“No, no!” protested Miss Phillips. “Not now. Later we shall have some races—but with only one girl in a canoe.”
“I wish we were starting to-day,” said Marjorie; “it’s dreadfully hard to wait.”
“But it won’t be long,” reassured Miss Phillips. “And there is a lot to do. Why, I haven’t even bought the tents yet!”
“What kind are you going to get, Captain?” asked Marjorie, who had always enjoyed reading the sporting catalogues which her brother Jack left around the house. “Shelter-halves?”
“I don’t know; they’re the easiest to put up and really afford perfect protection. I believe that the men in the army use them for their short overnight hikes.”
“And the food?” questioned Ruth. “Shall we have to take loads and loads?”
“No, because I think we can buy things along the way. But of course we need a good deal.”
The girls now had their first lesson in turning their canoes about, for the captain decided it was time to go back. As usual, Marjorie accomplished this act with the most grace, and the others exclaimed admiringly at her prowess.
The scouts found it a different matter indeed to paddle up stream, and more than one of them admitted that they were thankful that they were not coming home that way. All but Marjorie felt tired when they handed the canoes over to Michael’s keeping at the little boathouse.
“And now one thing more,” said Miss Phillips, as they reascended the bank to the edge of the woods. “I have a little present for each of you, which you must take good care of. It’s a map of the country through which our stream runs, and where we shall travel. Study it, show it to your families, and bring it with you next Monday when we start off.”