Part 25 (2/2)
Morrow says we should regard trouble like clouds that we can't blow away unless we fill the atmosphere with suns.h.i.+ne.” Nathalie came to a sudden stop, afraid she had gone beyond her depth. But in a moment she added, ”Oh, if you would just think of it as an accident! Try to make Nita happy, and then you will be happy, and forget all about it!”
Mrs. Van Vorst's eyes grew moist as she cried impulsively, ”Oh, you are a dear girl to talk to me this way. I shall always remember it, always.
Yes, you are right, I have been miserable and have been making my poor child so. Oh, I have been wrong!”
Before Nathalie could answer, Nita's voice was heard shrilly crying, ”Mother, I want Nathalie!”
”I am coming,” cried the girl, hurrying into the room and up to the couch. ”Did you have a nice little nap?” she asked cheerily, as she patted the girl's hand that lay inertly on the coverlid.
”Oh, I just dropped off, I always get so tired when I cry.”
”But why do you cry then?” questioned practical Nathalie.
”Why-oh, I cried because Mamma took you away from me, and now you will be going soon, and I won't have had time to talk to you at all.”
”Oh, yes you will,” replied her companion, glancing at the clock. ”It is only eleven, I sha'n't go for another hour, so start right in and talk.”
”But I don't want to talk,” came the contrary answer. ”I want to hear you talk. Please tell me about the Girl Pioneers. Did you go on the wild-flower hike?”
”Oh, yes!” was the answer; and then Nathalie's tongue flew as she told about the hike, the different things they did, how she had learned to blaze a trail, what a delightful companion Dr. Homer had proved, how she lighted the fire with only one match, about the Tike's escapade, and the flower legends.
”Oh, but the fire, I must tell you about the fire and the bucket brigade!” she cried, and then followed that exciting story with all its climaxes, and what fun it had proved, although, as the girl confessed, she had been tempted to run away several times.
”I just wish I could have seen it all!” exclaimed Nita regretfully, as Nathalie paused for a rest. ”I should have liked to go on that flower hike, and the flower legends, can't you tell them to me? I just love flowers!”
”Why yes, perhaps I can,” nodded the Story Lady. And then in a moment she was animatedly telling about the Forget-me-not lover, the Dandelion legend, and then last of all about the spring G.o.ddess who brought the arbutus.
”What are you going to do next?” inquired her listener as Nathalie's flower stories ended.
”We are all busy now getting up entertainments; that is, we are thinking up ideas for the Pioneer Stunts. You know, we are anxious to make money for our Camp Fund, and-”
”Camp Fund! what is that?” inquired the girl interestedly.
”Why, the Pioneers, that is the Bluebirds, the Bob Whites, and the Orioles, are going camping this summer, probably in August, or as soon as we can raise the money. There are sixteen Pioneers going. Oh, I am sure we shall have a dandy time! We are to sleep in tents, but there will be a house or something for the dining room and kitchen, that is, if we can get them.”
”Where are you going to get the tents to sleep in?”
”Helen and I are to make our own tent, Fred Tyson is going to help us.
It will take an awfully long time, we are to begin next week. The other tents, well, some of the girls have their own and then we shall borrow one or two. Of course, you know, each girl will have to pay her expenses to camp and back, but all the other expenses are expected to come out of the Fund, so you see we shall have a lot of work to do. We are to charge admission to the Pioneer Stunts.” And then Nathalie told of the novel way they were to get ideas, and how each girl was to keep her idea a secret until after the vote had been taken as to the best Stunt the night of the performance.
”Have you got your idea yet?” inquired Nita eagerly. ”Oh, I just bet your idea will be the best one of all!”
”Oh, no,” answered Nathalie modestly, ”far from it! I am awfully worried for fear it will be a terrible failure.” And then she told how she had lost her idea and was writing up another one.
”Well, after you have the Stunts, what are you going to have?” demanded Nita eagerly.
”We want to have a flag drill, that is, if we can get the ground for it, as we want to have it in the open. Oh, it will be the loveliest thing!
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