“Good for you, Isabel. That’s the camp spirit. Hurrah, nice old rainy day,—going to have lots of fun.”
“The girls can work on the prize songs for one thing. That will come soon. I wonder who will make the best Merrymeeting song.”
“Time will tell. Of course Lilian will try her hand at it, and maybe Cathalina.”
An indoor field meet was announced for the usual time of games and duly the girls arrived at the dining hall, disposing of ponchos, rain coats and rubbers as best they could. The chairs had been moved back to leave a large space free for the play. The megaphone announced “This is the annual indoor field meet. Prizes are to be given to the winners in the different contests. These contests will now begin. Will the following girls take their places up on the floor?” Then more fun began than the girls themselves could ever have thought up, so Isabel and Virgie concluded. For it seemed that all the funny contests ever staged in parlors or at picnics were presented in some amusing way. From marshmallow to hurdle races the selections were entertaining to both contestants and audience. The girls who were to take part had been selected beforehand by the athletic director, that little matters like age and size might seem appropriate to the part taken. No one refused to try the feat demanded, and when the councillors were ordered to perform, the merriment grew.
One easy-going, plump little camper created some amusement in the “bean race”. “Hurry up,” called one of the older girls, “you haven’t a single one of your beans carried over yet and everybody else has!”
“I can’t help it,” returned the little girl placidly, working away quietly at the pile of beans on the floor, “they won’t get on my knife.”
But patience and perserverance won. Not nervous about anything, when the beans did “get on her knife”, she carried them without spilling to their destined place and was the first to have her bean supply all accounted for.
The “shot-put” was contested by girls and councillors with big balloons, the line men soberly measuring the distances. Grins were measured. A one hundred-yard dash proved to be walking on a string (stretched from one point to another) with stepping off, and watching the string and one’s footsteps through a field glass held reversed. But the contest which aroused the most enthusiasm and the wildest excitement was one called a relay race, in which the choice of girls had much to do with the amusement. Four on a side, they stood at opposite walls of the dining hall, and were numbered in order. The plan was simple enough, merely to open a suit-case, which was placed by Number One of each side, don the dress, hat and coat which were found inside, open an umbrella, and walk over to the opposite side. There the clothing would be returned to the suit-case, the umbrella closed, the quick return made and all handed to Number Two, who continued the performance. Dimple Dot, the quiet, dignified Cathalina, cultured Marion, fat May and determined Virgie were of this company. The side through first would win, hence the mad scramble which brought tears to the eyes of the laughing girls. Isabel, through the megaphone, gave the same order which she had given for the other races, though perhaps not entirely appropriate here. “Ready,—on your mark—all set—go!”
Cathalina threw dignity to the winds and was especially deft in the whole performance. Little Dot was almost swallowed up in the bungalow apron which did duty as dress, and presented a comical figure as she ran across the floor, stepping on her long draperies, lost in the big hat and coat, and swallowed up in the umbrella. “I guess Cathalina and Marion never hurried like that in their lives before,” she gasped, as she sank on the floor after taking off her garb and returning it to the suit-case. She had won the race for her side, for May was not quite through.
The line up for prizes was made a matter of much dignity, as pieces of candy, popcorn crisps or cookies were presented to the winners. Then the girls helped place the tables and chairs in order for the noon meal which was almost ready.