“Why must I play kitchen-mechanic while all the other girls are having a good time in the woods?” complained Eleanor.
At the words and tone, the Guide looked up amazed.
“Good gracious, I thought you would prefer to do this to stooping and collecting old wood,” said she, vexed at the girl.
“You take particular pains to make me do the unpleasant things, I notice. Now, when I was trying to prepare Zan and Jane for the worst, you called me to get me away from them. Don’t I know?” sneered Eleanor, loftily.
“Woodcrafters never prepare for the worst! It is our rule to always wait for the best and let the worst take care of itself!” declared Miss Miller, wondering what under the sun she was to do with this undesirable character.
“Oh! you are so preachy! One never takes a turn but you have a lecture ready—generally on this Woodcraft!” cried Eleanor impatiently. “The other girls flatter you by calling it ‘poesy’ and artistic temperament, but I call ‘a spade a spade’!”
“Do you?” queried Miss Miller, suddenly making up her mind what to do. “Then you won’t object if I ‘take the bull by the horns’—another old saying!”
“You may take anything by his horns if you choose, it won’t concern me in the least!” said Eleanor, disdainfully, as well as significantly.
“Then sit down right where you are!” ordered Miss Miller with a determined manner that made Eleanor glance at her in wonderment.
“Sit down, I said!”