A Campfire Girls Test of Friendship | Page 4

No
telling what sort of places we'll find on our tramp."
"I bet it will be good fun, no matter what they're like," said Margery
Burton, one of the other members of the Camp Fire. She was a
Fire-Maker, the second rank of the Camp Fire. First are the
Wood-Gatherers, to which Bessie and Dolly belonged; then the
Fire-Makers, and finally, and next to the Guardian, whom they serve as
assistants, the Torch-Bearers. Margery hoped soon to be made a
Torch-Bearer, and had an ambition to become a Guardian herself as
soon as Miss Eleanor and the local council of the National Camp Fire
decided that she was qualified for the work.
"Oh, you'd like any old thing just because you had to stand for it,
Margery, whether it was any good or not," said Dolly.
"Well, isn't that a good idea? Why, I even manage to get along with
you, Dolly! Sometimes I like you quite well. And anyone who could
stand for you!"
Dolly laughed as loudly as the rest. She had been pretty thoroughly
spoiled, but her association with the other girls in the Camp Fire had
taught her to take a joke when at was aimed at her, unlike most people
who are fond of making jokes at the expense of others, and of teasing
them. She recognized that she had fairly invited Margery's sharp reply.
"We'll have to hurry and get ready when breakfast is over," said
Eleanor as they were finishing the meal. "You girls whose turn it is to
wash up had better get through as quickly as you can. Then we'll all get
the packs ready. We have to take the boat that leaves at half past nine
for the other end of Lake Dean."

"Why, there's someone coming! It's those girls from the other camp!"
announced Dolly, suddenly. She had left the table, and was looking out
of the window.
And, sure enough, when the Camp Fire Girls went out on the porch in a
minute, they saw advancing the private school girls, whose
snobbishness had nearly ruined their stay at Camp Sunset. Marcia
Bates, who had been rescued with her friend, Gladys Cooper, acted as
spokesman for them.
"We've come to tell you that we've all decided we were nasty and acted
like horrid snobs," she said. "We have found out that you're nice
girls--nicer than we are. And we're very grateful--of course I am,
especially--for you helping us. And so we want you to accept these
little presents we've brought for you."
CHAPTER II
TROUBLE SMOOTHED AWAY
Probably none of the Camp Fire Girls had ever been so surprised in
their lives as when they heard the object of this utterly unexpected visit.
Marcia's eyes were rather blurred while she was speaking, and anyone
could see that it was a hard task she had assumed.
It is never easy to confess that one has been in the wrong, and it was
particularly hard for these girls, whose whole campaign against the
Camp Fire party had been based on pride and a false sense of their own
superiority, which, of course, had existed only in their imaginations.
For a moment no one seemed to know what to do or say. Strangely
enough, it was Dolly, who had resented the previous attitude of the rich
girls more than any of her companions, who found by instinct the true
solution.
She didn't say a word; she simply ran forward impulsively and threw
her arms about Marcia's neck. Then, and not till then, as she kissed the
friend with whom she had quarreled, did she find words.

"You're an old dear, Marcia!" she cried. "I knew you wouldn't keep on
hating us when you knew us better--and you'll forgive me, won't you,
for playing that horrid trick with the mice?"
Dolly had broken the ice, and in a moment the stiffness of the two
groups of girls was gone, and they mingled, talking and laughing
naturally.
"I don't know what the presents you brought are--you haven't shown
them to us yet," said Dolly, with a laugh. "But I'm sure they must be
lovely, and as for accepting them, why, you just bet we will!"
"You know," said Marcia a little apologetically, "there aren't any real
stores up here, and we couldn't get what we would really have liked,
but we just did the best we could. Girls, get those things out!"
And then a dozen blankets were unrolled, beautifully woven Indian
blankets, such as girls love to use for their dens, as couch covers and
for hangings on the walls. Dolly exclaimed with delight as she saw
hers.
"Heavens! And you act as if they weren't perfectly lovely!" she cried.
"Why, Marcia, how can you talk as if they weren't the prettiest things!
If that's