Part 40 (1/2)

After preliminaries were disposed of, Mrs. Remington addressed the Tribe.

”Now that you girls have your two Bands in good standing and have a Charter from the League authorising you to be established as Wako Tribe, your next step should be to organise a Little Lodge.

”It behooves a first-cla.s.s Tribe in good standing to start and supervise a Little Lodge as soon as is reasonable. These little ones can range in age from three to twelve, and are called 'Brownies.' They usually are the sisters and brothers or friends of the Big Lodge members. Thus the little children are early taught to be good citizens-as Woodcraft teaches everyone that.

”With the affectionate help from older girls, and the a.s.sociation with and experience from Big Lodges, these Brownies soon acquire an aptness for the things taught their elders. My own little ones, Billy, Edith, and Teddy, have acquired all they know to-day from watching us at home, or mimicking the Woodcraft things they see accomplished by my Tribe, or the Black Bears.

”I have been thinking that my three children, who are not yet twelve, can join your Little Lodge and be of great help to you in successfully founding a Brownie Band of your Tribe. I asked them what they thought of it, and they are delighted with the prospect.”

The Woodcraft girls heartily applauded this idea and Miss Miller thought it a splendid suggestion. She saw the great possibilities it would offer the girls to train themselves in patience, sacrifice, and many other qualities that make for good womanhood.

In an aside to Mrs. Remington she whispered: ”Nothing like the responsibility of children to bring out dormant strength of character in a girl!”

”Exactly! That is why this plan was adopted for Big Lodge Girls.”

”We have been discussing this novel plan and we all wish to ask some questions,” now announced the Chief.

”The meeting is open for questions,” said the Guide.

”Can my brother Paul join?” asked Hilda.

”Sure-we'll soon teach him to quit his peevish ways,” replied Zan, frank but thoughtless in her answer.

Hilda instantly closed her lips tight and looked highly insulted. ”The idea of Zan Baker speaking like that of our little Paul!” said she to Nita.

”'Little Paul' is almost as old as Billy Remington, but see the awful difference,” retorted Nita, for she disliked the selfish, whining boy as heartily as Zan did.

Hilda turned away but felt ill-treated by her friends. Then Jane Hubert said:

”Maybe my little cousin Dot Hubert will join! Goodness knows she needs this training almost as much as Paul does.”

Some of the girls giggled, for they had noticed Hilda's offended manner, but Miss Miller quickly added:

”With the three little Remingtons, that will make five. We are progressing splendidly, girls.”

”And I believe I can interest my sister in this Lodge so that Betty and Tammy Fullerton will be allowed to join the Band,” ventured Mrs.

Remington.

”How old are they?” eagerly asked the girls.

”Tammy is only a little past three years, and Betty is about seven. Our Teddy is four, Dot Hubert is eight, Edith is nine, Paul is almost eleven, and Billy past eleven, so you see you have a fine range of ages to experiment with.”

”Oh, I'm crazy to see them all together and try to have them to do some Woodcraft stunts!” cried Zan, clasping her hands in delight.

”Let's hope your enthusiasm keeps up!” grumbled Eleanor, who had not favoured the new departure very much.

The next week the Brownies all attended the weekly meeting and the ceremony of enrolling them as a Little Lodge took place. But as this is all told in detail in the story called ”Little Woodcrafters' Book,” in which the cares and troubles of the self-appointed Woodcraft mothers fill more than 350 pages and are ill.u.s.trated by numerous pictures, we will omit repeating it in this volume.

With the advent of the Brownies and the conversion of seven active little bundles of mischief into becoming normal, ambitious, _coup_-winning Woodcrafters, the time flew by as if on wings. Every spare moment found from regular studies and Woodcraft work was filled in by attending to a Brownie need.