"All right, then; Zan, you take Hilda with you and I'll help Miss Miller," replied Nita.
Miss Miller began picking out the driest leaves and twigs while the girls stood uncertain of how to act.
"Well, why don't you start?" cried Nita to Zan.
"Waitin' for you!" said Zan laconically.
"Why, Hilda's going with you—I'm going to stay!"
"I must be rattled then, for I sure heard Miss Miller say that you and I were to go to the house," returned Zan, sitting down on a stone.
"But I am too tired and so Hilda's going with you." And Nita began to grow irritable.
"Miss Miller is Guide and I was elected Big Chief by all of you. Nita, you're Little Chief and in my absence you have to take my place. Now, I'm goin' down to Bill's and see if I can find any more strawberries for supper, and so I shall have to let you take my place going to the house. You can select any one of the other girls you want to go with you," said Zan, with finality.
Miss Miller had to bend low over the wood pile to keep her face from being seen. In fact, she had to hold her hand so close over her mouth that her face was crimson. Zan, without a backward look, started off at a brisk trot down the slope toward Sherwood's cottage.
"Hold on, Zan, we're coming with you!" shouted Jane and Elena.