“Well, they’re not Westport Scouts, that’s one sure thing,” voiced one of the girls who had been dreaming.
“What difference does that make,” cried Lillie, “as long as they are scouts? But don’t you think we girls ought to make some return, hadn’t we better sing our Pioneer—” But before the girls could answer they heard the scout salute again. As they clapped an encore, the Sport blowing the bugle to add to the demonstration of praise, their neighbors broke into song.
“Oh, it is a song to us, a serenade!” ejaculated one of the girls; and then as each one grew silent they heard:
“Welcome! Welcome! sisters dear,
As we round our fire’s cheer
We wish you luck in camp so fine
Sweet with birch and wooded pine.
Pleasure and joy attend each day,
As by the Lake you make your stay!”
“Oh, isn’t that just dandy?” “If we could only tell who they were!” But these exclamations came to an end as Nathalie cried, “Girls, let’s shout our new call, don’t you know the one we made up so as to salute the scouts? Now, ready!” and with a “One! two! three!” the girls’ voices rang out over the water as they chorused:
“Ragglety! Pagglety! Rah! Rah! Rah!
You’re welcome scouts with a Ha! Ha! Ha!
Comrades and friends, we’ll make the woods hum
When you to Camp Laff-a-Lot come.
For your wishes we’ll give you three cheers,
Hurrah for Scouts and Girl Pioneers!”
“Why, Nathalie, you changed the words!” cried one or two slow ones as they perceived that the girl had substituted certain words that were more appropriate to the occasion than the ones they had learned.
Nathalie only laughed, and waved her hand for silence as the little company of merry, fun-loving girls listened to the noise their neighbors were making. Certainly it was a medley of sounds, for it appeared as if horns, tin pans, and just about everything capable of making a racket had been called into service in their appreciation of the fair ones’ ready reply to their song.
Mrs. Morrow appeared at this moment with the announcement that it was nine o’clock, and according to camp rules all Pioneers were to be in bed by that hour, so the girls sounded a parting cheer and then hurried to their tents. The few who loitered, as if reluctant to leave their friends across the lake, heard an old-time good-night song with one or two variations in words that added to its charms ring out clearly:
“Good-night, campers,
Good-night campers,
Good-night campers,
We’re going to leave you now!
Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along;
Merrily we roll along, o’er the dark blue sea.”