They surrounded Mrs. Bryan, and made her tell them all she knew about Camp Fires, which was a good deal.
“I like it!” announced Louise when Mrs. Bryan was done. “Me be heap big chiefess—wahoo-oo!”
She jumped up as she spoke and waved Helen’s best hat above her head for a hatchet.
“Oh, my hat!” cried Helen, making a wild dive for it. Puppums thought it was all a game for his special benefit, and dived after them—and the meeting broke up in disorder. But not before the girls had decided to be a Camp Fire, and made Mrs. Bryan promise to act as their Guardian.
Winnie, after the girls had gone, returned alone to the fire, and sat down by it, thinking over the things she had been hearing.
“It’s going to be heaps of fun,” was the first thing she thought, and then, “It’s going to take lots of time!”
Then she got up and shook herself. “Anyway, I love it!” she decided. Then she put the lights out and went to bed.
Helen Bryan was over early next morning.
“Oh, Winnie!” she called up to her friend’s window.
“Come on up!” called Winnie back. “I’ve just had my bath, but I haven’t finished dressing.”