“What did you do?” inquired Joanne remembering her red eyes and untasted breakfast.
“Oh, I said Bother! in a very large way, then I stamped around the room for a few minutes, threw things about a little, went to the window to be sure it was rain and not Moses out with the hose, then I said, Well, Winifred Merryman, it’s up to you to be cheerful, I suppose. You must track up the puddles in your own back yard and smile, smile, smile. It’s a long rain that has no turning.”
Joanne threw herself into an armchair shouting with laughter. “I do think you are the dearest, craziest girl I ever saw! If it were not for you I suppose I should still be in a state of woe and would probably have to go to bed with a headache, but when you suggested that I should work up some test for the next rally it gave me something to live for, and when I picked up my manual what was the first thing that met my eye but that ‘be cheerful’ law, and naturally—well, naturally, I just was obliged and compelled to bid farewell to every fear and wipe my weeping eyes. Do you know that part of being a Scout never sank in very deep before? I’ve been thinking all along of the tests and how soon I could earn badges and all that sort of thing. I forgot the character part, at least I knew it was important, but it didn’t come home to me with a slam till to-day.”
Winnie nodded. “It’s about the biggest part.”
“Yes, I know. I quite prided myself upon being honorable and loyal and all that, but I sort of sneaked out of giving much thought to the other laws. Now, I’ll have you to know, Miss Merryman, that I mean to wrastle with them all. No more cry baby about me, if you please.”
“That’s the way to talk!” cried Winnie. “Miss Dodge says it often takes more courage to do little things like being cheerful and obeying orders or resisting the temptation to do some little mean thing, than it does to face big dangers, for, when the big dangers come you seem suddenly inspired with courage. One is moral courage; the other physical, and the moral is inside of you where nobody can see its workings.”
“Dear me, I’m learning a lot,” confessed Joanne with a long sigh. “I’ve never thought much about such things, but I see I shall have to if I am to be a good Scout and that is what I want to be.”
“You will be, give you time,” Winnie assured her with a loving pat. Then the car arrived and the two set off in high spirits in spite of the heavily falling rain.
Two or three girls had already arrived with their sewing bags when Joanne and Winnie entered the bright sitting-room of the Merryman home, and others soon followed. The last to enter was Virgie Ambler who carried in her arms a well-bundled up baby about one year old.
“For pity’s sake, Virgie, where did you get that?” cried Winnie as Virgie deposited her burden on the lounge.