“Well, gals! Are we ready to remove the temporary block we made at the spring to turn the water down the other way?” called Mr. Ames from the side of the spring where the ditch had thus far kept the lake hollow dry.
“Oh, wait just a minute!” cried Norma, as she hurriedly ran from one island to the other to make sure that the plants were well in the soil. Mrs. James and Miss Mason assured themselves that the water plants were safely planted wherever they had designed them to be. Then the footprints left in the white sand that covered the rich soil on the bottom of the lake site, were carefully raked out and patted down, as the three inspectors backed out and reached the steps that led down from the pines.
“Now—all ready! Let it come!” cried Norma, clapping her hands excitedly.
Sam and Ames now shovelled away the temporary bank of soil that had kept the stream from overflowing, and in a few moments the wooden gate which served as a dam for the spring, was hauled up and the water was allowed to find its own channel out over the smooth sand in the bottom of the depression.
Every one stood breathlessly watching, as the small stream of water trickled out over the glistening sand and began spreading in every direction. It seemed to take such a long time to dampen the sand before sinking down into the soil. But not a sign of water was to be seen and the scouts finally grew impatient.
“If you gals would only go off and attend to something else for the day, you’d be surprised when you come back tonight, to find what the spring has done during your absence,” advised Mr. Ames.
“Because ‘a watched kettle never boils,’” laughed Miss Mason.
“But there isn’t anything interesting to do!” declared Natalie.
“I know of a vegetable garden that has been neglected all week, and we need lots of food for tomorrow,” remarked Mrs. James.
“And I can tell of a camp where no work has been done since this absorbing water garden was started,” added Miss Mason.