The Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong Part 30

"And men came last night to break in just to see this?" It was incredible, Louise thought.

"Yes, but there is more than the machine you see," said Peg. "There are the drawings, and samples of ore and--other things. I have those in your safe you know," finished Peg.

"It is dear of you to trust us with all this----" began Julia.

"I wanted to do it, you have been so splendid to me," declared the black-haired girl. "And I must have seemed so--bitter!"

"No, just mysterious, and that made you fascinating," declared Grace, giving Peg a counterfeit hug.

"But how did you do any of this sort of work?" pressed Corene, still looking at the formidable machine.

"I have a hand drill, and every single day I spend some time just as dad did, collecting specimens. You see, I am looking for zinc."

"What does it look like?" asked Cleo.

"It is a little, bluish white vein. I have pieces in my box. I'll show them to you perhaps this evening," offered Peg.

"And two men called up to the tent just after you left this morning,"

remarked Cleo. "They yelled 'sissy' and we didn't answer them."

"Were they riding?" asked Peg.

"Yes. Two big capitalistic looking gents," said Corene. She was still fascinated with the ore drill, for Corene had a manual training turn of mind.

"Mr. Fairbanks and his New York partner," explained Peg. "They came up here with all sorts of threats, if I didn't let them see dad's papers.

But when I told them the Tourlander was coming in port--as you told me, you know--they didn't seem quite so--fierce. Big men like Fairbanks are always cowards," declared Peg, with a pardonable sneer.

"Did they see your guns?" joked Louise, looking about for a possible glimpse of the weapons.

"Didn't get a chance. I just met them outside the hedge, and they didn't even leave their horses."

A long low bench stood under the window with the inverted blind. One by one the girls slid into place on it, like a band of little kindergartners.

"I have always longed to see a real factory," ventured Cleo. "I should love to hear your buzz, Peg."

The "manager" stepped over to a small machine and pressed her foot upon it. The buzz promptly responded.

"Oh, let me try it! What will it do?" exclaimed Corene from the admiring group now surrounding the buzzer.

"It will grind anything. See, it is run by a motor," explained Peg.

"Wonder would it cut Corene's hair, nice and even," teased Cleo. "I've heard that very self same tune in barber shops."

"But where do you get your electricity from?" pressed Julia, the intelligent.

"There are a few poles in the hills and dad had one tapped for his own use," replied Peg. "You know the big hotel is wired."

"If we had known it we might have had a pole tapped for Comalong use,"

put in Grace, facetiously. "I've had an awful time doing my hair at the beach-tree dressing table. Just think what a spot-light would have done for us."

Corene was grinding the point of her belt buckle on the revolving emery wheel; Cleo was examining some outlines and drawings tacked to a drawing board, while the attention of Louise was riveted upon a line of tools set in graduated order upon a convenient shelf, as neatly placed as the kitchen knives, spoons and ladles in her mother's orderly pantry at home.

"Peg," said Corene, trying the buckle's point in her blouse, "couldn't we open a little factory here and sharpen knives and forks for the campers? We might fix umbrellas too. I've seen the grind men do it at this sort of buzzer."

Peg laughed happily at the girl's humor. "You don't know how good it seems to hear real, human words in this room again," she said after an emphatic pause. "Auntie has been so afraid of everything that I suppose I've inhaled the air of fear, unconsciously."

"I think Corey's idea perfectly spiffing," added Cleo. She was looking for something to sharpen on the wheel.

"You mean spoofing, Clee," insisted Grace. "If you will read trash why don't you do it with a pad and pencil?"

"But all joking aside, girls, can't you imagine what all this really means? I think Peg is the bravest girl we have ever met," Corene declared heartily.

"Oh, much," added Grace, with a side step not indicated in the factory recreational programme. "Can't we do something to testify to our esteem? You know, the little 'token of' business."

"Kindly keep your skirts away from my wheel," ordered Corene, still grinding, "or you may get a most unexpected 'token of' around the ankles."

"Your dad was a wonderful draftsman, Peg," commented Cleo, with her newly trained eye tracing the intricacies of the drawing board. "I never could learn to follow such fine lines and measurements."

"They wouldn't look well on your nut-bowl or your candle-sticks, Clee," remarked Louise. "Better stick to the school designs; they're simpler."

"This is all very lovely, and more absorbing than the mechanical display at the State fair," put in Julia, "but you know, girls, Peg hasn't really hired us yet."

A tap at the door interrupted.

"Peg," called Miss Ramsdell. "Here's a message."

Quickly opening the door, the girl accepted from the aunt the yellow paper, but there was no need to read its simple statement, for the joyous face of Aunt Carrie gave out the good tidings. Still Peg read aloud:

"Arrive to-morrow (Sat.u.r.day), will go at once to you at Lake Hocomo.

"Edward Ramsdell."

"Joy! Joy!" Peg cried. "Really coming, oh, girls! Now I can have some fun helping you break camp! Isn't it splendid!"

"That's a promise, remember, positively," insisted Julia, as they prepared to leave. "Bring Miss Ramsdell and s.h.a.g. Remember, we expect you pos--i--tive--ly."

Then the door was locked from the outside, on the precious invention of Peg's departed father.

CHAPTER XXI

A SURPRISE INDEED

The girls were deliciously excited. Uncovering the mystery of Peg's cabin lent no end of possibilities, not the least of which was the hope of having this girl of the hills unite with their own activities at last.

"Will somebody kindly drape that sun dial and hold back on time a little?" asked Corene. "However are we going to cram things into a few meager hours this fateful day?"