“Probably they did not know just when we would arrive,” suggested Mrs. Bonnell, as she helped Natalie lay out the smaller tent.
“It’s just as well—if we can get the tent up alone,” spoke Mabel. “So much the more credit for us. But it does look like one of those Chinese puzzles,” she went on rather hopelessly. By dint of much changing and shifting, trying first one rope then another, turning the pile of canvas first this way and that the girls finally, with the help of Mrs. Bonnell, got it in such a position that, after a sort of council of war they decided that they could erect it.
“Now, all together!” called the Guardian of the Camp Fire Girls. “Raise it up, Mabel and Marie, while Natalie and Alice fasten the ropes to the pegs.”
The three of them raised, while two excited girls, on either side, took the trailing side ropes and began to catch them around the notched pegs, that had, with much labor, been driven into the earth with stones.
“Now let go!” ordered Mrs. Bonnell.
The girls stepped back.
The tent came down with a dismal flop.
“Oh, dear!” sighed Natalie.
“Isn’t it a shame! Just when we had it nearly up?” spoke Alice.
“Well, we’ll have to do it all over again,” decided the Guardian. “But we have the right idea now.”