After the Captain had finished speaking, the scouts sat down and compiled a set of Camp Rules, and Ruth was asked to print them neatly on cardboard, because Ruth was the artistic scout of the group.
This business disposed of, Julie said: "Now what shall we do to-day, girls?"
"But you haven't chosen an Orderly for the Day!" called Judith.
"Oh, that's so! Well, it lies between Ruth and Amy, as they are the more experienced scouts, to act the first day."
"Don't choose me. I've got my work cut out already, if you expect these rules nicely printed," declared Ruth.
"All right, then; it's Amy. No partiality meant, girls," Julie reminded them.
"More like 'malice aforethought,'" giggled Joan.
"Why? Isn't it an honor to be the Orderly?" demanded Julie.
"It may seem like an honor, but when it is thoroughly investigated it turns out to be just plain old hard work!"
"Sure, Julie! Don't you see, all the other scouts go scot free for the day, while the Orderly has to see that everything is done properly and then take the blame if nothing is right," laughed Judith.
"Well, Amy is able to carry the burden, and it is only for a day; then another one has to do it," said the Captain.
When the weighty business of selecting rules and deciding on a recreation for the day was over, Mrs. Vernon said, "Which did you decide to do first, hike or swim?"
"Is Mr. Gilroy coming over to visit us to-day?" asked Ruth.
"He invited himself to supper to-night, but I doubt if we see him before that time. Why?" answered the Captain.
"Because if he was coming, he would hike with us, and we'd rather wait for him, and swim first. But it doesn't matter now."
"We'll go for the hike first, and when we get back a fine, cool swim will feel good," suggested the Orderly for the day.
"Verny, do you know of any places one might choose for an objective on a hike?" asked Joan.
"Yes, Mr. Gilroy gave me a county map that shows every good trail within twenty miles of here. I'll get it and we'll look it over." So
saying, the Captain went to her tent for the paper.
They all sat about Mrs. Vernon as she studied the map and read aloud of various trails that sounded interesting. At last she said: "Here's one that seems inviting. It is named 'River Bend,' and the trail winds along one of the streams that is an outlet of our lake. The description says the blazes are old but distinct, and no one can miss the may. Shall we try that trail?"
"Where does it end?" questioned Hester.
"How long is it to anywhere?" asked Anne.
"It's seven miles, and forks when one reaches the hut of an Indian canoe-builder. One fork runs to River Bend village, and the other to a ravine that is said to be most picturesque."
"We'll take that trail and decide which place we prefer to see, the village or the ravine, after we have hiked a while," said the Orderly.
"Why not take a little flour and fat and catch some fish at noon, and sup while on the trail?" asked Julie.
"Why not carry our dinner stuff and have a regular meal while we are about it," said Anne, who could not forego a dinner.
The other scouts laughed, and Mrs. Vernon replied, "All right, it sounds inviting."
So each scout carried a tin cup and platter, while the Orderly saw to it that each one carried part of the dinner material. It fell to the Captain's lot to carry the frying-pan, and to Anne to carry the two-quart pail; the others had the flour, bacon, potatoes, etc.
River Bend trail led down to the end of the lake, where the stream started. It wound in and out, as it followed the uneven edges of Little Moose Lake, running over mossy knolls, through rivulets, past waterfalls, and around impassable obstructions. Thus the detouring added greatly to the distance the map had vouched for.
The scouts had paper and pencils in case they wished to sketch anything interesting, but most of the paper was used in writing notes along the way, to be entered later in their records. They had gone about two miles when Julie stopped short and held up a warning hand.
"Verny, listen! I heard a baby crying pitifully over in those high bushes."
"Mercy me! Do you suppose there can be any gypsies here?" cried Amy, the timid.
"Gypsies nothing! But how could a baby get in that jungle?" retorted Joan.
Then they distinctly heard the plaintive wail, as of a very young child in fear and distress. Even Mrs. Vernon turned pale at the picture that presented itself to her thought.
"Girls, we've got to investigate this. It doesn't seem plausible that any one would bring a kidnapped child to this wilderness to lose it, but one can never tell!" declared Julie.
"It's a baby, that we know, so it's up to us to save it," added Ruth.
"The poor little dear!" wept Betty, the tender-hearted.
So the scouts began cutting a way through the almost impenetrable growth that divided the trail from the place whence came the cries. But as they went deeper in the jungle and got nearer the spot they were aiming for, the cries ceased.
"Dear, dear! I hope the little thing isn't past aid?" murmured the Captain, anxiously.