Camp Out

by Sarah Dillard

  Just then, the Scouts heard a low rumbling sound.

  “The ghost owl!” they all screamed, and dove for the nearest tent.

  There wasn’t much room in the tent, so the Scouts huddled together, shivering in fear.

  Tigerlily looked around and counted five other mice. “Good, we’re all here,” she said.

  There was another low rumble.

  Violet whimpered. She took back all of the nice thoughts she had had while sitting at the campfire. She would never like camping!

  There was another low rumble, followed by a…sniffle?

  “Wait a minute, that doesn’t sound like an owl,” Tigerlily said, sticking her head out of the tent. As she looked around, there came yet another rumble. The sound was coming from the direction of Miss Poppy’s tent.

  Tigerlily laughed.

  “Some ghost owl—it’s Miss Poppy. She’s snoring!”

  Campfire Stories and Legends

  No campfire is complete without a spooky story or two. Here are two classic Mouse Scout legends to get you started!

  THE BEGGAR MOUSE

  Cedar was a hard worker, even though there was never enough food to feed his wife and children. One fall day, Cedar went to the forest to gather nuts for the winter, but the squirrels and chipmunks had beat him to it. He managed to find only a dried-out acorn. He walked home wondering how he would tell his wife that they would have no food for their children that winter.

  Cedar was so deep in thought that he almost didn’t notice the poor old mouse sitting on the side of the trail. “Please, sir,” the mouse said. “I am hungry. Can you help?” Cedar looked at the other mouse. He seemed very poor indeed, and Cedar felt pity for him. “I have very little,” Cedar said, “but please come home and share supper with my family.” The elderly mouse agreed. Cedar’s wife set another place at the table and thinned out the parsley soup with water so there would be enough for everyone.

  Even though it was a meager meal, it felt like a feast. The old mouse appeared to grow stronger with every bite. He entertained Cedar’s family with story after story. Finally the hour grew late and the old mouse rose to leave.

  “Must you go?” the children squeaked.

  “We always have room for another,” Cedar’s wife added.

  “No,” said the elderly mouse, “but I thank you for your generosity.” Then he turned to Cedar and said, “Your cupboards may be bare, but you are a wealthy mouse.”

  The next morning when Cedar went outside, he was amazed by what he saw. Alongside his door were a pile of fresh shiny acorns and another pile of walnuts. It was more than enough to keep his family well fed all winter. He felt wealthy indeed.

  THE MOUSE OF THE MIST

  One day, a young mouse named Lobelia was playing in a field. She was having so much fun that she didn’t notice the fog rolling in until she was completely surrounded by mist. She had no idea which way was home. “Help!” she squeaked, though she didn’t expect anyone to hear her. But someone did. Lobelia saw a shadow in the mist coming toward her. As the figure drew closer, she saw that it was a lady mouse dressed in old-fashioned clothing. “Your home is that way, my child,” the mysterious mouse said, pointing into the mist. Lobelia hesitated, then skittered ahead. Soon she was out of the fog and could see her way home. She turned to say thank you, but the mouse had disappeared.

  When she got home, she told her mother about the mouse who had helped her. Her mother gasped. “That was the Mouse of the Mist! Many years ago, her children were late coming home and she went out to look for them. A heavy fog rolled in, and neither she nor her children were ever seen again.”

  When Violet woke up the next morning, she felt surprisingly refreshed. She poked her head out of her tent and admired the sunshine sparkling through the trees. The hike had been grueling, the meal was miserable, but the campfire was fun, and her moss bed was comfortable. Even Miss Poppy had been remarkably pleasant! Violet had to admit she was actually enjoying herself. Maybe there was something to the fresh wilderness air after all.

  One by one the other Scouts emerged from their tents, rubbing their eyes.

  “There was a root under my moss bed that kept poking me,” said Junebug. “It was the root of all evil.”

  “I didn’t sleep a wink last night,” said Hyacinth.

  “That’s funny, because I thought I heard you snoring,” said Petunia.

  “I think that was Miss Poppy,” giggled Violet.

  Tigerlily was as full of energy as always. “Who wants to go for a swim before Miss Poppy gets up?”

  Violet gave Tigerlily an exasperated look. “You know that would get us sent straight back to Buttercups, Tigerlily,” she said. “And besides, the puddle has dried up.”

  It was true. Yesterday’s puddle was now only a trace of mud.

  “What are we going to do for water?” Cricket asked. “I need to wash the marshmallow off my face.”

  “We’ll figure something out,” said Petunia. “I’m sure Miss Poppy knows where to find water.”

  “Where is Miss Poppy, anyway? I thought she’d be up by now,” said Cricket.

  The Scouts looked at one another.

  “She said we had to get up bright and early,” said Petunia. “Do you think something might be wrong?”

  Tigerlily tiptoed over to Miss Poppy’s tent. She put her ear up to the leaf. When she didn’t hear anything, she carefully pulled the leaf aside and poked her head in.

  “She’s not in there!” said Tigerlily. “She’s disappeared!”

  “The ghost owl!” said Cricket.

  “That’s the end of Miss Poppy,” said Petunia.

  “What are we going to do?” asked Hyacinth. “Does anyone remember which way we came from?”

  “Sure. It was that way,” said Tigerlily, pointing.

  “I’m pretty sure it was that way,” said Petunia.

  “Did anyone think to bring a compass?” asked Junebug.

  Tigerlily hung her head. It was the one thing she had forgotten to pack.

  The Scouts all shook their heads.

  “Uh-oh,” said Violet.

  “That means we’re stuck here. Lost. All by ourselves,” said Cricket. “We’re going to starve!”

  “Or be eaten by owls,” said Petunia.

  The Scouts sat in a circle wondering what to do. Suddenly Tigerlily jumped up.

  “Wait a minute!” she said. “We’re not doomed! What are we doing here? We are earning our ‘Camp Out’ badge. That means we have the skills to survive. We can do anything! We’re MOUSE SCOUTS! And we’re going to find Miss Poppy.”

  How to Make a Compass

  When you are in the wilderness, it is important to always have an idea of where you are in relation to the rest of the world. A compass is a handy tool for determining directions. If you do not have a compass, they are easy to make.

  HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED:

  A straightened-out staple

  A small magnet (A small refrigerator magnet will fit in your backpack.)

  A pencil eraser or a small piece of cork

  A cup or bowl filled with water

  DIRECTIONS:

  1. First magnetize the staple by rubbing it along the side of the magnet in the same direction at least 40 times. You can test to see if the staple is magnetized by trying to pick up another staple with it.

  2. Push the magnetized staple into the side of the eraser.

  3. Carefully float the eraser in a cup of water so that the staple is lying flat. The magnetized staple will always point north!

  “Okay,” said Tigerlily, rubbing her hands together. “First things first. Let’s find some breakfast. We can’t search on an empty stomach.”

  “But we don’t have any food!” groaned Cricket.

  “We’ll have to try a little harder with our foraging,” said Tigerlily.

  Just then, they heard a loud cackling coming from the tree above them. It was the squirrel that had stolen Cricket’s backpack! He held the pack up for them to see…
and then dropped it!

  “My backpack!” cried Cricket. “We won’t starve after all!” But when she opened it, the pack was empty.

  “Thanks for the cheese,” the squirrel called. “It was delicious!”

  Cricket looked so sad, even the squirrel felt sorry for her.

  “Oh, don’t cry. Have some nuts.” With that, he tossed some beechnuts down to them. One of them bounced off Hyacinth’s acorn cap.

  Tigerlily gathered the nuts and started to crack them open with a rock. “Thanks, Squirrel!” Tigerlily said. “Breakfast is served, everyone. Bon appétit!”

  The Scouts were hungrier than they had been the night before. “These aren’t all that bad actually,” said Junebug. It was the first time anyone had ever seen her eat without complaining.

  When they finished, the Scouts tried to come up with a plan to find Miss Poppy.

  “Maybe we should each go off in a different direction,” suggested Petunia. “One of us is bound to find her.”

  “It’s too risky,” said Hyacinth. “One of us could get lost. Or worse.”

  “Maybe the squirrel could help,” Violet said. “He seemed friendly just now.”

  “Never trust a squirrel,” said Cricket, holding up her empty backpack.

  Tigerlily paced back and forth, scratching her head. They wouldn’t be able to solve this problem with her emergency tool kit. They were going to have to rely on their wits.

  Finally she had an idea.

  “Let’s walk single file in a circle around the campsite, making the circle a little bigger each time,” Tigerlily said. “And don’t get out of sight of the other Scouts. That squirrel may be annoying, but there are bigger animals around that are actually dangerous.”

  The Scouts walked in a circle and then a bigger one and a bigger one.

  After they had made their sixth circle, they heard a faint tweet. It stopped them dead in their tracks.

  “What was that?” whispered Cricket.

  “Maybe it’s the owl!” Petunia whispered back.

  “Not logical. Owls are nocturnal,” whispered Junebug.

  “What if it’s a raccoon?” squeaked Violet.

  “Or a fox!” Hyacinth said.

  “SHHHH!” said Tigerlily.

  The sound seemed to be coming from a nearby bush. Tigerlily tiptoed carefully up to the bush, and the other Scouts followed behind her. She stopped and listened. There was another tweet, louder this time. Tigerlily peered into the bush, and there on the ground was Miss Poppy.

  “Oh, Tigerlily! Girls!” Miss Poppy cried. “Am I happy to see you!”

  What to Do if You Are Lost

  Few things are more unsettling than finding yourself lost in the woods. The best thing is to prevent it from happening in the first place! Never venture into the woods on your own, and always stay on the trail with your troop.

  Unfortunately, even the most careful Scout may someday get separated from her group.

  If you become lost in the woods, do not panic. Your troop will soon discover that you are missing and begin searching for you. As you wait, follow these important steps.

  1. Stop. Take a deep breath.

  2. Stay calm and stay put. If you keep walking, you may end up walking in the wrong direction, making it more difficult for your fellow Scouts to find you.

  3. Blow your emergency whistle every few minutes. Your troop will be able to hear you before they see you. The whistle will help them determine your location.

  4. Take out your orange safety blanket. Not only will the blanket help to keep you warm, but the bright orange color will make you more readily visible.

  5. Take stock of any food you have. Do not eat it all at once. Help may take a while to arrive, so be prepared to ration your food.

  6. In the unlikely event that you are not found by the time it begins to get dark, build a shelter to sleep in. Try to keep a portion of your orange safety blanket visible at all times.

  “Miss Poppy!” Tigerlily cried. “What happened?”

  The Scouts crowded around. Miss Poppy was tangled up in vines and spiderwebs under the bush. Her arms and legs were scratched from brambles. Her hat was askew and her glasses were missing. Without them, she did not look like Miss Poppy at all! She looked scared and embarrassed.

  “I woke up early and thought I would forage for our breakfast. I saw this blackberry bush, but I must have tripped on a spiderweb. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground. I tried to get up but got twisted in these vines.

  Has anyone seen my glasses? I can’t see a thing!”

  Violet quickly found the glasses hanging from a branch of the blackberry bush. She handed them to Miss Poppy, then looked carefully at the vines around Miss Poppy’s feet. Violet wasn’t sure, but maybe…could it be…? “Miss Poppy,” Violet said, “is that poison ivy?”

  “EEEEEEEK!” Miss Poppy squeaked. She tried to pull herself loose, but she was too entangled to break free.

  Tigerlily took the twist tie from her pack and used it to pull the poison ivy away from Miss Poppy, being careful not to touch the vines herself. Violet cleared the strands of the spiderweb so no one else would trip on them.

  Junebug gathered some jewelweed. “It’s a natural remedy for the effects of poison ivy,” she said. She handed the leaves and stems to Miss Poppy so she could rub them on her arms, legs, and tail.

  Finally Miss Poppy was free from the poison ivy and the spiderweb. But when she tried to stand up, she nearly fell. “Oh dear!” she cried. “I think I twisted my ankle when I tripped.”

  Hyacinth took off her neck scarf and wrapped it around Miss Poppy’s ankle.

  “That’s better,” Miss Poppy said, gingerly putting weight on her foot. “With a little rest, it will be as good as new!”

  Then, using some twigs as crutches, Miss Poppy and the Scouts made their way back to the campsite.

  Cricket and Petunia had gathered some blackberries and brought them back to the camp. As Miss Poppy and the Scouts dug in, they all agreed they had never tasted a better breakfast.

  “Well, Scouts,” Miss Poppy said, wiping blackberry juice from her whiskers, “you have more than earned your ‘Camp Out’ badges. I hope you have enjoyed yourselves and learned some valuable lessons.”

  “I know I did!” Tigerlily stated.

  “And what is that, Tigerlily?” Miss Poppy asked.

  Tigerlily looked at the other Scouts and they all said in unison, “NEVER GO INTO THE WILDERNESS ALONE!”

  Wilderness First Aid

  Hopefully you will never face a medical emergency in the wilderness, but it is wise to be prepared. With a good first-aid kit and a knowledge of a few natural remedies, it is possible to effectively treat the emergency until the patient can get medical care.

  The following are some examples.

  Emergency Bandage for Sprains:

  Your neck scarf is not just a decorative accessory. It also works as a bandage for sprained ankles and wrists. You may also craft a sling from your neck scarf for an arm or shoulder injury.

  How to Treat Poison Ivy:

  Jewelweed, a common plant, is a natural remedy for the uncomfortable effects of poison ivy. Simply gather the plants and rub liquid from the stems and crushed leaves over the affected area.

  Make Your Own Bug Repellent:

  Mosquitoes and ticks are not only annoying, they can carry diseases. Take preventive measures by making a homemade repellent. Mix two parts water with one part white vinegar. Add crushed leaves or a few drops of essential oils from mint, rosemary, or eucalyptus. Apply with a cotton swab. You might smell like a pickle, but you will not be bothered by mosquitoes and ticks.

  Soothe Insect Bites:

  If you do get bitten or stung by insects, make a tea of chamomile flowers and leaves. Apply to the affected area with a cotton swab.

  The Scouts had an uneventful hike back to civilization. They each took turns helping Miss Poppy. When they reached the edge of the trail, Miss Poppy announced that a special badge ceremony wou
ld be held at the next Mouse Scout meeting.

  On the day of the meeting, the Scouts all arrived on time, but Miss Poppy was nowhere to be seen.

  “Not again!” Tigerlily groaned.

  Then Violet pointed to the chalkboard. It read:

  Mouse Scout Meeting Outside Today

  The Scouts went outside to find Miss Poppy building a campfire.

  “Scouts, as a special thank-you for helping me, we are going to celebrate your ‘Camp Out’ badges with campfire grilled cheese sandwiches!”

  Violet nibbled the last crumb of her sandwich, then wiped her hands on the leaf she was using as a napkin. Her heart swelled as she looked around the fire at the happy, glowing faces of her fellow Scouts. Miss Poppy was right! This is my happiest Mouse Scout moment so far, Violet thought as she scratched a little itch on her left hand. Then she noticed that her right hand was itchy, too. Violet took a good look at her napkin. “Oh no!” she cried. “Poison ivy!”

  The “Camp Out” Badge

  To earn this badge, you must complete the following requirements: