ver to the bridge.

But she could never go back to the Scouts now; she as a "common thief;"
she had better stay and work alone!

CHAPTER XIX

THE SLEIGH RIDE

The first Scout meeting after the girls returned from the holidays was
teeming with excitement. Ruth Henry reported that she had found the
canoe; and received, to her delight, great applause. Marjorie revealed
what she knew about Frieda, omitting to tell about the letter she wrote
to the girl; and Miss Phillips informed them that they still had three
hundred dollars in the treasury.

"Now for the new patrols," she announced; "I know you are all
interested. The three girls with the highest Scout standing, besides
Edith Evans who will continue to act as Lieutenant, are Marjorie
Wilkinson, Helen Stewart, and Ruth Henry. Ethel Todd came fourth; if we
should get enough girls for a new patrol, she would be the leader."

When the clapping had subsided, these girls, with their Captain,
withdrew to choose patrol members. Ruth smiled; it was funny that she
and Marjorie who were rivals in everything, ever since they had come to
Miss Allen's, should again be opposed to each other.

The patrol leaders chose their members, not so much for their ability as
for their personality. For this reason, Helen Stewart's patrol included
the five senior Scouts, Vivien VanSciver, and two freshmen--Florence
Evans and her room-mate, Mildred Cavin. Marjorie's included Lily, Ethel,
Frances, Marian, Doris, Alice Endicott, and Daisy Gravers. And Ruth's,
of course, comprised her own following: Ada Mearns, Barbara Hill, Mae
VanHorn, Evelyn Hopkins and three girls she did not know so well--Anna
Cane, Dorothy Whitcomb, and Gladys Staley.

As soon as the patrols were announced, Miss Phillips talked to them
about keeping up the standards of each patrol: promptness, industry in
Scout work, etc., saying that whichever patrol won the highest standing
by the end of the year would be senior patrol the next year. For the
present, Helen's division was to have this honor.

"For two months now," continued the Captain, after the excitement had
died down, "we shall do nothing but Scout work. Each girl is to prepare
for the next test higher up.

"And, of course, you have not forgotten the trip to Washington. During
spring vacation, I shall take the first eight girls who have passed
their first-class test; so I want you all to get to work. All the girls
who were in the troop last year, and are n