The Camp Fire Girls in the Maine Woods; Or, The Winnebagos Go Camping

r of mystery and requested the girls not to make up their beds as usual, but instead to roll their blankets in t

ded by the girls clamoring to be told where they were going. "I surrender," she said,

t?" clamored

ch things," said Nyoda

oing?" "When are we going to start?

One at a time, please, ladies, and I will endeavor to answer any question

ell us," begg

yoda, "I will try to state the case briefly. Now

outed Sahwah, tur

yoda?" as

s to Balsam Lake, which is a distance of about twelve miles, c

ing up and down on one foot,

l start at ten o'c

d the girls. "Aren't w

would be the pathfinders and blaze the trail for those coming after, would leave at ten o'clock, the next pair twenty minutes later, then the next, and so on. Their ponchos would be brought in a wagon over the main road and left for them; they wou

oing to be partner

d the list," answere

d Migwan, Gladys an

ave camp in the ord

will be the pathfin

e waist and the t

the camp while we'r

the village to look after things

carry with us?

you are to take and a can of vermilion paint with which to mark the trail. Take all the pictures you can along the road, girls, and keep a list of the birds, animals, trees and flower

al of help from Chapa before she was ready to start. Good-natured Chapa folded her blankets so the poncho extended on all sides and spread her nightgown, towel, brush and comb and toothbrush crosswise so they would roll. Now Gladys u

" directed Chapa, when the stovepipe-l

uare knot?"

al times, but failed to produce a square knot. "O dear," she exclaimed

I'll tie your poncho up. It's getting late, and I want to h

ay. Very neatly done," she said, indicating Gladys's poncho with its smooth ties, "you are fast learning to be

er pockets. At twenty-minute intervals the other pairs started, Nyoda going the rounds before she left to see who had left her things in the neatest order, and whose poncho

s bordered with daisies and other bright flowers. The two swung along in silence with an enjoyment too deep for words, for they appreciated as only Camp Fire Girls can the beauties and, wonders of nature. Back somewhere in the world they had left behind dull care might be beating

they take, I wonder?" In the road at the foot of the blazed tree lay a small heap of stones pointing in the direction taken by the leaders. "What's this?" asked Nyoda, picking up a sm

el. Nyoda bandaged it for her and showed her how to put a piece of adhesive on the other heel to keep it from blistering. The rule of the road was that if one pair

ver birch tree with the stem painted entirely red. Nailed to it wit

d the Star

though he

s, "See our combination symbol? It's a starfish!

e Migwan

like the bea

as a verse signed

eel is full

would tra

nd took the card along for a

oda and

aze and hel

r on they disco

it down in

stocking mu

n to Hinpoha, who had been stewing arou

it. If I put it in my bloomers it bangs against my leg, and if I carry it in my bag it bangs agai

eat it?" aske

claimed Hinpoha, and soon had the

xclaimed the farmer's wife, "what girls don't do nowadays! Livin' like Indians and walkin' their legs off just for the fun of it! Come right in and I'll see if I can't find something better than water to give you." She bustled out into the summer kitchen and returned with a pitcher of milk a

ing back in the cushioned rocking chair. "Can't you stay

it right in this chair, if you don't mind." She slipped off her shoes and stretc

er them for a long time as they trudged along in the yellow dust. "I wish I could go along with 'em, over the hills," she exclaimed suddenly to the unheed

path barred at one place by a rather wide brook. The trail was marked

ly, sitting down and commencing t

ter and shook her head. "It's t

waded across calmly. Gladys hesitated for several minutes before she could make up her mind to put her feet in the water, but finally, encouraged by Chapa, she stepped gingerly in. "Be careful of the rocks, the

Gladys, "I can't go on

sh, with all her impedimenta stuck into the folds. So Gladys changed to the bathing suit, and Chapa fixed the wet bloom

aid Nyoda to Medmangi, at about half-past four in the

f the woods the call was answered from somewhere beyond the trees. "We're nearly there!" said Nyoda, and they quickened their pace as they went through the last strip of woods. Soon they heard voices and saw figures moving about in the distance, and presently they came upon the rest of the girls on

n was pouring its full glory on the lake, making its surface one dazzling sheet of light. Migwan shaded her eyes with he

ed sheet of

lay beneath

to dreaming dreams as g

a man with a wagon and he said, 'Jump in,' and we said, 'N

ok and Migwan dropped her sand

ed the fence into a field and th

patch to tie her shoe and th

of potatoes. They sprang to their feet, extinguishing the fires that started in various places, and asking what had happened.

of laughter arose when the truth dawned on the girls and it was many a day before they left off teasing Migwan about it. The fire

baked beans,"

potatoes if you wan

gw

asked Hinpoha, appea

lips and recited w

slimmer grow

ches, drink

en took u

on the c

or the fat

e circle, each girl p

d reciting

fat you'd

ten hou

d grow thin

ns this who

k that you'r

and tow t

ally would

anything

ay mock tears. Immediately all the girls flung

forted, "we love you anyhow.

h. Nyoda and Medmangi sprang to their feet, and pointing sc

ertaken, o'ert

e roadside they

de them and sang

em to rise up a

inging to their feet. "It's to the tune of 'Jingle B

through

day b

he lake

g all

apped to

ur eats

fun it

girls o

o, Wo

g all

un it is

the wor

burning low and Nyoda reminded the girls that they had walked twelve miles that day and had a still longer tramp ahead on the morrow. "It doesn't seem po

ip in the lake, splashing around in the darkness and barking their shins on the rocks. Gladys and Chapa sought their beds first. It wa

the word, she picked up the bed and deposited it in ano

Migwan, jumping up and shaking her blankets. She had spread her bed on a colony of ant hill

et before a branch appeared. She amused herself by reaching out her hand and identifying her belongings, which hung on a bush at her head. Her hand closed over the can of red paint. Like lightning she had an

was completely hidden by a thick mist. Drops were coming down, patter, patter,

ing on the ground in the rain, but the cozy dryness of her bed soon wooed her back to slumber. When she opened her eyes again the sun was rising over the lake. No, there were two s

"Gladys!" said Nyoda, "what is the matter with your face?" On each

ained. "Excuse me, Gladys, I didn't mean to decorate you." Gladys, however, ev

n the high cliff to sing the morning song.

ts have rolle

eauty of t

sclosing the lofty brow of Mount Washington in the distance, and the g

kes and cocoa. Hinpoha heroically passed up both the pancakes

st the ponchos were rolled and the pathfinders struck the trail through the

mosquitoes which settled on every exposed portion of their persons and stung viciously. "Ooo, wow!" they cried, breaking into a run and brushing the mosquitoes of

ng as they went alo

tune was "S

ebagos and our c

down the dales we g

through the wood like

on the path and our

os! 'Bagos,

'Bagos, tra la

ebagos and our

own the dales we go

e a great poet when

o pick a cluster of

she answered, "but I may be able to write stori

re you going to

her died we have had to live very carefully, and high school is all

than any of us. Here am I, with no more brains than a rabbit, going to

we will need the money I earn to

that more than once she had to use her hatchet. Roots and vines tangled her feet and made her stumble. Then she wedged her foot in between two stumps and could not get it out. She pulled and twisted and finally grasped hold of the stem of a small tree and braced herself firmly while she endeavored to free herself. With a sudden jerk her foot came free, and at the same instant the tree came up b

slipped the joint back into place before it could get a chance to swell, and bound it fast with a strip of the bandage the girls always carried with them. At that the pain made her sick to her stomach and she lay back, her head reeling. When she could see clearly again she sat up and looked around. It was nearly dark, as the thick pines shut out

knee is back in joint and will begin to heal while I stay here. Things might have been worse." Beside her lay a dry pine tree and she chopped it up and built a fire. For a long time s

he trees had kept the dew from her. Sitting up, she exercised her arms to get up the circulation. Then, leaning on a heavy stick and hobbling on one foot, she began to lo

, when out of the woods came two men, one of them carrying a little boy. A few paces from where Migwan stood, hidden by a large tree trunk, they came to a halt, and the one man, pulling out a purse, began to count money. The little boy was dressed in a white sailor suit and hat, and his hair under the hat brim was yellow a

with the purse, "but we have to catch the boa

someone where I

'll send some one for you." They disappeared down the path at

slipped to the ground and hid among the leaves. Hinpoha got down on her knees and hunted for it. The minutes passed, but still she did not find it. She did not worry about Migwan because she knew she would wait where the paths met. Chapa and Gladys

e was no answer. Thoroughly frightened, they started back on the trail, meeting Nyoda and Medmangi just coming in. At the story of Migwan's disappearance Nyoda immediately planned a search. But first of all she insisted on the girls eating their supper. Then she reminded them that they had walked fifteen m

y, who drove his wagon along the roadway and let the girls ride in turn. They explored the woods back to where the two paths emerged from the thicket, calling and searching with lanterns. All to no purpose. They went over every inch of the path down which Migwan had disappeared. Now Migwan, in coming through, had strayed off the path, wh

nd nothing. Then, discouraged and panic-stricken, they began to retrace their steps to camp. Morning light brought a new disclosure. Not only had they lost Migwan somewhere in the great woods, but they themselves were completely off the trail of the day before. At one of the dim cross-roads they had made a misturn, and were now wandering around

ad for a while but soon saw a sign board reading, "Cambridge, 7 miles." Cambridge was a town lying exactly in the opposite direction from Loon Lake. Bewildere

is path isn't any better than the road. We

oha, and they kept on. The path seemed endless, and

a. "We're only wasting our stre

ing in the long grass. "Migwan!" cried Nyoda, and stood as if petrified. Hinpoha pointed her finger and tried to sing "O'ertaken," but burst into tears inste

e hunting party returned to ca