Campward Ho! Part 24

Lamb kidneys Bacon Bread and b.u.t.ter Apple cake Cocoa

Sardines and tomato sauce (Campbell's tomato soup) Toast Boiled rice and syrup

Onion and potato chowder Uneeda biscuits Toast, cheese and jam

Shrivelled beef Fried potatoes Biscuit and cocoa

_Note._--Hikers should drink very little water while hiking. This rule should be adhered to absolutely.

XIII

A DAY IN CAMP

The day is clear, the sun casts long shadows as it rises back of the woods, all is still, when suddenly a long whistle blast is heard followed by the bugle call, "You can't get 'um up, you can't get 'um up, you can't get 'um up in the morning," and an immediate babble of voices.

Out of every tent comes tumbling weird looking figures in bathrobes, pajamas, sweaters and bloomers, tousled heads and half-clad feet. A line-up on the drill field, and setting-up exercises begin under the direction of the game counsellor or physical director. Ten minutes of work and then a mad rush for tents, wash basins, and the wash house, laughter and joking, dressing and hair brus.h.i.+ng, and four whistles sound. Housekeepers, housekeepers, housekeepers, come! There they go carrying in the lanterns that have hung on the the lamp posts--trees in this case--all night.

Are your tables ready? Get the bread, the b.u.t.ter, the milk, and so on and so forth. The Director appears, a sign that it is time for morning colors. The Color Guard, five girls from one tent, all in Scout uniform, "fall in," the bugler joins them, a.s.sembly sounds and everyone but the housekeepers line up on the field. "Right dress, Front," and the Color Guard, bearing the flag marches to the flag pole as the Colors are hoisted and the bugler plays "To Colors." All pledge allegiance to the flag, sing the Star Spangled Banner. The Guard leaves the field and with a "Right Face, Forward March," all file in to breakfast.

There are always announcements to be made, some questions to be asked, and after the meal is over, or just before cla.s.ses, is a good time to do this.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "SPECIAL DELIVERY." CAMP POST OFFICE.]

Inspection follows--all too soon for some. Tents must be in order, grounds around them clean, trash boxes emptied, and each girl in her tent, the chosen leader of the group, called the Patrol Leader, Court of Honor, or Orderly, at the door. The Director hears a murmur, "Here she comes, here she comes"; then all is still. A salute, a thorough look at grounds around, trash box, basins, cots, a look into a blanket or two for fear that hurry has caused some mistakes, and sometimes a look into dress suitcases, for cleanliness, and order must begin on the inside, a word of commendation, a suggestion for improvement and possibly a reprimand, follow.

The bugler announces the time for cla.s.ses, each group whether far or near changing from one cla.s.s to another, until the noon hour brings a free period to all.

The signalling cla.s.s is under the trees back of the mess hall, the First Aid group in a shady spot on the edge of the woods, the basketry cla.s.s near their base of supplies but sitting on the gra.s.s in the shade, the nature lovers in the woods to find new birds and ferns and flowers--and so it goes.

During the working hours, the housekeepers have been busy performing all kinds of necessary camp work. Some Scouts enjoy all of it, others none of it, but rarely does anyone fail to do her part. Dinner is served, the Scouts marching in to the mess hall, as they do for all meals, and being excused when all have finished. Much talking and laughter, but orderliness and courtesy, with an occasional sigh when something does not please, or a prolonged "ah" when it does, make the time and all there is to eat disappear in what seems a short time.

Dinner is followed by rest hour, always difficult for some temperaments, but a real necessity in camp. Sometimes it is necessary to discipline in order to have quiet, or have counsellors on duty near the tents to insure rest. Whatever can be done to make the Scouts realize the importance of obeying this rule, should be done.

Nothing is more looked forward to than the distribution of the mail unless it is the Canteen. A whistle call and all tent representatives fairly fly to the post office window, and eagerly listen for the names of their tent mates. Which group has the most mail--are there any packages?

Letter reading, letter writing, reading, mending, laundry work, fill the time until the afternoon cla.s.ses begin.

At five-thirty when the call for supper is sounded the Color Guard "fall in" and while all Scouts stand in Company formation at attention the Colors are slowly lowered. The Color Guard is changed every day, each Guard representing a different tent.

After supper, canteen is opened. Perhaps a table out of doors is used as a counter, or one in the mess hall if it does not interfere with housework. Three or four Scouts a.s.sist the counsellor who has charge of the canteen and all the goodies on sale for that day are arranged in tempting fas.h.i.+on before the very eyes of the waiting group.

There are so many things to do after supper that each Scout is given the privilege of making her own choice, and can join a group for a row, or a walk, a game of ball or a sing, but all must be back in time for the camp fire, and goodnight songs, First Call, Taps, and evening inspection, and last to make sure that all Scouts are safe and happy and all tents in proper condition, flaps back and sides up when possible.

This closes one day. Others like it may follow, but as a rule no two days are alike. Hikes, visitors, storms, comings and goings, all vary the schedule tremendously, but all are needed to teach us how to camp.

_Life is sweet, brother, ... There's day and night, brother, both sweet things; sun, moon, and stars, all sweet things; there's likewise a wind on the heath._ --_Lavengro_

SOME BOOKS ON CAMPS AND CAMPING

ATHLETIC GAMES FOR WOMEN, Dudley and Keller.

BACKWOODS SURGERY AND MEDICINE, Chas. S. Moody, Outing Publis.h.i.+ng Co.

CAMPING AND OUTING ACTIVITIES, Cheley-Baker; Games, songs, pageants, plays, water sports, etc., $1.50.

CAMP COOKERY, M. Parloa.

CAMPCRAFT, Warren H. Miller.

CAMPING AND WOODCRAFT, Vols. I and II, Horace Kephart, Macmillan Co.

CAMP KITS AND CAMP LIFE, Charles Stedman Hanks.

CAMPING OUT, Warren H. Miller, Geo. Doran Co.

CARAVANING AND CAMPING-OUT, J. Harris Stone, Herbert Jenkins, Ltd., 12 Arundel Place, London.

FESTIVALS AND PLAYS, Percival Chubb.

FOLK SONGS, CHANTEY SONGS AND SINGING GAMES, Farnsworth and Sharp.

FOUL PLAY, Charles Reade.

GAMES AND DANCES, William A. Stecher.

GAMES FOR THE PLAYGROUND, HOME, SCHOOL AND GYMNASIUM, Jessie Bancroft

HARPER'S CAMPING AND SCOUTING, Joseph Adams, Harper Bros.

MANUAL FOR ARMY COOKS, Military Pub. Co., 42 Broadway, New York City.

ON THE TRAIL, L. Beard, Scribner.

PRACTICAL HINTS ON CAMPING, Howard Henderson.

SHELTERS, SHACKS AND SHANTIES, D. C. Beard.

SUMMER IN A GIRLS' CAMP, Anna Worthington Coale, Century.

SWIMMING AND WATERMANs.h.i.+P, L. DeB. Handley, Macmillan Co.