“Bully!” echoed the Sandwiches.
“Speech from the Chiefs!” cried Katherine, delighted that her suggestion had found such immediate favor. “You first, Mrs. Evans.”
“But,” protested Mrs. Evans, “it seems to me we four have no better right to be Chiefs than you girls. If you hadn’t wanted to come camping there wouldn’t have been any tribe at all. It seems to me the Winnebago girls have the best right to be chiefs of any here.”
“We haven’t any better claim than the Sandwich boys,” said Katherine. “If it hadn’t been for them there wouldn’t have been any Uncle Teddy or Aunt Clara to help you so you would feel equal to the responsibility of bringing us up here.”
“That settles it,” said Uncle Teddy. “If we all have an equal right to be Chief of this tribe, by all means let us enjoy our rights and all be Chiefs. There are sixteen of us. We intend to remain up here eight weeks. Dividing up and giving each one 25 a turn we would have a different pair of leaders every week. There are equal numbers of men and women and girls and boys, so the arrangement is just about ideal. Every week we will have a high council meeting on this rock where all questions of moment will be considered. The Chiefs will preside at the meeting.
“They will also blow the rising horn, sit at the head of the table, say grace, serve the food, pat the chokers on the back and see to it that Slim does not eat past the bursting point. The Chiefs will also lead the singing in the pine grove every morning after breakfast. They will settle all disputes according to the best of their ability, and will plan the Principal Diversions for the week. These latter will be announced at the Council Meetings. Needless to say, the Chiefs will do no menial labor during the week of their Chiefhood. Is that a fair proposition all the way around?”
“It surely is!” they all cried together. “Hurray for the tribe of Chiefs!”
A schedule of the order in which they would take their turns was quickly written on a sheet of birchbark with an indelible pencil and tacked to a big pine beside the Council Rock. It was as follows: First week, Uncle Teddy and Aunt Clara; second week, Mr. and Mrs. Evans; third week, Katherine and the Captain; fourth week, Hinpoha and Slim; fifth week, Gladys and the Bottomless Pitt; sixth 26 week, Sahwah and the Monkey; seventh week, Migwan and Peter Jenkins; eighth week, Nakwisi and Dan Porter.
As soon as the Chiefs for that week were established, Uncle Teddy was immediately besieged with questions in regard to the Principal Diversion. “It’s a–oh, my gracious!” said Uncle Teddy, catching himself hastily and winking mysteriously at Mr. Evans. “It’s a secret!” And not another word would he say.
Soon afterward he and Mr. Evans prepared to take a trip in the launch.