Norma: A Flower Scout

by Lillian Elizabeth Roy

Ames and Sam then brought in several posts—or ties—and fixed them securely in the holes; earth and gravel were tamped down in the holes, and when it was well filled, the posts were as firm as if they had grown there.

Still no sight nor sound of the cart with sand could be had, so Mrs. James suggested that Ames and Sam help her build an artistic flight of steps from the clump of pines down to the place where the bridge would span the water to the first island.

As there were enough railroad ties for this purpose, as well as for bridge supports, Mrs. James felt that she need not stint herself in the use of them. So she marked out the line she wished the steps to follow. They were to curve gracefully down to approach the bridge indirectly, and not straight down from the high knoll of pine trees to the lake edge.

Sam and Mr. Ames cut out the solid ground where the steps were to be set, beginning at the bottom near the bridge posts. The ties were set for treads, the flat side facing upward and when it was fitted in place, Sam took it up again while Ames poured a smooth foundation of concrete on the ground. Then the log was replaced and pressed down to make the cement bite into the rough wood. At the final securing of each log, enough concrete was filled in back of it, to form a solid wall of cement when it hardened, and this made the basis of the back of the step, or riser, for the next tread.

As Mrs. James wanted the steps to be shallow in order to use the more and curve the flight more artistically before coming to the bridge, it was easier to build the concrete risers at the back of each log. The moment the two men had finished with a step, Mrs. James carried large stones and rocks to the spot and pressed them firmly in at the sides where the concrete oozed up and out, and these would not only keep the logs from loosening and moving out of position, but also help the rustic appearance of the entire flight. Back of these rocks she purposed having vines and shrubs to grow and droop over the rocks and ends of the logs.

The building of the picturesque steps took the rest of the afternoon, and when Mrs. James realized how late it was, with no report from the sand-diggers, she began to feel anxious about them.

Then, just as she ordered Sam to hurry away and learn what had happened to detain them, the car came in sight, far down the road.

“Oh, Jimmy! Such a time as we have had with that Ben!” exclaimed Norma, the moment the girls were within calling distance.

Mrs. James, Ames and Sam stood leaning over the fence, anxiously awaiting further news, but so many scouts wanted to tell the story that nothing could be made of the account. Finally Norma was appointed to tell the experiences, so she began.

“All the way to the sand pit that lazy Ben had to be coaxed and coaxed, because he kept turning his head backward to look at the lawn just as long as the place was in sight. Then he got a little pep into his ‘Amity Ketchum manners’ and gamboled for a little distance.” The laughter which greeted Norma’s description of Ben’s style of laziness interrupted her for a moment.