“It was dear in you, Blanche.” Ruth’s cheeks were rosy as she proffered both hands to the smiling Wood Gatherer. “You shouldn’t have said it, though. All I can do is to return the compliment.”
“A mutual admiration society,” beamed Frances. “I must join it.” Her eyes lighting on Jane, she said effusively: “Mere words cannot express my deep and respectful admiration for you, Plain Jane!”
“I certainly am surprised,” remarked Jane unappreciatively. “I hope you’ll remember that the next time you try to drag me into an argument.”
“You mean, the next time you try to drag me into one,” corrected Frances.
“I don’t mean that at all. I—”
“They’ve begun,” groaned Anne. “The only way to stop them is to sing them down. I propose we give the Song to our Guest, for Blue Wolf’s benefit. Go and drag him into the circle, Ruth. He can’t resist you.”
Three minutes later, the group had formed again around the Camp Fire, Blue Wolf seated in the circle between Miss Drexal and Ruth. His stoical countenance seemed actually to soften as he listened to the fresh young voices of the singers. Persuaded by Ruth, he finally consented to reply to the song with one of his weird chants. Following it, at his earnest request, the girls sang several other Camp Fire songs for him, ending with the inevitable, “Now our Camp Fire’s burning low.”
The last rite, that of extinguishing the fire, having been performed, the party strolled back in the moonlight to Wohelo Wigwam. The first light of the morrow would find them up and preparing to leave the shores of the beautiful little lake, where they had spent many happy and a few unhappy hours.
“I hate to say good-bye to Vermilion Lake,” sighed Betty, as by common consent the little band of Camp Fire enthusiasts tarried before the tents for a last brief session in the moonlight. “I wonder if we’ll ever see it again after to-morrow.”
“I hope so,” smiled Miss Drexal. “As long as I continue to spend my summers at Driftwood Heights, you are all welcome to share it with me. It’s not such a far cry from there to here, you know. Besides, you mustn’t forget Blue Wolf. He confided to me to-night that you were ‘heap nice girls,’ and looks forward to being guide for us again sometime.”