The Woodcraft Girls in the City

“Hoh! Anne doesn’t know us yet! Catch a Woodcrafter being late when there’s any fun going!” laughed Jane.

Every member was there before eight that night, Eleanor having been notified over the telephone. A merry evening was enjoyed with dancing and singing and most of the girls were sure the French Folk Song could be mastered for a private exhibition on Saturday if they had one more evening’s practise.

“To-morrow is Thursday and some of us are booked to go to those Burton-Holmes Lectures, but we might all meet again on Friday night?” suggested Zan.

“Some of us could meet to-morrow and practise, and then all meet Friday,” added Hilda.

“Where do you want to meet Friday – come to my house,” invited Jane.

As the Huberts had a large house with a splendid living-room, it offered excellent facilities for dancing, so the girls gladly accepted the invitation.

Shortly after nine o’clock Friday night, while the Woodcrafters were cooling off and talking about their successful dancing lesson of the French song, Mrs. Hubert opened the door and peeped in.

“When you finish dancing maybe you’ll come to the kitchen and help me make some fudge?” hinted she.

“We’re all through!” cried Zan, jumping up and running for the door.

“So we are when there’s fudge on the programme,” laughed Elena.

But fudge was not the only candy made that night. As Saturday morning was a “lazy day” for school-girls, they could sleep an hour later than usual. So there was no haste to get home and to bed that night.

“Mrs. Hubert, you always promised to give us the recipe for your fudge – it is so good!” exclaimed Elena.

“Why, I’ll tell you right now, and you can watch me make it, too,” replied Mrs. Hubert.

“Lena, write it down to enter in our Tally,” said Zan.

As Mrs. Hubert itemised the ingredients for Elena to write down, she measured out the quantities for the candy.

“One cup of granulated sugar, one cup of powdered sugar, one and a half cakes of Baker’s chocolate, a lump of butter about the size of a walnut, two-thirds of a cup of milk, and any flavour desired. I shall use vanilla to-night as most girls like that.

“Now I boil the milk and sugar, stirring all the time from when it is first placed over the fire. When it fairly hardens so as to form a ball when dropped in cold water, I remove it from the stove and add the chocolate which must be shaved very fine, or even grated as it is to-night.

“Next I add the vanilla, and the butter last. Quickly then, I beat it until it thickens but it must not sugar. Pour it in buttered tins and when it is partly hardened we can cut it into squares.

“In case any of you do not have powdered sugar in the house you can use granulated but the powdered sugar makes it creamy and there is less danger of crystallising while beating.”

The fudge was made and declared the finest ever tasted.

“Oh, but you girls say that every time I treat you,” laughed Mrs. Hubert.

“It’s true, and that shows how you improve in candy-making every time you cook it for us,” retorted Zan, quickly.

“Which interpreted means: ‘Be sure and give us fudge every time we visit you,’” laughed Mrs. Hubert.

“You’d hear no kick coming from the Woodcrafters,” added Jane.

“Jane! There you go again with your slang! I thought Miss Miller was curing you girls of that pernicious habit,” said Mrs. Hubert.

“We were cured, Mother, but you see our brothers were still ill with the despised complaint and we caught it again, didn’t we Zan?” said Jane, appealing to her competitor in slang.

Zan’s mouth was too full of fudge to reply but she nodded her head vigorously to express her feelings about slang.

“Dear, dear, such girls!” sighed Mrs. Hubert, taking a recipe book from the shelf and turning to a page of candies.

“Girls, shall I show you how to make nougat?” asked she.

Naturally they cried “yes” and Elena prepared to make another entry in the Tally.

“Always blanch the almonds or other nuts to be used. I generally keep some on hand so we won’t have to take time for that work to-night. Now some of you girls skin these nuts and some of you can chop them very fine.

“For the nougat, I melt some powdered sugar, using a dessert-spoonful of lemon juice to every pound of sugar. It takes double the weight of sugar in almonds. We have a pound of sugar, so I use two pounds of chopped nuts. They must be hot before dropping them into the sugar-syrup.

“We ought to have regular nougat moulds like confectioners use, but not having them, I have to take the flat tin we use for ginger-bread. That is why I had you chop the nuts very fine – so that the nougat when it is spread in the tin, can be cut with a knife.

“Into this buttered tin, I press the nougat with the lemon skin until it is all smoothed out flat. Then I quickly cut the bars so they can be broken apart when it is cold. If we had regular moulds we could use the nuts in much larger pieces.”

“I always thought that nougat was a dreadfully hard candy to make, but it is as simple as rolling off a log,” declared Hilda.

“I just love it, don’t you?” said Elena, sniffing the odour that rose from the pan of candy.

“You love any kind of candy. Your mother says you have a ‘sweet tooth,’” laughed Nita.

“I’ll show you how to make one other kind of candy and then it will be time for you to go home. It is ten o’clock now,” said Mrs. Hubert.

“Put a cupful of powdered sugar in a bowl and add about a quarter of a teaspoonful of cream, or at least enough to stir the spoon about in the mixture easily. Be careful not to use too much cream, though, as that will make it run and not cream itself. Now add a teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla. We will use the latter for this cream. Next stir the mixture well until all lumps are worked smooth like a paste.

“Here, Jane, stone these dates but do not break them asunder.

“Now girls, as the dates are stoned, you take enough cream to fill the opening made by the stone. Then you stick the edges of the date together again and roll in powdered sugar. They are then placed on an oiled paper to keep from sticking while drying.”

The creamed dates were soon made and tasted. Some of the Woodcrafters said they needed a much larger taste than a single date offered, and Mrs. Hubert laughed. While the girls were away from the kitchen to find their hats and coats, the hostess divided the candy left and gave each amateur confectioner a package to take home with her.

Saturday with its weekly Council found each girl, except Eleanor, more than elated with the finished article of carpentry work to exhibit at the meeting. Of the entire collection the bead-loom, tabouret, and chest were considered the best.

“I declare, girls, it is marvelous how neatly you have fitted the corners and finished the edges of the work. May’s chest is as pretty and well-made as any I have ever seen. The hinges and clasp are original and hand-made, too, I see. Did you originate the design alone, May?” said the Guide, after admiring the objects placed in a row on the table.

“Yes, and the copper hinges and clasp are cut and hammered out of an old sauce-pan mother threw away a long time ago,” replied pleased May.

“And does the key turn easily?” inquired Miss Miller, lifting the lid of the chest and examining the key-hole carefully.

“I haven’t found a key to fit yet!” laughed May.

Then the Guide’s attention was given to an investigation of the elaborate bead-loom made and decorated by Zan as her contribution to the contest.

“Does it work, Zan?” queried Miss Miller.

“Not unless it is supplied with motive-power!”

“Then you must have tried it out with a bit of your tremendous energy,” retorted the Guide, smiling at the girl’s bright face.

“Not only tried it but finished a strip of bead banding that takes the cake! I have decided to make enough trimming to decorate a new ceremonial costume that will turn every Woodcraft girl green with envy,” bragged Zan.

“That is a boast indeed! Did you include the Tribes of other Woodcrafters in that challenge?”

“Yep, everybody but Elizabeth Remington. She certainly has the loveliest beading I ever saw, but then she has had two years’ designing at the School of Art,” replied Zan.

After many comparisons and due deliberation, it was decided to present May Randall with the prize for that contest. As May was a beginner and the chest was her first piece of work, it won a point above Zan’s loom, which also was a fine piece of work. Both of these objects were excellent bits of cabinet-work and so neatly finished and beautifully decorated that it was a draw. May flushed with happiness when she heard that Zan awarded the prize to her.

“I think the plan of awarding prizes for best work is a good one but we should decide upon the prize before the contest is started each week. What have you for May to-day?” said Miss Miller.

“Well, this week we were going to present the winner a solid gold loving cup but our Wampum Keeper reported a state of bankruptcy so we had to sacrifice our wishes to conform with the exchequer,” said Zan, solemnly, while the girls giggled.

“I suggested that we take a picture of May, so I brought my camera. It can be pasted in the Tally Book and mentioned as the winner of the carpentry contest,” said Elena.

“And I thought the film could be enlarged to a size that will correspond with our cash on hand, and present it to May,” added Hilda.

“If we make a picture each week of the prize-winner and article made it will add greatly to the beauty and interest of the Tally,” ventured the Guide.

“Come on, May, and pose over by the log scenery to have your picture taken,” called Elena, starting for the Council Ring.

“Oh wait, Lena! Don’t let’s have an indoor picture. It will look so much better if posed out-doors,” cried Nita.

“Let’s go over to the fence-corner next to our back yard where the group of pines will make a pretty back-ground,” suggested Frances Mason.

“That’s fine! And we’ll stand May on some of our logs and have her look happy while holding her chest!” exclaimed Anne.

“When folks see May holding her chest in the picture, they’ll think she had a bad cold,” came from Zan, quickly.

Everyone laughed but Anne added: “Oh, you old tease, you know what I meant.”

“All right, come on and show us what you meant!”

“I wish to goodness we had a ceremonial costume here to dress May and do the picture up in a truly artistic manner,” sighed Elena.

“Hilda and May are about the same size – why not run Hilda home to get hers?” suggested Jane.

“It won’t take more’n ten minutes, Hilda, if you jump on a trolley!” added Nita, when Hilda frowned down the proposition.

A honking from an automobile horn was heard just then, and Zan jumped up to run to the door, saying: “Sounds like your machine, Jenny!”

“If it should be Jack, he could drive Hilda over for the dress,” replied Jane.

Before Zan reached the door of the gymnasium, however, the tousled head of Fiji Baker appeared at the opening and he called out ingratiatingly: “Don’t stop the show for me; ‘let joy be unconfined’ as I just dropped in for a second to see Miss Miller. Jack is out front tying the bouquets we wish to throw at the famous dancer!”

Nita laughed for she had confided in the boys and told them about the new dance scheduled for that Council Meeting.

“Oh, Fiji, you came in answer to our prayers, I’m sure. We need someone to hustle Hilda over home for a most important package she forgot, and now Jack can fly while you talk with Miss Miller,” explained Zan, pushing Hilda towards the door as she spoke.

“You’ll win a coup on this for ‘first aid,’” said Jane to Fiji.

But Fiji paid no attention as he was deeply concerned over some secret he was whispering to the Guide. Meantime Hilda was urged to order Jack to drive as fast as he dared so she could be back with the costume before the sun went down.

Before Fiji and Miss Miller had finished their engrossing conversation, Hilda returned and the girls adjourned to the scenic-screen-room to dress the prize-winner in a befitting costume.

May was posed first in one attitude, then in another, till everyone had satisfied her artistic sense of the picture to be, and perhaps they would all have had another trial had not May sighed, and cried:

“I’ll be so glad when you really click that trigger! This box grows heavier and heavier every minute. I’m sure it weighs a ton by this time.”

Several snap-shots were taken and May placed the “ton” prize-winner on the ground and stretched her arms. Then the Woodcrafters filed back to the gymnasium, where Miss Miller explained the reason of Fiji’s visit.

“Doctor Baker invites the Band to join the boys in a week-end camp near-by the city. Fiji said he and the other boys have been scouting about for some days trying to find just the right kind of a site where girls would be comfortable.” Miss Miller paused here to allow the announcement to sink in.

“Huh! I guess Dad wants our Band to act as sort of a brake on those boys’ speed,” commented Zan, nevertheless pleased at the invitation.

“Won’t it be fun?” cried Jane.

“Where will it be, Miss Miller?” asked Nita.

“Why, Fiji says they have found a wonderful place on the sea-side of Staten Island. ‘The woods almost meet the beach,’ he said.”

“Oh, can’t we try that aqua-planing Elizabeth Remington told us of?” eagerly questioned Zan.

“We haven’t any to try with,” replied Jane.

“Fred Remington told Fiji the other day that it was the easiest thing to make. Just one, two, three! and it is done!” declared Zan, snapping her fingers with each count.

“I have it! Let’s invite Elizabeth to join us in camp and then add, as an after-thought, how nice it would be if she brought her plane,” exclaimed Nita, showing that there were still some undestroyed self-motives in her character.

“Even so, there wouldn’t be any motive-power unless Zan supplied some of her boundless energy,” laughed the Guide.

“It won’t work in deep water, Miss Miller,” retorted Zan.

“If Elizabeth is invited for the plane why not ask Fred and Billy for their launch?” now suggested Jane.

“Sure enough! You tell Jack to, will you?” chorused some of the girls.

After a lively Council Meeting, the Woodcrafters started eagerly homeward for they were anticipating the camp and wanted to hear what the boys had to say about the plane and launch.

But it happened that Fiji and Jack had already thought of the launch and had invited Fred and his younger brother before the girls spoke of it. The plane was another matter and they agreed to see Elizabeth about joining them.

The campers intended starting for the trip immediately after school on Friday afternoon. Three automobiles – the Bakers’, Huberts’, and Remingtons’ – would carry them and their luggage to the place selected. Fred, Billy, and Bob Baker would go in the launch, while Fiji and Jack planned to paddle their canoe around the Island to the beach where the camp was to be.

The canoe owned by the two boys was kept on the lake in Branch Brook Park when the boys were in the city, but during their vacations they usually took it with them. It now had to be transported across the city to the Passaic River. Here the boys arranged to meet the express-man and sail it from that point to Staten Island Sound, thence to the sea-beach-shore of the Island.

Fred Remington planned to sail the launch along the same route but he would start later in the day. The canoemen would start in the morning if clear. The girls in the cars would leave directly after school in the afternoon, and all expected to meet about the same time on the woodland site chosen by the boys.

The days preceding Friday afternoon were an anxious time for the Woodcrafters for they feared it might rain yet hoped that the weather would be glorious.

The camera picture of May and the chest was developed and printed and proved to be a great success. It was named “The Prize-winner,” and the film was sent away to be enlarged. Meantime, the Woodcraft Chest had been left on Miss Miller’s table in the gymnasium as she wished to show it to the scholars who were becoming interested in Woodcraft.

Tuesday afternoon, when she wished to lock the chest in her private closet, it was not to be found. She sought everywhere, asked the janitor, and telephoned the girls, but no one had seen or heard a thing about it.

Miss Miller worried herself ill over the loss, not so much because of the value of the chest but because it proved there was a dishonest scholar in that school! May was heart-broken too, as it was her first accomplishment in Woodcraft and she was so proud of it, that she had invited all her friends to be sure and call to see it as soon as it was home in her possession. And now it might never be heard from again!

CHAPTER SIX – THE LOST CAMPERS

In spite of pessimistic prognostications about the weather, Friday came and it was a perfect Autumn day. Fiji Baker and Jack Hubert were up at day-break as their express-man carted the canoe from the Park that early so it would not interfere with his regular calls and cartage for the day.

Fred and his crew started at noon in their launch, and at three o’clock the merry Woodcrafters stood about the gymnasium door waiting for the three automobiles which would have the luggage and other equipment packed in them before stopping for the girls.

While waiting, Nita showed the girls a new Flower and Butterfly dance she had invented. It was most graceful and the girls applauded heartily. Miss Miller smiled as she said:

“Nita, there is no use in trying to train you for aught else than a dancing flower in a wandering breeze, or a charming little humming-bird that lightly caresses every blossom in passing.”

“Miss Miller should have a coup for spontaneous poetry,” laughed Nita, well-pleased at the Guide’s sincere praise.

“Yes, the Tribe must hand it to its Guide for finding something religious or poetical in any prosaic thing she finds. Not that Nita is prosaic by any means, but there have been times when Miss Miller’s muse has been inspired with nothing more to base its flight upon than an ordinary dust-cloth or common potato!” laughed Zan.

The sound of approaching automobiles caused poesy and dancing to end and soon the girls were gayly seated in the cars. Such chattering and laughter as sounded from the passengers as the machines sped swiftly cross-town and reached the ferry where they had to take the boat to reach Staten Island!

“Miss Miller,” asked Anne Mason, as they waited for a ferry-boat to dock, “can we new members start to collect flowers and do some tree lessons, or birds and star knowing, to catch up with your five founders of the Band?”

“Yes, you can, but why not leave those studies and do them at odd times when the older members have other things to do? We might all work together at this camp to find many interesting things to start new collections. For instance, the shells and other marine objects.”

“I never thought of that,” replied Anne.

“The new members are so anxious to have individual Tally Books, you see, Miss Miller,” explained Zan, “and they haven’t any pressed flowers or blue prints or other things to record as we have in ours.”

“If only you would wait until we catch up with you,” sighed May Randall.

“You can soon do that, girls, by using every spare moment when not otherwise engaged, to learn about the stars, find flowers and insects, and study trees and Nature in the Park. Then we can witness and sign your honour claims at a Council,” added the Guide.

“You new girls haven’t made your Tallies yet,” said Hilda.

“That is one of the things we want you to tell us about,” said Frances Mason.

“I think I have enough pieces of tanned leather to give each girl a cover,” now offered Zan.

“And we have enough thong and beads to bind the books and tie the pages,” added Elena.

“Then the girls ought to buy the page paper and make their Tallies at once, so everything can be entered in proper order,” advised the Guide.

“Miss Miller, maybe we can try for the degree of canoeman while we camp near the water,” ventured Jane.

Miss Miller said nothing to this but smiled and shook her head. She wondered if the girls understood the experience necessary before winning a degree of that kind.

Jim, the Bakers’ chauffeur, and Alfred, the Remingtons’ chauffeur, had each been given concise directions how to find the camp-site. Bob had drawn a road-map for Jim, and Fred had sketched a rough plan of where to turn. So Jim led the three cars as they left the ferry.

After travelling several miles, he consulted Bob’s map.

“I don’t seem to quite get this clear! Master Bob’s got here ‘Good woodland road,’ but all I can find is this swamp and that wood-cutters’ trail on the far side!” said Jim.

The other two cars came up, and Alfred said: “Can you make head or tail out of the map, Jim?”

“I was jus’ sayin’ that Master Bob must have been dreamin’ about this ‘good woodland road,’” returned Jim.

“Let’s take this road – it looks fine – and see if we come to a woodland road further on,” suggested Miss Miller.

So the opposite direction was taken, hoping they might find the good road mentioned on the map. After riding for twenty minutes more, the chauffeurs suddenly found the sign-post marked on both maps.

“Now ain’t that funny! It’s the post all right, but we never came by that woodland road!” declared Jim.

“Let’s be thankful we found one land-mark they put down for us to follow!” grumbled Alfred, where-upon everyone laughed.

In vain did they seek for other land-marks or objects to correspond to those marked on the maps. They found good roads but nothing to lead them to believe they were following directions. Finally, as they all halted for another conference, Alfred stood up and looked about. He scratched his head back of the ear as if in a quandary.

“Let’s hear it, Alfred,” laughed Elizabeth.

“Well, I was thinkin’! Your maw came this very road last Spring when she camped her Tribe on Decoration Day. Why not go this way and trust to luck to bring us to the boys’ camp?”

“It would be all right for us but what about the boys?” asked Zan.

“They have to pass by your site on their way up the shore and you can hail them,” suggested Jim.

“It’s growing late, girls, and we have to pitch tents, get ready to cook supper, and lots of other work,” warned the Guide.

“Then let’s follow Alfred’s advice and take a chance on finding the boys,” agreed Elizabeth.

As they started again to cross the Island to find the camping place Mrs. Remington had used that Spring Elizabeth told them what a Paradise it was. Woods, beach, cliff for diving, spring of fine water, and everything a Woodcrafter could wish for.

Finally Alfred turned in on the hard sandy beach and in a short time stopped by a small promontory of sand that ran out like a finger into the sea. On top of this cliff and as far back as one could see, were the woods, with a clearing in the foreground that Alfred said had been used for the tents when Mrs. Remington camped there.

The Woodcrafters exclaimed in surprise at the place that seemed made to order for them, and Zan added: “Fiji’s discovery can’t be better than this!”

The chauffeurs helped carry the outfits to the clearing on top of the cliff, and when all was done, Alfred said: “I ought to be goin’, Miss ’Lizabeth, ’cause your father comes in on that six o’clock train, you know, and it takes a full hour to get there from here!”

“Oh, it can’t be five o’clock yet, Alfred,” cried Elizabeth, surprised.

“It is five of five,” replied Miss Miller, consulting her watch.

“Good gracious! Where are those boys?” cried Zan.

“We surely must be at the wrong site, but we will remain where we are for to-night, anyway,” added Jane.

“Jim, if Fiji ’phones home to ask where we are try and direct him how to find us, will you?” said Zan.

Shortly after the automobiles left, Elizabeth spied a fleck of white out on the water, and with her experienced eye saw it bob up and down.

“Zan, bring the glasses! I’m sure I see the white launch,” cried she, keeping her eye on the distant spot.

“Where? I can’t see a thing but some white-caps,” said Zan, handing the glasses to Elizabeth.

“That’s because you never spent your Summers on an Island off the Maine coast like I have,” laughed the girl, focussing the glasses.