The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 32

When Zan and Hilda returned to the camp-fire the Guide asked Hilda to broil the ham while Zan spread the breakfast cloth.

"What can I do?" asked Jane, coming over.

"You can get a pail of fresh water from the Falls and fill the cups at each plate," returned the Guide.

That breakfast was appreciated thoroughly by everyone, for the bread was hot and crisp and the ham fried as brown as any ever served by Southern cook.

"After we finish breakfast and have cleared away the dishes, we must explore the immediate neighbourhood to find out if we are on a main trail where visitors are liable to come and interrupt our peace," said Miss Miller.

The camp ch.o.r.es done, the Tribe started for a hike, intending to circle their camp-site and look for possible intruders. They had followed the trail but a short distance before Miss Miller spied some fine white birches. Some of these had been cut down as being in the way for the proposed roadways of the park. The Guide immediately found a use for the large sheets of bark that were peeling from the trunks.

"Girls, we will postpone our scouting for a time when there is no important work at hand, but now do let us collect as much of this splendid birch bark while it is offered us without damaging standing trees."

The Guide then showed the eager Woodcrafters how to peel the bark to keep it in large sections and not split it into strips. When everyone was laden with as much bark as could possibly be carried, they started for camp and deposited their freight on the ground.

"You need not waste a bit of this bark-even this bit will make the outside of a dainty pen-wiper. It can be cut oblong and decorated with gold-paint. With leaves of felt or flannel between the two sections, and these tied together with a cord or ribbon, it makes a pretty memento."

"I suppose Miss Miller will find endless ways to use this tinder, just as she did for the sea-sh.o.r.e pebbles and sh.e.l.ls," remarked May, laughingly.

"I can think of enough ideas right now to keep you girls busy until Christmas," rejoined the Guide, also laughingly.

"For instance?" questioned Zan, curious to hear the items.

"Well, you can make needle-cases, pin-cus.h.i.+ons, boxes for neckties for the boys, boxes for handkerchiefs for parents, picture frames, veneering for rustic furniture, Tally Book covers, camp utensils-such as dishes, pots, pans, and platters, toilet sets, and many other things."

"That's right! I never thought of using birch bark for such things,"

declared Elena.

"Make a record of it in the Tally!" teased Zan, for Elena was acquiring the habit of entering everything in that book.

"If we should find any sweet gra.s.s on our walks while here, we must be sure and gather it, as it is what is needed to sew up the seams of birch bark. If the gra.s.s is wound about with red linen thread it makes it much stronger and looks pretty, too. The bark must be punched with a row of holes so the gra.s.s-binding can pa.s.s through without tearing. I think we have a punch at home such as children use in a kindergarten school."

"Miss Miller, do you know of other articles to make out of wild-wood things?" asked May, with awe at the Guide's knowledge.

"Well, I think pine cones make the oddest and prettiest things. The small cones combined with birch bark are lovely. I have made frames by glueing cones in patterns on thin bark-covered wooden frames. I have a large picture of George Was.h.i.+ngton at home that I framed in this way years ago. Then, too, I will show you a work-box that I made for my mother. It was made of a cigar-box and covered with bark. On top of the lid, and about the sides, I glued different kinds of cones and stems.

Then I varnished the whole thing and it was beautiful, in my estimation.

It has lasted to this day, and I made it over five years ago."

"I waxed some Autumn leaves last year and we used them over the windows and doors until Christmas time. Everyone said they looked _so_ pretty,"

said Elena.

"Why can't we gather some of these beautiful leaves and do the same thing with them, Miss Miller?" asked Jane, eagerly.

"We must wax them with sperm and iron them as soon as they are cut from the branches. You see, the colours remain exactly the same as when they were gathered if you wax them before they have time to dry. Whole branches can be waxed this way and used for decorative purposes.

Florists to-day use great ma.s.ses of waxed Autumn leaves in their exhibits, or for back-grounds through the Winter months. But care must be taken when ironing the spermaceti over the leaves that the hot iron does not touch the stem or wood of the branch. If it does, the leaf will immediately fall off."

So much time had been taken by the collecting and descriptions of articles made of birch bark, that it was noon before anyone dreamed it was more than ten o'clock.

"Girls, we ought to find a place for a swim and then have lunch. After that we will seek for a neighbour-if there are any on this crest," said Miss Miller.

But the girls could find no way to get down the steep cliff-side unless they went a long way back. So they gave up the hope of a swim that day and started off to seek for adventure.

They had gone about a mile in a new direction when one of the girls glimpsed a fine old mansion painted so nearly like the green and russet colouring of the woods that it was difficult to distinguish it from its beautiful setting.

"No wonder we didn't see it before," remarked Zan, gazing at its dark brown s.h.i.+ngled sides and green roof.

"It doesn't seem occupied. Maybe the people do not live here," suggested Elena.

"There's a rustic fence with a gate. I can see a notice hanging on the gate-let's see what it says," called Jane, who was in advance of the others.

In a few moments the Band stood reading the sign. "No trespa.s.sing on these grounds under penalty of the law."

"We're not on their land yet, but it's a shame to have a fence cut off an adventure right in the middle of a trail!" pouted Nita.

"It may prove a far more thrilling adventure to sit here and try to explain the reason for closed shutters and an abandoned house at this time of year," ventured Miss Miller.

Even as she spoke, a gardener came forward along a side path, and doffed his cap.

"I heared your voices an' I sure was s'prised to find a lot of school-girls. You-all seldom come as far as this. The 'Annabell'-that's the launch runnin' from Yonkers to Alpine and back agin-generally leaves 'em at the foot of the cliff where they picnic."

"We saw the sign and wondered if we were trespa.s.sing out here?" replied Miss Miller, in a questioning voice.

"Not at all! In fack, it would be all right for ladies to walk through the groun's when no one's home. The family's gone for the season now. We have to keep the sign up, just the same, to keep out the roughs from the city who would destroy the trees and flowers fer nothin'. Would you like to come in?" asked the old man, politely.

"I think not, thank you. We are camping down on the point by the Falls, and this was an afternoon hike. Now we will go back and hunt for a spot where we can bathe," explained the Guide. "I kin help you there. I haven't gone down to take up the two boats yet, or remove the portable bath-house we have on the beach, an' you'se are welcome to use both boats and house if it will accommodate you."

"Oh how lovely!" cried the girls, before Miss Miller could decide what would be the proper thing to do. So she smiled and thanked the generous stranger.

"I'll jes' run and git the keys to unlock the padlocks and bring you'se the oars." So saying, the old man hurried to the barn back of the mansion.

"Now isn't this a real adventure?" laughed Miss Miller.

"And we wouldn't have had it if there wasn't a house and a care-taker here to obstruct the trail!" added Zan.

It didn't take the Woodcrafters very long to run back to camp and find their bathing togs, then on down the steep path that seemed to drop sheer from the heights to the river-beach.

The two boats added greatly to the fun of the water-sports. As every girl could swim a little, and the water was shallow near the sh.o.r.e, there was no danger in toppling out of the boat.

There were some glorious battles of "tag" played with a bag of old cork found on the beach. One girl would throw the bag and, if it landed in the other boat, that side was "it" and was supposed to chase the opponent and try to fling the cork into their boat.

When they began to weary of this game, the Guide announced a swimming contest. Then followed a diving contest. Lastly a prize was offered to the girl who could swim under water and bring up from the river bottom the white flour-bag filled with sand which Miss Miller had prepared and was ready to drop from a boat into the clear depths of the river.

The spot designated was about ten feet deep and about ten yards from sh.o.r.e, but only a few girls could swim under water and it transpired that only Elizabeth Remington could swim with her eyes open. Naturally she was the one to bring up the trophy.

"No wonder we couldn't do it when we never tried to keep our eyes open under water-it hurts!" grumbled Zan, who disliked to be outdone by another girl.

Miss Miller silently exulted in the success of her little plan, for she knew Elizabeth could accomplish the deed and wanted the other girls to see her do it, thus imbuing them with the desire to try also.