“Well—we needn’t beg anybody,” replied Marjorie. “But if we asked them, I imagine some people, like Bob or Pop Welsh, would be only too tickled to help. But seriously, what do you think of it, girls?”
“I think the idea is splendid, Marjorie,” said Florence. “Only last night I was deciding that we seniors ought to make it our object to become Golden Eaglet scouts before we graduate from Miss Allen’s, and I told Alice about it. We intended to start in the Fall, when we got back. But this would be better yet.”
Several other girls expressed their approbation of the plan, and Marjorie began to feel very happy. How pleasant it was to have the whole-hearted co-operation of the patrol, without any dissenting voice of envy, such as Ruth Henry had always brought.
“Then, there’s one more thing,” she concluded, “according to our present expectations, all the scouts here except two will be out of Pansy troop and active scout membership in the Fall. Could we not, therefore, take some time every Friday evening to train ourselves a little bit for leadership, so that we can start new troops among younger girls, when we get back East? I wrote for some books, and really, I have the most wonderful instructions here from headquarters. They’re simply fascinating! But I don’t want to make anybody take the course who doesn’t want to; so I thought we could have our scout meeting first, from seven to eight o’clock and then have the class afterward, for everyone who wants to stay. So—think it over!”
Naturally, the girls all felt anxious to do as Marjorie suggested, and all signed the enrollment paper to be returned to headquarters.
“Maybe Irene and Maud would like to take it too,” suggested Alice.
“Not they!” returned Ethel. “They’re too glad of a chance to get rid of us, so they can have the boys to themselves!”
Marjorie laughed; Ethel always saw through people, fearlessly pointing out their weaknesses. Still she was equally fair in crediting them with their virtues.
“Has anybody else anything to bring up?” asked Marjorie, consulting her watch.
“No, I move we adjourn!” said Lily, evidently in haste to get away.