The Meadow-Brook Girls by the Sea; Or, The Loss of The Lonesome Bar

by Janet Aldridge

  CHAPTER XI

  A REWARD WELL-EARNED

  "I'm just perishing to know what it's about," confided Margery Brownto the girl next to her. "What do you suppose it is?"

  "I think it has something to do with last night," answered the CampGirl.

  "Oh! you mean about Harriet and Tommy?"

  "Yes. Be quiet, the C.G. is going to say something."

  The Chief Guardian had already risen. Passing about the circle, sheextended a hand to each of the girls there assembled. There were noother greetings than the warm clasp of friendship and good-fellowship,but it meant much to these brown-faced, strong-limbed young women whohad been members of the organization for a year or more.

  The Chief Guardian took her place by the fire.

  "My daughters," she said, "we have gathered this evening about thecouncil fire, that ancient institution, to speak of matters that arenear to the heart of each of us. Last night two of your number gave amarked demonstration of what a Camp Girl may do, of what pluck willdo, an exhibition of sheer moral courage, one of the greatest assetsof a Camp Girl."

  "That ith uth," whispered Tommy to Harriet Burrell, who sat besideher. Harriet's face was flushed. She feared the guardian was about tospeak of her achievements, which Harriet was not at all eager to hear.

  "I refer to the thrilling experiences of Miss Burrell and MissThompson in battling with the big seas far out there in the darkness,and with every reason to believe that their efforts would prove of noavail. It is not the battle of despair to which I refer. There was nosuch. Rather, it was that dogged courage that never even permits asuggestion of give-up to enter the mind of the fighter. It was acourage such as this, combined with rare judgment and physicalability, that makes it possible for Miss Burrell and Miss Thompson tobe present with us at the council fire this evening.

  "They have not told the story willingly. I had to draw it from thembit by bit, which I venture to say is more than any of my girls havesucceeded in doing." The guardian smiled as she glanced about at theeager, flushed faces of the Camp Girls.

  "Yes, yes!" they cried.

  "As you all know, Miss Burrell, seeing the danger of her companion,hurried to her rescue, with the result that both girls went into thesea. They were quickly carried out to sea by the undertow, which theyfought away from and propelled themselves to the surface. Then theybegan swimming, but in the darkness were unable to see the shore.After a time, Miss Thompson, less strong than her companion, gave out.Then began the real battle, and though Miss Burrell was benumbed withcold, exhausted by her efforts, she managed by a great effort to keepherself and her companion afloat. Fortunately for them, the wind hadshifted and they swam and drifted into the bay and eventually to theshore. We have no means of telling how long our two plucky Wau-WauGirls were in the water, because they themselves cannot tell when theyreached the shore--but, think of it! cast away on a dark and stormyocean in a black night such as that was. That is a triumph, an act ofcourage and heroism that should be held up as an example to every CampGirl in America. However, I should not advise any of you to attempt toemulate the example set by our two young friends," added the ChiefGuardian warningly.

  A ripple of laughter ran around the circle, then the ensuing silencewas broken by a remark from Tommy which sent the girls nearest to herinto a shout of laughter.

  "Well, I thhould thay not!" exploded Tommy.

  "You might tell the girls how you felt when you believed that all waslost," suggested the Chief Guardian smilingly, nodding at Tommy. "Doyou recall how you felt in that trying moment?"

  "I motht thertainly do."

  "How did you feel?"

  "I felt cold. I had what Harriet callth 'cold feet.' Then I gueth Ididn't feel much of anything till I felt mythelf thitting in the thandwith thome of me dry and thome of me wet, and Harriet trying to dragme out of the thudth."

  "Out of what?" exclaimed the Chief Guardian.

  "Thudth."

  "Suds," interpreted Miss Elting. "Grace refers to the froth left onthe shore by the beating waves."

  "Yeth, thudth," repeated Tommy.

  "Harriet, your companions would like to hear from your own lips aboutyour experiences in the water."

  "Oh, please, Mrs. Livingston, won't you excuse me?"

  "If you wish, but--"

  "My own part was nothing more than an instinct to save myself, whicheveryone possesses. I do want to say, though, that Tommy Thompson wasthe bravest girl I ever saw. She was not afraid, nor can she be blamedfor getting numb and sleepy. I did myself. No one can ever tell methat Tommy isn't as brave a girl as lives. She has proved that."

  "Yeth, I'm a real hero," piped Tommy with great satisfaction.

  "A heroine, you mean, Tommy," corrected Harriet.

  "Yeth, I gueth tho," agreed the little lisping girl amid generallaughter, in which, the Chief Guardian joined.

  "There is nothing else that I can think of to say, Mrs. Livingston. Wewere fortunate; we have much for which to be thankful, for it wasthrough no heroism on my part that we got ashore and were saved."

  Harriet sat down, inwardly glad that her part of the story was told.

  "We have our own views as to that," answered the Chief Guardian. "Andnow that we have cleared the way, I would say that the camp guardianshave unanimously agreed on giving each of you two young ladies a fullset of beads for your achievements of last night, for suchachievements touch upon nearly all the crafts of our order. They havebeen worthily won and will prove a splendid addition to the alreadyheavy necklace of beads you have earned."

  "I gueth we'll need a chain bearer inthtead of a torch bearer if wekeep on earning beadth," suggested Grace.

  The two girls were requested to step out. They did so, posing demurelybefore the blazing campfire.

  Mrs. Livingston placed a string of beads about the neck of each of thetwo girls. There were beads of red, orange, sky blue, wood brown,green, black and gold, and red, white and blue, representative of thedifferent crafts of the organization.

  Linking hands and raising them above their heads, thus forming a chainabout the blazing campfire, the Wau-Wau Girls began swaying the humanchain, chanting in low voices:

  "Beads of red and beads of blue, Beads that keep us ever true; Beads of gold and beads of brown, Make for health and great renown."

  Tommy, chancing to catch the eyes of Margery Brown on the oppositeside of the circle, winked wisely at her. Tommy was in her element,but quite the opposite was the case with Harriet. She wasuncomfortable and embarrassed, and though proud of the beads that hadbeen awarded to her, she felt that she scarcely had earned them. Shewas suddenly aroused by the voice of the Chief Guardian.

  "Miss Thompson will be seated," she was saying. "Miss Burrell willkindly remain standing."

  "Now you are going to catch it," whispered Grace, as she beganstepping backward toward her place, which she did not quite reach. Shesat down on Hazel instead, raising a titter among the girls near bywho had witnessed the mishap. But the interruption was brief. Thegirls were too much interested in what was taking place there by thecampfire. They had not the remotest idea what the Chief Guardian wasgoing to do, though they felt positive that some further honor was tobe paid to Harriet Burrell.

  "I think I but voice the feelings of the guardians and the girls ofCamp Wau-Wau, both those who are with us here for the first time and,those who were members of this camp when the Meadow-Brook Girlsjoined, when I say that Harriet Burrell is deserving of furtherpromotion at our hands. In the two years that she has been a member ofour great organization she has worn the crossed logs upon her sleeve,the emblem of the 'Wood Gatherer'; she has borne with honor thecrossed logs, the flame and smoke, the emblem of the 'Fire-Maker.' Shehas, too, more than fulfilled the requirements of these ranks,filled them with honor to herself, her friends and the organization;and instead of earning sixteen honors from the list of electivehonors, she has won more than forty, a record in the Camp Girls'organization. She has fulfilled other requirements that pertain to
aneven higher rank. She has proved herself a leader, trustworthy, happy,unselfish, has led her own group through many trying situations andemergencies, winning the love and enthusiasm of those whom she hasled."

  Harriet and Tommy Received Their Reward.]

  "My dear, what is the greatest desire of a Torch Bearer?"

  "To pass on to others the light that has been given to her; to makeothers happy and to light their pathway through life," was Harriet'sready response.

  There were those in the circle who quickly caught the significance ofthe Chief Guardian's question. Many were now aware what reward was tobe bestowed upon the Meadow-Brook Girl.

  "Who bring to the hearth the wood and kindling?" questioned the ChiefGuardian.

  "The Wood Gatherers."

  "Who place the sticks for lighting?"

  "The Fire Makers." Harriet's replies were prompt, but given with someembarrassment.

  "Who rubs together the tinder sticks and imparts the spark thatproduces the flame?"

  "The Torch Bearer," answered Harriet in a low voice. Her face nowseemed to be burning almost as hotly as was the council fire beforeher.

  "What are the further duties of a Torch Bearer?"

  "To act as a leader of her fellows in their sports and in their moreserious occupations, to assist them in learning that work, thataccomplishment, bring the greater joys of life; to assist the guardianin any and all ways," was the low-spoken reply.

  "Correct. And having more than fulfilled the requirements, I nowappoint you to be a Torch Bearer, a real leader in the Camp Girls'organization, thus entitling you to wear that much-coveted emblem, thecrossed logs, flame and smoke. Workers, arise and salute your TorchBearer with the grand hailing sign of the tribe!"