CHAPTER VIII
THE STONE FACE
Ruth knew better than to show anger over any such silly joke. If she wasto be made the laughing stock of her class by the sophomores, she mightas well face it and bear the cross good-naturedly.
Ruth was as sensitive as any refined girl. It hurt her to be ridiculed.But she had not spent years at boarding school without learning that thebest way--indeed, the only way--to bear successfully such indignityis to ignore it. That is, to ignore the fun poked at one as far aspossible. To bear the jokes with a smile. So she would not allow herfriends to comment much upon this scene before the gymnasium building.
She had never given herself airs because of her success in writingscenarios. Another girl might have done so. But Ruth was naturallymodest, and had never really ceased to be surprised at her own success.
The new scenario she was at work upon, the scenes of which were laid atthe Red Mill, was born of an idea she had evolved when her attention hadfirst been turned to motion-picture writing.
Mr. Hammond, her kind friend and the president of the Alectrion FilmCorporation, had advised her to postpone the use of this idea until shehad tried her apprentice hand on other and simpler scenarios. The timeseemed ripe now, however, for the writing of "Crossed Wires," and he hadencouraged her to go ahead.
All the visible effect Edith Phelps' joke had upon Ruth was to send herto the unfinished scenario. After returning from the college offices onthis occasion she worked on her play until lunch time.
"There's too much new to see and to do for you to pore over letterwriting, Ruth," Helen declared, misunderstanding her friend'soccupation. "We want to see Ardmore. We want to go out on the lake if wecan get a boat. We've got to see the gym and the library. And to-nightwe must turn up at this meeting, it seems, and see what Miss Dunstan,the soph president, has to say to us freshies."
"Oh, I want to go out on the lake!" cried Ruth, agreeing. "And I want toexplore that island."
"What island?" demanded Jennie, coming into the chums' study.
"Bliss Island."
"'Tisn't part of the college grounds," said the fleshy girl.
"Don't care. Want to see it," declared Ruth. "I hope we can get a boat.I didn't see many in use this morning."
"Some of the girls own their own. Especially canoes," said Jennie Stone."But it's _the_ thing to make the 'eight.' Let me tell you, us Ardmoresare supposed to be some rowists! Our first eight beat the GillingsCollege first eight last June."
"We'll all try for the eight then," Helen said.
"And _you_, Jennie?" asked Ruth, mildly.
"Oh, _me_!"
"String beans for yours, Heavy," Helen cried, clapping her hands."You'll have to diet on them until you have reduced to little more thana string yourself if you expect to make the eight."
"Bet I could do it," grumbled Heavy.
"A bet's a bet!" cried Helen. "I take you."
"Don't be rude, girls," advised Ruth. "You sound like regular,sure-enough gamblers. And, anyway, Heavy will never be able to make theeight. She might as well pay her wager now."
"Oh! oh! oh!" laughed Helen. "A palpable hit!"
"You just see!" said Heavy, firmly. "I'll show you."
"My dear," Ruth said, "if you show us a sylph-like form in time to makethe freshman eight----"
"It will be the eighth wonder of the world," finished Helen.
Jennie tossed her head. "I don't know about the sylph-like form, but atleast I mean to possess a slender figure when I have followed MissCullam's advice on diet. You'll see!"
"Poor Heavy!" groaned Helen. "She is letting herself in for a most awfultime, and no mistake."
After luncheon the three girls set forth to explore the place.
"If I keep this up I'll need nothing else to get me thin. We havetramped miles," the fleshy girl announced at length. "Oh! my poor, poorfeet!"
"Wear sensible shoes, then," said Helen, who was the very last person tofollow her own advice on this point.
"Easy enough to say," groaned Jennie. "There ain't any such an animal!You know that in this day and generation shoe makers have ceased to makesensible shoes. I look at 'em in the shop windows," pursued the achinggirl, "and I wonder what sort of foot the human pedal extremity willbecome in a generation or two. Those pointed toes!
"Why," declared the suddenly warmed up Jennie Stone, "they tell us abouta two-toed sloth living in Central and South America. Believe _me_! thepresent-day shoemaker seems to have secured a last to fit a _one_-toedsloth."
"I don't know about the number of their toes," Ruth said, laughing; "butmany of those who wear the fancy shoes are _sloths_, all right."
They had looked over the library before this, and walked down pastHoskin and Hemmingway Halls on the west side of the campus, and soreached the lake. There were some girls at the boathouse, and a fewcraft were out. It was possible for the three friends to get a boat andRuth and Helen rowed, with Heavy lazily reclining in the stern.
"Beginning that strenuous life that is to reduce your weight, Heavy?"questioned Helen.
"I am practising deep breathing," Jennie said. "They say that helps alot."
They headed the light skiff directly for Bliss Island. It was not morethan a mile off shore, and was a beautiful place. At the landing theysaw several girls whom they knew were sophomores, for among them was MayMacGreggor.
"Here are some more of Cook's Trippers," said the Scotch girl, gaily."Seeing the sights, _mes infantes_?"
"Trying to," Jennie announced. "But you're really not so bad looking,Miss MacGreggor. I wouldn't call you a 'sight.'"
"Now, that will be all of that, Miss Stone!" exclaimed the sophomore,but her brown eyes danced as the other girls laughed. "I believe youthree girls are Briarwoods, are you not?"
"Yes," Helen said.
"I can believe it," said May. "I have felt the briers. Now, let us calla truce."
"With all my heart, Miss MacGreggor," Ruth said quickly.
"You're a good little thing!" returned the Scotch girl. "I know yourheart is big enough. And we sophs really shouldn't nag you freshies, youknow, for we must pull together against the seniors and juniors. Butyou'll hear about that to-night."
"Thank you, Miss MacGreggor," Ruth said. "And now that we are at thisisland, would you mind telling us where the Stone Face is situated?"
"Ah! one of the wonders of the place," said May. "And who told you aboutthe Stone Face, Freshie?"
"I have heard it is well worth seeing," said Ruth, demurely.
"I will be your escort," said May.
They found the Scotch girl very companionable. She led them up a ruggedpath through the trees and around the rocks.
"And did that girl have to come up here--_and in the dark_?" murmuredRuth at last.
"What girl?" Helen asked.
"Who are you talking about, Miss Fielding?" asked the sophomore.
"That girl--Miss Rolff."
"Oh! don't mention her name!" groaned May MacGreggor. "If it hadn't beenfor _her_, you-uns and we-uns wouldn't be cut out of the sororities. Awicked shame!"
"Oh, I've heard about that," said Jennie, puffing because of the hardclimb. "Did she really have to come here, and _alone_, when she wasinitiated?"
"She started for here," said May, gloomily. "With a flashlight, Ibelieve. But she lost her nerve----
"There! there's the rock you're looking for."
It was a huge boulder in an open field. At the angle from which theyviewed it, the face of the rock really bore some semblance to a humancountenance--the features of an old, old woman.
"Ugly old hag!" was May MacGreggor's comment upon the odd boulder.
Ruth Fielding At College; or, The Missing Examination Papers Page 8