Thereupon, the four girls ran to their tents and were noisily occupied for a time while Nita quietly took a package from under her cot and wrapped it also, using a narrow baby ribbon to tie it up.
Hilda was astonished, as she had no idea Nita had made a gift for the Guide, although she had spent many hours by herself during the past week. She had showed a desire to join in the gift-making when Zan and Jane told her of the decorated bead-loom and the butterfly tray they were making, but she gave no further sign of personal interest in their gifts. Hilda had not been able to see just what Nita made but she knew it was something that was made by hand. Believing that she wished it kept secret, Hilda whispered to Nita that she wouldn't tell!
The following morning the sun shone brightly down through the leaves of the trees, causing Wickee to blink his eyes before any of the Band were stirring. Being unduly awakened, Wickee decided it was high time for the others to be up, so he jumped upon the cots and pulled the sheets about until the girls shrieked at him to desist.
Miss Miller had, for some unknown cause, set her alarm clock and now it began ringing its warning to get up. Soon every one was out and wishing her many happy returns of the day. The breakfast was under way before any hint of unusual things occurred. Then, as the Guide hurried to the place where the cloth was spread she almost collided with Zan carrying a long mysterious parcel. Both laughed, but the Guide returned to the fire while Zan placed the gift on the grass where Miss Miller sat.
Jane and Elena added their gift, and Nita sidled over sheepishly and laid down a wrapped gift, much to the delight of the other girls. Then all ran over to assist in serving the breakfast.
Miss Miller was highly pleased and seemed greatly surprised at the unexpected gifts, but, upon opening them, she was most sincere in her exclamations of pleasure.
Not only had Jane and Elena won coups in finding and properly mounting beautiful butterflies and insects, but they had chosen the finest specimens and arranged them in a tray as they had planned. With the feathery grasses and a few leaves on the pure white cotton, they made a dainty gift when securely covered with glass and framed with cherry-wood having a brass handle on each end of the tray.
They finished the tray and found there was ample time to make a large picture of blue-prints of natural flowers and frame it. The delicate veining and tiny picoted edges of the leaves stood out in wonderful contrast on the dark-blue paper. This group had been framed in moulding sawed and joined and rubbed with oil by the two girls. Later, they confided to the others that they had scoured the tool-house for bits of moulding and Bill was well-nigh crazy showing them how to join the corners.
Zan and Hilda made a beautiful bead-loom—a work of art. The design burnt in on the top of the flat board was executed most artistically, and the uprights, wheels and winder, were accurately fitted to work smoothly.
Beside this, the two girls wove a braided mat similar to those in the farm-house, to the manufacture of which Mrs. Sherwood donated cut strips of rags.