Well attend to that first thing, as you say, Verny; but lets hurry up, now, and get started for our walk, Joan said.
After they had been walking for an hour or more, trying to name the various birds they saw, or tell about the peculiarities of woodland plants they found, Mrs. Vernon thought they had better start back for camp.
It is only half an hour to our usual dinner-hour, and it will take us that long to reach camp. Before we have our Sunday dinner cooked it will be an hour later than our usual time on week-days.
At least we will be fashionable, then, laughed Julie. Every one has dinner an hour later on Sundays thats why the men
always complain.
It isnt because of style, Julie, but you know the men-folks never will get up on Sunday mornings, and that sets back all the work. Liza says shes going to strike altogether about cooking Sunday dinners unless every one will get up just as they do on week-days, explained Betty, conscientiously.
Her long harangue was greeted with appreciative laughter, but Betty looked from one to the other questioningly. Julie ran over and gave her a hug, and cried: Her was a dear little lamb, so her was!
They were quite near camp when Joan happened to remember that she had forgotten to place the water-cress in the pan of water to keep it fresh.
Too late to cry over it now, said Julie. It will be so wilted that well have to throw it away.
That leaves us without a salad as we had expected, Ruth complained.
Why didnt you put it in water, then! You manage to find fault with everything that goes wrong, but I notice that you seldom do anything yourself! snapped Joan.
Girls! I hear people talking the sound comes from our camp-grounds! exclaimed Mrs. Vernon, stopping to hold up a hand for silence.
Every one stopped short and listened. Sure enough there was a mingling of many voices.
Some one from Freedom using our camp? wondered Ruth.
More likely a regiment of visitors! said Joan.
Thats just about it! All our families and relatives unto the third and fourth generation thereof, laughed Julie.
Perhaps they came for dinner! gasped Mrs. Vernon, her sense of hospitality having a chill when she thought of the dinner for five only.
If they didnt bring their own dinners, theyll have to sit and watch us eat ours, declared Ruth.
The hikers hastened to reach camp after this, and the first glance caused them to catch hold of each other for support. There, in possession of their sacred precincts, was such a crowd of family and friends that it seemed there could be little room for the real owners.
Did you ever! I think they might, at least, have asked if they would be welcome! cried Ruth, with annoyance.
They must have missed us a lot, laughed Julie.
The visitors now spied the scouts, and John gave a shout. Hello! Did we surprise you? This was my idea, girls!
I thought so! Its just like you, retorted Julie.
But every one was glad to see every one else, even if the surprise party was a genuine one for the campers. Hand-shakings and family embraces took at least ten minutes before hosts and guests began to think of other things.
Had you only sent word, we might have prepared dinner, began Mrs. Vernon in apology.
Oh, we took care of all that, laughed Eliza, who was in charge of the camp-fire, with John, and Joans brothers, to help.
This attracted the Captains eyes to her stove. There, on the stone-oven stood several large kettles, and others hung on the pole over the fire.
The sight was such a relief that Mrs. Vernons knees weakened and she sat down on the table-rock to collect herself. The visitors all laughed at her expression, and the girl scouts brightened suddenly.
Well, you certainly showed some sense! exclaimed Joan.
Every one laughed again. And Betty said in excuse: You see we ran low for dinners this week cause we used so much time in building our house. Did you see it?
A loud chorus of approval and admiration came from the relatives who felt a great pride in the achievements of their girls. But the mothers looked anxiously at the daughters when they heard Betty speak of scarcity in the larder. Still the girl scouts showed no symptoms of starvation. They looked fine and must have added a pound each to their weight.
I rather thought such would be the case, with your camp so far from a store, so we brought a stock of food for this week, said Mrs. Bentley.
Now that is great, mother, because we can take that much more time in building a stable for Hepsy, cried Ruth, with real gratitude shining in her eyes.
Hepsy! Have you got that old nag here? laughed John.
What did you bring her for? wondered May.
To do the chores in camp, retorted Julie, laughingly.
What would we have done without her? sighed Joan, as she remembered the hauling of the logs.
Then the girls explained how they constructed the hut and what part Hepsy played in the work. They enlarged on the picnics and drives they were going to have, with Hepsy to furnish the motive power.
The boys listened to the first part of the talk, but not being one of the party that expected to have the fine outings, they lost interest and ran off to see if dinner was ready.