When Mr. Gilroy concluded his beautiful legend, the scouts were silent. It was the greatest praise they could bestow at the moment, for the story was not one to call forth applause and noise. Then they began to speak, but in soft voices.
"And to think that this story of creation, so similar in many ways to our Bible Stories, was handed down from ancient days," remarked Mrs. Vernon, thrilled by the realization.
"I find many interesting similarities between our Bible and the Holy Legends reverently told by the Esquimaux. But this one always struck me as being as fine as any. That is why I told it," explained Mr. Gilroy.
Then their Camp Entertainer, as Julie now named Mr. Gilroy, bid them all good-night and went up the trail. And the scouts were soon in bed, their last waking thoughts being of Raven, Son of Raven, the All-in-all of Creation.
CHAPTER SIX LOST ON THE TRAIL
"We decided to cut a shorter trail over the crest, and as to-day is so cool, we thought it would be a fine time for work," explained Alec, the leader in the boys' camp.
"One day's as good as another! We're ready to help any time," replied Julie, as leader of the Girl Scouts' Troop.
"Why didn't you let us know, then we might have blazed the trail up our side of the mountain, and you boys would have worked from your side. When we met on top, we might have celebrated with a feast," ventured Mrs. Vernon.
So the girls ran for axes and knives, and all began work together, back of Dandelion Camp. They cut and chopped, and blazed a fine trail up past Silver Falls, where the doe had called to her mate the first night the girls were at Camp, and so on to the top of the mountain. But it took the greater part of that morning to go as far as they did.
"We'd better stop here, and go back to see how the trail seems," suggested Mr. Gilroy.
"Why not finish the job, now that we're on top?" asked Alec.
"Because you boys can easily blaze from here on to your camp, and I am beginning to worry lest my dinner is burning," laughed Mr. Gilroy.
"Your dinner! Where's the Indian cook?" asked Alec.
"He's cooking for fifteen! I have invited guests coming to dine at the bungalow this evening," returned Mr. Gilroy, meaningly.
"Oh, hurrah! Isn't that fine? Now we won't have to wash any supper-dishes!" exclaimed Ruth, who still disliked doing dishes.
The girls laughed, for they understood, but Alec said, "Why talk about a supper so distant! I'd rather plan about something to eat this minute."
"So would we all. I guess we are nearly starved," said Ned.
"Why not stop work and cook a few steaks?" suggested Bob.
"You boys have done all the talking about something to eat, but the girls said nothing. Maybe they are not hungry!" ventured Mr. Gilroy.
"Hungry! We're too weak to speak," sighed Julie, rubbing the spot under her belt.
"I can eat reindeer moss without its being cooked," said Amy.
"That settles it! Cook we must, but what?" declared Joan.
"Well, some of us will hunt up the mushrooms; some must gather bracken, some, the lichen; and Gilly can hunt up the coffee beans, alias roots and acorns," said Alec.
"What will you be doing, meantime?" retorted Mr. Gilroy.
"Oh, I'll just remove that package of flour from your pocket and use this strip of bacon that I lifted from Dandelion larder; and when the steaks come back, I'll have bread and fat ready over a fine fire."
"Bacon! When did you manage to steal that?" demanded the Captain, amazed.
The boys laughed, for Alec's clever sleight-of-hand was an endless source of fun for them.
"Don't all hunt together. Divide your strength and see that results come back with you," advised Alec, rolling up his sleeves preparatory to starting his fire.
"I can't fish like the other boys, so I'll go with the girls who are going for the beefsteaks," said Dick.
"All right. And where will you go, Captain?" asked Alec.
"If Gilly is sent for coffee, I shall hunt for tea. I do not care for his brand of coffee, but I do know where to find the ingredients for a nice fragrant cup of tea."
A laugh circled the group, and Mr. Gilroy said, "All right. Now see to it that you don't ask for a drop of my coffee, hereafter."
So they separated, some of the
scouts going with Mrs. Vernon; Bob and Ned going for trout; Hester and Amy with Mr. Gilroy; and Julie, Joan and Judith with Dick, for mushrooms.
After breaking a way through a dense jungle, the latter four scouts came out to a small clearing, but they had not seen any mushrooms.
"What a fine baseball diamond this clearing would make!" said Julie, as they looked around.
"And there are some chestnut stumps on the far side of the clearing!" exclaimed Dick, crossing to the spot.
But they found no mushrooms on the stumps, much to their chagrin. "There'll be other trees about here, where we're sure to find what we need," said Dick, eagerly.
So into the woods they plunged, winding about here and there, but not finding what they sought. None of them thought to blaze a trail as they wandered, consequently had no means of telling how far or in what direction they had gone before Dick found a few small mushrooms.