But I can eat more breakfast, commented Joan.
Enough is as good as a feast, and Im sure you girls must admit youve had enough to sustain you until noon, said Mrs. Vernon.
Oh, certainly! agreed Joan, making the best of a famine is my especial virtue.
This started a laugh, and merry words were exchanged while the dishes were cleared away and the camp was left in good order.
Now shall we start in to finish the hut, Verny? asked Betty.
I thought Id like to read aloud from the handbook, Scouting for Girls, and see how many of the laws and customs you girls know.
Youll find us in the A-B-C-class, Im afraid, said Joan.
Then the sooner you are promoted out of it the better, declared Mrs. Vernon, seating herself on a stump and opening the manual.
First question: How do you start a Patrol? asked the Captain.
Oh, we know that, Verny, cause we had to learn it by heart in order to advise those girls who wanted to join, you see, chorused the girls.
Well, then, are we a Patrol now? asked Mrs. Vernon.
In the real sense, we are not, as there are only four members at present; but we are going to be one, arent we? said Julie.
Yes, but until we have eight girls we are not anything on record. However, we can form our club and then enlist new members to increase the number to the required total.
Next it says: The Scout Captain who has studied the plan, principles and object of the organization, explains the laws and obligations of members to those who wish to form a troop. I must now take down your names and addresses in a book, and decide what day or at what time we wish to hold our regular meetings.
It says here that fifteen minutes must be spent on knot-tying and three-quarters of an hour on recreation. So I will now teach you the art of tying knots. Following this lesson, we will take forty-five minutes for recreation.
But the fifteen minutes merged into twenty, and still the novitiates begged to be allowed to try just one more knot.
Now I am going to read the Girl Scout Laws from the book, but there will be no comments, please, until I give the signal, said the Captain, having taken away the rope for knots, and seated herself upon it to keep the girls from experimenting.
1 If a Scout says on my honor it is so, that means that what she says is as true as if she had taken a most solemn oath.
2 A Girl Scout is loyal to the President, to her country, and to her officers; to her father, to her mother, and to her employers. She remains true to them through thick and thin. In the face of the greatest difficulties and calamities her loyalty must remain untarnished.
3 A Girl Scouts duty is to be useful and to help others. She is to do her duty before anything else even if she gives up her own pleasure, safety, or comfort. When in doubt as to which of two things to do she must think: Which is my duty? which means Which is the best for other people? and then do that at once. She must be prepared at any time to save life or help the injured. She should do at least one good turn to some one every day.
4 A Girl Scout is a Friend to all, and a sister to every other Girl Scout. Thus, if a Scout meets another Scout, even though a stranger to her, she may speak to her and help her in any way she can, either to carry out the duty she is then doing, or by giving her food, or as far as possible anything she may want. Like Kim, a Scout should be a Little friend to all the world.
5 A Scout is courteous; that is, she is polite to all. She must not take any reward for being helpful or courteous.
6 A Scout keeps herself pure in thought, word and deed.
7 A Scout is a friend to animals; she should save them as far as possible from pain, and should not kill even the smallest unnecessarily. They are all Gods creatures.
8 A Scout obeys orders under all circumstances; when she gets an order she must obey it cheerfully and readily, not in a slow, sullen manner. Scouts never grumble, whine nor howl.
9 A Scout is cheerful under all circumstances. Scouts never grumble at hardships, nor whine at each other, nor frown when put out. A Scout goes about with a smile and singing. It cheers her and cheers other people, especially in time of danger.
10 A Scout is thrifty; this means that a Scout avoids all useless waste of every kind; she is careful about saving every penny she can put into the bank so that
she may have a surplus in time of need. She sees that food is not wasted, and that her clothing is cared for properly. The Girl Scout does not waste time. She realizes that time is the most precious thing any one of us has. The Girl Scouts time is spent either in useful occupation or in wholesome recreation, and she tries to balance these two harmoniously.
Now girls, have you any comments to make, for I have read the ten commandments of the Girl Scout organization, and will hear any testimony now? said Mrs. Vernon, laughingly.
I havent any comments to make on the reading, but I would like to remind the illustrious Captain that she forgot a very important part of the program this morning, said Julie, seriously, albeit there was a twinkle in her eyes.