"We should have suspected Jim, the villain," Ricky laughed. "Another chapter in scoutcraft, Peggy. Will you go, my dear, and tell Stella?" Then she gently put her hand upon Peggy's head, "Judge not, my dear," and, leaning, she kissed her.
Peggy rushed off in search of Stella. She found her sitting on the dock, a picture of misery, Keineth by her side.
"Stella, I was a wicked, wicked girl! It was Jim Crow stole the things, and I found them in an old tree and I wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me! I think the reason I was so horrid was because I was just _jealous_ that Ken loved you more than she did me--" For lack of breath Peggy stopped, her soul clean from her confession.
A great joy came into Stella's dark eyes. She held out her hand and Peggy caught it in a tight grip.
"Now I'm going to call all the girls together and tell them the whole story and that I'm just terribly ashamed." She ran from them, her hands to her mouth, loudly giving the call of the camp. There was great rejoicing at Camp-Wish-no more. The cloud of suspicion had lifted. The girls could not be nice enough to Stella, and for the first time she seemed to lose her shyness and awkwardness among them. Then Ricky decided that, in order to entirely forget the whole thing, they would go on an all-night hike to the old mill on Cobble Hill.
"Hooray--hooray!" went up from eager throats.
"Three cheers for Stella!"
"Three cheers for Peggy!" they cried again.
"Down with Jim Crow!"
That night, under the stars, Keineth snuggled close to Peggy. She had asked to be Peggy's blanket mate.