ven a bumble-bee.
The birds are back. They came directly I'd gone a dozen yards away."

"That shows the young ones are hatched. I hope Susan won't direct her
energies into any other natural-history experiments."

"We shall be sorry we brought her to the Camp-fire if she does. She
means well, but the worst of her is that you never can calculate in the
least what she may do next. She's a problem."

* * * * *

During the summer term the Camp-fire Guild had many informal meetings by
the stream. The girls were often allowed to take tea there, a permission
which they highly appreciated. Mrs. Arnold had lent them a small
camp-oven, in which they could bake cakes, and many culinary efforts
resulted from the acquisition. On Saturday afternoon Gertrude Oliver and
Addie Knighton were on the cooking-list as special scouts, and, having
mixed some currant-buns, placed them carefully in the oven. They were in
charge of the camp-fire and responsible for the preparation of the tea,
to which that day all the mistresses were to be specially invited. The
rest of the school were in the playing-field practising flag-signalling
under the joint superintendence of Mrs. Arnold and Miss Teddington.

"It's a nuisance we can't leave the cakes," sighed Addie. "I did so want
to see them send that message about the aeroplane."

"They're baking all right," said Gertrude. "We can't make them any
quicker by looking at them. Couldn't we just run to the top of the
gravel-pit and watch for a few minutes? There's Susannah Maude; she'd
keep an eye on them. Hello! Susan!"

The orphan, in virtue of being a hanger-on of the Camp-fire, was
wandering about by the stream in the wake of the proceedings. She came
running up eagerly at Gertrude's call.

"I'll mind 'em for you, Miss. I've watched Cook dozens of times. I'll
look after the kettle too. You leave it to me."

"I hope it won't be a case of King Alfred and the cakes."

Susan grinned comprehension.

"Standard V Historical Reader. Not me!" she chuckled. "I always thought
the woman was a silly to trust a man to turn the cakes."

"Well, mind you show up better. You might as well put the milk-can in
the stream to keep cool. We don't want it curdled, and I'm certain
there's thunder about."

Addie and Gertie were sure they were not absent long. They just stood
and watched a few messages being sent, then ran back promptly to their
duties.

Susannah Maude was in the very