The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 31

"But, strange to say, the sheep-skins had been so long with the people that many of them had beards when their skins filled out again. And many of the sheep forgot their mountain habits and wandered about at the foot of the cliffs, so that they became tame and lived with men ever after.

"After the sheep were sent back to the mountains, the Man-of-the-s.h.i.+ning-Sun on the Mountain Peak sent a good spirit to the young chief who had obeyed and kept his promise. The spirit would be his strength so that he could do anything he wanted done.

"At the gift presented to their young chief the people rejoiced greatly, and made him a pair of snowshoes, a shaman's mask, and many bows and arrows. Then the chief ordered the people to come to him. They were then at Fort-by-a-small-lake, which was west of Juneau City, and there they built a big house for the chief with a good spirit. On the door-posts of this house they carved the signs of the Great Dipper. Then the shaman fasted four days and four nights and when the constellation appeared and blessed the people, those people were called Wain House People and have been so called ever since."

"There isn't much hidden truth in that legend," said Zan, who felt disappointed with the story.

"I liked it, all right," said Elena.

"It's a queer tale-some of those Indian stories are so impossible as to be ridiculous," commented Hilda.

"In our translations perhaps, but we must remember that many words in the Eskimo are impossible to translate properly and still retain beauty and sense. But the story goes to show that at a remote age the Alaskan Indians knew and named the 'Wain,' even as the present age does."

The week-end determined upon for a camp on the Hudson proved to be perfect October weather, and great was the buzzing about the gymnasium as the girls packed their outfits and waited for the three autos to carry them to the nearest place for the Alpine camp.

Miss Miller had heard much about the wild grandeur and beauty of Alpine in the Autumn, and she had pictured a beautiful place of Nature. But she was disappointed when the cars stopped on the Fort Lee road and Jim said:

"This is as far as we can safely go."

The girls were compelled, therefore, to carry their outfits across the stubbly fields to reach the woods that fringed the river cliffs. The chauffeurs gave all the a.s.sistance they could, and when the woods were reached they left to return home, while the campers struggled on to find a suitable site.

The entire area along the Palisades had been purchased as city property and was being ploughed over; diseased timber was cut down, and down timber chopped up ready to remove, when the Tribe first caught a glimpse of the place. Wherever a clearing had been, was now used for piling up refuse, stones, and brushwood. The day was unusually warm for the season and the heavy packs which had to be carried to camp did not help anyone to feel more cheerful.

"Oh, this is awful! I wish I had never come!" complained Eleanor, stopping every other moment to gasp and rest.

"It isn't very alluring, I must admit," said Miss Miller, as disappointed as the others.

"Great Caesar's ghost! _What_ are they going to do with this upside-down area!" finally cried Nita, as she caught her toe in some half-buried trash and fell head-long into a rut newly ploughed that week.

"It's in the throes of being transformed into a Park!" laughed Zan.

"Oh no!" called Jane, "this is the evolution of a dancing floor for Nita."

After many stumblings and grumblings, the Tribe reached the cool shadows of the woodland where they found a plain trail running along the crest of the river bank. Zan led the way and after they had gone some distance through the dense woods she came to a natural clearing that projected far over on the cliff. She went out there and instantly dropped her pack.

"Oh! Come here and see the wonderful view!" shouted she.

Everyone dropped the tiresome luggage and gladly ran out to join Zan.

"Ah! This repays us for all the toil and hards.h.i.+ps endured," exclaimed Miss Miller, with clasped hands, admiring the view.

From the point where they stood, hundreds of feet above the majestic Hudson, they could see up and down the river for miles. The city of Yonkers was opposite, and the river-craft plying the Hudson provided interesting scenes to the girls. The gorgeous colouring of foliage on both sides of the river clothed the hills and cliffs with beautiful tones made by Nature's paint-brush. The air was sweet and warm, and crickets, some late birds, and insects added their voices to the general music of the Falling Leaf Moon.

"I wish we could camp near here," ventured Jane.

"I thought I heard running water before you joined me. Maybe we can find a brook or spring," suggested Zan.

"I heard there was a beautiful bit of water here called Alpine Falls. If we could only find it!" said Miss Miller.

"Let's separate and scout for it. Leave the baggage here for the time,"

responded Zan.

But they had not far to search, for Zan _had_ heard falling water, part way down the steep Palisades, falling from a great height on a rocky peak to a glen beneath. The stream that fed the falls had worn a narrow but deep gully on top of the cliffs, and Miss Miller was the one to discover it as she sought for a good camp-site. A rustic bridge spanned the ravine and a path led a circuitous way down to the ledge where the Falls formed a foamy pool before running over its rocky basin to tumble recklessly on down to join the river.

Miss Miller wished to a.s.sure herself that it would be a safe spot for so many girls to camp, so she followed the path to the ledge and there saw a rustic sign nailed to a tree, "Alpine Falls-no camping allowed on this ledge."

She climbed back again and called to the Tribe to join her. They were delighted with the place, and when Miss Miller told them of the sign they agreed to camp at the clearing on the point and use the Falls for cooking and wash water.

"I hope to goodness no one here is a sleep-walker," laughed Zan, waving a hand in the direction of the precipice.

"No one here guilty of that habit!" replied Miss Miller.

So camp was pitched and preparations for supper well under way before Jane said: "We forgot to think of a swim."

"Too late! Besides, we'll have to crawl down this wall and see if there is any sort of a place where we can get in," answered Zan.

That evening they enjoyed riddles, charades, and Nita danced a wild flower dance she had invented. Miss Miller told them of some of her interesting experiences while travelling in Egypt and the Old World, and then to bed.

Early in the morning, Zan turned over in her tiny cot and yawned. Awake in an instant, she sat up and sniffed.

"Who's baking breakfast gems? They smell fine!"

She jumped up and peeped from the flap of the tent. At a good camp-fire she saw the funniest baker she ever thought possible to utilise. But no one was about, so she crept out in her pajamas and gra.s.s slippers to investigate.

On a smooth stick safely driven into the ground near enough to the camp-fire to warrant a steady heat reaching it, was twisted a long flat strip of dough. It began to wind about the stick from the bottom and ended near the top. As it baked and browned on the side nearest the fire, a delightful aroma came from it and permeated the air.

"Well, I never! If this isn't the most ingenious device!" murmured Zan, chuckling to herself.

"Watching my bread-twist, Zan?" called a voice, and Zan looked over to see the Guide coming from the Falls where she had had a cold bath.

"Yes, but I was wondering how to give the offside a chance to brown?"

replied Zan.

"I'll show you-simple as anything." And Miss Miller merely took hold of the top-end of the stick and gave it a sharp turn. Naturally the bread turned with it, and the side that was brown was now facing away from the fire while the other side was turned toward it to bake and brown.

Zan laughed and nodded her head approvingly, then glanced at the other breakfast food cooking. Cereal was boiling in a pot hanging over the fire where the bread was baking, and apples were stewing in a saucepan.

"Did we bring apples yesterday?" asked she.

"No, but I found a little old tree down the trail and most of these were picked up from the ground. Don't they smell good?"

"Um-m! Should say they did. But tell me, Miss Miller-did you stay up all night to work like this?"

"Hardly! I got up an hour ago and mixed the bread dough, then started the fire. After that I wanted to see what kind of a country was back there, and I found the apples. When they were stewing and the cereal on boiling, I went for my morning wash."

"I'll run in and wash and dress, then I'll be back to help," said Zan, starting off for the tent.

Hilda was already up and dressing when Zan ran in, and both girls chattered so noisily about the bread-twist that the others awoke and jumped out of bed.