And if they’re not, what then?
’Tis Davy Jones will get their bones!
Goodbye, my merry men!”
Most of the day had been spent by the campers upon the canoes, and in some cases upon their own costumes, when these were necessary to carry out the idea. It had been planned to use that witching time when the sky was still beautiful from the sunset and yet the blue mist of evening with moon and stars was just appearing in the east. It did not seem best to plan for lighting up the canoes. While there was plenty of water, it is true, to put out any blaze that might occur, the canoes might not be in the most favorable position for an upset. The most beautiful light was offered by Nature herself.
The girls had worked hard. Not a canoe but was prettily dressed. As each one was brought from its hidden retreat to be launched, exclamations were heard on all sides. Admiration and surprise were mingled. It was a matter of honor not to intrude upon the secrecy of those engaged upon the work, but in some way the news about a few had leaked out. However, only the sight of the canoes themselves could give the full effect. The athletic director and the other councillors knew the plans for the girls and arranged the order of launching. With the heavier canoes, some of which had a light framework wired and resting on top of the canoes, the girls had to have some help. All those who were not needed to paddle or pose stood upon the shore and dock as audience and judges.
In the graceful fleet which passed the “reviewing stand” there was the canoe decked in ferns and evergreen, with a few paper birds wired to poise in flight above; one in yellow and white, with yellow roses and butterflies; another trimmed in white cotton, so put on as to imitate snow and ice, a diamond dust covering all, two long-bearded, white-garbed paddlers guiding the canoe, and a big white polar bear, sitting in the center and carrying a banner marked “The Northland.” The war canoe was given to some of the Juniors, who wanted to represent the Old Woman who lived in a Shoe, and had to have several children to overflow the big shoe of wired paper. One of the councillors in white cap and kerchief took the part of the Old Woman, and the children in quaint costumes, with ruffles of crepe paper, roused much enthusiasm among the spectators.
This canoe won the prize for being the prettiest, and some of the judges wanted to award it the prize for the most clever idea. But that finally went to the three girls of Squirrels’ Inn, whose canoe was decked to represent a pirate ship. A furled sail was put up in the bow, to which the pirate flag was attached. Frances as Captain Kidd, with Lilian and Hilary in costume, repeated in hoarse voices, as they passed the judges, the couplet which Lilian had been chanting, with “Yo, ho, ho!—and a bottle of rum!” Then all in deep voices sang the new Captain Kidd stanzas to the tune of Yankee Doodle, rendered slowly, while Lilian twanged an accompaniment on the guitar. Burnt cork mustaches of fierce upward curve, made all this more impressive.
As the light grew more dim, the girls in the canoe marked the Northland, turned on several flashlights, which lit up effectively the diamond dust, and those in the pirate ship turned on several large ones, which they had covered with their red paper. A few other lights flashed out in different canoes as they all circled prettily in the water and came into port once more.
“There, that’s over,” said Hilary, as with the pirate flag over one shoulder and Lilian’s guitar over the other, she entered the klondike. “Patty will certainly have to get up our entertainment for stunt night. We have only about a week to get ready now, and with the Wiscasset hike, the canoe trip to Brunswick, and the White Mountain trip, I can’t see where we get up anything, do you Frances?”
“No, I don’t. However, not all the girls will go on the White Mountain trip, you know. Perhaps we can have some little easy part to do that we can get quickly, or if we can think it up before we go, we can have it in mind, you know.”