Although it was July, the weather was not hot; in this secluded6 wooded nook where the great shade trees cut off the direct rays of the sun, the atmosphere was almost cool. An old boatman, in charge of a rustic7 boathouse at the water’s edge, stood beside the stream, lost in memories of his own youth and the delightful8 canoe trips he had taken. Suddenly the laughter of two girls broke in abruptly9 upon his reveries; a moment later Marjorie Wilkinson and Ruth Henry appeared from among the trees.
“Hello, Michael!” cried Ruth. “How are you?”
4 But not waiting for any reply, the girls rushed forward to view at closer range their new treasures. With the eye of an experienced canoeist, Marjorie took in every detail.
“They’re Old Towns, aren’t they?” she said. “Oh, but aren’t they lovely?”
“Beat yours all to pieces, don’t they, Marj?” remarked Ruth.
“Well, I wouldn’t say that, but of course——”
“Don’t you wish you knew who bought them?”
“You bet I do! Somebody rich, I guess!”
“And wouldn’t you love to know where we’re going, and how long we’ll stay, and—and——”
“I hope you gals11 is all good swimmers,” interrupted Michael, advancing slowly to the edge of the shore. “Purty ticklish12 business—canoeing is!”
“Not in flat bottom canoes!” protested Marjorie. “Why, I’ve had mine for nearly a year now, and never upset once!”
“But you never tried to navigate13 a stream like the Silver!” said the old man, reaching for his pipe and tobacco pouch14. “There’s one place in this here stream I’d be willing to bet a silver dollar somebody upsets!”
“Oh, where is it?” cried Ruth, delighted that all of the water was not to be so monotonous15 as it seemed to be in the locality of the boathouse. Already she had visions of the rest of the girls upsetting; and after steering16 her own canoe safely5 through, she saw herself effecting thrilling rescues. There were even medals in life-saving, she had read in the handbook; it certainly would be worth while to possess one, especially if it were the only one of its kind in Pansy troop.
But the old man smoked silently, refusing to explain his remark.
“And are there any wild animals along the stream?” pursued Ruth.
“Hardly!” replied Michael, turning about and going back to his broken chair beside the boathouse. “Maybe a fox or a deer. But nuthin’ real dangerous.”
Ruth and Marjorie both seemed a trifle disappointed until the latter thought suddenly of snakes, and a shudder17 passed through her.
“Any snakes?” she asked.
“Oh, mostly black snakes and water snakes. Do you mind ’em?”
“I loathe18 them!” exclaimed Ruth. “All girls do. But isn’t there anything really dangerous along this creek?” she continued. “Besides that one swift place in the water, I mean.”
“Jest one thing, and that only scares some folks. It’s a quare woman, what lives all alone in a farm-house by herself.”
“Oh, and is she really crazy—stark mad?”
“Some says she’s jest sort o’ idiotic19; wouldn’t hurt6 nobody—but never was all there. They say she had a husband once, but he’s dead now.”
The old man shook his head doubtfully, to betray the fact that he did not know whether the report were true or not. Marjorie, who had become tired of this conversation, begged to borrow a paddle to try a canoe, but upon refusal—“according to me orders,” Michael said—she strolled off in the direction from which she had come, to look for the others. But Ruth continued the topic which was to her highly interesting.
“What kind of house does the woman live in, and what does she look like?”
The old boatman described an ordinary farmhouse20, on the edge of the creek, some distance down stream. “You’ll know it,” he added; “it’s opposite to an old mill—the only big mill you’ll see on the trip.”
“But would she really hurt any of us girls?” asked Ruth.
“No—hardly! Probably only scare you a bit.”
Before she could put any more questions they heard a shout in the distance, and Marjorie was greeting the rest of the party. Ethel Todd and Frances Wright, the two oldest girls of the crowd, walked ahead. These girls were seniors now at Miss Allen’s, and as they approached they seemed unconsciously to embody21 the dignity a member of that class is always expected to display. Marjorie remembered7 when they had been sophomores22—at the time when she had entered the boarding school. It was true that their dresses were no longer now, and their hair was still bobbed; but there was something grown-up about their manner of walking. No one would mistake them for boarding school sophomores.
Miss Phillips, their beloved captain, looking more like a girl than ever in her white linen23 dress, was walking with Doris Sands and Frieda Hammer. The latter was the troop’s ward10, who was to serve as cook on the canoe trip. And last of all came Lily Andrews, Alice Endicott, and Florence Evans.
Marjorie greeted the girls pleasantly and hugged Lily and Frieda. Over three weeks had passed since they had seen each other, and three weeks is a long time for a girl to be separated from her chums.
They all exclaimed admiringly at the graceful green canoes beside the quiet water, and ran forward eagerly to examine them.
“May we get in right away, Captain?” asked Lily, impatient of delay. She had paddled Marjorie’s canoe so often that she knew she could handle one of these.
“No,” replied Miss Phillips, noticing the little twinkle in old Michael’s eyes at the question. “We are going very slowly.”
She bent24 over and began to right one of the8 canoes, so that the girls might see the inside. “As you all observe,” she said, “there are five canoes——”
“Aren’t they beauties!” exclaimed Lily, unable to keep silent. “Whoever bought them must be rich——”
“Who was it, Captain?” pleaded Ruth. “Please tell us!”
“No; I dare not. But I will tell you one thing: after the trip is over, the canoes are to be the property of the members of Pansy troop!”
“When we graduate, can we take them with us?” demanded Ruth.
“No; they are to belong to the active members of the troop. But you have two years yet, Ruth. You’re only a Junior.
“Now—to get back to the subject in question. Suppose we all sit down here. The ground’s dry enough, isn’t it, Michael?”
“Dry enough for anybody what hasn’t got the rheumatiz.”
“All right!” laughed Miss Phillips. “Then I guess we’ll take a chance.”
The happy party seated themselves upon the ground which was well covered with pine needles and dry leaves. Here and there they found patches of moss25, but it seemed dry enough not to cause them to avoid it. Miss Phillips began all over again.
“As you have guessed,” she said, “we are going9 down the Silver Creek. I am allowing two weeks for the trip, although it may take us longer. As far as I know there is only one portage.”
“What’s a portage, Captain?” asked Lily.
“Lily Andrews! And you a Latin student. Didn’t you ever hear the word ‘porto’?”
Lily blushed; of course she remembered now. It was one of the first verbs in the grammar: “porto, portare—to carry.”
“There is this one place where the stream is very rapid and filled with dangerous rocks, so we shall have to carry our canoes about a hundred yards,” explained Miss Phillips.
“Frieda knows all about how to do that,” remarked Ruth, significantly.
The girl flushed, and Marjorie gave Ruth a cutting look. Evidently the flags of war were to be hoisted26 again.
“Is that the dangerous spot Michael was talking about?” she asked, in order to hide Frieda’s embarrassment27 at Ruth’s reference to her runaway28 escapade in the stolen canoe.
“I suppose so,” replied Miss Phillips. “It can be done in a canoe, but I prefer the safer way.”
“Oh, Captain, aren’t we to have any adventure at all?” sulked Ruth. “You know, if there isn’t some naturally, we may provide it for ourselves; and then maybe you’d be sorry!”
“There will be plenty of adventure,” said Miss10 Phillips. “Remember, you all are inexperienced canoeists——”
“Except Marjorie,” put in Ruth.
“No, even including Marjorie; for she has never been on a long trip. And it will all be very new to you. Then, at the end of the trip, we shall reach Silvertown, and spend a week there. On Wednesday of that week there will be a canoe meet—races, righting canoes, etc.; and our benefactor29 will award a silver cup.”
The girls scarcely took in their captain’s words. Had they really heard her aright—or could there be another place by the same name as Silvertown? Ruth jumped up excitedly.
“Captain, we’re not actually going to Silvertown, the Silvertown? Is it possible?”
“It’s not only possible, but a decided30 fact. The cottage is all in readiness!”
“But Captain, that’s one of the most fashionable resorts in the country! Why, I’ve heard that it costs hundreds of dollars a day to live there!”
“It does cost a good deal, Ruth,” admitted Miss Phillips, still noncommittal.
“And to get a summer house takes thousands—they’re so in demand, and the place is so small.”
“Very true.”
Ruth stamped her foot impatiently, and even the other girls grew a little exasperated31. Miss Phillips seemed really mean to tease them so.
11 “How could we—the humble32 members of Pansy troop, Girl Scouts33—ever dare to hold a canoe-meet on their priceless lake?” asked Ethel Todd.
“Well, we’re going to; that’s all I can say,” replied their captain. “And now, you all understand, I am sure, how much we want to become expert canoeists and bring credit to the troop. So, all during the trip we want to practice as we go along, until the summer guests at Silvertown think we are regular Indians.
“Of course, Girl Scouts will be an entirely34 new thing to these people; but they are all interested in boating, and horseback riding, and all sorts of athletics35; so there is no reason why they should not look favorably upon us. I have heard, too, that they give a great carnival36 in the interests of charity each year, and it is possible that the winner of the silver cup may receive an invitation to take part in that. But that, of course, is only conjecture37!”
“Ye Gods!” breathed Ruth, in awe38. “Adopted by that bunch; your social position would be assured for life!”
“Oh, social position!” mimicked39 Marjorie. “Ruth, you are so droll40!”
Ruth looked daggers41 at Marjorie; the latter had sent her a return blow in answer to her knock of a few minutes before at Frieda. But she was not cowed; it would take more than that to defeat Ruth Henry. Instead, she made a mental note of Marjorie’s12 irony42, and resolved that she would make her pay later.
“The next thing, I think, is the choosing of canoe-mates. You all know that we shall have two persons to each canoe—one in the stern who steers43 and does the hardest work, and one in the bow who watches for rocks ahead and also paddles.
“Now would you rather draw lots to see which girls go together, or would you rather select your own partners? It is immaterial to me, so long as everyone is satisfied.”
“Oh, let’s draw lots,” said Frances, carelessly.
“I don’t agree with you,” put in Ruth. “We not only travel with the girl, but we occupy the tent with her, don’t we, Captain?”
“Yes, except that I will have a tent of my own, and Frieda, who as cook will have more equipment than the rest of you, will sleep by herself. And Frieda and I will travel in the same canoe, but the rest of you girls—the eight of you—will have four canoes and four tents.”
“Then let us choose our own canoe-mates!” pleaded Ruth.
“But who would have first choice?” questioned Marjorie.
“Draw lots!”
“All right—as you wish,” agreed Miss Phillips, producing a tiny note-book from which she tore out several pages.
13 On separate slips she placed numbers from one to eight, requesting the girls to draw at random44. With her usual good luck, Ruth Henry drew number one; while Marjorie Wilkinson discovered that her paper read “eight.”
“I want Lily Andrews!” announced Ruth, triumphantly45, to the consternation46 of the girl mentioned.
“Are you satisfied, Lily?” asked the captain.
Lily hesitated a moment, and glanced shyly at Marjorie. But her chum smiled back at her frankly47, and Lily knew that she did not mind.
“Perfectly,” replied Lily.
Frances Wright, who held number two, chose Ethel Todd; and Doris Sands selected Marjorie. This meant, of course, that the two freshmen48, or rather sophomores, as they now were—Alice Endicott and Florence Evans, should be together.
“You can decide among yourselves which is to be stern man,” concluded the captain; “or you may even alternate, if you wish. Now suppose we man our canoes, just as we have decided to travel, and practice a little bit.”
A trifle stiff from sitting on the ground, the girls jumped up eagerly, glad of the opportunity for action. Miss Phillips obtained the paddles from Michael, and the girls began to turn the canoes right-side up.
14 “Why, they haven’t any names!” exclaimed Marjorie, in surprise.
“No,” replied Miss Phillips; “I forgot to tell you that you are to name them yourselves, and if you will write and tell me your decisions, I will have them painted on the edges before we start on our trip.”
Alice clapped her hands joyfully49. It would seem so much more like their own canoes if they chose the names, she thought. And all of the others immediately expressed their approval of the plan.
“And now for the paddling,” said Miss Phillips, after the girls had pushed their canoes from the shore, and were drifting along rather aimlessly. “Put your shoulders and body into it—then your arms won’t get tired. And, above all, don’t reach far ahead into the water, or dip too deep. For those are the signs of a novice50.
“Both girls watch cautiously for rocks, and rapids, and tree-trunks; but always let the girl in the stern do the steering. Remember—she is the boss, the captain of the boat, as it were. Finally, don’t paddle in deep, fierce water—keep away from it. And be sure to keep out of eddies51. Now suppose we all paddle down stream for half a mile or so and I will watch your motions and give you directions. Of course we cannot become experienced canoeists all at once.”
The canoes shot ahead, following the direction15 indicated by the captain. After a short distance the stream became narrower and swifter. Tall banks on either side, covered with trees whose trunks bent toward the water, almost obscured the sun and the sky from view. The girls were enchanted52 with the beauty of the scene and the joy of the new experience. For some minutes they were too deeply impressed to speak. And although Miss Phillips noticed some very awkward strokes, she had too much tact53 to spoil the spell of the scene by criticism. That could very well wait.
It was Ruth who first broke the silence. She steered54 her canoe up to the side of Marjorie’s, which had up to this time taken the lead.
“I’ll race you, Marj!” she challenged.
“No, no!” protested Miss Phillips. “Not now. Later we shall have some races—but with only one girl in a canoe.”
“I wish we were starting to-day,” said Marjorie; “it’s dreadfully hard to wait.”
“But it won’t be long,” reassured55 Miss Phillips. “And there is a lot to do. Why, I haven’t even bought the tents yet!”
“What kind are you going to get, Captain?” asked Marjorie, who had always enjoyed reading the sporting catalogues which her brother Jack56 left around the house. “Shelter-halves?”
“I don’t know; they’re the easiest to put up and really afford perfect protection. I believe that the16 men in the army use them for their short overnight hikes.”
“And the food?” questioned Ruth. “Shall we have to take loads and loads?”
“No, because I think we can buy things along the way. But of course we need a good deal.”
The girls now had their first lesson in turning their canoes about, for the captain decided it was time to go back. As usual, Marjorie accomplished57 this act with the most grace, and the others exclaimed admiringly at her prowess.
The scouts found it a different matter indeed to paddle up stream, and more than one of them admitted that they were thankful that they were not coming home that way. All but Marjorie felt tired when they handed the canoes over to Michael’s keeping at the little boathouse.
“And now one thing more,” said Miss Phillips, as they reascended the bank to the edge of the woods. “I have a little present for each of you, which you must take good care of. It’s a map of the country through which our stream runs, and where we shall travel. Study it, show it to your families, and bring it with you next Monday when we start off.”
“Next Monday!” echoed Marjorie, as she and Ruth left the others at the fork in the road. “I wonder if it will ever come!”
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1
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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varnish
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| n.清漆；v.上清漆；粉饰 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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8
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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11
gals
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| abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 ) | |
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12
ticklish
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| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
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13
navigate
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| v.航行，飞行；导航，领航 | |
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14
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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15
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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loathe
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| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
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idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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embody
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| vt.具体表达，使具体化；包含，收录 | |
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sophomores
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| n.（中等、专科学校或大学的）二年级学生( sophomore的名词复数 ) | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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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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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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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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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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athletics
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| n.运动，体育，田径运动 | |
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carnival
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| n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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mimicked
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 )；酷似 | |
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droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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41
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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43
steers
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| n.阉公牛，肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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44
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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45
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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48
freshmen
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| n.（中学或大学的）一年级学生( freshman的名词复数 ) | |
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49
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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50
novice
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| adj.新手的，生手的 | |
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51
eddies
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| （水、烟等的）漩涡，涡流( eddy的名词复数 ) | |
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52
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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53
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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54
steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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55
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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56
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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