“And now,” said Cita after he had gone, “now don’t let’s think of weddings or anything else but our Scout work. Things have been dragging lately, and I think it is my fault. If we do not do better and snappier work right away, I will know it is my fault, and I shall give the troop over to someone else. Engaged girls have no business trying to run a troop.”
“Don’t say that, Cita,” said Rosanna. “We have all been working so hard for Christmas that I think we have no energy left.”
“Possibly,” said Cita, “but we must put things pretty well in order at the next meeting, and before then I want all these Christmas things marked and in their proper baskets. That meeting, the last before the holidays, will be an important one.”
“Then let us go to work merrilee,” said Elise, picking up a stocking, and letting a gumdrop slide down into the toe.
CHAPTER XIV
After the usual formalities of a meeting, Captain Hooker desired the girls’ full attention. She held a formidable sheaf of notes in her hand, and it looked to the Scouts as though there was going to be a good deal of work parcelled out to them.
“In the first place,” said their Captain, “I have asked the approval of the National Headquarters, and you are at liberty to send a Thanks badge to Doctor Branshaw. Now you have not yet sent him any formal thanks for what he did for Gwenny and I wonder if any of you have an idea of some attractive way of expressing your gratitude.”
“I thought of something, Captain,” said Lucy Breen, “but perhaps it wouldn’t do.”