Lillian Elizabeth Roy

“ Gilroy?" asked Julie.
"Do you remember I told you, last summer, of some Boy Scouts who camped in my woods every year? Well, four of those boys are here now. The rest of the Troop are coming up in August, but these four have all summer to camp in. I'm going to introduce you, soon."
"Verny, why can't we see all the stars all the year?" now asked Ruth.
"Because the earth turns on its axis, you know, so that certain planets are out of sight for us, and are seen on the other side of the globe. Then when the earth turns fully around we see them again." ”

“ The expectancy and hush that always precedes the bursting forth of shining light, enthralled all the wild creatures in the woods.
Yhon had been silently guiding his flock over the water, closely hugging the shore all the way, when the high treble call of a young fawn echoed far over the lake. It was so unexpected that the scouts were startled, but the Indian called over his shoulder, "Li'l deer lose mammy—call her back!" ”

“ But he unwrapped each covering himself, and when the last dazzling wrapper was revealed, no human being durst gaze upon that Light. But he who was born of Light looked upon what was hidden in that covering and flung all up through the smoke-hole to take its place in the Firmament of Heaven, where it shines like unto a Sun—to-day, as in those days. And it was given the world to shed its rays of Light upon the earth by day, even as the Moon shines for Light by night, and the Stars sing for joy and gladness that Light came to the world. ”

“ Vernon, glancing at the scout she mentioned, because Julie might run unnecessary risks for herself, but if she thought she was responsible for the other girls her zeal would be tempered wisely.
"What do they give scouts a medal for, Verny?" now asked Judith, as she twisted her long hair up in a tight coil on her head.
"If occasion arises for a scout to display great heroism, or if she faces extreme danger in trying to save a life, she can have the bronze medal—the highest award given. If she does a brave deed with considerable danger to herself, she wins a silver cross. ”

“ The house was doomed even before the firemen reached the scene, for it was constructed, as so many summer boarding-houses are at seashore and mountain resorts, of thin novelty-siding outside and oil-stained ceiling boards inside; these act like kindling wood once they are ignited.
The crowd stood, now, and watched the flames lick up everything in sight, but every one was thankful that no lives were lost. The scouts, both girls and boys, had worked so faithfully that all the silver and linen were saved, and the men had removed much of the best furniture in the ground-floor rooms. ”

“ Why, just look around and see our work! Is there anything here to prove we are such ignoramuses as to believe a calf-track could possibly be a deer-print?" asked Julie, scornfully.
"You're right, you girls sure can do scout things," said Alec, admiringly.
"This dinner alone would prove it!" exclaimed Bob.
"Any one who can find Indian cucumbers and Wapitos, when we boys have hunted and hunted, and never succeeded, is a first-class scout, and no mistake about it!" declared Dick, enthusiastically. So Mr. Gilroy decided not to speak in self-defence any more. ”

“ A few days after the girl scouts' visit to Grey Fox Camp, they were agreeably surprised by having the boys visit them. Mr. Gilroy was with them, and as each boy carried an ax and a woodman's knife, the girls knew they came to work.
"We decided to cut a shorter trail over the crest, and as to-day is so cool, we thought it would be a fine time for work," explained Alec, the leader in the boys' camp.
"One day's as good as another! We're ready to help any time," replied Julie, as leader of the Girl Scouts' Troop. ”

“ On either side of the centerpiece stood two large flat clay platters,—one held the Indian cucumber salad, and the other a dandelion salad.
"Aren't the girls going to sit down, too?" called Alec.
"Yes, but each girl has to serve a boy's soup as well as her own. Then we will sit down," answered Julie.
Meantime Joan was whispering anxiously, as each girl held out the clay bowls for soup, "Now remember! Leave the tracking tale to Julie, and agree with her everytime! Don't you dare be caught napping this time!"
And as each scout left the stove with her two bowls of soup, she whispered. ”

“ Vernon added, "Julie you speak exactly like the millennial times, when the [155] lion and the lamb shall dwell in love and peace together."
"The lion will dwell with the lamb, all right, but the lamb will be the piece inside the lion," added Mr. Gilroy; "just as this pig will live in camp! Such a life as it will lead you!"
"No good talking 'sour grapes', now, Gilly," advised Julie, wisely. "The calf and the pig remain, no matter what sort of life they lead us."
"What can you expect to do with two such pets?" asked Mr. Gilroy, who was honestly amazed at the scouts' unexpected appropriation. ”

“ GIRL SCOUTS AT DANDELION CAMP
This is a story which centers around the making and the enjoying of a mountain camp, spiced with the fun of a lively troop of Girl Scouts. The charm of living in the woods, of learning woodcraft of all sorts, of adventuring into the unknown, combine to make a busy and an exciting summer for the girls. ”

“ Did any of us think water was dry?" asked Hester, scornfully.
"I do wish those girls hadn't left us in the canoe! If it rains they may upset," worried the Captain.
"They didn't leave us in the canoe, Captain. And we are just as likely to meet with mishap as they," laughed Judith, to cheer every one up.
"Well, it's going to break mighty quick! See that inky cloud scudding across there?" exclaimed Amy, pointing at the sky.
"Verny, why not make a quick shelter to crawl under?" suggested Anne.
"Think you can do it?" answered the Captain. ”

“ So Betty ran swiftly away while the other scouts resumed their coaxings to draw Jake away from the log.
Julie now started to break away through the bush to get the dog, and several of the girls followed closely at her heels. When they reached the place where they had seen something move, they also saw tracks in the soft soil.
"It really is a wild animal," said Julie, excited at sight of the footprints.
"But what? Do you know?" asked Judith.
"No, but it must be a beaver—or a fox. I don't know which," confessed Julie. ”

“ Most of the scouts took to the dense bushes and woods, but the Leader sought in a clearing and was the first to summon the others.
"Oh, come, every one! We've found a great big track!" called Julie, as she and her companion knelt to inspect the prints.
Every one raced wildly to the clearing, and, sure enough, there were hoof prints distinctly marked in the soil. The trail led across the clearing into the dense forest.
"Aren't they big?" excitedly asked Joan.
"They're made by a deer!" said Julie, boastfully.
"Are they, Gilly?" asked the girls as the Judge came up. ”

“ They're fighting!" cried Hester, too excited to stand still, but jumping up and down.
"A cat! Gilly hasn't a cat that color!" declared Joan.
"Girls!" fairly hissed Julie. "I bet it's a wildcat—and it will kill Jake as sure as anything!"
"No, no! Oh, girls, I just saw it, too! It's a skunk! Run, run—for your lives!" cried Mrs. Vernon, turning to run up the trail towards the bungalow.
But several of the scouts would not desert the dog. He had carried the skunk off its feet with his unexpected leap upon it, and the two rolled and fought madly for supremacy. ”

“ The Captain's suggestion was agreed upon, and the scouts turned in at the willow-arched walk that led to the Indian's hut. A wide brook ran under the willows, and here they saw several canoes waiting to be used. The pathway that ran alongside the brook was littered with rubbish of all kinds,—the accumulation of years of slovenly housekeeping and lazy carpenter work out of doors.
But it was evident that the Indian was neither slovenly nor lazy when it pertained to making canoes. Every canoe there was a splendid example of workmanship. ”

“ The dinner wound up with wild-current tarts, puff-cakes, and coffee made from roots and roasted acorns, pulverized.
"Lady Scouts, let me toast you for this wonderful [177] success, not only in culinary art, but also in founding a curious menagerie," said Mr. Gilroy, standing and holding up his coffee before drinking it.
"Before we adjourn from this feast, let me ask one question," said Alec, as they prepared to get up from the table.
"What was it in that salad dressing that gave such a palatable flavor? I never tasted anything like it before." ”

“ Even Jake could have testified to mysterious actions, and many queer maneuvers of familiar animals from the barnyard, but the girls never asked him. Their faith in Mr. Gilroy was sublime!
While the Dandelioners sat eating their camp supper, they discussed the boys they had visited that day.
"I declare! I wonder if we ever will know as much about the woods as those Grey Fox boys do," sighed Hester, taking a bite of baked potato.
"Sure! We know almost as much as they do already," bragged Joan.
"They gave us a lovely luncheon—and all with nothing to do it with," added Judith. ”

“ But we must not stop and enjoy too much by the wayside," said the Captain.
There was a liberal slice of steak for each one and the girls pronounced the taste of it delicious.
"And so tender, too! I never had such a juicy bit of meat," said Hester. [64]
Having refreshed themselves considerably, with the fun of finding the mushrooms and cooking them, to say nothing of eating them, also, the scouts continued the hike along the trail. Just as they reached the crest of the mountain, Julie came suddenly upon a fawn, standing in the shadow of a tree; it was watching these queer two-legged creatures. ”

“ The scouts were so busy with canoeing, swimming, and hiking, during the week following the dinner-party that they saw very little of Mr. Gilroy, although they knew whenever he called at the camp, because he generally brought feed for the calf and pig. These two unusual pets were becoming quite sociable, and would follow the girls around the clearing when meals were being prepared. Jake always went wherever the scouts went, and he particularly enjoyed the long walks. But he ignored the calf and pig completely when in camp. ”

“ Then they saw the fireless cooker that was in use for the time being; so they passed on to inspect the various birchbark hanging-baskets filled with flowers; the rustic fern-boxes, and all the useful articles the scouts had manufactured of birchbark and acorns.
"It takes a girl to do fancywork, all right. Now, we boys are not gifted that way, you see, but we can make other things, instead," remarked Alec, bestowing a male's compliments on feminine accomplishments.
"Just what can you make, or have done, that we girls are not able to do?" demanded Julie. ”

“ If we, as good intelligent scouts, will try to break this silly fear for others, we shall have to begin with ourselves, by not referring to the superstition with the sense of its having any power to act."
The girls listened seriously, as they always did when their Captain started one of her "sermonettes" as Julie called them; and when she had concluded, Joan said: "In other words, you want us to starve the poor wraith still more by withdrawing any thoughts from the matter whatever?" ”

“ Julie, remember to bring it next time," said Joan.
"Let every one remember—the last thing to do when we start anywhere, every one is to say to herself: 'Remember the Maine!' then we will surely take the camera," giggled Julie.
The scouts now began descending the other side of the crest, and found a better trail than on the side they came up. So, being able to go faster, they soon reached a lovely camp-site, where the voices of several boys announced that Grey Fox Camp was reached. ”

“ Gilroy instantly whispered, "S-sh! Don't breathe, and you will see a sight worth watching for." [49]
The moon now sailed from back of the cloud that had obscured it for a time, and its cold white light etched everything it touched. Again the strange whistling call sounded directly back of the group, and a crashing and tearing of underbrush ended with the sudden spring of a fine buck, that landed him out on the grass not twenty feet from the scouts.
At the same moment, a plaintive call came from the direction of Silver Falls, which was up on the mountainside in front of the bungalow. ”

“ The girls gave such a chorus of approval that Mr. Gilroy pretended to stop both ears.
"Oh, do tell them all about it, Gilly, or we'll be deaf!" begged Mrs. Vernon, laughing at the commotion.
So Mr. Gilroy described the itinerary to the great delight of his hearers. "But remember, girls, no extra baggage is allowed. You wear your uniforms, take bathing suits, and sandals, a wide soft hat that will stick to your head, as few toilet requisites as possible; individual eating outfit, blanket and sleeping-bag, fishing tackle, and your powder puffs." ”

“ Mr. Gilroy did not stop to hear what Julie tried to gasp, but he ran down and saw Jake bringing the skunk out into the pathway.
"To heel! to heel, Jake!" shouted Mr. Gilroy, holding his nose when the dog tried to jump upon him in the ecstasy of having achieved such a great deed.
"What shall we do with him? He can't sleep at [138] Dandelion camp to-night," wailed the girls, as they, too, held their noses.
"I'll have to take him back to the barn and have Hiram turn the hose on him for twenty-four hours."
"Isn't there a reward for skunks in the country?" now asked the Captain. ”