“What are they, the Winnebago passwords, and what are they for?” asked Veronica.
“Well,” answered Gladys, “you know what a password is, don’t you? Well, we have passwords to admit us into the Lodge on Ceremonial night. But before I tell you about the passwords I must tell you about the signal calls, for they come first in order. You see, the general signal of the Winnebagos is the call of the whippoorwill, like this”—and she illustrated her words with a clear call. “You repeat that three times and at the end of it you must give your own individual bird call. We all have different ones. Mine is the robin, like this. Nyoda’s is the bluebird; Hinpoha’s the loon; Medmangi’s is the owl; Nakwisi’s the meadowlark and Sahwah’s the catbird.”
“Whatever made you take such a hideous screech for your call, Sahwah?” interrupted Hinpoha. “There are lots of nicer bird calls than that of the catbird.”
“I don’t care, I wanted the catbird,” returned Sahwah. “It suits my individuality, as my dear friend, Miss Snively, would say. I am the ‘cat that walks by himself and all places are alike to me!’”
“Be a catbird as much as you like,” said Gladys pacifically, “as long as you don’t eat us poor bird-birds. But to go back to the passwords. You see, Nyoda is Guardian of the Fire, and she always goes up to the Lodge room first on Ceremonial night. If any of us get there ahead of her we have to stay out until she comes. Then we announce our coming by giving the call of the whippoorwill and she knows one of the Winnebagos is below; and she knows which one it is by the individual bird call. So she calls out ‘Who goes there?’ and we answer ‘A friend.’ When she says, ‘Stand and give the countersign,’ we have to say, ‘Other Council Fires were here before.’”
“What does that mean, ‘Other Council Fires were here before?’” asked Veronica.
The girls looked at one another. “What does it mean?” asked Gladys.
“I don’t know,” said Sahwah.
“I don’t know,” said Hinpoha.
“You insisted on our having it, Sahwah,” said Gladys. “Why did you choose it if you didn’t know what it meant?”