winter work.

Miss Miller laughed at the picture drawn by the doctor, and Zan pouted.

"We won't have half the fun when a lot of others are in with us!" complained Jane.

"Oh, yes, we will! The more the merrier! You have had such a nice time this summer, that you feel there can never be another as good. And, of course, twenty girls would be too many for the Bluff or the Farm," said the Guide.

"Why don't you think we shall come here again next summer?" asked Elena, sadly.

"Wait till you hear of the plan Dr. Baker and I have for the Tribe. You will be so far advanced in Woodcraft by that time that you will want to broaden out and follow after some of the big achievements planned by the Head Council in New York. Even this winter, you will often think of this summer and smile at the childish fears and foibles!" said Miss Miller, smiling.

Those last days a general washing had taken place. All the canvas, bedding, clothing and other things were washed in the stream just below the willow, Mrs. Sherwood assisting in all of the work. Toward evening Bill's horse was brought up and the Guide's patent cradle was used to carry the camp outfits back to the barn. It had been decided to store all tents and camping things on the farm until the next summer, so it spared Miss Miller a great deal of trouble.

The Bluff was finally left as free of any camp-signs as it had been before the Band arrived, all excepting the log cabin which had been completed and stood as a strong memorial of some girls' persistent effort and ideals.

And Miss Miller said, "No good Woodcrafter ever left a camp-spot in a disorderly condition. It must be vacated and left in as neat and clean a manner as Nature provided it."

Wickee was going back to the city with Zan and live at her house, but Cheokee was to be sent back to pasture on the Hamilton farm. It seemed as if the dear old horse knew the time for his friends' departure was nigh, for all the night previous to their leaving, he whinnied as he stood with his head over the lower half of the barn-door, watching every movement of the girls as they went in and out of the house. Finally, Zan said she could not stand Cheokee's mourning any longer, so she took Wickee with her and went up and had a long talk with the faithful old horse. Wickee was told to remain and keep Cheokee company that night, and she came out closing the barn door behind her.

Early the following morning, Bill drove up to the porch and placed the baggage in the wagon under the front seat, while the girls ran about saying good-bye to every corner and tree near the house.

"Oh, it doesn't seem like two months since we got out of this very wagon, does it?" sighed Nita, as they were driven through the stone gate-posts on the way to the train.

"No, and really, not very much has happened, has there?" said Jane, wonderingly.

"Not as men reckon happenings, dear. But the greatest of all happenings actually was experienced by each one of you, and that was, that you each have learned to know yourself and to make the most of all the good that the Great Spirit gave you to enjoy!" said the Guide, softly.

"Amen to that, says I!" came from Bill, in emphatic tones that made the sorrowful Band smile again.

THE END

FOOTNOTES:

[A] Author's childhood home.

[B] See "Birds Through the Year" by Albert Field Gilmore.

_This Isn't All!_

Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in this book?

Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?

On the _reverse side_ of the wrapper which comes with this book, you will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same store where you got this book.

_Don't throw away the Wrapper_

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GIRL SCOUTS SERIES

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Here is a series that holds the same position for girls that the Tom Slade and Roy Blakeley books hold for boys. They are delightful stories of Girl Scout camp life amid beautiful surroundings and are filled with stirring adventures.

GIRL SCOUTS AT DANDELION CAMP

This is a story which centers around the making and the enjoying of a mountain camp, spiced with the fun of a lively troop of Girl Scouts. The charm of living in the woods, of learning woodcraft of all sorts, of adventuring into the unknown, combine to make a busy and an exciting summer for the girls.

GIRL SCOUTS IN THE ADIRONDACKS

New scenery, new problems of camping, association with a neighboring camp of Boy Scouts, and a long canoe trip with them through the Fulton Chain, all in the setting of the marvelous Adirondacks, bring to the girls enlargement of horizon, new development, and new joys.

GIRL SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES

On horseback from Denver through Estes Park as far as the Continental Divide, climbing peaks, riding wild trails, canoeing through canyons, shooting rapids, encountering a landslide, a summer blizzard, a sand storm, wild animals, and forest fires, the girls pack the days full with unforgettable experiences.

GIRL SCOUTS IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO

The Girl Scouts visit the mountains and deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. They travel over the old Sante Fe trail, cross the Painted Desert, and visit the Grand Canyon. Their exciting adventures form a most interesting story.

GIRL SCOUTS IN THE REDWOODS

The girls spend their summer in the Redwoods of California and incidentally find a way to induce a famous motion picture director in Hollywood to offer to produce a film that stars the Girl Scouts of America.

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The Blythe girls, three in number, were left alone in New York City. Helen, who went in for art and music, kept the little flat uptown, while Margy, just out of a business school, obtained a position as a private secretary and Rose, plain-spoken and businesslike, took what she called a "job" in a department store.

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN, MARGY AND ROSE

A fascinating tale of real happenings in the great metropolis.

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: MARGY'S QUEER INHERITANCE

The Girls had a peculiar old aunt and when she died she left an unusual inheritance.

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Rose, still at work in the big department store, is one day faced with the greatest problem of her life.

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: HELEN'S STRANGE BOARDER

Helen goes to the assistance of a strange girl, whose real identity is a puzzle. Who the girl really was comes as a tremendous surprise.

THE BLYTHE GIRLS: THREE ON A VACATION

The girls go to the country for two weeks--and fall in with all sorts of curious and exciting happenings.

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Of course we cannot divulge the big secret, but nevertheless the girls as usual have many exciting experiences.

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Mrs. Garis turned to girls' books directly after her marriage, and of these she has written many. She believes in girls, studies them and depicts them with pen both skilled and sympathetic.

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Little girls everywhere will want to discover what interesting experiences she is having wherever she goes.

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An absorbing tale that all boys and girls will enjoy reading. How the members of the club fixed up a clubroom in the Larue barn, and how they, later on, helped solve a most mysterious happening, and how one of the members won a valuable prize, is told in a manner to please every young reader.

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The club members went into camp on the edge of a beautiful lake. Here they had rousing good times swimming, boating and around the campfire. They fell in with a mysterious old man known as The Hermit of Triangle Island. Nobody knew his real name or where he came from until the propounding of a riddle solved these perplexing questions.

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This volume takes in a great number of winter sports, including skating and sledding and the building of a huge snowman. It also gives the particulars of how the club treasurer lost the dues entrusted to his care and what the melting of the great snowman revealed.

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This volume tells how the club journeyed to the seashore and how they not only kept up their riddles but likewise had good times on the sand and on the water. Once they got lost in a fog and are marooned on an island. Here they made a discovery that greatly pleased the folks at home.

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Hundreds of thousands of boys who laughed until their sides ached over the weird and wonderful adventures of Jerry Todd and his gang demanded that Leo Edwards, the author, give them more books like the Jerry Todd stories with their belt-bursting laughs and creepy shivers. So he took Poppy Ott, Jerry Todd's bosom chum and created the Poppy Ott Series, and if such a thing could be possible--they are even more full of fun and excitement than the Jerry Todds.

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* * * * *

Transcriber's note:

Minor punctuation and printer errors were corrected.