The Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong Part 32

"You see," Miss Brooks went on, "we have a cooking cla.s.s. It's a very small and humble attempt, but the children love it and we made most of our supplies for to-day's party. At the suggestion of these older girls, I think Stella really proposed it, we made an extra supply and brought a box to--the Girl Scouts, if they will accept it."

Cleo and Grace were near enough to hear the offer, and that they concealed their joy was due as much to good luck as to good manners, for how dreadfully hungry they really were? What a big day this was growing to be!

"Lovely," said Miss Mackin archly. "Are you sure you can spare all this?" The girls were offering box after box, and, like flies attracted to the sweeter things, the Bobbies were hemming in.

"Yes'm," said black-eyed Stella slyly. "And Zenta Nogrow has a big box of nut cookies."

"Nut cookies!" repeated Corene, unable to comprehend the sudden blessing. "How could you go to all that trouble?"

"'Tweren't any trouble. A lady from up town brought the nuts. Edna, where is Zenta?"

"I'll get her," offered Edna, a blonde with skin like a flower in spite of unfavorable environment.

Miss Brooks was clapping her hands again, and the visitors were following "the big girls" over to the little knoll under the pine trees. Julia and Isabel were making the Scouts' table ready, while Louise and Corene went to introduce the spring, and to offer a good supply of extra drinking cups.

Miss Mackin was urging Miss Brooks to take her lunch at the table under the trees.

"You won't think me ungrateful," replied the visitor, "but you see, the children like to have me with them. They will fairly swamp me with questions about the woodland beauties. I would love to have you join us, however," she invited Miss Mackin.

"Then _we_ would be without a leader," put in Cleo, swinging a free arm around Miss Mackin.

"Exactly, I understand. How good it is to be beloved," said the serious little woman with the brown eyes, that sparkled latent possibilities.

Healthy hunger was driving all the human animals to food now, and the "drive" included the Bobbies, as well as the children from the Beacon Settlement.

Quickly boxes and little bundles were untied and unwrapped, and even at a distance the excursionists could be seen literally devouring the "basket lunch," only there were really no baskets. True, a little Italian girl carried her food in a handmade straw bag that might be called a basket, while a Russian displayed a quaint braided affair from the Homelands; but boxes and bags, American in make, were mostly in evidence.

At the Scout table the overdue meal was being greatly relished.

"How long are they going to stay?" ventured Grace. The question shot repeaters from all eyes around the festive board, for while the picnic interruption was all right as far as it went, it would never do to have those babes interfere with the evening's programme. That was to feature Peg's story in every last absorbing detail, and they were all eager to hear it.

"Yes," repeated Cleo, looking straight at Miss Mackin. "How long are they going to stay?"

"I don't know," replied Mackey, evasively.

"Didn't they say, the leader I mean?" pressed Louise, losing a choice bit of cookie in her anxiety.

"No, not a mention of it."

"You don't suppose they expect to camp here to-night!" Corene almost gasped.

"You see, it is known our camp is to be given over, and these clever little people have taken first chance. We have got to be good to them," insisted Miss Mackin slyly.

Everyone stopped eating and sat up aggressively.

"But our camp wouldn't hold a picnic, at any rate," spoke Grace pertly.

"Oh, these children would be happy under the trees all day and satisfied to crawl under cover out of storms," Miss Mackin's eyes were dancing now and Cleo caught "their step."

"You're a fraud, Mackey Mackin!" she declared, tossing a bit of cracker at the leader. "You are just trying to scare us out of our big night. Why, only the most urgent business has kept Peg away from us all this time, and as for us--we are compelled to wait," this last in tragic tones.

"Just look over at those youngsters rolling down hill," interrupted Mackey. "If you'll excuse me, girls, I'll go over and be polite."

"Take care you don't get caught in the avalanche. Just look at the tidal wave!" said Julia.

"Rather keep your eyes on this table," ordered Corene. "Don't one of you dare bolt for the hill; not even if a couple of kiddies get caught in the thickets. I know you girls. Here Clee, carry these things to the kitchen. At least we must leave camp in good order."

"And the time draweth near," moaned Louise. "We know now what things will look like when we are gon-n-n-ne!"

"We will be gone for a long, long time!" intoned Julia, and the war time refrain was promptly executed--all of that!

"Here they come! Mercy on us!" exclaimed Grace. "The children are descending from the hillsides!" She grabbed up the food fragments from the table and hurried to hide them in their tin boxes.

"We must tell them how we enjoyed their cakes," said Corene. "They are after a report, I'm sure."

"We can't tell them!" gasped Cleo, "for their settlement-made cookies simply saved our lives." She moaned and groaned at the thought of the perilous escape.

"They were good!" declared Louise, raising her voice as the strangers came shyly along the little summer-worn path.

"Come and give them a wade," proposed Julia.

"Wade!" almost shrieked Grace. "They would strike right out for the West sh.o.r.e. As you value their precious lives don't mention it again, Jule." And she didn't.

But there were other joys, many of them for the little party of settlement children. They explored the woods, wondered at the big lake (Miss Brooks would not allow one to enter a boat), then there was a final treat of a good time on the merry-go-round at the Point, and finally the Hawk tooted its whistle for them to go back to the railroad station.

It was not easy to gather them together for the embarkation, but Miss Brooks was so grateful and happy; every Bobolink felt it her special duty to help the children get aboard the old-fashioned steamer.

And it must be admitted there was a secret motive in the alacrity so evident, for the unexpected picnic had somewhat spoiled the afternoon's plans for the Girl Scouts.

"Let's go around by the big log cabin and tell Peg all about it,"

suggested Isabel. "Then we won't have to spoil our plans for to-night with the picnic interruption."

"That's a good idea!" chortled Grace. "Come right along and talk it out, every word of it. We did enjoy the youngsters, but oh, boy! for that final big story!"

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.