CHAPTER 5 The Brownies Lend a Hand

VEVE awoke the next morning to the sound of rain on the roof. For a moment she lay quite still, wondering if it were time to get up.

“Oh, dear!” the little girl thought. “This means there will be no cherry picking today.”

Veve was not too disappointed, however. For when she rolled over in bed, her shoulders ached and so did the muscles of her legs. She felt as if she could sleep a thousand years.

Just then, her mother called from downstairs: “Time to get up, Veve! It’s after nine o’clock!”

Nine o’clock! When Veve heard that, she rolled out of bed and began to dress. She had not dreamed it could be so late for it looked dark outside. Half the morning already was gone!

Mrs. McGuire had breakfast waiting when the little girl came downstairs. She had set out Veve’s favorite cereal, and had cooked tiny sausages.

“U-um, u-um,” Veve declared, smacking her lips. “I’m as hungry as a bear! Cherry picking certainly makes one hungry.”

Mrs. McGuire set a tall glass of milk in front of her daughter’s plate. “I let you sleep late because I knew you were tired,” she said. “There will be no cherry picking today. Miss Gordon called a few minutes ago, to say the Brownies are having a meeting though.”

“Where?” Veve demanded between bites of sausage.

“At Miss Gordon’s home. You’re to work on the quilt again.”

Veve made a grimace which showed exactly how she felt about sewing.

“The meeting starts at one,” her mother informed her.

Veve would have liked to be a little late to cut down her sewing time. She already had one demerit for tardiness, however, and could not risk another. So she decided she would be on time.

After lunch, she changed into her Brownie uniform and went to Miss Gordon’s home. All the girls were disappointed by the rain. But they agreed it was a fine time to finish the crazy quilt.

“If we each sew three blocks, it will be finished,” Miss Gordon declared. “Then I’ll put it on the frames and quilt it for you.”

“When will we have the quilt sale?” Connie asked.

Miss Gordon said she thought the auction and show possibly might be held within a week or ten days.

“It all depends upon when we have our quilts ready to exhibit,” she added. “Let’s have a report now. How many have arranged to have at least one quilt entered in the display?”

Connie quickly announced that she would have two exhibits, the Sawtooth quilt and a woven Washington coverlet.

Rosemary next made her report. She said she had been promised an Evening Star pattern. Eileen was sure she would have one in the Pine Tree design. Sunny’s aunt had given her a very old one, made entirely of little scraps of velvet and silk.

As for Jane and Veve, they both told Miss Gordon they surely would find quilts to enter in the show. Actually, they were a trifle worried, for the time was short.

When four o’clock came, the girls finished the last quilt block, and put away their sewing. They were very tired. But they were happy and proud too, for the crazy quilt now was ready for the frames.

“I’ll stitch in our Rosedale Brownie Troop name,” Miss Gordon promised the girls. “You’ve done quite enough as it is.”

Ice cream and cake were served. Then the girls sang a Brownie song and ended the meeting by repeating the Brownie Scout Promise:

“I promise to do my best to love God and my country, to help other people every day, especially those at home.”

The girls stood at attention as they spoke the words, saluting smartly at the end.

After the dishes had been cleared away, it was time to leave.

Arm in arm, the Brownies ambled down the street. The rain had ceased, and the clouds were drifting fast as if they might clear away.

“I hope it’s nice weather tomorrow,” Connie said. “I want to pick cherries again.”

At the next corner, the girls began to separate to go to their homes. Veve walked with Connie for most of the distance to their street. Then abruptly, she announced that she had to go the other way.

“Why, you don’t live down that street,” Connie protested. “What are you up to anyhow?”

Veve would not say. Nor would she agree to allow her friend to accompany her.

“You’ll hear all about it at the next Brownie meeting,” she laughed. “That is, if I have luck.”

Now Veve had made up her mind to get busy and find a quilt for the show. She had recalled that a lady who lived on White St. had a beautiful one with dogwood flowers across its face. She meant to ask her for permission to display it in the exhibit.

“See you later!” she dismissed Connie.

Now Veve knew that the owner of the dogwood quilt was Miss Adelia Brimborough. She had never talked to her, however.

Therefore, the little girl was completely taken by surprise when a tall, prim lady answered her rap on the door.

Just by looking at her, Veve guessed that she did not like children.

“Well?” inquired Miss Brimborough. Her tone implied that she was in a great hurry.

Veve started to explain about the Brownie organization and the coming quilt show.

Miss Brimborough scarcely listened. When Veve asked her rather timidly if she would allow her dogwood quilt to be shown by the Brownies, her answer was firm.

“My dear, I am so sorry. I should like to help your fine organization—indeed, yes. But you may not know that my dogwood blossom quilt won second prize in the county fair last year.”

“That’s why we would like to exhibit it,” Veve said quickly.

“My dear, I couldn’t risk entering such a valuable quilt in a Brownie show. It might be damaged, you see. Children are so careless.”

“Brownies aren’t,” Veve insisted. “We’re taught to be responsible and to take care of things. If you’ll let me have the quilt I’ll promise—”

“Now please don’t tease,” the lady cut her short. “I am sorry, but I can’t let you have the quilt.”

Veve was tempted to make an unkind reply. She wanted to tell Miss Brimborough that she was mean and selfish.

Just in time, though, she remembered that Miss Gordon had said a Brownie must always be courteous even though others might be rude.

Miss Brimborough hadn’t been exactly rude. She merely had been very firm.

With as much dignity as she could muster, Veve said good-bye. She felt bitterly disappointed by the refusal.

Where in the world now would she find a quilt for the show? In all Rosedale she did not know of another person who had a pretty one.

Twenty minutes later, when Veve reached home, her mother had arrived from the office.

“Mom, do you know of anyone who might have a quilt for our Brownie show?” the little girl asked.

Mrs. McGuire, who was making out the grocery list, did not give the question very much thought. “Why, no, dear,” she answered absently. “Must you have one soon?”

“Right away.”

“We’ll try to think of someone who has a nice quilt,” her mother said. “Just now I’m so busy—”

The telephone had started to ring. Mrs. McGuire asked Veve if she would answer it.

Taking down the receiver, the little girl was surprised to hear Miss Gordon’s voice.

“Veve,” the Brownie leader said. “I’ve just received a call from Mr. Hooper. He needs our help.”

“At the cherry orchard, you mean?” gasped Veve. She knew Miss Gordon would not have telephoned if the matter were not of utmost importance.

“Yes, this rain has made the cherries ripen very rapidly. Mr. Hooper is afraid he will lose much of his crop if he doesn’t get pickers right away.”

“Does he want the Brownies to come out there now, Miss Gordon?”

“Not tonight. But he has asked us to report the first thing in the morning. Can we count on you, Veve?”

“Oh, yes!”

“Good!” Miss Gordon approved. “I’m calling all the other girls. We’re to meet at my home at six-thirty sharp.”

“I’ll be there,” Veve promised.

“Oh, yes, another thing. Mr. Hooper wants us to bring any other pickers we can find. I thought possibly we might induce some of the mothers to go with us.”

“That would be fun! And we’d make a lot more money for the organization!”

“We certainly would,” laughed Miss Gordon. “The important thing though is that we have a chance to help Mr. Hooper save his crop. It seems he can’t have his turn at the professional pickers for several more days. By that time he’s afraid his crop will spoil.”

“I’ll ask my mother to go,” Veve promised.

Mrs. McGuire worked nearly every day at a downtown office. It so happened, however, that she was entitled to a little time off.

“I’ll be glad to accompany the Brownies to the orchard,” she assured her daughter. “Until now I’ve had little chance to help the organization. This will give me a splendid opportunity.”

All of the other mothers felt exactly the same way.

So the next morning, six Brownies and six mothers gathered early at Miss Gordon’s home.

“Thirteen of us,” the Brownie leader declared, counting noses. “Dear me, I hope that’s not unlucky.”

“It will be a lucky number for our Brownie troop!” laughed Connie. “Think how many pounds of cherries we’ll pick today.”

Everyone was in high spirits. The sun shone brightly and the day gave promise of being pleasant. With the mothers going along, the cherry picking would become a real outing.

Six heavily laden lunch hampers already had been loaded into the cars.

Veve spied Miss Gordon putting in another large, squarish package which did not look as if it contained anything to eat.

“What’s in that one?” the little girl asked curiously.

Miss Gordon only smiled.

“Surprise,” she hinted mysteriously. “Wait until lunch time. Then you’ll see!”