by Lilian Garis
CHAPTER XVI
A DARING INTRUDER
Summer was at its height now, and so popular had the camp idea becomethat friend after friend just called, or paid visits to the Bobolinks,who in turn were as generous with entertaining as their limitedquarters permitted.
Almost every pleasant evening was spent around the campfire, thisentertainment never seeming to lose its fascination. Often theresources of Miss Mackin and her friends from Camp Sub Norm, the newcamp erected after the storm's devastation, were put to the test for anew story; but the fire kindled enthusiasm, and the glow inspiredfancy, so that rarely was an evening closed, and seldom did the embersfall upon an empty hour, or a tale lacking thrill.
The sun dial was now "working," although the sun could not be dependedupon always, but it looked picturesque, and if nothing else it servedto keep up the girls' sense of observation until not a few evenclaimed to be able to foretell showers by it, although there was nobarometric attachment to the simple, primitive device.
Hikes were becoming more popular as the season advanced, and it was ona glorious August day, when the sky was dyed a deep blue and the sunwas registering every hour accurately on the garden clock, that MissMackin proposed a long hike with the noon meal in the woods.
"Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and hike, hike, hike," sangthe girls as they prepared their lunches.
But the trouble seemed to be not everyone of them had a "Kit bag" noreven a pretty good imitation of one. But Corene came to the rescuewith good stout wrapping paper, which she had providentially tuckedaway in a dry box.
"I'll glue you up some war-time bags," she offered, "if you make thesandwiches. I know exactly how to cut the bags, and they'll dry in thesun as quickly as you have the grub ready."
So while the others prepared "eats," Corene and Cleo "did the bags,"neat little kits they turned out, too, with a good, stout handle ofstrong twine that might easily be slipped on to a strap and carriedknapsack fashion.
"The real joy of it is," whispered Louise, "we are going over thehills where the danger signs grow. Perhaps we'll find the cave, or beheld up by bandits, or something thrilling like that."
"Lovely!" exclaimed Julia. "But do let us keep close enough togetherto go in pairs, at any rate. I should hate to have to do both thecooking and serving for bandits. It's quite bad enough here with theserving taken off my hands."
"All right, Jule. Depend upon it, we'll stick around you," declaredGrace. "We don't want to lose our own fireman right in the height ofthe season."
Miss Mackin was smiling good naturedly. Her hike preparations werecomplete and she sat out in the fresh, early morning, watching heryoung charges flutter around like little brown beetles, always in oneanother's way, yet never seeming to interfere, as they made theirsandwiches, divided the hard tack, squeezed out lemons and bottled thejuice; for the hike was to be a real picnic with all the trimmings.
"I do hope, girls," said the director, as they were finally ready tostart, "that you are not going gunning for some big, excitingadventure. You see, I know a little about your exploits of previoussummers" (she winked knowingly and they wondered how she knew), "and Ihave such a lovely, lady-like report to turn in," again thatexplanatory chuckle, "that it would be really cruel to spoil it now."
"Don't you like adventures?" asked Helen, innocently.
"Love them. But there are so many brands on the market, and we don't,any of us, care for the cheap, trashy kind."
The Scouts all agreed on this, and when Camp Comalong was securely"put away for the day" they started off with a song that included alittle good-bye to the flag that was to act sentinel during theirabsence.
"Do you think, by any chance, we might get Peg to come along?" Graceasked Cleo.
"We pass by her cottage, we can give a whoo-hoo. It won't do any harmto ask her."
"We can say we need a guide. I've heard folks say she has guidedparties through the mountains. That's one reason they call her 'Peg ofTamarack Hills,' I believe," said Grace.
They were nearing the turn that wound past the log cabin.
"Are those tamarack trees, Mackey?" Louise asked. She was pointing tothe giant green "Christmas trees" that stood in a group near a littlesettling of water, scarcely large enough to be called a pond butsomething more sizable than a basin pool.
"Yes, that's the tamarack," said the director. "See how it runs to aperfect pyramid, and not like the other greens of that character, thisone does lose its green in winter."
"Sort of molts, I guess," said Cleo, "for those branches are coveredwith green pin feathers."
They stopped for a few minutes to study this tree of the larch family.It would add to their nature knowledge and give at least one item ofvalue to their picnic hike.
"Isn't it very straight and tall?" observed Isabel. This feature wasso obvious the others had not mentioned it.
"Yes, that's why they make the telephone poles of it, although, Ibelieve, it is not so durable as the tall cedars," explained MissMackin.
"The little tuffs are just like rosettes," commented Julia. She wastrying to reach the lowest branch with a long stick.
"Like pom-poms, I think," added Grace, who was barely looking at thebig trees but kept searching past them, to the low log cabin thatseemed now like a bird house under the trees, and against the bighills.
Miss Mackin described to the girls the blossom of these trees, toldthem of the "rosey plummets that shade from pink to purple," and soonexhausted her personal knowledge to supply their interest; then theyjourneyed forth again on the next "leg of their hike."
Grace and Cleo tarried behind the others. They were still on thelookout for Peg.
Giving the familiar woods call they waited a few minutes but receivedno answer.
"There's Shag," said Cleo, "and he's running around as if someone weretalking to him. See, there's a light dress moving behind thehoneysuckle arbor."
"It can't be Peg. I've never seen her wear a white skirt," repliedGrace. They could easily see the movement of white between the greenvined lattice. "And it can't be Aunt Carrie--she wouldn't wear whiteeither."
"Just let's go up the walk and see," suggested Cleo daringly. "Someonemight be prowling around."
It was only a few steps out of their way, and wild flowers alwaysoffered an excuse for leaving the path, so Grace and Cleo had noreason to hesitate.
Shag raced out to meet them as they entered the grounds, but thefigure in white darted farther into the heavy shrubbery.
"That you, Peg?" called Cleo.
No answer.
"Come on," whispered Grace, "let's go in farther."
With Shag close to their heels they followed the wild-grown path, andpresently came up to the end of it.
"Buzz!" whispered Cleo; for the white skirted one was now forced outof the shrubbery and stood facing the girls who had followed her up.
"Oh, we thought you were--that is we were looking for Peg Ramsdell,"stammered Cleo.
"She's not home," snapped the intruder. "I'm Leonore Fairbanks. Idon't think you happen to know my name," said the one who had formerlyplayed only silly parts, "and I came here on business." She made thisvery emphatic. "The dog is so vicious he won't let me go near the dooror I might get what I want even though Peg is away."
How evident was her change of manner! Why?
"Shag is trained to take care of the cottage, I believe," venturedCleo, noticing how faithfully the big collie performed his duty, forwhile Leonore Fairbanks kept down on the path he was friendly enough,but each time she attempted to put her foot on a step of the porch hegrowled threateningly.
"We must hurry after our friends," Grace said awkwardly. "We are goingon an all-day hike."
"Over to Big Nose?" asked Leonore.
"That way," replied Cleo.
"Then you may meet Peg." The girl's face swiftly changed as evidentlyher mind was working as swiftly. "Say," she spoke suddenly, "be goodsports and don't mention that you've seen me here, will you?"
"Why?" dem
anded both girls in unison.
"Because you know she's such a crazy kid and does such foolish thingsreally. You can believe me it will be all the better for her if shedoesn't go flying off the reel, as she would if she knew I came uphere. I came on business for dad, and you know I hate to ask a favor,but it would be best if you didn't mention this. If you are a friendof Peg's I think you might do that much for her."
"We are as friendly as she will let us be," said Cleo frankly. "But wecan't really promise anything. We must run. The girls will think weare lost," and giving faithful Shag a parting pat they ran off toovertake the hiking party.
"Isn't that queer?" exclaimed Grace. She had snatched up a bunch ofwild flowers for her delay alibi.
"Very suspicious, I should say," returned Cleo. "And of course, if wemeet Peg we are bound to tell her."
"I think we should," agreed Grace. "There must be some reason for thatgirl's change of manner, and I'm sure it can't be anything that wouldbenefit Peg."
"No, and her name is Leonore Fairbanks," said Cleo. "Rather pretty.There, the girls are waiting for us."
No explanation for the delay seemed necessary and the interrupted hikewas presently doing double time over the fragrant by-paths. Of coursethe tardy ones would tell the story quickly as an opportunity came up.
The top of the hill was reached at last, and from that point the viewof the lake and its surroundings lay like a panorama spread out on asilky canvas. It was well worth hiking for, and the Bobbies werebreathless in admiration. They scampered from one rock to another,each claiming a superior view until this feature took on theproportions of a new outdoor game.
To the right was a dense evergreen forest; small tiered mountains tothe left. They stood in a rocky gorge between this and Big Nose Rock.Presently the whinnying of a horse startled the little sightseers.Then Julia called out from her perch on a big flat stone:
"Look, girls! Up on the rock! There's Peg! What can she be doing awayup there?"
All eyes turned to the highest point, and there, like some wild thingof the mountains, stood Peg. She was hatless, and in the usual brownriding outfit. As if the call had reached her, although distance madethis impossible, she turned suddenly, threw her head up in a listeningattitude, then with a quick move that had in it the impatience of adisappointment, she vanished in the rocks.
"What ever can she be doing away up there?" repeated Isabel.
"Exploring, perhaps," guessed Julia, "but she has to leave her horseso far away. See, there he is."
"And look," again indicated Louise, "there is her aunt over under thattree, reading. She hasn't seen us yet."
"Perhaps we can get them to join our picnic," exclaimed Grace. She wasunusually anxious to speak with Peg.