The Three Midshipmen

wohelo-w

a girl in a green canoe, who listened intently until the last faint echo died away, then began paddling rapidly towards the wooded slope. The sun, just dropping below the horizon, flooded t

said under her breath. "It sounds like an Indian

ful little cove where there was a floating dock with a small fleet of canoes and rowboats surrounding it, and steps le

he said to herself. "I'm going

of white tents and stopped to reconnoitre. A dozen or more tents were set irregularly around an open space; also there was a large frame bu

if I dare venture--" She broke off abruptly, staring in surprise at a group approaching

om?" cried the other. The two were holding each other's hands and

rday in the yacht-and I heard that beautiful Indian call, and I just had to find out where it came from, and what it meant. I

ared. "They vanished for fear they might be in the way," she said. "O Laura, I'm so glad you're here, for

g? It's after

l day to-morrow. You must stay to

er won't know where I am." La

and tell him? I'll go w

time before you

n, we've no time to lose, but I know how you can make a canoe fly," she said, and hand-in-hand the two went scurrying through the grov

ideals-at any rate it is better suited for girls. It aims to help them to be healthy, useful, trustworthy, and happy. Health-work-love-as shown in service-these are

are you?" L

Chief Guardian." She went on to explain about the work and play, the tests and rewards, e

girls is it for-poor girls

o dear little High School girls; all the rest are working girls. They can stay here at the camp only two weeks-some of them only ten days-the working girls, I

r them?" Lau

rity, and the charges are very low. T

t's so hard to get a chance really to hel

e alongside the big white yacht with its shining br

crew. The last golden gleam of the afterglow was fading slowly in the West as the two girls came again thro

her friend over to a group gathered on the grass before one of the te

iny puff of

. "I can't help it if I am an odd number-I'm goin

ne's friend?" said one, as she snuggled down on the grass bes

. "It must be nice-you all l

road for a year," she said, "and it seems so good to be with girls again-American girls! Please, won't you forget that I am here and

amp plans and happenings until the talk was interrupted by a cl

it?" Laura asked as al

e Council," one explained,

dark brown, fringed at the bottom and the sleeves. A band of beadwork was fast

obe of state?"

"but you can't see in this light how pretty

girls?" Laura asked. "The

rers as yet-we've not been organised long, you know; but they've been working hard f

represent a gre

onours by keeping free from colds, headaches, etc., for a number of months, or by sleeping out of doors, or doing some sort of athletics-walking, swimming, rowing, and the like. The b

l prize their necklaces by-and-by, and enjoy

daughters as a new kind of heirloom, but--" with a laug

y procession of girls from twelve to twenty, per

owed a winding path through the woods, a few carrying lanterns. "Is th

w days here make in some of the girls who have had all work and no play-like some of mine! It is so

way at once," Laura cried as the girls arranged themselves

rements for the second class. Some of the others are to be made Fire Makers to-night. Watch Mary

s the circle formed, and now in silence, all eyes were centred on the girl. Faster and faster her hands moved to the accompaniment of a whining, scraping sound that rose at intervals to a shrill squeak. At last a tiny puff of smoke arose, and the girl blew carefully until she had

all announced, "Thirty seconds within the time li

Makers, and soon the flames began to blaze and crackle, filling the air with a spicy fragrance, and sending

she whispered. "It

rls now gathered closer about the f

o-wohel

means

for love is th

and joy an

and all de

joy of ser

lf is f

means

r swelled

elo f

o for

elo, wohelo

moment of utter silence; then

lo for

osite side

o for h

er they chorus

helo, wohelo

ne Wentworth, the beautif

Fi

hen our fathers

ere their gre

the cold of the

ed

food you changed

ury meat

ges your mysteri

to them f

ight our fire in g

Spirit who ga

ying spirit-the heart of this new order of the girls of America, as the hearth-fire is the heart of the home. She spoke of the brown chevron with the crossed sticks, the symbol of the Wood Gatherer, the blue and orange sy

nours she had earned since the last meeting. It was then that Laura, watching the absorbed face

lry. It isn't all love and harmony-yet. B

ce the last meeting-things ranging all the way from hunting for a lost glove to going for the doctor at midnight when a girl was taken suddenly ill in ca

nd answered, "I'll tell you about her afterwards. Her name is Olga P

e stepped out of the circle, and c

aze and crackle, filling the

" Mrs. Royall asked,

ire Girl and to obey the law

ek b

ser

e kno

n to h

ify

hap

amp Fire I will s

d as she ceased speaking, the candidate repeated her promise to keep it, and instan

he fire I will

rength and endu

er of m

ness of

mth of

cerity of m

like a full stop in music-came

right hand across those of her left. The candidate made the same sign; then she held out her hand, and Mrs. Royall

re brought fr

the sinews wh

these others,

herever you

s the fagot

your deep

he truth tha

the law of

s followed her as she moved forward and stood before Mrs. Royall. From a paper in her hand she re

ardian turne

?" she asked, and to

is brought

rpose t

tren

mbit

rt's d

j

my s

the

uman

will

thers ha

father'

time

e that

of man

of man

gain with the solemn beauty of it all, and tears crowded to her eyes in the silence that

er hand and soft and low

sleep in she

of the Hi

heart, and

ul's

service ba

of the Hi

wake clear

l's de

ire carefully extinguished, and then back through the woods the procession wound, laughing, talking, sometimes breaking into