were here," she
began, "I disliked them as much as the rest of you, and when the Council
was asked to decide whether or not they should come I decided to vote
no. But I just happened to think what Nyoda said to us at our last
Winnebago Council Meeting up in the House of the Open Door, the night
she went away forever. She gave the Winnebago fire into our keeping, and
said that from it we must light new fires, and that we must begin in
earnest to 'pass on the light that has been given us.' She said we
should gain an influence over younger girls and show them how to have a
good time as we had learned so well ourselves. Now I think the time has
come. I think that Antha has been dropped at our door as a special
opportunity, and I think that we should take it.

"If you folks decide that Antha and her brother may come I will appoint
myself her special 'big sister,' and will devote my time to her
improvement. So instead of voting 'no,' I wish to vote 'yes.'"

"Your point is well taken, Miss Orator," said Mr. Evans with unexplained
warmth. "You would make a famous criminal lawyer. You have a line of
argument which admits of very little defense. Does anyone else speak for
Antha? If three speak for her she may come, like Mowgli in the 'Jungle
Book.'"

"I speak for her," said the quiet Nakwisi unexpectedly. Nakwisi admired
Katherine intensely, and desired to follow her lead in all things.

"Two have spoken for her," said Mr. Evans judiciously. "Will there be
another?"

"I will speak for her," said Hinpoha decidedly. Katherine's words had
brought back the scene in the House of the Open Door vividly, and again
she heard Nyoda's gentle voice urging them to "pass on the light."
Completely melted, she also promised to be a big sister to Antha. Then
Gladys and Sahwah and Migwan all spoke up and wanted to know if they
could not take back their "no," because they had reconsidered the matter
and now agreed with Katherine.

"Does anyone speak for the boy, Anthony?" continued Mr. Evans.

"I do," said the Captain promptly, who was anxious to find favor in
Hinpoha's eyes.

Then there was a pause. None of the boys liked Anthony, and they could
not honestly say they wanted him. They had no memory of a beloved
guardian to influence them. But after a moment Slim spoke up. He
generally followed whither the girls led.

"I'll be a big sister, or a grandfather or a Dutch uncle to the kid if I
have the right to punch his head when he gets to