“You see, we belong to the Woodcraft League which is composed of groups of young folks and older people, too, who like outdoor life and believe it helps make better citizens.
“We Woodcrafters prove that sensible exercise in the outdoors, preferably with some desirable aim in view, prepares us for the business of life.
“The pioneers of this country learned genuine Woodcraft from the Indians, and that is one reason why, here in America, we use Indian ceremonies in our Councils—sort of ”America First“ don’t you know.
“Why should we go back to Greece for examples of runners when the fleetest-footed Marathoners could have been given points by the village heralds of an Indian Tribe?
“When we hold a Grand Council we usually try to give it the semblance of a genuine American Indian affair. Indian costumes and customs are not necessary at all to Woodcraft but it adds a romantic touch. Looking up all of these things really teaches one a lot of American history, too.
“The same training and observation, and what I’ve heard a professor call ‘Co-ordination of mind and muscle’ with which the sturdy pioneers conquered the wilderness enables us to get along better in more civilised times—but maybe we’re not more civilised after all, with this war in Europe and our share in the savage condition of things.
“Well, to conclude, we boys are the Pentagoet Tribe of Woodcrafters and the girls, during our life on this Island, belong to us, too. At home, though, we have separate tribes that we boys and girls belong to.
“Now, brothers, we will begin by singing the Omaha Tribal Prayer which means, ‘Father, a needy one stands before Thee—I that sing am he.’”
With this, the Chief concluded and Elizabeth read the Tally of the last summer’s last Council and the Chair appointed her Tally-Chief again for the current meeting.
The roll-call showed fourteen present, counting visitors, and the reports of the scouts were confined to the mola and the trawling. But Billy—or to give him his ceremonial name of Shingebis—was interested in the prospect of swimming, so he reported on the temperature of the water in Treasure Cove. In spite of the recent fog it was growing warmer every day although it never was really comfortably warm.