Harriet Pyne Grove

“ The falls of Niagara never cease to arouse wonder and admiration no matter how many times the tourist may have visited them, and these girls were no exception to the rule. The amazing whirlpool rapids, where, tossing and tumbling, the foaming waters of Niagara river swept through the great gorge, impressed them almost as much as the falls themselves. ”

“ A few other lights flashed out in different canoes as they all circled prettily in the water and came into port once more.
“There, that’s over,” said Hilary, as with the pirate flag over one shoulder and Lilian’s guitar over the other, she entered the klondike. “Patty will certainly have to get up our entertainment for stunt night. We have only about a week to get ready now, and with the Wiscasset hike, the canoe trip to Brunswick, and the White Mountain trip, I can’t see where we get up anything, do you Frances?” ”

“ You feel like an Indian stepping on those generations of pine needles and do not make a bit of noise. There is a narrow winding path with sweet fern and other ferns and green moss and all sorts of pretty things by it, just before you get in under the thickest trees. Then you climb down over roots and stones to the big rocks that line the cove. This is almost a complete circle of rocks, well, there is quite a space where they have a rope and pole beyond which the girls do not go. Cathalina said we all looked like mermaids. She didn’t go in this morning as she took a bit of cold on the boat. ”

“ When evening came, it was decided that in view of the long trip the next day no outside entertainment should be sought.
“Let’s make it unanimous for bed,” suggested Hilary, who intended in any event to see that June was early in the land of dreams.
“I vote with Hilary,” said Jean. “My brain can’t hold so much at one time. I can’t remember all I’ve seen today!”
Helen, Evelyn and the three younger girls were with Miss West in a suite of two rooms and bath. Hilary with June and Lilian, and Betty with Cathalina were in adjoining rooms not far away. ”

“ By the time the chase was ended there were few of the girls who did not know the ins and outs of the pine grove, the rocks, the meadows, the lane, and the trail along the back water.
Of the Greycliff girls, Hilary, Lilian and Virginia were among the hounds, that started after a certain definite time had elapsed. Everybody was talking at once and excitement was growing. As they knew that the start was to be made through the pine grove, the line of hounds headed that way from the club house. ”

“ They will go in the Truant and leave at once with a few others that I will send.”
“Going to Bath” at camp is like going “down town” or “upstreet” at home. It is surprising how many little errands one thinks of when separated from the shops. The weather, too, makes more difference when at camp and dependent upon boats. But how great the advantages! How the girls all loved the camp life, enjoying all the more the occasional trips to the towns about. Today there was perfect weather, the river never more blue from an almost cloudless sky. An eagle swept across above the boat. ”

“ Marion, Frances and Hilary proved to be the only Squirrels’ Inn representatives on this hike, for Betty decided to stay with Lilian and Cathalina, and Nora had other plans. The three hikers donned their elkskin hiking shoes, took their smallest purses and started with the rest out the road toward First Trott’s. It was too early in the afternoon for much shade, though the narrow road wound between ferns and woods as ever. The sun had baked the ruts hard, too, and came down hot upon youthful shoulders. But why get points if one does not earn them by effort? ”

“ She is getting over some things, but when she takes off her clothes at night she drops them right on the floor, even her good things, and she makes us have a bad inspection every time the camp mother comes around, unless we watch her up.”
“She is just spoiled,” laughed Cathalina, with memories of a time not so far back when she had hated to do anything for herself.
“There are several girls here who have maids at home,” said Isabel, “and they don’t do that way; they think it’s fun.” ”

“ Then again the curving Aeolus took them up the river.
“Swimming meet tomorrow, girls,” reminded Hilary, “you going to try, Cathalina?”
“No; I’m not speedy enough to race, though I’ve learned to swim so much better already. It’s a shame that I can’t with all the summers I’ve been at the shore. I’m going to do more of it at school next year. Are you going to enter, Hilary?”
“Yes, you know that I always have to try everything. I’ll not win, though. How about you, Virgie?” ”

“ They are dark, almost black, when they are ripe.”
“I think I’ve eaten a quart already. I don’t know whether to eat blueberries or look at birds,” and Isabel put a fresh handful into her mouth. “There is a dark berry called dog-berry, so be sure you know the difference in the dark berries before you eat ’em when they’re ripe. I’m not one of those that taste everything and get poisoned. Dogberries are poisonous. But these heavenly berries!”
“Look, girls!” called Mother Nature, breaking the laws of silence for once, that all might see the immense eagle which was flying over. ”

“ The best “all-around camper” would not necessarily be the one who was first in any particular activity. Former years in camp, giving what we might call “cumulative” helpfulness and loyalty, counted also.
The annual “minstrels” at the boys’ camp was one of the great events. Gay boat-loads of girls on that happy night went down to Boothbay Camp, gave enthusiastic support and applause to the entertainment furnished by the boys, enjoyed every feature, and joined heartily in the singing of popular or camp songs while the curtains were drawn between “acts.” ”

“ We’ll be close at hand if the girls want us, and by ourselves if many of the folks come down to the grove.”
Lilian’s sweater made a comfortable cushion for both as perched upon the firm old Maine rock they began to talk to each other of their dreams and ambitions. It was just as engrossing as it had been upon their ride from Rochester to Buffalo. While they talked, the bell rang for swimming.
“They are back from the hare and hounds chase and that is the call for swimming; do you want to go, Philip?” ”

“ THE PICNIC TO BOOTHBAY
“This is certainly one wonderful time to me,” remarked Virgie to Isabel. “Lobster and clams on Tuesday, either a trip or something going on every minute since, and now this picnic to the boys’ island. I have to shake myself sometimes and say ‘remember the Maine’ or something for fear I’ll get spoiled. And G. G. G. G. again next year!”
“Explain your abbreviations; something to do with Greycliff, I suppose.”
“Yes; Greycliff Gay, Grand and Glorious. Won’t we be in fine trim for the sports there? We girls never half appreciated our privileges there.” ”

“ Bright and early the next morning, Cathalina and Hilary whistled softly outside of Laugh-a-lot and were joined by three stealthily moving figures which slipped out of the klondike, permission having been asked the night before.
“Isn’t this fun?” said Betty. “What if we really should find something?”
Little birds disturbed in their slumbers twittered a little from the trees as the girls passed. Jo had a spade, which she had secured soon after the conversation with Campbell. June had a trowel, and Dot carried a stout stick, which she had sharpened. ”

“ I want a regular job. I think every man ought to have one, and as I don’t care to be a public performer or a music teacher, I think I’ll just keep it for recreation, boring my family with occasional practice and much private enjoyment of my own.”
“From what Cathalina says, I judge that your family is never bored.”
“They do seem to stand it, but they are a long-suffering lot. And lately,” Philip’s face sobered, and he twirled the sweet fern that he held, “I’ve been planning for a musical wife, that is ... she’s pretty young now ... if I get home from war to ask her.” ”

“ She was followed by the sport girl, the business girl, and others for whom costumes could be prepared upon short notice, the Merrymeeting girl closing the parade, and wearing the full costume, with headband, armband, and a diamond upon her sweater. She carried a big volley ball under her arm and held up to view the Merrymeeting trophy cup. All the girls had looked so pretty that each had received hearty applause; but the Merrymeeting girl appealed to camp loyalty and was cheered vociferously with “rah, rah, Merrymeeting!” ”

“ All the girls had helped gather wood for the fire. Ah, how much better bacon tastes cooked outdoors! Besides the fun, the consciousness of being able to paddle one’s own canoe, both literally and figuratively, was the chief result of this picnic, and every trip in this beautiful country made the girls love it more. ”

“ You all have a special place to fit in and will be on a team. There will be a hare and hounds chase soon, a Mystery Hunt that I can not tell you about or it would not be a mystery, tournaments and a swimming meet and a picnic down at the boys’ island. Until the canoe tests no one is allowed to go out in a canoe. And only in groups of three or more may you go into the pine grove. We never have had prowlers, but take no chances. No girl ever goes off the grounds, and your councillor should always know where you are. ”

“ But the presence of the launches gave confidence to any of the girls who needed it, and the canoes rode the little white-capped waves most prettily.
“Send for Edna, Cathalina, to rub my back,” exclaimed Hilary stretched at length on her cot. “Bring on your Sloan’s liniment, Absorbine Junior and St. Jacob’s oil! Look out, Betty!”—as Betty plumped herself down by Hilary and began to rub a shoulder. “Deal gently, Elizabeth; how are your own arms?”
“There were so many to paddle in the war canoe; we hardly got tired a bit. ”

“ The tears were very near, as the children worked themselves up to the point that they must have the lockets and that it was mean that Miss West would not lend them the camp money or her own. But Patricia was firm, though kind, and succeeded in turning their attention to something else. Cathalina, who sat at a little table near whispered to Miss West that she would lend them the money. “O, not for the world,” she replied. “Their parents have left money for them at the office and they can spend only so much. Of course they have no idea of the value of money, and we must manage for them.” ”

“ Isabel counted the slender trunks in one clump of young birches and found fifteen.
“I’m going to bring my camera here and take a picture of some of you girls sitting on that wonderful big rock that slopes back above this exquisite fern bed. These are so delicate.”
“New growth, I guess,” said Hilary. “But look at those across the road now. They are more than half as tall as Isabel.”
“Take a leaf of this sweet fern between your fingers and squeeze it. It is just as spicy as can be. But we’d better hurry up a little,” continued Betty. “The rest of them are ahead of us.” ”

“ With much harmless nonsense and laughter the costume party went on, but closed quite early, for there was to be a trip to Bath the next day. As girls whose day has been quite taken up with many interesting activities are not loth to be “early to bed”, the flashlights danced happily toward the different tents and cabins.
Everybody could go to Bath upon this first occasion. The regular morning program, with the games, was carried out, and the girls were to come to the noon meal ready to go to the boats. Many of them had been planning little shopping lists. ”

“ All girls were forbidden the dining-room after breakfast, except a few who were asked to help bring down the “greenery” from the woods. These had a peep at the unfinished decorations. There was to be a picnic lunch at noon, to leave the dining-room free for the elaborate decorating, and it was even a mystery where the lunch was to be. In the arts and crafts room councillors were working on the last menu cards, which were being painted and lettered, and occasionally a few girls would invent some “necessary” errands, which would take them through the room into Laugh-a-lot. ”

“ Candy boxes came out immediately and were passed around, but to Miss West’s surprise and relief, the girls tasted sparingly.
“No, thanks,” said Marjorie, as Jean offered her a box of chocolates, “I promised Mother not to touch candy till the trip was at least almost over. She wanted me to get there all right. And any way this is my summer to reduce. I have to take a dip every morning, get to breakfast on time, go on the hikes and everything. And here old Jean eats twice as much as I do, and see how nice and slim she is.”
“It’s in our family to be skinny,” remarked Jean. ”

“ Some of the little girls who could not paddle were among those who sat more or less comfortably on life preservers in the middle. Or it would be one of the older girls who took the middle position, to change places with some tired paddler in bow or stern as need might be. The girls were reminded of the rules that no one was to change places in midstream. They must paddle to shore and make the adjustment. Lunch was distributed among the canoes, for the launches could not go up the shallow Androscoggin.
Hilary and Lilian took June with them. Frances, Betty and Cathalina were together. ”

“ With sticks and lines they were fishing. In front of them, facing the audience, but lying upon the floor in swimming position, were four “fish”, just the girls, in customary garb, without any attempt at a fish costume. To the lively tune of Jingle Bells, and with the movements appropriate to swimming and “flapping” of fins, they sang the following ditty:
“We are the fishes gay,
Swimming every day,
In the ocean blue,
Just see what we can do!
We dart and dance about,
Each minnow and each trout;
We glisten and we gleam,
As we sidestroke down stream.
CHORUS:
Flap your fins! ”