The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 12

"I always thought that nougat was a dreadfully hard candy to make, but it is as simple as rolling off a log," declared Hilda.

"I just love it, don't you?" said Elena, sniffing the odour that rose from the pan of candy.

"You love any kind of candy. Your mother says you have a 'sweet tooth,'"

laughed Nita.

"I'll show you how to make one other kind of candy and then it will be time for you to go home. It is ten o'clock now," said Mrs. Hubert.

"Put a cupful of powdered sugar in a bowl and add about a quarter of a teaspoonful of cream, or at least enough to stir the spoon about in the mixture easily. Be careful not to use too much cream, though, as that will make it run and not cream itself. Now add a teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla. We will use the latter for this cream. Next stir the mixture well until all lumps are worked smooth like a paste.

"Here, Jane, stone these dates but do not break them asunder.

"Now girls, as the dates are stoned, you take enough cream to fill the opening made by the stone. Then you stick the edges of the date together again and roll in powdered sugar. They are then placed on an oiled paper to keep from sticking while drying."

The creamed dates were soon made and tasted. Some of the Woodcrafters said they needed a much larger taste than a single date offered, and Mrs. Hubert laughed. While the girls were away from the kitchen to find their hats and coats, the hostess divided the candy left and gave each amateur confectioner a package to take home with her.

Sat.u.r.day with its weekly Council found each girl, except Eleanor, more than elated with the finished article of carpentry work to exhibit at the meeting. Of the entire collection the bead-loom, tabouret, and chest were considered the best.

"I declare, girls, it is marvelous how neatly you have fitted the corners and finished the edges of the work. May's chest is as pretty and well-made as any I have ever seen. The hinges and clasp are original and hand-made, too, I see. Did you originate the design alone, May?" said the Guide, after admiring the objects placed in a row on the table.

"Yes, and the copper hinges and clasp are cut and hammered out of an old sauce-pan mother threw away a long time ago," replied pleased May.

"And does the key turn easily?" inquired Miss Miller, lifting the lid of the chest and examining the key-hole carefully.

"I haven't found a key to fit yet!" laughed May.

Then the Guide's attention was given to an investigation of the elaborate bead-loom made and decorated by Zan as her contribution to the contest.

"Does it work, Zan?" queried Miss Miller.

"Not unless it is supplied with motive-power!"

"Then you must have tried it out with a bit of your tremendous energy,"

retorted the Guide, smiling at the girl's bright face.

"Not only tried it but finished a strip of bead banding that takes the cake! I have decided to make enough tr.i.m.m.i.n.g to decorate a new ceremonial costume that will turn every Woodcraft girl green with envy,"

bragged Zan.

"That is a boast indeed! Did you include the Tribes of other Woodcrafters in that challenge?"

"Yep, everybody but Elizabeth Remington. She certainly has the loveliest beading I ever saw, but then she has had two years' designing at the School of Art," replied Zan.

After many comparisons and due deliberation, it was decided to present May Randall with the prize for that contest. As May was a beginner and the chest was her first piece of work, it won a point above Zan's loom, which also was a fine piece of work. Both of these objects were excellent bits of cabinet-work and so neatly finished and beautifully decorated that it was a draw. May flushed with happiness when she heard that Zan awarded the prize to her.

"I think the plan of awarding prizes for best work is a good one but we should decide upon the prize before the contest is started each week.

What have you for May to-day?" said Miss Miller.

"Well, this week we were going to present the winner a solid gold loving cup but our Wampum Keeper reported a state of bankruptcy so we had to sacrifice our wishes to conform with the exchequer," said Zan, solemnly, while the girls giggled.

"I suggested that we take a picture of May, so I brought my camera. It can be pasted in the Tally Book and mentioned as the winner of the carpentry contest," said Elena.

"And I thought the film could be enlarged to a size that will correspond with our cash on hand, and present it to May," added Hilda.

"If we make a picture each week of the prize-winner and article made it will add greatly to the beauty and interest of the Tally," ventured the Guide.

"Come on, May, and pose over by the log scenery to have your picture taken," called Elena, starting for the Council Ring.

"Oh wait, Lena! Don't let's have an indoor picture. It will look so much better if posed out-doors," cried Nita.

"Let's go over to the fence-corner next to our back yard where the group of pines will make a pretty back-ground," suggested Frances Mason.

"That's fine! And we'll stand May on some of our logs and have her look happy while holding her chest!" exclaimed Anne.

"When folks see May holding her chest in the picture, they'll think she had a bad cold," came from Zan, quickly.

Everyone laughed but Anne added: "Oh, you old tease, you know what I meant."

"All right, come on and show us what you meant!"

"I wish to goodness we had a ceremonial costume here to dress May and do the picture up in a truly artistic manner," sighed Elena.

"Hilda and May are about the same size-why not run Hilda home to get hers?" suggested Jane.

"It won't take more'n ten minutes, Hilda, if you jump on a trolley!"

added Nita, when Hilda frowned down the proposition.

A honking from an automobile horn was heard just then, and Zan jumped up to run to the door, saying: "Sounds like your machine, Jenny!"

"If it should be Jack, he could drive Hilda over for the dress," replied Jane.

Before Zan reached the door of the gymnasium, however, the tousled head of Fiji Baker appeared at the opening and he called out ingratiatingly: "Don't stop the show for _me_; 'let joy be unconfined' as I just dropped in for a second to see Miss Miller. Jack is out front tying the bouquets we wish to throw at the famous dancer!"

Nita laughed for she had confided in the boys and told them about the new dance scheduled for that Council Meeting.

"Oh, Fiji, you came in answer to our prayers, I'm sure. We need someone to hustle Hilda over home for a most important package she forgot, and now Jack can fly while you talk with Miss Miller," explained Zan, pus.h.i.+ng Hilda towards the door as she spoke.

"You'll win a _coup_ on this for 'first aid,'" said Jane to Fiji.

But Fiji paid no attention as he was deeply concerned over some secret he was whispering to the Guide. Meantime Hilda was urged to order Jack to drive as fast as he dared so she could be back with the costume before the sun went down.

Before Fiji and Miss Miller had finished their engrossing conversation, Hilda returned and the girls adjourned to the scenic-screen-room to dress the prize-winner in a befitting costume.

May was posed first in one att.i.tude, then in another, till everyone had satisfied her artistic sense of the picture to be, and perhaps they would all have had another trial had not May sighed, and cried:

"I'll be so glad when you really click that trigger! This box grows heavier and heavier every minute. I'm sure it weighs a ton by this time."

Several snap-shots were taken and May placed the "ton" prize-winner on the ground and stretched her arms. Then the Woodcrafters filed back to the gymnasium, where Miss Miller explained the reason of Fiji's visit.