“Well, I am thankful I am not the sole owner of the cow, too. If we have to pay Nat for all the cabbages and turnips the cow ate when she got in the garden the other day, we won’t have any profits to divide,” said Janet, giggling.
“That’s an item I forgot to charge up,” said Mrs. James.
“But I am to be reimbursed in some way, for my loss, am I not?” asked Natalie.
As is commonly the case at large stockholders’ meetings, a disagreement on debts and dividends took place and after a long time given to explanations about how much Sue cost for keep and the income on her first product and the by-products, the meeting adjourned without anything definite having been decided upon.
During the second week of July, the eight girl scouts of Patrol Number Two attended a council meeting of the Solomon Seal Patrol One, at which they were informed that Headquarters in New York City had admitted the Patrols as a first-class Troop, and now the members could start an intensive drive to win badges and be awarded honors for the tests given in the handbook.
At this meeting, Miss Mason enrolled the eight Tenderfeet as scouts in regular standing, and immediately after this welcome information, the eight girls whispered eagerly to each other of individual plans for advancement. Then Frances declared herself aloud to all present:
“I take this occasion to let you all know that henceforth you shall not know me as a jitney conductor, because I have decided to take up other lines as well. Not that the car is going out of commission—far be it from me to allow Amity Ketchum to again resume dominion over Four Corners’ helpless travellers—but I am going to study insects and the birds, this summer, and take tests.
“I have watched many insects and find they are so very interesting, and there is so much to learn about their habits and lives, that I believe they will afford me plenty of pastime and, if I write down everything I discover, just as Janet told her stock story in the diary, I can give you scouts many entertainments.
“Besides the insects, I find the birds about this section of Westchester are very wonderful and rare for the usual temperate climate. One of the old natives at Bronxville, where Belle had me drive her the other day in search of a Colonial cupboard for sale, said that very few sections of the Northern States could boast of so many tropical birds as nested about the woods in the immediate vicinity of Bronxville. Yet they seldom went farther North than that line, and seemed to keep within a definite line all about that section.
“Belle planned to study bird-life at first in connection with her antique research, but she believes forestry and art will combine better with her special line of business. Then, too, Belle likes domestic science, and will follow that as a recreation.”