Janet had added pigeons to her stock by this time, but they would not remain at Green Hill. The first day she allowed them their freedom, she watched with pleasure as they flew up in the blue sky. But then they made straight for Dorothy Ames’s farm where they had been reared.
Janet wailed6 and got Frances to drive her over to Dot’s house without delay. There were her pigeons strutting7 about with the others, and pecking deliberately8 at the corn on the ground. They were taken captives again that night and brought back to Janet.
In a few days she let them out of the coop again and again they flew in a bee-line for home. The girls laughed at this escape, but Janet was angry and asked Dorothy what could be done to keep them at home to attend to their business of raising a family.
Dorothy now made a suggestion that sounded well but it meant more carpenter work. “You might try a small cote for the different kinds, Janet, and see if they will stay if they have to keep house alone in pairs.”
Janet spoke9 of this idea when she returned to Green Hill, and Norma eagerly added: “Oh, that is just what Mrs. Tompkins told me today. She says we ought to have our pigeons separated from each other, because the pouters and fantails never agree, and the tumblers and the common pigeons always peck at each other and are dissatisfied in having to live together.”
“I suppose that means I must start a lot of carpentry work again, and build separate houses,” sighed Janet.
“No, Mrs. Tompkins showed me a cote she made for her ordinary pigeons, and it looked fine!” said Norma. “She took a big sugar barrel and after making separate rooms in it, had it mounted on top of a tall pine tree that had been blasted by lightning.
“Now I looked around our back yard, Janet, and I found a high telegraph pole that had been split off near the top. As no one uses it now for wires, or other needs, we can use it for a pigeon cote. I know just how to fix that barrel, and all you have to do is to have Frances bring one from Tompkins’ store. I asked him to save a good one for us and he said he would.”
“Well, that isn’t so bad, if you will make one cote, and some of the other girls make another, and so on, until I have enough ready for a dozen pairs of pigeons,” laughed Janet, relieved and optimistic once more.
Mrs. Tompkins said that the birds didn’t mind feeding on one common ground, and they even flew into the chicken yards to eat the corn that is scattered11 for the hens, but they object to living in the same quarters. “That is why they fly home again—to get away from their neighbors.”
The girls laughed, and Mrs. James said: “It is because they never learned the Golden Rule. Maybe it will be our work to teach our pigeons to be socialists14.”
“I’d rather build separate coops and let them live their lives their own way,” retorted Janet.
“Mrs. Tompkins says that once you get the female to set on her eggs and keep the male penned in with her until the squabs are out, they will never try to fly away again. But she often keeps hers in prison for months before they will start raising a family and settle down in their new home,” said Norma.
So the sugar barrel was brought home from the store and Norma began work on it exactly as she had been shown. Janet and the other girls assisted, and in a day’s time the cote was ready to be mounted on the old telegraph pole.
It had been partitioned off inside to make several coops. There were three floors in the barrel, and each floor was divided into two apartments. The doors opened outward so that no one door came directly in line with the others, and this was done to keep the birds as much apart as possible.
Perches15 and a running-board were placed at each door; and there were perches projecting out beyond each end of the “verandah.” Then a narrow roof was fastened over each door to keep the rain from beating in at the opening.
“If only we had a nice cone16-shaped roof on the top of the barrel like Mrs. Tompkins has on hers,” sighed Norma, looking at the flat top of the barrel head.
“Girls! I have it!” cried Janet, jumping up and starting for the barn yard as if on wings.
The other girls watched her go and waited wonderingly until she returned with a large tin cone in her hands.
“There, I bet it will fit on top just as we want it to!” laughed Janet, inverting17 the cone and capping the barrel as if it had been made for it.
“What is it? Where did you get it?” questioned the curious girls.
“I remembered seeing it kicked about the harness room, and Sam said it was an old broken hopper that had once belonged to a feed chopper. The pipe and funnel18 are missing, so it was worthless to the old tenant19 when he moved away.”
Norma looked in the hole at the top and said: “We can cork20 it up with a bit of fitted wood, Janet.”
“Sam can do that to a dot, ’cause he loves to whittle,” added Natalie.
“I am sure we have enough paint left over from the bird houses to do this barrel,” was Frances’ idea.
So Janet ran down to the cellar and brought out the several cans of paint, with a little in each tin. “Not enough of one shade to go around, though,” said she, after examining the tins.
“Listen, girls! Let’s mix all the paints in one pail, and add enough turpentine or oil to thin it out as we need it. But keep the green paint separate to use to trim the cote and roof.”
“Sam has some brown-red paint at the barn that will do to paint the roof red. It will look better if it is a contrasting color from the trimming,” suggested Janet.
“All right, Jan, you run and bring the red-brown can while we mix these other paints together and see what color it makes,” said Natalie eager to experiment.
Janet went for the red roof paint, while her friends mixed the other paints thoroughly22 together, and then called on Mrs. James to bring them some oil and turpentine. She went to the kitchen catch-all closet and found the two bottles, then took them over to the busy girls.
“Don’t use much linseed oil, girls, as it will keep the paint from drying quickly. Turpentine dries almost instantly,” said Mrs. James, handing the bottles to Norma.
When the mixing was finished the girls were delighted to find that the tiny bit of russian blue in a can, the small amount of ivory black, the dab23 of scarlet24, and the half pail of flake25 white paints made a soft grey almost like a dove’s tipped wings. This was applied26 to the barrel sides and bottom; and then Janet returned with the red-brown paint.
The cone was fastened to the top of the barrel and when it was painted no one would have known what it had been before it became a roof on the pigeon cote. Then the verandahs and perches and roofs over the doors were painted green, and the stakes that projected from the top and bottom of the barrel were also painted green.
“It will take until tomorrow to dry, girls,” said Mrs. James, when the painting was finished.
“Meantime, we are going to Tompkins’ store and see how soon we can get some more sugar barrels. This cote is so pretty it will be a decoration to our back garden,” said Janet.
“And when we go to the store, remember to get some more wire netting to nail these projecting stakes in order to keep the birds in their prison until the family is started,” reminded Norma.
When the cote was dry and the wire was fastened about it to keep the inmates27 from flying away, Sam was called upon to climb the long ladder and saw off the end of the telegraph pole, so the cote would be about twenty feet above the ground.
This was no trouble for him, for he had been sawing so much since the day he tried to square off the clothes pole that he soon had the high pole evenly sawed and ready for the cote.
Several heavy iron brackets had been secured at the store to insure the safety of the cote once it was on top of the pole. Then Sam climbed the ladder again and the girls hoisted28 the barrel cote up to him by means of a rope and pulley.
At last the nice-looking cote was up and it looked very good, too. Sam suggested that the old grey pole be painted a dove color but Janet discovered that there was no paint left in the can. Some one had kicked it over in their zeal29 to pull the barrel up to the top of the pole, and the remaining paint had trickled30 out upon the ground.
“Oh, that pole is near enough the grey color of the cote,” called Natalie impatiently.
“We can give it a coat of paint next year, if we think it will look better,” added Janet.
“But Norma wanted it to look good for the rest of this summer,” ventured Mrs. James.
“Yes, it is in my garden, and I don’t want any old things to ruin the appearance of my flowers,” admitted Norma.
“Why won’t a lot of vines look fine, if you train them to climb up the pole?” asked Belle. “I’ve seen the poles in country gardens covered with morning glories and other vines!”
That same day, Janet brought home her prodigal32 pigeons for the fifth time, but this time two pairs of the ordinary kind were placed in Norma’s cote and left there to start housekeeping. When the ladder was finally removed and the girls stood smiling at the fine result of their work, and the way the pigeons would have to remain at home after this, Rachel walked across the grass.
“I’m wonderin’, Honey, how you-all is goin’ to feed dem birds, ef day is wired in dat away?”
The girls gazed at each other in blank astonishment33, and Mrs. James had to sit on the inverted34 butter tub and laugh. No one had given a thought of how the birds were going to be fed.
Sam had started for the barn yard with the ladder, but he was suddenly recalled. He dropped the ladder to come back and see what was wrong, but Janet called out: “Bring the ladder with you.”
When he had rejoined the group, Rachel laughingly said: “Dese wise pigeon trainers done gone and forgot how to feed dem birds, Sam!”
Then her nephew laughed as loud and as long as Mrs. James had done. Still that did not solve the problem of feeding the pigeons, so Sam wiped his eyes and studied the cote from where he stood. Finally he made a brilliant suggestion.
“You hoisted dat coop like it was a fedder, and I don’t see what’s to hinder you f’om hoistin’ corn and feed to the roof and den13 yankin’ on the rope to turn over the tin what holds it. Let the cracked corn and other feed roll down onto the piazza36 floors for the pigeons to pick up.”
“That’s a great idea, but how about the drinking water?” demanded Mrs. James.
“Well, I dun’no about dat. Let someone else remember a great idee for dat,” was Sam’s reply, as if he had performed his duty in thinking of a way to settle the feed problem.
“Now that it is up and the birds living in the cote, I don’t see what else you can do except to leave the ladder against the pole and have Sam climb up twice a day to feed them,” remarked Frances.
“Water once a day, and feed night and mornin’,” said Sam, as if learning a lesson by memory.
“We’ll just have to leave it that way until I see Mrs. Tompkins and ask her what can be done,” said Norma resignedly.
“Do they only need corn while they are caged?” asked Janet anxiously of every one.
“Mrs. Tompkins said we had best give them the same sort of food they would get if they were flying about at liberty. They need grit38 and lime and sand mixed in a dish and placed where they can get all they want of it. We must sprinkle sand and gravel39 over the floor of the promenade40, too, for them to scratch in, all they like. When the hen bird lays her eggs and starts brooding over them, the male bird will feed and care for her. As soon as the little ones are hatched we can remove the wire and let them have their liberty,” said Mrs. James.
“Suppose the pair on one floor of the house start a family, before the other birds think of it, and you remove the wire. They will fly away again, just as they did from the barn,” said Janet.
“We won’t take away the wire from the front of the coops unless all the birds settle down to raising their families. Only one pair of birds will be given their liberty at a time,” said Norma.
Several barrels were secured from Tompkins’ store after that, but the others were small half-barrel sizes which the girls preferred, because they would only have to have two families in one cote, and that would simplify the troubles of a flat owner.
The new cotes were placed upon much lower posts and poles, too, so the problem of feeding the pigeons while they were in captivity41 was easier to solve.
Sam had found a small American flag in the roadway one day, and this he stuck in the top of Norma’s large cote, where it flew patriotically42 and made the pigeons sit with heads on one side eyeing this emblem43 of their native land.
In about a week’s time after the first pair of pigeons were kept captives, Sam shouted one morning: “The lady bird done gone laid two aigs! Hurrah44!”
The news was so thrilling that every scout5 in both the patrols had to climb that ladder and have a peep at the expectant mother, but the male bird scolded and snapped at their faces so daringly, that they really saw nothing after they had reached the top of the ladder. So each one came down again.
The day after Norma had finished her cote for the pigeons she began turning her full attention to her flowers, once more. Not that she had neglected them past all hope, but they had not been the sole ambition of her time during the extra diversions of water gardening and cote-building.
It was during the week that followed the parents’ visit to Green Hill, that Janet went with Frances and Belle for a visit to a distant farmer’s who advertised young squabs for sale cheap. Janet decided45 that it would be far easier to raise some other owner’s squabs than to try to keep enough pigeons on hand to hatch out the young birds at home.
When she returned from that shopping trip, she plainly showed that she had made a daring venture. Frances and Belle were hardly able to keep from laughing at what they knew, so Mrs. James said:
“Come, tell us what it is all about, Janet!”
“Well, I’ve gone and bought a ewe and two dear little twin lambs!” declared she, with the air of a king who can do no wrong.
“Oh, really!” exclaimed the two girls who had remained at home. “How cute they must be?”
But Mrs. James seemed concerned. “How can you take care of them, Janet? Are they grown enough to feed themselves?”
“Oh, no, but that is the cutest thing about them, Jimmy! You should see them follow the mother about and try to get a drink. She actually cuffs46 them over the ears when she thinks they have no need of more milk,” laughed Janet.
“When are they coming here?” asked Norma eagerly.
“The man said he would deliver them tomorrow morning. I only paid him for the squabs, Jimmy, as I had no money left. I wonder if you can loan me the price of the ewe and lambs?”
“Certainly, Janet. But do not neglect Susy now that you have a few new toys. Poor Susy went hungry this morning because you forgot all about her. So Sam gave her her breakfast.”
“All that endearment48 won’t do any good now, Janet,” laughed Belle.
“All the stuff you fed Seizer that morning did him more harm than good,” added Frances, hoping to impress Janet with her serious responsibilities.
The ewe and lambs arrived the next morning, and the man left them in the pasture lot with Sue, although neither member of Janet’s increasing family cared a fig49 whether there were lambs to gambol50 about the field or not.
Sam and Janet hastily constructed a shed and yard for the lambs and the ewe, and that night they were closed in to sleep upon the nice fresh straw.
In the morning, when Janet went to gather the new-laid eggs, she stopped to have a peep at the lambs. They were constantly running after the big ewe, but she kept out of their reach and slyly managed to dodge51 their every effort to get at her.
Janet hurried back to the house and reported on the ewe and lambs, then added: “They were blatting so pitifully I wonder if anything is wrong?”
Thereupon every one started for the barn yard to visit the lambs. Just as Mrs. James reached the fence of the enclosure, a harrowing sight was presented to the interested watchers. The ewe had slipped back and forth52 so many times to elude53 the lambs, and they kept jumping about to reach her and nurse from her, for they were hungry, when the old one suddenly turned and butted54 her solid forehead against the nearest lamb.
It was instantly flattened55 against the side of the shed, while the old ewe turned her attention to the other teaser. The butted lamb bleated56 such mournful cries that the girls felt like crying for it. While the ewe was dealing57 justice to the second little lamb, the first one managed to creep up unawares behind her and try to snatch a drink of milk.
“We’ll just make her feed those darlings!” declared Norma, as she saw Sam crossing the yard, and beckoned62 him to come over.
When the story of the wicked mother had been told Sam, he said wisely: “Mebbe she wants to wean ’em.”
“But she just can’t, Sam, until they are old enough to feed themselves,” returned Janet.
“I’se seen lambs fed in a bottle till they was big enough to pick fer themselves,” ventured Sam.
“A bottle? Like a baby?” chorused the interested girls.
“Yeh, onny some bigger, ’cus a lamb wants more at one feedin’, you know.”
“Oh, that will be fun. Let’s send to Four Corners for the rubber nipples and the bottles,” laughed Belle.
The girls were so interested in this new idea that they left Mrs. James still watching the ewe and lambs, while they rushed to the house to ask Rachel questions.
“Have you got a big bottle that we can use to nurse the lambs?” asked Natalie, quite out of breath when she reached the door.
“We need two bottles, Rachel!” added Janet.
“How big mus’ they be?” asked Rachel.
“Oh,—how big, Sam?”
“I got some catsup bottles what hol’ a little more’n a pint a piece, Sam,” said Rachel.
“Them will do, where are they?” returned Sam.
Sam soon produced the bottles from the cellar, and then said: “Now all you want is them rubber nipples.”
So all four girls accompanied Frances on a special trip to Four Corners to buy the nipples from Tompkins.
“But I only got one nipple left in stock, gals64,” was Mr. Tompkins’ disconcerting reply. “You see, Four Corners ain’t had no baby fer nigh onto a year now and my old customer what used to buy them moved away in winter.”
“Well, we will take the one, and have to telephone to White Plains for more,” said Janet anxiously.
“I’d better drive there for more, Janet,” suggested Frances.
“Oh, yes, but we will take this one with us, Mr. Tompkins.”
While Janet was paying for it, she told Mr. Tompkins about the need for it. When he heard how the ewe refused to allow the twins to nurse, he said there was something wrong as he had never heard of a mother ewe who weaned such little lambs.
“I’ll run over this noon and see what ails10 her,” said Mr. Tompkins. “Meanwhile, you feed the lambs with a bottle.”
The girls found ample exercise and fun in trying to catch a lamb and feed it, but once the captive got hold of the nipple, it drank the bottle empty of milk without stopping. It would choke and sputter65 exactly like an infant, and this pleased the girls immensely.
By the time the girls had finished holding the frisky66 lambs securely, while another girl held the bottle in its mouth, they all had kicked shins from tiny hoofs67, and their hands and faces were dirty from the nosing the lambs gave them. But this was considered awfully68 cute of the lambs, and the girls ran back to the house, when the feeding was over, to wash their hands and faces.
That morning the old ewe kept quiet and only moved when the lambs teased her beyond endurance. Then Mr. Tompkins came at noon, and the girls escorted him to the barn yard to hear him pass judgment69.
“Why, that ewe will come down with milk fever if she don’t let them lambs nurse right off!” declared he, as he tried to get a grip on the ewe and examine her.
“Here, Sam! Sit on her head while we make these lambs nurse out this caked milk!” said Mr. Tompkins, as he held down the ewe until Sam got over the fence and did as he was told.
The lambs went to work hungrily, but the ewe resented it so that she tried to kick and butt35, and finally Mr. Tompkins said: “Gals, I don’t believe she is the mother of these twins. Who sold you the three?”
Janet forgot the man’s name but she described the farm where he lived. “Why, the old rascal70! He tol’ me himself, a few days ago, how his best ewe died leaving a pair of twins to raise by hand. And a crank mother lost her lamb and wouldn’t help out the starving twins! So he palmed them off on you to bother with, eh! Well, we will all go and get him and make him do what’s right!” threatened Tompkins furiously.
Frances got the car out again, and the girls, with Mr. Tompkins to act as their representative, started off for the farm.
After a time, Mr. Tompkins said: “Ain’t you drivin’ the wrong road?”
“No, we went this way, all right,” said Janet.
“But the man I mean lives the other way,” said Tompkins.
Just then a farmer’s wagon71 came in sight, and as the automobile73 came opposite it, Janet shouted eagerly: “That’s the man! He sold us the lambs!”
The farmer pulled in his horses and began, before the girls could scold him: “I found my man made a mistake, gals. He picked the wrong mother for them twins. I never knew it until I found the other mother feverish75, and then I saw we had a wrong lamb for her. I got the right mother in a box in the wagon and I’ll carry my other mother home with me.”
As this explained the whole trouble satisfactorily, the exchange was soon made and the little twins were quickly snuggled by their right mother, while the starving little lamb back on the other farm would soon have its own mother again.
Then Janet explained how the ewe had butted the poor little lambs when they wanted to nurse from her and how they got the bottles ready to care for the hungry little dears.
The farmer laughed and said: “If you think the mother had a temper because she butted the lamb, you ought to see what the real mother of these twins did to my man when he tried to make her nurse the lamb that was left behind. He was stooping to draw the lamb over to her side when the old ewe lowered her head and in another moment the handy man was assisted over the fence!”
After the family reunion of lambs and ewe, the twins grew like weeds, and were able to run about the field after the mother and be weaned in two weeks’ time. But all this belongs to Frances’ book which follows this one.
A strict account was kept of Sue’s expenses and the income from the milk and butter and cheese, also the skim-milk which Janet bought for the pigs and calf, and at the end of the two weeks, dating from the Saturday the cow arrived at Green Hill, a corporate76 meeting was held to discuss dividends77 and future expenses of Sue. The profit showed such encouraging signs of growth that the girls began counting how long it would take to pay off the borrowed money with which they paid for Sue, and then begin to have something left to divide between the stockholders.
When Janet heard how much the skim-milk had cost her in the past two weeks, she gasped78. “Why, Jimmy! If those pigs go on eating like this, the pork will be worth more than two dollars a pound when fall comes.”
The other girls laughed, and Natalie said: “Then you ought to feed David and Jonathan more of my tomato vines and let them follow in Seizer’s steps.”
“Well, I am thankful I am not the sole owner of the cow, too. If we have to pay Nat for all the cabbages and turnips79 the cow ate when she got in the garden the other day, we won’t have any profits to divide,” said Janet, giggling80.
“That’s an item I forgot to charge up,” said Mrs. James.
“But I am to be reimbursed81 in some way, for my loss, am I not?” asked Natalie.
As is commonly the case at large stockholders’ meetings, a disagreement on debts and dividends took place and after a long time given to explanations about how much Sue cost for keep and the income on her first product and the by-products, the meeting adjourned82 without anything definite having been decided upon.
During the second week of July, the eight girl scouts of Patrol Number Two attended a council meeting of the Solomon Seal Patrol One, at which they were informed that Headquarters in New York City had admitted the Patrols as a first-class Troop, and now the members could start an intensive drive to win badges and be awarded honors for the tests given in the handbook.
At this meeting, Miss Mason enrolled83 the eight Tenderfeet as scouts in regular standing84, and immediately after this welcome information, the eight girls whispered eagerly to each other of individual plans for advancement86. Then Frances declared herself aloud to all present:
“I take this occasion to let you all know that henceforth you shall not know me as a jitney conductor, because I have decided to take up other lines as well. Not that the car is going out of commission—far be it from me to allow Amity87 Ketchum to again resume dominion88 over Four Corners’ helpless travellers—but I am going to study insects and the birds, this summer, and take tests.
“I have watched many insects and find they are so very interesting, and there is so much to learn about their habits and lives, that I believe they will afford me plenty of pastime and, if I write down everything I discover, just as Janet told her stock story in the diary, I can give you scouts many entertainments.
“Besides the insects, I find the birds about this section of Westchester are very wonderful and rare for the usual temperate89 climate. One of the old natives at Bronxville, where Belle had me drive her the other day in search of a Colonial cupboard for sale, said that very few sections of the Northern States could boast of so many tropical birds as nested about the woods in the immediate85 vicinity of Bronxville. Yet they seldom went farther North than that line, and seemed to keep within a definite line all about that section.
“Belle planned to study bird-life at first in connection with her antique research, but she believes forestry90 and art will combine better with her special line of business. Then, too, Belle likes domestic science, and will follow that as a recreation.”
When Frances concluded her speech, the scouts applauded and Mrs. James said, smilingly: “Belle ought to speak now.”
Belle jumped up instantly and remarked laughingly: “All I can say is that it will be wise for you scouts to keep on good terms with me, after I have experimented more with my domestic science; as I can either treat you well with my finished products or kill you off with heavy biscuits and doughnuts, if you make me an enemy. That’s all.”
When she sat down, the scouts laughed heartily91 and Janet swore friendship from that moment on, in order to insure her life, she said.
The Captain now said: “If there is nothing more to take up for discussion, we will proceed with the scout exercises.”
Then Janet jumped up and called for attention. “We have a most important matter to discuss but we cannot plan or talk with Jimmy and you present. Now, which shall we do—adjourn this meeting in order to discuss our own business, or excuse you two undesirable92 attendants until we have concluded our conference?”
Miss Mason laughed and retorted: “I am not accustomed to hearing so frankly93 that my company is not wanted, so I shall leave without asking to be excused.”
Mrs. James took the Captain’s arm and nodded her head approvingly, as she added: “Them’s my sentiments, too.” And the two departed from the Council but every one knew what the topic of general interest was.
As the two ladies walked slowly away, the Captain turned and called out: “Plan all you like, girls, but don’t spend any money on our double birthday!”
Corporal Janet tossed her head at that, and beckoned to the scouts to draw closer so they could confer without a word being heard by the two principals in the case.
“First, I want to know how many have thought of a novel idea for entertainment at the party on the sixteenth?” asked Janet.
So many girls raised a hand that Janet laughed, and then said: “We’d better begin at this end and go right around the circle. Even if one of us hasn’t thought out a finished plan, our general discussion may launch something that will be an improvement on someone else’s suggestion. Now you begin, May.”
“My idea of entertaining the Captain and her Lieutenant94 was this: To invite all the people about Four Corners to a Scout Council and entertain them in ways that will show them how valuable scouting95 is. I have thought of many ways in which we can entertain strangers, and at the same time, advertise our scout organization.”
“That’s a good idea, May, but would you include every one about Four Corners, without reservations?” asked Janet.
“Of course! How could we discriminate96?”
“I was thinking of Amity Ketchum—would you invite him?” teased Janet.
There was a general murmur97 of dissent98 at this and May had to brave the flash of many eyes as she said: “Even our enemy, for he needs something good and intelligent more than any one I know of.”
Several scouts applauded this sentiment, and Janet continued: “What are some of your ways for entertaining, May?”
“There are so many, it is hard to decide on any—there are the stars to talk about; the wildwood vegetation to describe and its uses demonstrated; the signs and signals and blazes of scoutdom to illustrate99; demonstrating how a scout camps—pitches tent, digs latrines, makes fire without matches, finds bedding from the trees, etc.; and many other vastly interesting things, besides doing our exercises applied to various needs.”
“Let the Troop Scribe make a note of this plan, as it sounds good to me, eh, girls?” was Janet’s decision.
“Yes, indeed, it is!” they chorused.
The second scout was one who had not been able to think of any novel plan for the birthday party, but when she heard May’s idea expressed, she was able to amend100 the motion by saying: “Why not make a full afternoon and evening of the entertainment, and invite Four Corners to the woods for our share in teaching them scout life, and then let them invite us to the village school-house for the evening, where we can give a regular party with ice cream and lots of Belle’s domestic science cakes?”
Every one laughed at the last suggestion but they also approved of it. Janet then offered the suggestion for debate, and finally it was decided by the “yeas” that were it possible to interest enough Four Corners’ folk, the three village scouts of Patrol Number Two would be delegated to ascertain101 all about the hiring of the school-house for the evening of the sixteenth.
Norma sat next to the girl who amended102 May’s motion and now she said: “My party plan is very simple in comparison to May’s, as it was an idea to go for a fine long hike in the woods and take along enough floor and cooking needs to have a gypsy dinner in the woods. I thought we could spend the day and return home at evening and celebrate at the house with singing and games.”
“Sounds inviting103, Norma, but who will keep awake to sing and play in the evening after a long day on the hike?” was Natalie’s query104.
The scout next to Norma now amended the proposition with: “Why not ride somewhere and play gypsy when we arrive there? Then we won’t be so weary with walking and can sing or play as Norma suggested, when we come back home?”
“We all can’t crowd in the automobile,” said Frances.
Then the girl next to the first amender105 spoke up and said: “My idea was very similar to the one just announced, but I had thought of using several farm wagons106, such as Ames has, and filling the bottom with straw for a straw ride to the hills.”
“That, too, sounds alluring107, so we will have the scribe jot108 that amended plan down for future consideration,” said the Corporal.
The next two scouts had thought of gathering109 together at Solomon’s Seal Camp and having refreshments110 and games. But these ideas were not approved, so the turn came to Natalie to speak.
“Well, I must say, that it is disappointing to be in the last row of spectators at the death of the fox,” began she laughingly. “Here am I with as good a plan as the others, but it has been minced111 up by the girls who proposed and those who amended the others.”
The scouts smiled sympathetically—or at least, those girls did who had not yet spoken. Natalie continued:
“I planned for a morning of hiking in the country; coming home to a fine dinner out on the lawn under the trees, then a general council and other gathering at Camp, with our relatives in attendance, and an evening given over to whatever form of fun we all decided on. I thought the supper could be served at camp for all who came.”
“Jot that down, Scribe, for discussion,” said Janet, turning to Frances who came next.
“My idea was along the same lines, but I thought to ask Mr. Marvin and a friend of his who would have a touring car, to drive out from the city and take us all for an auto72 trip in the afternoon, and then we would invite them to sup and an evening’s entertainment in return,” explained Frances.
Janet turned to the Scribe and said: “Add to that last memo37 ‘Frans says call for two autos from Marvin.’”
Belle’s turn came next and she said, languidly: “I never got past the idea of baking a huge birthday cake with two great wax candles on top of it.”
This idea caused a laugh, and Janet approved it at once. “We won’t need to discuss that, Belle—it is decided upon that you bake the best and largest cake Rachel can accommodate in the oven, and decorate the frosting so elaborately that the two monster candles will look all the funnier on top of it.”
Two of the scouts had ideas for each girl making an individual gift and presenting it at a Council held in the afternoon. Janet amended this to the giving of gifts made by the donor112, to be held in the evening.
One of the scouts had a plan for giving an amateur performance, the play to be written by one of the members, and the acting113 to take place in the woods with natural scenery.
“That’s fine! We might try Hiawatha or a play written along such lines. We must get our heads together and invent a new play something like Hiawatha, so we can use the stream and the tent and the clearing in the acts. The play can be part of the afternoon’s entertainment to the Four Corners’ people,” exclaimed Janet eagerly while the other scouts all felt agreed on the suggestion.
The next scout had conferred with her neighbor and had agreed to write the play with her. So she was put down as the playwright114. The rest of the girls had simple plans for entertainment that would fall in line with the greater ones, but those already jotted115 down were now discussed thoroughly, and a programme made up for the time being. This would be revised as necessity called for. When more than an hour had passed by and the Captain, with her Lieutenant, returned to camp to find all the scouts’ heads close together still, the former called out:
“Council is adjourned for the day!”
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1
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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3
pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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4
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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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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6
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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strutting
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| 加固，支撑物 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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10
ails
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| v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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11
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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12
snobs
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| （谄上傲下的）势利小人( snob的名词复数 )； 自高自大者，自命不凡者 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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socialists
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| 社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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perches
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| 栖息处( perch的名词复数 )； 栖枝； 高处； 鲈鱼 | |
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cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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inverting
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| v.使倒置，使反转( invert的现在分词 ) | |
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18
funnel
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| n.漏斗；烟囱；v.汇集 | |
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19
tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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20
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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belle
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| n.靓女 | |
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22
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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23
dab
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| v.轻触，轻拍，轻涂；n.(颜料等的)轻涂 | |
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24
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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flake
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| v.使成薄片；雪片般落下；n.薄片 | |
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26
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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28
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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30
trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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adviser
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| n.劝告者，顾问 | |
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32
prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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inverted
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| adj.反向的，倒转的v.使倒置，使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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memo
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| n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章 | |
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38
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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39
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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40
promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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41
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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42
patriotically
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| 爱国地；忧国地 | |
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43
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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44
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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45
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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46
cuffs
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| n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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47
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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endearment
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| n.表示亲爱的行为 | |
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49
fig
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| n.无花果(树) | |
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50
gambol
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| v.欢呼，雀跃 | |
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51
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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52
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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53
elude
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| v.躲避，困惑 | |
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54
butted
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| 对接的 | |
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55
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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56
bleated
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| v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的过去式和过去分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说 | |
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57
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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58
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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59
inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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60
shrilled
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
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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62
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
pint
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| n.品脱 | |
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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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65
sputter
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| n.喷溅声；v.喷溅 | |
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66
frisky
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| adj.活泼的，欢闹的；n.活泼，闹着玩；adv.活泼地，闹着玩地 | |
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67
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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68
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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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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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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71
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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72
auto
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| n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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74
chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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76
corporate
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| adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的 | |
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77
dividends
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| 红利( dividend的名词复数 )； 股息； 被除数； （足球彩票的）彩金 | |
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78
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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79
turnips
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| 芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表 | |
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80
giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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81
reimbursed
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| v.偿还，付还( reimburse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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83
enrolled
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| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
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84
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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85
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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86
advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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87
amity
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| n.友好关系 | |
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88
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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89
temperate
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| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
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forestry
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| n.森林学；林业 | |
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91
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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92
undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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93
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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94
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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95
scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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96
discriminate
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| v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待 | |
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97
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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98
dissent
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| n./v.不同意，持异议 | |
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99
illustrate
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| v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图 | |
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100
amend
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| vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿 | |
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101
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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102
Amended
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| adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词 | |
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103
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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104
query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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105
amender
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| 改正者，修正者 | |
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106
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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107
alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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108
jot
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| n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下 | |
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109
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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110
refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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111
minced
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| v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉） | |
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112
donor
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| n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体 | |
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113
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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114
playwright
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| n.剧作家，编写剧本的人 | |
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115
jotted
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| v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下 | |
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