“I hope you may earn many more honors, my dear.  I am sure that you will,” said Mrs. Livingston, kindly, as Harriet tried to voice her appreciation.

This ended the session of the Council Fire for that night.  It was now past nine o’clock, so the girls strolled toward their tents in twos and threes, discussing the evening’s inquiry in low tones as they walked.

Harriet Burrell felt particularly sad.  She did not like to think of those six unhappy girls who had just been sentenced by the Chief Guardian.  Her sympathy too, went out to the others who had taken part in the hazing and would not confess their guilt.  It required no little force of character for these girls to come forward and admit that they had instigated the plot, knowing full well that dismissal from Camp Wau-Wau would have been the penalty.  Still, Harriet knew that under similar circumstances, that would be what she should do.

Patricia and Cora already had reached the tent by the time Harriet entered.  She nodded to them smilingly.  The faces of the two girls wore haggard expressions which she was quick to catch.

Harriet had just pulled out her cot to tuck the blankets down when something dropped to the floor.  She suddenly recalled that when she had come in after the hazing on the previous night, she had dropped the towel that had been bound about her head, over behind her cot, intending to look at it next morning.  She had forgotten all about it.  She now picked up the towel, ran the edges through her hands, then bringing one end of it closer to her eyes, she examined it keenly.  The two other girls failed to notice what she was doing.

Harriet tucked the towel under her blankets, turning to listen to what Tommy was saying.  This is what she heard from Tommy who was sitting on the edge of her cot, removing her shoes.

“You girlths mutht be good thleeperth,” remarked the little girl, reflectively.

Patricia turned on her sneeringly.

“Speak when you are spoken to,” she snapped.

“Yeth, I alwayth do.  I thaid you mutht be good thleepers.”

“Why!” interjected Cora.

“Becauthe you didn’t wake up latht night when I wath being carried out into the woodth,” said Tommy, surveying Patricia and Cora with half closed eyes.  “It ith a wonder you woke up when they rang the bell.  I can thleep too, but you are champion thleeperth, ath my father would thay.”

“Did I ask you for your opinion!” demanded Patricia, her eyes snapping, a flush appearing high up on either cheek.

“No, but I jutht thought I would tell you becauthe you might not know it unleth thome one told you, you thee.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.  How many beadth have you won?”

“I haven’t won any beads,” answered Patricia, crossly.  “How many have you won?”

“That dependth.  I gueth I’ve won a whole thtring of them.  I did thomething that no other girl in the camp can do.”