A stream emptied into Cottonwood Creek, whose water was too muddy for the campers to use, but would serve for their horses. The creek was only a short distance away. Then the pine trees would be a shelter from the midday heat.
By nightfall the Sunrise Camp Fire tents were pitched. The men did the heavier part of the work, but the girls used their camp fire knowledge as never before in their simpler camping experiences.
Besides, they were inspired by the wonderful air and the romantic beauty of the country about them.
It turned out that Peggy Webster and Vera Lageloff were natural leaders in outdoor work. Peggy, because she had a great deal of common sense and no hesitation in telling the others what to do. Vera, however, worked with such quiet intensity that inevitably one sought to keep up with her.
Although, laboring with her hands as she had not in many years, Mrs. Burton observed that all the girls were doing their share of the work, except Sally Ashton. Sally appeared to be one of the charming, lazy people who take life easily. And there was no time to reproach anyone today.
There were two large sleeping tents for the Camp Fire girls and a smaller one for their guardian, who preferred being alone at night, except for the presence of the devoted Marie. Then there was the kitchen, or general utility tent, in case rain should make cooking or domestic work outdoors impossible.
However, the array of tents seemed unnecessary, for rain seldom falls in the early summer in northern Arizona. And that first night everybody slept out of doors, except Marie.
They brought out their blankets and there, on the top of the mesa, lay down under the stars. The night was too clear to fall asleep at once.
Terry Benton and the man and boy, who had assisted in bringing the outfit and provisions to camp, found a place in the cottonwood grove below the mesa, within call but out of sight of the Camp Fire party.
To have learned to know and understand this group of girls it would have been interesting to have been able to read what was going on in their minds on this first wonderful Arizona night out of doors. But who of us is not thankful that our thoughts at least are our own?