The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 34

Long before Miss Miller concluded reading this communication subdued sounds of joy and excitement were heard from the girls, and the moment it was finished Jane cried:

"Did you know anything of this, Zan?"

"Cross my heart-not a thing!" declared Zan, earnestly.

"Did you know, Miss Miller?" questioned several girls, turning to the Guide.

"Not until Monday, when I was asked over the 'phone what I thought of the plan, and I said it was splendid."

"I s'pose we will accept, eh?" asked Anne Mason, anxiously.

"Accept! Well I guess yes!" retorted Jane.

"Chump Mark for Jenny!" laughed Elena.

"Humph! Slang is imperative under such exciting conditions!" replied Zan, glancing sympathetically at Jane.

"Never mind that talk-wasting good time-hurry up and compose an answer to the doctor's letter!" cried Hilda.

"I'll take it home and hand it to Dad to save time," added Zan.

"I suppose Elizabeth will go with us-shall I telephone Mrs. Remington and find out?" asked the Guide.

"If Fiji and Bob and Jack Hubert are going-as I s'pose they are-we ought to invite Fred and Billy Remington, too," suggested Zan.

"I think your mother has already attended to that. We will find out,"

and Miss Miller took up the receiver.

Then the girls learned that everyone at Mossy Crest had been invited, but Mrs. Remington had an important Woodcraft Council that Friday night and could not accept, but Elizabeth was delighted to go with Wako Tribe.

"Now that's settled we can say 'yes' to the invitation," said Jane, impatiently.

It took but a few moments to write the note to Dr. Baker and then the girls chattered excitedly again.

"Got everything ready for the Gift Ceremony?" asked Zan.

"I have," came from many, and "Most done," from others.

And from the Guide: "I followed an original idea that promises to give some fun but will not be a part of your ceremony. No need to ask questions of me, as I do not intend to speak of my secret until the time arrives."

Thus warned beforehand, the girls giggled but asked no questions that would bring down a significant silence upon them.

Friday was a perfect October day and at four o'clock sharp the cars filled with happy Woodcrafters left Dr. Baker's house. The ride through the lovely country glowing in Autumn colours, and the mingled odours of drying hay, woodsy scents, and late flowers made everyone feel good.

Arrived at Wickeecheokee Farm, Mrs. Baker and the party of boys were left at the house while the members of Wako Tribe continued on the road that ran over the Big Bridge and pa.s.sed Bill Sherwood's cottage. Here the Woodcrafters jumped out and started for the Bluff that could be plainly seen from the road.

Bill and his wife, the resident farmers, welcomed the girls and the former declared: "Looks like the good old Summertime wid all you'se girls here again."

"Chump Mark for your slang, Bill!" laughed Zan.

And genial Bill, not knowing what a Chump Mark meant, grinned and replied: "Ya'as, Miss San, it sure was a fine camp!"

That night after dishes were cleared away, the boys brought the chestnuts they had found and everyone crowded about the glowing embers of the camp-fire and roasted the delicious nuts. Then the boys sang glee-songs and the girls told Folk Stories till time for bed.

"Now don't oversleep, girls," shouted Fiji, as the boys followed Mrs.

Baker away from the Bluff.

"If you're not ready to start when we call in the morning, we'll just go on without you," added Fred Remington.

"We want to get bags and _bags_ of chestnuts in the morning, 'cause we've got other things to do in the afternoon for the party to-morrow night," explained Jack Hubert.

"Oh say! Don't talk as if we were the sleepy-heads that you boys are!

Don't we know _you_!" scorned Jane, as Zan and she exchanged glances which said as plain as could be: "Trying to pose with their sisters present!"

And so it proved. The girls were ready and impatiently calling or signalling before the boys appeared on the trail coming through the woods from the farm-house.

That morning a great harvest of hickory nuts and chestnuts was gathered and by the time the hunters were back at camp they were half-famished from the crisp, cold air and bracing exercise.

Fiji had seen some rabbits during the morning, and the moment he was at the house began:

"Mumsie, Fred brought his rifle and we're going hunting this afternoon.

The other little boys can do that work for you."

"Indeed you're not! Rifle or no rifle, Fred is my guest and he will not use the fire-arm while I have anything to do about it."

"Oh pshaw, Mum! He knows everything about a gun! He and I won't go near anyone else, and you know you can trust _me_!" coaxed Fiji.

"Fred, get the rifle for me, please. I will return it when we get back to the city. I know too much about promises to be careful. I think it is perfectly safe for you to use the gun when you are with experienced hunters or alone, but not with a party of boys who never held a rifle in proper position before. This Winter I propose having the boys take lessons in a shooting gallery I know of, and then it will be different."

The wild dreams of bringing a deer or grizzly bear to camp, or at least a small harmless rabbit, vanished for Fiji. Consequently, he was moody when the other boys started out to gather the long creepers and branches of brilliant Autumn leaves meant to decorate the house for the evening's entertainment.

But the effect of invigorating air and scrambling over ledges of rock could not long keep anyone in a moody or sulky spell, and Fiji was the liveliest of the lively boys before he returned home laden with the Fall harvest of the woods.

Mrs. Baker was invited to attend the afternoon Birthday Council, and at three o'clock the Chief opened the meeting with the usual prayer and other ceremonies. After Tally Reports were read, and _coups_ awarded to some of the new members and a few of the old ones of the Band, the feature of the Council began.

"O Chief!" commenced the Guide, standing and saluting Zan. "I suggest that we perform the Gift Ceremony of the Zuni Indians in distributing our gifts. Mrs. Remington loaned me the sacred otter skin for this purpose and Elizabeth knows the rite by heart, so I propose that she act the princ.i.p.al part with Zan as second."

"How!" approved the Council members, so the Chief took up the tomtom.

Sitting at one side of the Circle, dressed in her ceremonial robes, Zan beat the tomtom while Elizabeth, also gorgeously arrayed in beaded costume, representing Wako Tribe for that time, entered the Ring hop-stepping, and followed by the other members. As each girl pa.s.sed the tomtom she paid tribute to the sacred instrument by an obeisance to the East for reverence, to the South, playfully, to the West with awe, and to the North for protection from all cold. Then they all sat in their places about the Council Fire to hear the Guide speak.

"To-day the braves of Wako Tribe won a great victory. The warriors of another Tribe, dwelling in the camp made by White Men, over-slept and were late on the war-path. But my Braves, led by our great Chief, were ready with paint and weapons to fight the as yet unseen enemy.

"With bags and baskets, we followed the trail which led to the sometime hidden chestnuts, or again some were found lying in ambush in the long wild gra.s.s. Many captives were made to bring back to camp for the fire and feast which celebrate the victory to-night. Hidden rascals, so surrounded by the sharp arrow points sticking from the chestnut burrs that we had many a finger-wound from them, were finally scalped-their burrs cracked open and the prisoners taken away.

"Some of our warriors were struck on the head by falling sh.e.l.ls from hickory trees where the nuts had grown and awaited this opportunity to drive away a.s.sailants. But with the very act of striking us with sh.e.l.ls, they also burst open, fell to earth, and thus were captured.

"We left many empty worthless sh.e.l.ls on the battlefield, but the prisoners shall be roasted at our war-dance to-night!"