"We'll have to get a hatchet, or small axe at the house," answered Zan, with a frown at the idea of walking to the house again.
"No, I placed one of the hatchets in my tent after we had finished driving the stakes. Bill took his home I see, and Zan carried the one from the house back to the tool-house, for I watched her and mentally gave her an honour mark for placing things where she found them," commended Miss Miller, as she went to her tent and brought out a small hatchet and displayed the knife called for by the rule.
"Aren't they dear! Where did you get them, Miss Miller?" questioned Zan, as the girls crowded around the Guide and admired the new tools.
"I wrote to Headquarters and found out where I could purchase outfittings," replied the Guide, leading the way toward the hill. All of the girls wore khaki bloomers and soft shirts, with heavy stockings and rubber-soled sneakers protecting legs and feet, so that the hill-climb presented only a Nature test to be thoroughly enjoyed by them after their invigorating bath.
CHAPTER FIVE SOME AMAZING THINGS IN NATURE
"Anything you say goes with us, Miss Miller!" said Zan emphatically.
"Well, then suppose we try to identify our native trees as many as we find in this section of the country and begin to gather wild flowers and plants, for Jane to make blue prints from. At the same time we can study their botanical features and arrange them in groups for use in trays, or pictures."
"Why, that is a novel idea! How did you think of it, Miss Miller?" cried Elena,
her artistic nature roused.
"I love wild flowers, and I always did think they would make beautiful decorations if properly treated so they would retain their lines and details," replied the Guide.
"It's too bad you didn't mention it sooner, so I could have brought a basket or something to keep them in," said Jane.
"Why carry a basket when one can be had for the picking!" laughed Miss Miller.
Again the girls were mystified, and waited for an explanation. It was slow in coming for the Guide seemed very intent upon seeking for something she could not find.
After ten minutes' walk she exclaimed, "Ha! I thought so! The kind of grass I wanted always grows near the hill-tops."
She motioned the girls to sit down while she gathered a few handsful of long wiry grass and showed them how to weave a fine grass basket. It was a small model but very compact and strong. They watched eagerly while deft fingers flew and the grass strands went in and out, until the roll on top was finished. The handle was another matter, and Miss Miller said she would make that another time.
"But this is so dainty it will never hold plants or roots!" said Elena.
"Not this sample but we can make others on the same lines and use other materials. Perhaps Zan can show us where we can find some rushes, or wand-grass. Then too, willow makes good strong baskets."
"Why, sure! Right down by the Bid Ridge we can gather all the rushes we want, and a whole group of young willows grow over by Pine Nob that's a giant hill back of Hamilton's Farm," exclaimed Zan eagerly.
"Some rainy day, then, we will sit by the fire and make some rush mats," added the Guide.
"Oh, stop! please don't mention any more, or my head will whirl off!" laughed Jane, holding down the top of her head, but with eyes sparkling with anticipation of all the coups waiting to be won.
Miss Miller smiled as she started on up the hill-side. "Don't wait for me to point out a tree take the first one you see. The same with the flowers and shrubs."
"But here's some grass that ought to make a strong basket!" called Nita, who was a few paces ahead.
"Yes, let us gather some and construct a carrier in case we find some plants we want to dig up, root and flower," advised the Guide.
They were all eagerly engaged in their first attempt at weaving with grass and found it not nearly as easy as it seemed when the Guide was doing it. Sometimes the grass slipped, sometimes it broke; then, it would refuse to slide up or down, and again it would cut into tender flesh if it was pulled too hard.
After a time, however, a sort of a misshapen bowl-like article was finished by Hilda who declared it looked just like an Eskimo's treasure. The other girls decided to carry their material and half-finished shapes with them and wait for another recess in the hike before weaving more.
"I see a maple!" exclaimed Elena, as they climbed.
"Pshaw! every one knows a maple tree so there can't be anything new worth hearing about a maple," said Nita.
"How do you know but that we may discover some new feature about a maple that you never dreamed of before?" asked Miss Miller.
"Hitherto unpublished exclusive rights claimed by Wickeecheokee Band!" added Zan.
"Not so many moons since, I met a group of girls who were greatly surprised to find that sugar came from maples!" added Miss Miller, smiling at Nita.
"Oh, that was different! What I mean now, is, that every one knows a maple when they see one, and it's nothing new."