The Camp Fire Girls in the Maine Woods | Page 2

on the end of the springboard her ears caught
the sound of a swinging boating song, borne on the breeze across the
water:
"Across the silver'd lake The moonlit ripples break, Their path a magic
highway seems: We'll send our good canoe Along that highway, too,
And follow where the moonlight gleams."
Around the cliff which jutted out just beyond the camp there appeared
two canoes, containing four more of the Winnebagos, making all speed
ahead, the girls singing in time to the dipping of their paddles. Sahwah
curved her hands around her mouth and set forth a long, yodling hail,
which was answered in kind by the paddlers. Then the four girls in the
boats, speaking all together as with one voice, called to Sahwah,
"J-U-D-G-E T-H-E F-I-N-I-S-H! W-E-'-R-E R-A-C-I-N-G!"
Sahwah waved her arm as a signal that she understood, and then stood
motionless, her eyes fixed on the shadow of the springboard on the
water, watching to see which canoe would cross it first. In a few
moments the slender green craft bearing Nyoda and Medmangi shot
into view beneath her, the two paddlers shouting triumphantly.
Scarcely a canoe-length behind came the other pair. Choosing the
instant when the second canoe was directly beneath her, Sahwah
jumped from the springboard and landed neatly in the bow, upsetting
the craft and dumping the girls into the lake. The other girls in the first
canoe, just ahead, turned to see what was happening, and in their
laughter over the upset forgot to hold their own boat steady, and
presently there was a second spill. Sahwah came up choking with
laughter, and was immediately ducked under again by Nakwisi and
Chapa, the two she had dropped in upon. The water flew in all
directions, and Migwan fled over the rocks to avoid being drenched.
Medmangi and Nyoda also came up thirsting for vengeance, but

Sahwah escaped by swimming under water around the dock and
clambering out on the rocks. She made an impish grimace at Migwan,
who was standing on the rock where she came up. Migwan leaned over
and put a streak of soap on her face, Sahwah promptly caught Migwan
by the feet and pulled her off the rock into the water. Struggling, they
both went under and came up choking and giggling. Hinpoha, from her
airy perch in the tree, cheered the combatants on. "Good work, Migwan,
hang on to the rock! That's the stuff, Sahwah, pull her off!"
Meanwhile, the four racers, at Nyoda's suggestion, had towed their
canoes out some distance from the dock and were trying to right them
and climb in. This was easier said than done, for as fast as they
splashed the water out on one side it ran in at the other. Nyoda and
Medmangi were trying to get all the water out of theirs before getting
in themselves, while Nakwisi and Chapa had theirs half empty and had
managed to get in and were splashing the water out from both sides at
once. Sahwah and Migwan stopped ducking each other to watch the
righting process. Nakwisi and Chapa had just triumphantly paddled up
to the canoe dock, and Nyoda and Medmangi were just about ready to
start, when Hinpoha shouted that the Bluebird was coming. The girls
looked up to find the little steamer hardly a hundred yards from the
dock. "Sahwah," cried Nyoda, hastily coming up on the dock, "where is
the sheet you were going to wave from the tower when the Bluebird
came in sight?"
"It's up on top," said Sahwah, running for the ladder. An instant later
she was frantically waving the sheet from the top of the tower. There
was no time for the girls to get dry clothes on before the boat stopped
beside the dock. They lined up all dripping, except Hinpoha, to greet,
the newcomer, and looked on expectantly when a young girl of about
sixteen stepped ashore. Nyoda advanced and held out her hand.
"Welcome to Camp Winnebago," she said cordially. "Girls, this is
Gladys Evans, our new member, whose father has made it possible for
us to camp here this summer. Winnebago Maidens, stand forth and tell
your names! You begin, 'Poha."
"I am Hinpoha," said the girl addressed, an extremely fat girl with an

amazing quantity of bright red hair that curled below her waist, "it
means 'Curly Haired."'
"I am Sahwah the Sunfish," said a slim brown-haired maiden with
dancing eyes. "I chose the Sun part because I like sunshine and the Fish
part because I like to swim. I am very virtuous and a pattern of
propriety." The girls shouted with laughter.
"My name is Migwan," said the next girl. "It means 'Quill Pen,' and
stands for my ambition to write stories and things." She was a
thoughtful-looking girl