“May I have my crocheting back as soon as you have inspected it, Captain?” asked Ruth. “I want to work on it.”
“Certainly,” replied Miss Phillips, “you can have it now, for that matter.”
The try-outs for the play lasted all afternoon; after each girl read a number of different parts, Miss Phillips excused them; but most of the girls preferred to wait to hear the results of the Captain’s decisions. Finally, a little before five o’clock, she read the characters as she had selected them, and Ruth was disappointed to hear that Helen Stewart was awarded the part of “Everygirl.” Her companions crowded around her with congratulations; and Ruth, who had resolutely put her own feelings aside, remembering that “a scout is cheerful,” was among them.
In less than half an hour’s time, the girls re-assembled to accompany Miss Phillips to Mrs. Burd’s home. They found it charming, just the sort of house a girl dreams of having some day—with everything bright, and shining, and new. The kitchen was small, but several of the girls took their work into the shed or the dining-room, so that all of the sixteen scouts were never in it at once.
Miss Phillips had very cleverly prepared a menu that required many extras; there was soup, two vegetables, cream sauce and gravy, salad, salad-dressing, muffins, cocoa, and dessert; so that all the girls had the opportunity to show their skill in cooking. Miss Phillips directed the work, which was fortunate for such inexperienced cooks, and everything turned out splendidly. The dinner was a great success.
As soon as the soup was on the table, the girls took off their aprons and sat down; each course was served by the girls who had prepared it. The appetizing smell of the food, and the excitement of the experiment, made them all hungry; they laughed and chatted gaily as they ate, their flushed faces testifying the joy of their success.
When dessert had been served, Miss Phillips said, “I certainly want to congratulate you all on your splendid dinner. I can see already that no man who marries a Girl Scout of Pansy troop ever need worry about his future happiness.”
The girls laughed, and Ethel looked significantly at Doris, as if to indicate that she would probably be the first to have the chance to prove this fact.
“I wish I could pass you all on every part of your second-class test,” continued Miss Phillips, “as easily as I can on your cooking. But unfortunately, I can award only three green clovers to-night: to Helen Stewart, Ruth Henry, and Doris Sands!”
She paused while the girls clapped. Producing three badges from the pocket of her uniform, she requested the three girls to stand up.