"Oh, my dears! We haven"t done anything but build--build--build since we"ve been here. There are so many other things I want you to do that a chimney can wait."
"If we agree to do what other things you want us to, why can"t we use the forty-five minutes of recreation that is ours each day to build the chimney?" persisted Ruth.
Mrs. Vernon laughed. But the eager faces of the girls showed her they were in earnest. Besides, what difference did it make in the end whether she was teaching them to build a stone chimney or how to mend a pair of stockings? If it was true work and done with the right motive back of it, it was progressive.
So she finally said: "All right, you may have two hours a day for chimney work, and the rest we will devote to my pursuits."
"Hurrah! we ought to finish the chimney in three days!" exclaimed Julie.
Thus the second week pa.s.sed quickly away. The little stone chimney was finished and presented a very artistic addition to the room. But it became so much smaller as it rose higher, that at the top it was only large enough for a tiny opening for the escape of smoke. Unfortunately, this caused the fireplace to smoke dreadfully when a fire was started, but once the bed of embers was well started, an additional bit of wood judiciously used did not cause every one to choke and run from the room.
In one of the hikes, the scouts had found a wild grapevine, but it had been severed from the root, and hung from the tree-trunk without leaves or fruit. It was more than an inch thick, so Mrs. Vernon had the girls carefully cut it down and carry it back to camp.
"The graceful curves of this twisted vine will make the prettiest chair imaginable, with back, arms and legs entwined, and holding up the seat of boards. Smaller bits of the gnarled vine will make flower-brackets, rustic hanging-baskets, and also a cord by which to suspend the signboard of Dandelion Camp," remarked the Captain.
"If we only had a Turkish rug for the floor, our hut would look wonderful!" sighed Joan, admiring the latest additions.
"Why cry for the moon when you can have the sun?" laughed Mrs. Vernon.
"What do you mean? Did you bring a rug?" asked Joan, quickly.
"Oh, we forgot that crex mat, didn"t we? Do you suppose it is still down in the bushes?" asked Betty, anxiously.
"I quite forgot it myself, girls. But that was not what I meant just now. The moment Joan mentioned a rug, I thought of something I read about in the Handbook. We ought to weave a mat of gra.s.s or willows for that palace."
"If we only could! It would be so in keeping," said Betty, softly, that her voice would not interrupt the others who were loudly acclaiming this idea from the Captain.
"I wish to goodness Sunday were a week away so we could finish up all the fine plans we have started," sighed Ruth.
"Well, Ruth, only _our_ folks are coming out this Sunday, you know, and we needn"t mind them much. If it wasn"t that we needed "Liza"s cake and bread and other things, we could have postponed the call for a week,"
said Betty, condolingly.
As usual, Betty"s candor made them laugh, and Mrs. Vernon said: "Yes, I fear our invitation had an awfully big string to it this week."
CHAPTER TEN
A FOURTH OF JULY OUTING
Sat.u.r.day night the scouts and Mrs. Vernon planned the dinner for the next day.
"We"ll use some of those onions, and cut potatoes into dice to add to them; then I"ll take a small can of tomatoes, some rice and a bit of bacon, and make a good chowder of the whole. If we only had a few of the little fish Joan caught the other day, they would give it a fine flavor," suggested the Captain.
"You said we might open a jar of our strawberry preserve, Verny,"
reminded Julie.
"Yes, but not for a course; it is too precious for anything but dessert."
"After the chowder, what can we have?" asked Ruth.
"We"ll boil that artichoke root we dug up this morning. When that is seasoned it tastes just like salsify. If Eliza doesn"t bring any meat, we can run along the mountain-path and cut one of the beefsteak mushrooms I showed you yesterday. I doubt if your folks will be able to tell the difference between it and a tenderloin steak," the Captain said, chuckling.
"My, won"t they be surprised when they see all we have learned in two weeks!" exclaimed Betty, proudly.
"I hope it doesn"t rain to-morrow," ventured Julie.
"Yes, "cause we"ve got to have Eliza"s supplies!" added her twin sister.
"Can you think of anything else that"s novel, Verny, for dinner?" asked Joan.
"We can cut enough dandelion leaves in the morning to have a salad"; Mrs. Vernon glanced doubtfully at Ruth as she spoke.
Ruth caught the look and laughed: "Are you afraid I am going to boil over because you mentioned dandelions?"
"Well, I didn"t know how you might take it?"
"I"ll confess; I"d just as soon call the camp "dandelion" as anything else, for now I appreciate what that digging did for us."
"I"m so glad, Ruthy; now I can paint that sign. Do you know girls why I refused to hang out the sign you wanted? It was because we were not unanimous in the selection of a name. As Ruth"s objection is removed I will have the sign ready for next Sunday when the Allisons and Bentleys visit us."
"Did you save that fine ash board you selected the very first day we came here?" asked Ruth.
"Yes, and to-morrow I"ll show it to you--ready to burn."
"Burn?" came from four girls.
"Yes; I am going to etch the name "Dandelion Camp" in the wood with a red-hot poker, and sketch the dandelions about the name in pyrography, also. Then we can tint the flowers and leaves. You haven"t any idea how soft and beautiful the burnt tones blend with yellow and green paints."
"It sounds fascinating--I wish I could do it," said Joan.
"You each may practice and when you can handle the iron well enough, you might try to do little things like book-ends or wall-brackets."
"We got as far on the bill-of-fare as dandelion salad, Verny, and then switched off on something new--as usual," laughed Julie.
"That was the end of my menu, as far as I could provide any," returned the Captain.
Sunday morning it was decided to go for the beefsteak mushrooms and cook them for dinner, even if Eliza brought meat. In that case, they would keep the meat for dinners the following days and give the visitors a treat by having tenderloin steak (?).
Ruth proved her statement that she had outgrown her dislike of dandelions by offering to cut enough plants for the salad. When she returned to camp she had a fine mess of young leaves, and after washing them clean, left them in cold water until wanted.
Joan and Julie had offered to get up early and go for berries. Mrs.
Vernon was dubious about berry-picking being in order for scouts on Sunday, when there was enough dessert already on hand.
"But why not? It is wholesome study of nature"s own fruit, you know,"
argued Joan.