“Oh, then I’ll have geese. But I’ve heard they chase one, if they don’t like you,” said Janet.
“They wouldn’t chase you if you fed them; and should they take it into their geese-heads to run anyone else out of the yard, it will be a warning for others to keep away.”
The drizzle stopped after luncheon, so that the girls put on raincoats and oil-skin caps and started to visit the Scout camp. On the way, they visited Natalie’s garden and extolled her work and patience that had brought forth such results.
Natalie beamed like a full moon at the deserved praise and explained how wonderful the vegetables were before the dastardly birds dug everything up.
“Yes, Nat, I know,” remarked Belle. “It’s almost like the wonderful fish one just missed catching, isn’t it?”
Everyone laughed at this, even Natalie joining in at her own expense. “Well, I don’t care! They would have been much better if they had not been interfered with,” said she.
After leaving the garden, Natalie opened the subject of the Scout Patrol that would be an offshoot of Miss Mason’s first Patrol. This would give both Patrols the opportunity to launch the Troop.
“Fine! How soon can we begin?” said Belle.
“Well talk it over with Miss Mason this afternoon. I haven’t had time, yet, to tell her about the Greenville girls who agreed to join us, as Janet and I have had so much to do since then,” explained Natalie.
The girls were now near enough to the woodland to hear the sound of singing. Mrs. James held up a hand for silence and they stood and listened. It sounded very wonderful from the hillside where they were to hear the blending of soprano and alto voices in the national anthem “Our America.” There was a martial impetus in the singing that spoke well for the patriotism of the Girl Scouts.