How to Rid a House of Fleas
Dust naphtha flakes[F] all over the floors. Leave twenty-four hours, if possible, then sweep up and sprinkle the sweepings with kerosene to destroy the eggs before throwing away.
“I say, fellows,” sang out Ibee Brave, after the class was dismissed, “let’s go on a hike like any good scouts. Gee, I wish I were twelve years old, so I could be a boy scout!”
“We treat you just as if you were one. Let’s go over to the river bank,” suggested their patrol leader. At the signal, off they started over the hills of the sand-pile of Mary Frances’ playroom, coming at length to Painted River and Looking Glass Lake, on which floated the toy ducks and swans which Mary Frances’ little friend Eleanor had given her for a Christmas present.
When they re-assembled at four o’clock, the assistant nurse was surprised at their appearance, for several swollen faces were plastered in blotches of mud.
“You Must Have Had Good Treatment”
“We don’t need any practice games,” commented one of the boys.
“We have had real practical practice,” explained their leader.
“I should judge you had,” said Miss Helpem, looking over the group. “Do tell me what happened.”
“When we left here, we started on a hike to the river,” went on the leader, “and after we had rested a little while, we began a game of baseball. Tom Holden was catcher, and somehow when he leaned over to fasten his shoe, bang! the ball went into his eye—an accident, of course.”
“I Held My Finger in It”
“At first I thought it had put my eye out,” said Tom, “but the fellows used ‘first aid’ immediately.”
“I never saw a ‘black eye’ look better,” praised the assistant nurse. “You must have had good treatment.”
“Next,” continued the leader, “I raised a blood blister on my finger, splitting kindling wood for a camp fire. The fellows made some water hot on the fire, and I held my finger in it—but if it hadn’t been that we were ‘first aiders,’ I wouldn’t have noticed a little thing like that.”
“And last of all,” said Ibee Brave, “I stepped into a hornets’ nest!”
“I can imagine the rest of the story,” smiled Miss Helpem. “And I can understand why you haven’t clean faces!”
“But you can’t imagine how grand it was to know ‘what to do,’” protested Ibee Brave through swollen lips.
“Well, boys,” said the assistant nurse, “after this day’s happenings, I think we will not need any practice games. I’m very glad nothing really serious occurred, and that your first-aid knowledge prevented suffering.”
“Say, Miss Helpem, you wouldn’t mind not saying anything to the other class about the things that happened, would you? We might just pass it off without much explanation, you know.”
“I promise secrecy!” laughed the assistant nurse.