“Oh, some of de kids wear clo’es what is dirty or damp from the brook, an’ I has to make ’em change er report ’em. Lots of dese East Siders can’t see good, an’ lots got somethin’ wrong wid dere noses an’ t’roats. I has to watch ef dey breat’ hard. Den I tells de nurse at de infirmary an’ she makes tests.”
“I guess there’ll be a lot of better children going back home after this summer,” mused Vene, seriously.
“Yes, and it’s too bad the city can’t let girls like Marybell take charge of certain school departments just as she is doing here at camp,” said Ruth.
Marybell now reported to the superior at the Infirmary, and the Blue Birds waited outside for her reappearance. Meantime, the Bobolinks were entertained by the Captain of the Street Cleaning Squad.
“We begin on Primrose Lane—dat runs down de middle of de camp-ground. One Member goes down Violet Lane while anudder goes down Daffodil Lane. Each member of the Squad has his own streets to take care of—dere all called by flower lanes and paths, but we fellers call ’em streets like dey do in Noo York, yeh know!”
While the Squad was collecting the rubbish that was placed outside each Nest in the morning, the Captain showed the boys how they worked for promotion. A Captain held his office two weeks and at the expiration of his term, if he was worthy, he was given a medal for service. Any boy holding a medal would be allowed to come to camp the following year. Every boy in the Squad was eager to be Captain of course, but such an office was voted upon and decided by the deportment of the applicant, during his stay in camp.
“Now come over to Farmer Jones’ dump-heap and I will show you what he does with trash and debris,” said the Captain.
As the Bobolinks neared the extreme corner of the estate far removed from camp and house, they noticed a disagreeable odor.
“Ha, ha! You smell our pigs!” laughed the Captain.
“Pigs! Whose pigs?” chorused the Bobolinks.