The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 18

"We'll have to draw lots for the pleasure-there are too many here to ride on the way down," said Fred.

The lot was chosen by having each girl draw a blade of gra.s.s from the Guide's hand. The shortest piece would win. It fell to Elizabeth, and the other girls all said it was a reward for her sacrifice of enjoying the fun while the others were practising.

The girls who were to hike were just ready to start out when a canoe shot around the point of the promontory and a voice bawled out:

"Well, I must say! A lot of fine friends Jack and I have!"

"I must say! You're a nice host to lead a lot of

"Don't tell me you never knew that! Why, everyone knows that a clam swims in with the tide and burrows down in the wet sand to sleep. If you walk over its little mound it spurts water up like a geyser," returned Zan.

"Come on, girls, let's make 'em spurt!" urged Billy, who was very fond of all sports, fis.h.i.+ng included.

The launch and aqua-plane were drawn up on the beach and soon sixteen busy clam-diggers were bending over, laughing, and calling to each other, at every clam discovered. It was great fun.

After half an hour of this pastime, the Guide asked Zan and Hilda to go with her and build a fire and prepare the kettle for the chowder. But they had scarcely completed the laying of the fire-wood when Eleanor joined them.

"Oh, my back aches so! I think clamming is dreadfully hard work. How you folks can find sport in everything you do is beyond me. Now I would much rather help fix the fire and let one of you two girls take my place clamming," remarked Eleanor.

"The fire's all ready, and Miss Miller is going to start the chowder.

But you can help collect more wood from that grove so we will have a pile on hand," said Zan, with a frown.

Eleanor ran away and Zan looked at the Guide, but her face expressed nothing that would encourage the girl to criticise the indolent member of the Band.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _A DIP IN THE "BRINY DEEP."_]

Eleanor was gone a long time without having brought in any wood when Hilda was asked to go in search of her.

"Good gracious me! Not only does Eleanor make a burden of herself for the Band but now she needs a nurse to watch and keep her from mischief!"

declared Hilda, impatiently.

Hilda ran off and Zan stood watching her out of sight. Then she turned to the Guide: "Now what next?"

"I have just been thinking that we might have potatoes with fish for lunch and save that chowder for supper when the visitors are here."

"Um-it's very filling, I have heard," commented Zan.

Miss Miller laughed. "Yes, and it needs a long time for cooking well.

Besides, we won't need to waste any good time over an elaborate meal with that chowder to found on."

"Will there be fish enough to go round?" asked Zan.

"Yes, Jack brought up several fine fish that Fiji and he caught at dawn this morning, so we ought to fare very well."

Hilda now came back with Eleanor strolling after her-Hilda carrying the heavy load of wood, and Eleanor whipping the heads from some late goldenrod with a switch.

"I found her stretched out on some moss blinking up at the blue sky!"

reported Hilda, disdainfully.

"Why shouldn't I rest after working so hard? Look at the wood I found,"

retorted Eleanor.

"Why didn't you lug it into camp? There's no credit due you for finding a few sticks if you don't carry out the task to fulfilment," scorned Zan.

"Miss Miller, I'm sick of this business! I never was so hard worked in my life, and to think how everyone finds fault with me for not doing more," said Eleanor, testily.

"I wonder if any of you girls stopped to think that you could start a list for your fish _coups_ by knowing and studying the fish caught here.

Suppose you all begin with these three kinds," suggested Miss Miller, wisely.

"That's so, we never thought of it," cried Hilda.

"Dear me, why didn't we try to place those fish this morning? Did you know them, Miss Miller?" asked Zan.

Eleanor was interested in the fish, too, and so another fatality for the new member was averted.

"I knew the white fish we had this morning, and I see here is another.

That other fish I believe to be a sea-trout but we will have to verify that by asking the boys. They will know."

"And that smaller one-if the boys know we will have three on the list already, won't we?" said Zan, eagerly.

"Of course the boys know-they seem to imbibe knowledge of this sort by instinct. Why, a boy never has to _learn_ to swim, he just flops in the water and sails along like a frog, while we timid females try and try again before we can get the stroke," declared Hilda.

The clam-diggers came up with a large reward for their aching backs and sun-burn, and the plan of starting a list of fish was proposed by the Chief. Thereafter, more interest was shown in the three kinds of fish on exhibit than any of the girls could ever remember before.

While the Woodcrafters sat eating luncheon, a peculiar whistle sounded from the woods back of them.

"Sounds like a tramp signalling a pal to come and enjoy this lunch,"

teased Bob.

"You seem to forget that we girls won a _coup_ for knowing our native birds this Summer. I know what kind of a bird that is, too. Anyone else here recognise it?" said Zan.

"Don't tell! Don't-please. Let us new members try to place the sound and sight and begin on our bird _coups_," interrupted Anne Mason.

"Come on, hurry up! We can wash dishes later," added Frances.

"You girls go, and I will remain here with the boys to clear away the dishes and follow after you later," offered the Guide.

So the Band ran away and shortly after Miss Miller and her helpers finished the ch.o.r.es and went into the woods also. About an hour was spent in interesting study and pursuit of Nature's lore, when a sound coming from the direction of the camp reached the crowd.

"That's a kind of bird I know at once!" laughed Zan.

"It sounds like the siren on your Dad's machine," ventured Jane.

"It is. I guess the company have arrived and are waiting for a welcome,"

added Fiji.