FAIRLY LEAPING THROUGH THE WATER, THE LAUNCH CAME ON THE SCENE.
The Camp Fire Girls on Ellen’s Isle. Page 80.
The Camp Fire Girls
On Ellen’s Isle
OR
The Trail of the Seven Cedars
By HILDEGARD G. FREY
AUTHOR OF
“The Camp Fire Girls in the Maine Woods”
“The Camp Fire Girls at Onoway House”
“The Camp Fire Girls Go Motoring”
“The Camp Fire Girls At School”
“The Camp Fire Girls’ Larks and Pranks”
A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers New York
Copyright, 1917
By A. L. Burt Company
THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS ON ELLEN’S ISLE
3THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS ON ELLEN’S ISLE
CHAPTER I
AS USUAL
It was the hottest day of the hottest week of the hottest June ever recordedin the weather man’s book of statistics. The parched earth had split openeverywhere in gaping cracks that intersected and made patterns in the gardenlike a crazy quilt. The gray-coated leaves hung motionless from the shrivelingtwigs, limp and discouraged. Horses lifted their seared feet wearily from thesizzling, yielding asphalt; dogs panted by with their tongues hanging out;pedestrians closed their eyes to shut out the merciless glare from thesidewalks. The streets were almost deserted, like those of a southern cityduring the noon hours, while a wilted population sought the shelter of house orcellar and prayed for rain.
4On the vine-screenedveranda of the Bradford home three of the Winnebagos–Hinpoha, Sahwah andMigwan–reclined on wicker couches sipping ice cold lemonade and wearilywaving palm-leaf fans. The usually busy tongues were still for once; it was toohot to talk. Brimming over with life and energy as they generally were, itseemed on this drowsy and oppressive afternoon that they would never be able tomove again. Mr. Bob, Hinpoha’s black cocker, shared in the prevailinglaziness; he lay sprawled on his back with all four feet up in the air,breathing in panting gasps that shook his whole body. A bumble bee, blunderingup on the porch, broke the spell. It lit on Mr. Bob’s face, whereupon Mr.Bob sprang into the air, quivering with excitement, and knocked Hinpoha’sglass out of her hand. Hinpoha picked up the pieces with one hand and patted Mr.Bob with the other.
“Poor old Bobbles,” she said soothingly, “what a shame tomake him move so fast! Lucky I had finished the lemonade; there isn’t anymore in the pitcher and we used the last lemons in the house.”
Sahwah, roused from her reverie, sat up and began fanning herself withgreater energy. “Of all summers to have to stay in town!” she saiddisconsolately. “I don’t remember having such hot weather,ever.”
“Neither does anyone else,” said Migwan with a yawn. “Sowhat’s the use wasting energy trying to 5 remember anything worse? Didn’t the paper say‘the present hot spell has broken all known records for June?’”
“It broke our thermo