The Woodcraft Girls at Camp

by Lillian Elizabeth Roy

So much time had been spent at the garden, that they had just time to prepare the dinner before one o'clock. The hour for dining had been twelve, but time flew so quickly at Wickeecheokee, that it seemed impossible to be ready at twelve.

During the meal, Zan told many clever things the horse had done and how trusty he was. She then gave an account of the way the boys and she had christened him Cheokee.

"He's been in our family ever since he was two years old. Daddy used him for one of his practice horses when he had to have two. Then, when he gave up going out at night, he kept Cheokee for his day use. We called him 'Bill' then. Daddy got an automobile a few years ago, and we came down for our first summer on the farm that year. Of course we wanted Billy with us. Then we found out that the farmer was called Bill so we thought he might not like it to have a horse called by the same name. And besides, we felt that a horse for a doctor and a horse in the country for fun ought to have names showing their occupations. Bill sounds all right for the city, but we wanted something fancy for him in the country. After a lot of thinking Fiji suggested Wick. That didn't fit. Then Bob said, Keeok. I didn't like that either. After starting on the name of the farm we kept on until Fiji said, Chokee. That made us all laugh and Muzzer said it was awful! It made her think of strangulation. So we modified it by calling him Cheokee, but the boys would use that name Chokee. We led Bill to the creek and invited the Sherwoods and some friends of Muzzer's who were visiting us, and Bob spoke a piece he had rendered at school that term, while Fiji placed a daisy wreath on the horse's head. I took a brass finger bowl and sprinkled the water on his head and we named him Cheokee. Then, we started a song but Cheokee saw Bill coming up the slope with a measure of oats and he scrambled out of the water and went for his dinner. By the time he got his nose out of the bucket and looked at us, the daisy wreath was hanging from one ear, and he had oats clinging to his nose and face. Oh, that was a funny sight!" and Zan leaned back and laughed at the memory.

The girls grinned in sympathy, and Miss Miller watched the girl who had been blessed with a father who had common sense enough to allow his girl to grow naturally, without any foolish notions, or without wasting any valuable time over her toilet.

Miss Miller thought to herself: "Zan is youngest by several months of any member of this Band, yet she has the physique and mentality of a perfectly healthy girl of fourteen. Then, too, she is so free from guile and full of intelligence, that she is an admirable associate for this or any other camp to have with it."

Miss Miller unconsciously turned her eyes on Nita, who formed such a contrast to Zan. Her very eyes expressed hidden thoughts that she dwelt upon, but would have been ashamed to admit. Her every action seemed to say, "I know I am pretty, and I shall make the most of it." Her indolence, her preference for sweet things to eat, the habit to excuse herself for any error, or misrepresent facts, all were making their lines in her face, and later would have seared her soul.

"If I can only prove equal to her!" thought Miss Miller. "I should love to replace that falsity with a genuine nature, but it must not be at the expense of my other charges!"

While the dishes were being washed, Jane said, "Could we use Cheokee for a ramble this afternoon?"

"It would be fun, Miss Miller, and he hadn't far to come this morning, you know," added Zan.

"Then say we take a short drive and let our bath go until later in the afternoon. We had planned to sew, but I will admit that no one dreamed of an addition to our camp that would open new channels of pleasure."