The Camp Fire Girls at Onoway House Part 13

"We undoubtedly will," said Nyoda, "if we expect to cook any dinner. Do my eyes deceive me?" she continued, "or is this a fishing-rod under the straw? It is, it is," she cried, drawing it out. "Now I know what has been the matter with me for the past few months, this feeling of sadness and longing that was not akin to rheumatism. I have been pining, languishing, wasting away with a desire to go fishing. My early life ran quiet beside a babbling brook, and there I sat and fished trout and fried them over an outdoor fire. This spirit will never know repose until it has gone fishing once more."

"Take the rod and welcome, it's mine," said Calvin, glad that something of his should give pleasure to one of his cherished friends.

In a shady grove of sycamores beside the river they dismounted from the wagon and scattered in search of firewood, for the fire must be started the first thing, as there were potatoes to roast. Nyoda took the fishing-rod and started for the river. "We'll never get anything to eat if we wait until you catch enough fish for dinner," said Sahwah.

"Who said I was going to catch enough for dinner?" said Nyoda. "I wouldn't be cruel enough to keep you waiting all that time. But I do want to catch just one for old times' sake." She strolled down to the water's edge and after a few minutes Mr. Landsdowne joined her. He liked Nyoda and enjoyed a talk with her.

"Are you going to play all alone at the picnic?" he asked, as he dropped down beside her.

"Alone, but with _unbaited_ zeal," she quoted, digging around in the ground with her stick. "Come and help me find a worm."

"I'm afraid the Early Bird got them all," she said plaintively, after a few moment's fruitless search. By dint of much digging they finally unearthed one and baited the hook. Nyoda cast her line and then settled down to a spell of silent waiting. "I don't believe there's a fish in this old river," she said impatiently, after fifteen minutes of angling which brought no results. "Not here, anyway. Let's go down beyond the bend where the river widens out into that broad pool. The water is deeper and quieter there." They moved on to the new location and Nyoda tried her luck again. This time success crowned her efforts and she landed a small fish almost immediately. "What did I tell you?" she exclaimed, triumphantly. "There's luck in changing places. Now for another one." In a few moments she felt a tug at the line. "It must be a whale," she cried, enthusiastically, "it pulls so hard."

"It may be caught on a snag," said Farmer Landsdowne. "Here, let me get it loose for you, I'm afraid you'll break that rod," he said, as the pole bent ominously in her hands.

"Spare the rod and spoil the fish," said Nyoda.

"What are you doing on my property?" said a harsh voice behind them, "don't you see that sign?"

Nyoda and Farmer Landsdowne sprang to their feet in surprise and faced an irate farmer in blue shirt sleeves. Sure enough, on a tree not very far from them there was a sign reading,

NO FISHING IN THIS POND.

"We didn't see the sign," said Nyoda, stammering in her embarra.s.sment, and crimson to the roots of her hair.

"We really didn't," confirmed Farmer Landsdowne.

"Well, ye see it now, don't ye?" pursued the proprietor of the fish-pond. "Kindly move along."

"We have one fish," said Nyoda, feeling unutterably foolish, "but we'll pay you for that. I must have one to take back to the picnic or I don't dare show my face."

"Ye say ye caught a fish?" shouted the farmer, excitedly. "Holy mackerel! That was the only one in the pond-I put it in there this morning-and I've rented the fishing of it to a young feller from Cleveland at twenty-five cents an hour."

"But it didn't take me an hour to catch him," said Nyoda. "It only took five minutes. That'll be about two cents." But the farmer held out for his twenty-five cents and Nyoda paid it, laughing to herself at the way the "feller from Cleveland" had been cheated out of his sport.

"Don't ever tell the girls about this," pleaded Nyoda, as they moved shamefacedly away. "I'm supposed to be a pattern of conduct, and I'm always scolding the girls because they don't use their eyes enough.

They'll never get over laughing at me if they find it out." Farmer Landsdowne promised solemnly that he would not divulge the secret.

"Did you catch anything?" called Sahwah, as Nyoda returned to the group under the trees.

"We certainly did," replied Nyoda, with a sidelong glance at Farmer Landsdowne.

"Listen to this part of father's last letter," said Gladys, as they sat around on the gra.s.s eating their dinner. "Juneau, Alaska.

"We recently saw a group of Camp Fire girls holding a Ceremonial Meeting on a mountain near Juneau. It fairly made us homesick; it reminded us so much of the group we used to see in our house. We went up and spoke to them and they send you this three-petaled flower as a greeting."

"To think we have friends all over the country, just because we know the meaning of the word Wohelo!" said Migwan in an awed tone, as the Winnebagos crowded around Gladys to see the flower which had come from far off Alaska, a silent All Hail from kindred spirits.

Just at this point Ophelia, who was coming a long way with the coffee-pot in her hand, tripped over a root and sprawled on her face on the ground, showering everybody near her with coffee. "We have your t.i.tle now," said Nyoda, "it's Ophelia-Face-in-the-Mud. You're always falling that way."

"And I know what your name is," replied Ophelia.

"What is it?" asked Nyoda, guilelessly.

"It's Nyoda-Chased-by-a-Farmer," said Ophelia.

Nyoda started and looked guilty. "How did you know that?" she asked, giving herself away completely.

"Followed you," said Ophelia. "I saw you fishin' where the sign said to keep out and the man in the blue shirt sleeves chased you out."

"Tell us about it," demanded all the girls, and Nyoda had to tell the whole story that she wanted to keep a secret.

"Fishy, fishy in the brook, But the fishers 'got the hook,'"

chanted Sahwah, teasingly. Nyoda and Farmer Landsdowne looked sheepish at the jokes that were thrown at them thick and fast, but they stood it good-naturedly.

"A truce!" cried Gladys, coming to the rescue of Nyoda. "Let's play charades."

"Good!" said Migwan. "You be leader of one side and let Nyoda take the other. Whichever side gives up first will have to get supper for the rest."

Gladys chose Sahwah, Mrs. Gardiner, Betty, Ophelia, Tom and Calvin.

Nyoda chose Mr. and Mrs. Landsdowne, Hinpoha, Migwan, Chapa, Medmangi and Nakwisi. Gladys's side went out first and came in without her.

"Word of three syllables, first syllable," said Sahwah, who acted as spokesman. The whole company sat down in a row, striking the most doleful att.i.tude and groaning as if in pain, and shedding tears into their handkerchiefs.

"Most woeful looking crowd I ever saw," remarked Mr. Landsdowne.

"Woe!" shouted Nyoda, triumphantly, and the guess was correct.

The weepers continued their weeping in the second syllable, and then Gladys appeared, felt of all their pulses and gave each a dose out of a bottle, whereupon they all straightened up, lost their symptoms of distress, and capered for joy.

"Cure," said Migwan. The players shook their heads.

"Heal," shouted Hinpoha, and Gladys acknowledged it.

In the last syllable Gladys went around and demanded payment for her services, but in each case was met with a promise to pay at some future time.

"Owe," said Chapa, which was p.r.o.nounced right. "O heal woe, what's that?" she asked.

"You're twisted," said Nyoda, "it's 'Wohelo.' That really was too easy.

Let's not divide them into syllables after this," she suggested, "it's no contest of wits that way. Let's act out the word all at once." The alteration was accepted with enthusiasm.

Hinpoha came out alone for her side. "Word of two syllables," she said.

Taking a blanket she spread it over a bushy weed and tucked the corners under until it looked not unlike a large stone. Then she retired from the scene. Soon Nyoda came along and paused in front of the blanket, which looked like an inviting seat.

"What a lovely rock to rest on!" she exclaimed, and seated herself upon it. Of course, it flattened down under her weight and she was borne down to the ground.

A moment of silence followed this performance as the guessers racked their brains for the meaning. "Is it 'Landsdowne?'" asked Gladys.