With the second day in camp, Miss Drexal had wisely allotted3 to each girl a certain amount of camp work to be performed. Six o’clock had been the hour set for rising, and, promptly4 at six, the Guardian5 sounded the reveille call on a bugle6 which she had brought along for that very purpose. As she had been a bugler7 in one of the first Camp Fire groups to spend a summer in the open, she was familiar with the various calls used by the Army. Her flock hailed this bit of military procedure with acclamation. According to Sarah, it was “positively thrilling” to hear “Taps” fall sweetly on the summer air at ten o’clock each evening. She agreed with Jane, however, that “reveille” was not half so inspiring.
Thus far, they had made only short jaunts8 through the adjoining woods, content to keep fairly near to camp at first in order to explore their immediate10 surroundings. On these occasions Wohelo Wigwam was left to take care of itself. Owing to the fact that the canoes held comfortably only three persons, the party took turns in making voyages to the various nearby islands in the lake. With Blue Wolf as chief navigator, from three to five girls usually accompanied him, leaving the rest in camp. Ruth proving herself more adept11 at the paddle than her friends, she was constantly in demand, although Marian was rapidly becoming a close second.
True to his word, the Indian had ranged the woods for a suitable tree from which to fashion a canoe. It had required considerable searching to find one of sufficient size and straightness. His object was to secure, if possible, a single strip of bark that would extend the entire length of the canoe he purposed to make. The tree which he finally found was admirably suited to his project. Whenever not required by Miss Drexal, he was invariably to be seen squatted12 in front of his shack13, his wiry fingers engaged in skillfully stripping the bark from his prize. Eager to do their part, Ruth and Frances also tried their hand at bark stripping. Blue Wolf firmly declined, however, to allow them to experiment on the tree he had chosen. Instead, he put them to work on a smaller tree, bluntly informing them, “You try cut him little tree! You spoil him, no matter. Heap more me get. Big tree you spoil, never I find again ’nother mebbe.”
Determined14 to do credit to their teacher, the two girls devoted15 themselves so industriously16 to their trial tree as to have the proud pleasure of at least furnishing the extra strips of bark which had to be added on each side to make the canoe sufficiently17 broad. Under his eagle eye they also helped to sew the seams with balsam roots, and assisted in daubing them with a black mixture of spruce gum and cedar18 ashes to render them water tight.
Had the Indian devoted himself solely19 to the work of fashioning the canoe, he could have finished it in five days. As it was, the end of their second week in the woods was upon them before he pronounced it ready for its first voyage. It was late on Friday afternoon, when a jubilant group collected at the edge of the lake to watch its trial trip. When the shapely canoe finally shot out on the placid20 water, under the guide’s practical hands, he received the ovation21 of his life. After thoroughly22 testing it, he brought it ashore23 and gravely invited Miss Drexal to become his first passenger. When she returned, Ruth and Frances were accorded the honor of the next trip and so on, until every girl, even to Blanche, had tested its merits. Considering her recent scathing24 denunciation of canoes in general, her companions were secretly amused at her apparent willingness to trust herself in one of them.
Blanche had her own reasons, however, for her change of mind. She was well aware that Blue Wolf took particular pains to keep out of her way. If she addressed him, he answered briefly25 and with no show of interest. With the others, he had grown quite friendly in his reserved, stately fashion. The canoe having been the chief center of importance since he had commenced its making, Blanche was not anxious to incur26 his fresh disapproval27 by refusing to try it. She therefore told herself scornfully she would at least show this “stupid Indian” that she was no coward. Back of this was also a slowly growing desire to “be in things.” Far removed from the artificial mode of living which she had ever held as all-important, the magic spell of the great outdoors was beginning to make itself felt.
She was no longer so entirely satisfied with herself as when she had first come to the Heights. Her ignorance of wood lore9 placed her at a decided28 disadvantage. Long accustomed to having her own way, it piqued29 her not a little to be a mere30 follower31 rather than a leader. Dislike for Ruth made her particularly envious32 of the former’s woodsman-like qualities. Miss Drexal herself frequently consulted Ruth regarding their various expeditions. This was as a thorn to Blanche’s flesh. It aroused in her a desire to do something remarkable33 that would redound34 to her own credit. To plod35 patiently along and win her honors for Wood Gatherer did not appeal to her. That would merely please Ruth, whom she wished to thwart36 whenever possible. She longed to do something especially clever that would place her in the front rank of popularity at a single bound.
Though her motive37 was ignoble38, it was at least ambitious. Under her still languid pose, she began to keep an alert watch for the coveted39 opportunity. Should a sudden emergency arise which called for quick action or high courage, Blanche resolved that she would be first to grasp it, if only to show her superiority over Ruth.
With the completion of the canoe, the campers immediately made plans to explore in a body one of the larger islands of the lake, several miles distant. Blue Wolf had spoken of it to Ruth, who, impressed by his terse40 description of its beauty, had at once begged Miss Drexal that a canoeing party be gotten up with it as an objective.
Half past seven o’clock, on a cloudless Saturday morning, saw the dwellers41 of Wohelo Wig-wam setting jauntily42 off toward the lake, their packs slung43 over their shoulders. They were in high spirits as they tramped through the bit of woods to the lake shore, for the thought of invading fresh territory had fired their enthusiasm. Miss Drexal had demurred44 a little at leaving their camp with no one at home, but Blue Wolf had phlegmatically45 assured her: “When come back, camp him here, just same. No one see. No one steal. No one do nothing.”
In charge of the expedition, he was to pilot his crew to the island, land and leave them there for the day, while he turned about and paddled to Tower on his semi-weekly trip for supplies. In the late afternoon, a little before sunset, he was to return for them and see them safely back to camp. The problem of seating eleven persons in three canoes having been thoroughly discussed on the previous evening, it had been decided that for once a little crowding would be necessary. The canoe which the Indian had made was large enough to hold four persons. Four squeezed into one of the other two, and three in its mate, made a satisfactory division.
“You had best place us as you think wise, Blue Wolf,” directed Miss Drexal. “I would rather trust to your judgment46. Girls, you must sit very still. Crowded as we shall be, the least touch is likely to capsize the canoes. Is the water very deep?” she asked, again addressing the Indian.
“Ugh! Heap deep, most way,” grunted47 the guide. His eyes roving reflectively over the group on the shore, he pointed48 to Ruth. “You smart girl. You paddle heap good. You take she an’ she an’ she.” He rapidly designated Blanche, Frances and Jane. “I take she an’ she an’ she.” He selected Emmy, Anne and Betty as his cargo49. Marian was his choice of commandant for the third canoe, which left Sarah and Miss Drexal to go with her. He further selected Frances to help Ruth paddle, and accorded Betty the proud honor of assisting himself. Miss Drexal was to be Marian’s helper.
Reserving the launching of his own canoe until the last, he busied himself with starting off first Marian’s and then Ruth’s. The first principle of canoeing consists in knowing how to board one of the too-easily swamped little boats. By light and careful stepping, the girls managed to stow themselves into their limited quarters without mishap50. The last to shove off from shore, Blue Wolf sent his canoe ahead of the others with a few practiced strokes of the paddle. Marian swung in close behind him. Ruth brought up the rear, and the little procession was soon well out of sight of the deserted51 camp and merrily following their leader along the tortuous52 course which gives Vermilion Lake so many miles of shore line.
So far as the old guide was concerned, he could not have selected a more amiable53 trio of passengers. It was quite possible that he knew it. Urged by Anne and Betty, it was not long before Emmy’s lovely voice was sending its exquisite54 sweetness over the sunlit water.
“How beautiful Emmy’s singing sounds,” remarked Ruth, resting her paddle for an instant to listen. Her glance falling on Blanche, who sat facing her in the bottom of the canoe, she smiled brightly, hoping to dispel55 the deep frown that had been in evidence on the other girl’s face since they had started. Blanche merely stared at her. An involuntary word of caution from Ruth as she had stepped into the canoe had added to her resentment56 at being placed temporarily under Ruth’s charge. Refusing to answer, she sulkily turned her head and began trailing one hand in the water. Slight though the movement was it set the frail57 shell rocking a trifle.
The smile faded from Ruth’s face as she resumed paddling. It was always the same. No matter how pleasantly she tried to treat Blanche, she was invariably rebuffed by cool or sullen58 glances. It was quite evident that Blanche had not forgotten, nor would she ever forgive her.
“You’d better not do that, Blanche.” Jane’s crisp tones broke up Ruth’s gloomy reverie.
“Do what?” Blanche made no effort to desist from her perilous59 pastime. Instead she leaned toward the hand she was trailing with an angry little jerk.
“Look out! You’ll have us all overboard!” Frances expostulated, raising her paddle, in quick alarm. Seated in the end of the canoe that faced Ruth, she cast the latter an appealing glance.
Ruth caught her breath sharply, then reluctantly added her plea of, “I’m afraid it isn’t quite safe, Blanche. You see—”
“I see that you girls are simply trying to be horrid60 to me!” interrupted Blanche furiously. Bringing up her hand from the lake with wrathful force, she overbalanced herself and swung heavily to the opposite side. Ruth’s sharp call, “Lean the other way!” alone saved them from disaster. With a sudden lurch61, the canoe righted itself.
“I told you so,” snapped Jane, thoroughly incensed62. “Only for Ruth we’d have gone straight into the lake. For goodness sake, sit still, Blanche, the rest of the way. I’m not anxious for a ducking even if you are.”
“Don’t think for a minute you can order me about, Jane Pellew!” stormed Blanche. “I won’t stay here and be treated like a child. Put me ashore,” she haughtily63 commanded Ruth. “I’ll find my way back to camp.”
“I can’t do that,” refused Ruth quietly. “Miss Drexal wouldn’t allow it. Don’t be cross, Blanche,” she made impetuous appeal. “We mustn’t quarrel this beautiful morning. As long as we weren’t upset—”
“I said ‘put me ashore,’” reiterated64 Blanche icily. “Are you going to do it?”
“No.” Ruth measured her angry vis-a-vis with a cool, level glance, then sent the canoe forward with a will. Their near-accident had left them some distance behind the others. Though she had kept her temper, Ruth’s paddle dipped and rose with an almost fierce energy. Never, since Blanche had joined them, had Ruth felt such exasperation65 against the ill-natured guest. She was quite ready to wash her hands of the whole reform movement.
Naturally, the disagreement put a damper on the quartette, as is always the case when one of a number is bent66 on being unamiable. Following Ruth’s “No!” Blanche had relapsed into formidable silence. Jane and Frances still continued to chatter67 to each other and to Ruth, yet all three were nettled68 over the fact that discord69 had arisen at the very outset of their voyage.
The sun was high in the heavens when the flotilla made harbor on a heavily-wooded shore of the island of their choice. Dark masses of tamarack, pine and spruce trees rose, grim and majestic70, almost to the lake’s edge. This time they had truly reached the forest primeval. A hush71 pervaded72 the island, that suddenly stilled the voices of the landing party.
“It’s like an enchanted73 forest, isn’t it?” murmured Anne as, helped ashore by the Indian, she breathed deeply of the spicy74 air.
“We’ll have to blaze our own trails, I guess,” declared Betty, peering speculatively75 toward the unbroken ranks of forest kings, reigning76 long undisturbed in their towering might.
“We won’t dare go very far inland without Blue Wolf,” demurred Emmy. “We’d be likely to get lost. It’s too bad he can’t stay here to-day, instead of having to leave us to the mercy of the wilds.”
“Here’s our chance to be good woodsmen,” laughed Anne. “This time we’ve a real forest to practice in.”
“All safe ashore!” broke in Ruth’s cheery tones. Disdaining77 the Indian’s hand, she had made a nimble spring to terra-firma, calling out just as the guide landed Frances, the last to leave her canoe.
“It’s a wonder we are,” muttered Jane, who stood at her elbow.
“Don’t say anything about what happened to us,” warned Ruth in an undertone.
“I won’t go back in the same canoe with her,” protested Jane in low, vehement78 tones. “She spoiled our whole trip. We all made a big mistake in not saying ‘No’ when she first wanted to come to our reunion.”
For once Ruth was tempted79 to concur80 with Jane. She was beginning to believe that their kindly81 effort toward Blanche had been ill-advised. They had not succeeded in helping82 her, and there seemed small prospect83 that they ever would. The light that she had hoped to pass on undimmed to Blanche seemed in a fair way to flicker84 out.
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1
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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bugle
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| n.军号，号角，喇叭；v.吹号，吹号召集 | |
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bugler
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| 喇叭手； 号兵； 吹鼓手； 司号员 | |
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jaunts
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| n.游览( jaunt的名词复数 ) | |
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lore
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| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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industriously
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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ovation
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| n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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24
scathing
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| adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词) | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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piqued
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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redound
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| v.有助于；提；报应 | |
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plod
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| v.沉重缓慢地走，孜孜地工作 | |
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thwart
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| v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的) | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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ignoble
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| adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的 | |
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coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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terse
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| adj.(说话，文笔)精炼的，简明的 | |
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dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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jauntily
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| adv.心满意足地；洋洋得意地；高兴地；活泼地 | |
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slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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phlegmatically
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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47
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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50
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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51
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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52
tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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53
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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54
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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55
dispel
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| vt.驱走，驱散，消除 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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59
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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61
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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62
incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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64
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65
exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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68
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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69
discord
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| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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71
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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72
pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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74
spicy
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| adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的 | |
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75
speculatively
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| adv.思考地，思索地；投机地 | |
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76
reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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77
disdaining
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| 鄙视( disdain的现在分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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78
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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79
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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80
concur
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| v.同意，意见一致，互助，同时发生 | |
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81
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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82
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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83
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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84
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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