Part 25 (1/2)

RAINBOW'S END

It was a gala day in Flosston. True Tred Troop and Venture Troop Girl Scouts seemed to comprise a veritable army, as the girls in their brown uniforms congregated and scattered, then scattered and congregated, in that way girls have of imitating the ”inimitable”

bee.

Long before the hour set for a.s.sembly on the green, knots and groups gathered there, and when finally Captain Clark and Captain Cosgrove appeared (we prefer to call each her separate captain), both True Treds and Venture troops were ready and eager to start for River Bend Woods.

Grace, Cleo, Madaline and Margaret had managed to ”fall in” in one line, so that the march out was unspoiled by difficulties in conversation, which would have followed any other formation.

”If only--if only--” faltered Grace; then she laughed rather sheepishly.

”But we may see him,” surmised Cleo.

”Any man or beast in that woods will come out of his lair when we get there!” predicted Margaret.

”Oh, what a lovely showing! Just look back!” exclaimed Madaline, ”and how finely the boy scouts drum and fife. Will they eat all our picnic stuff, do you suppose?”

”Surely Hal Crane is ent.i.tled to some,” replied Grace, ”and there's Benny. He helped me before we got Hal. I shall have to share with him, of course.”

”We're starting!” cautioned Cleo. ”Look out for your feet. Don't let our line get out of step!”

”The boys aren't going all the way out,” said Grace presently. ”I just heard a girl say they are only going to escort us to the city line.”

”Then we won't have to feed them,” Madaline remarked, her words being discounted by the joking tone of her voice.

It was an imposing spectacle, and all Flosston seemed to appreciate the occasion, for windows were jammed with faces, doors were blocked with figures, and even low roofs were spotted with waving, shouting energetic youths. Not since a wartime parade had there been so much excitement, and only a word from the superintendent to the engineer of Fluffdown mills prevented the latter from blowing the big whistle.

”It might make it look too much like a labor parade,” the superintendant decided.

Crossing the line from the borough into the county, the escort of boy scouts switched off to Oakleigh, where they were to take up their own special activities, the princ.i.p.al feature of the afternoon being a ball game with the Marvels.

From this point it was but a short distance to hike to River Bend Woods, and nearing the noted territory the four scout girls experienced a sort of thrill. Grace felt something must happen to clear the mystery of her cave correspondent, and the other girls sincerely hoped something would happen.

Just before entering the pine grove the two captains, Clark and Cosgrove, halted their troops and issued instructions.

No girl was to leave the ranks, no girl was to make any advance, and no girl was to disobey the slightest order until the call for break ranks would be sounded.

These orders were given with precision which indicated some very particular program, and served to ”thrill” the quartette with new expectations.

”Some one else is having a picnic!” whispered Grace. ”I see a lot of bright things through the trees!”

”Hus.h.!.+” cautioned Margaret, for the patrol leaders were inspecting each line.

”Now, girls!” called Captain Clark. ”When I blow the whistle you are to follow your leaders, and rush forward. No one is to push, or crowd, but to advance in a solid line, battle formation. Then when I blow three whistles, halt instantly!”

The ground was quite clear at this entrance to the woods, and at the command a grand rush forward was so cleverly executed it seemed the line scarcely lost step making the dash.

Then the whistle sounded three times and behold!

”Oh! oh! oh!”