The five girls who were so eager to join the scouts, had the willing consent and co-operation from their mothers. So Mrs. Vernon felt it was much better to take girls whose parents appreciated the benefit of the scout work, rather than to have girls whose mothers were waiting to criticise or discourage their children in the undertaking.
When the five had been finally decided upon, the Captain notified them that the car would call for them that day week, and they were to be ready to return to camp.
"It will take you a week to prepare, girls, for you must write to New York and secure a handbook for each, and not only read it, but study the first rules in the book. We have been doing that since we went to camp, so now you will have to catch up," said Mrs. Vernon.
"And rest a.s.sured we will give you some awful initiation tests before you become full-fledged members!" threatened Julie.
The scouts and the "would-bes" laughed at this, for they knew the tests would be funny ones that would amuse every one.
"Only pack sensible things, girls. Middy blouses, a pair of khaki bloomers and a pair of blue serge ones. You"ll need a serge dress, too, and a heavy sweater. If you have a light-weight sweater, also, so much the better," advised Mrs. Vernon.
The elated scouts-to-be eagerly promised everything, and then watched the car drive away. But they felt no envy or regret for they would be traveling the same road a week hence.
"Verny, maybe we ought to be glad we"ve got all the extra furniture now," ventured Betty, as they climbed the familiar trail and pa.s.sed by the Royal Suite.
"That"s so, Verny. We can let the new members furnish their hut with the stuff," said Joan.
"Only they haven"t any hut," Ruth added.
"They will have to build one, like we did, to pa.s.s a test in carpentry,"
remarked Julie.
"I think Betty"s suggestion better than the one Ruth made last night--that we chop up the furniture for kindlings," now spoke the Captain.
"Well, I didn"t really mean that, you know! I only said it when I had to go and collect damp wood for the fire," admitted Ruth.
That evening as the scouts sat about the camp-fire, Mrs. Vernon remarked: "I wonder if you girls realize how much you have already improved in this one month of camp-life?"
They then began to compare notes.
"Julie isn"t nearly as impulsive as she used to be," said Betty.
"But she still has enough left to find fault with," laughed the Captain.
"And Betty isn"t so preachy as she was when we weeded dandelions on your lawn," commented Ruth.
"Betty is beginning to have more confidence, too," added Julie, gazing at her twin in a speculative way.
"What about me--how have I improved?" eagerly asked Joan, looking from one to the other of her companions.
"You--oh, Joan, you are hopeless!" laughed Julie, whereupon Joan fell upon her and they had a rough-and-tumble time on the gra.s.s.
"Thus endeth every serious lesson I try to teach," laughed Mrs. Vernon, when the contestants came back to the fire.
"I say, scouts: can any one see the improvement in Verny?" now called Julie, in reb.u.t.tal of the Captain"s last words.
But the girls refused to testify, and then a new subject was introduced.
"I am sure I heard thunder just then."
"I thought I saw a flash a little time ago," added Joan.
"Maybe we had better get our things in under cover, then, and be ready to go to bed if it rains," suggested the Captain.
Consequently a mad scurrying took place and the scouts were cozily housed when the rain came down.
The next morning Mrs. Vernon said: "I have been waiting for spare time to give you scouts a few lessons in first aid, but now that we expect new members in the Patrol, it may be just as well to wait for them. Many can learn as easily as a few individuals."
"Still, that need not keep us from having a few tests," replied Joan, who looked for some fun in this practice.
"True; and if you have a little lesson now, you ought to be able to help the new members when they come in," added Mrs. Vernon.
"All right--let"s begin," said Julie.
"My first question will be: What would you do for first-aid in case of accident?"
Julie giggled: "I"d take mighty good care not to have one! I call that genuine first-aid."
The others laughed, and Mrs. Vernon said: "You are right of course, Julie, but that is not what I mean. Because there are many people who meet with accidents, who need aid at once. And there are nine-tenths of the people who know nothing about rendering help properly. However, during the last ten years, due a great deal to scout work, I believe, the schools are taking up this work and teaching children just what to do."
"We never had it in our school," said Betty.
"Maybe the town is too small to pay an instructor, but all city schools teach first-aid, I"m sure," replied the Captain. "Now, girls, let us be serious in this lesson.
"Drop your skirts and practice in your bloomers, as you can move about easier that way."
The scouts did as they were told, and then Mrs. Vernon said: "We"ll try Betty first, as she is the lightest of you girls.
"Now let us pretend Betty went in swimming and was taken suddenly with cramps. She sank. One of you saw her disappear and called on the others for help. You ran to the water"s edge and saw some one swim to sh.o.r.e with her; no one but you scouts knew how to revive her, so you went right to work to save her life.
"Now, Betty, stretch out on the gra.s.s just as you would if you had been dragged in from the water in an unconscious state," advised Mrs. Vernon, helping Betty to repose as she should.
The three scouts watching, giggled as this sort of work was fun. When Betty was in the right position, Mrs. Vernon called:
"Now scouts, loosen her clothing as quick as possible--because every second counts with her life.
"If she has on corsets, unhook them immediately that respiration may not be r.e.t.a.r.ded. If she has on a skirt with tight belt, or other close-fitting garments that prevents circulation, undo them at once, or even cut it open if it can be accomplished in no other way. Now she ought to breathe. Tell me, can she draw her breath easily?"
"Can she! She"s breathing so hard that I"m afraid she"ll explode unless she has a chance to laugh!" retorted Julie.
The scouts all laughed, but Mrs. Vernon remained serious, as she knew it would never do to give Julie encouragement.
"Now then, empty her lungs of water by laying her, breast downwards, and holding her up by the middle. Julie and Joan do that."
Betty was very ticklish, and the moment Julie took hold of her sides, she squirmed and giggled. Julie tried to be severe.
"Teacher, this drowned scout won"t let me get a good grip on her side. I fear she will have to expire unless she rolls over at once."
Even Mrs. Vernon had to laugh at Julie, and Betty said: "Well, I"ll roll over, if you"ll make Julie stop tickling me."