The girls sat down at the front desks, while Miss Haynes apparently forgot their existence in her work. But they kept as still as mice, or the Stealthy Prowlers they had decided to be, though time went on and they hoped that she really had not forgotten them.
“There!” she said presently. “That’s done. Why do we have to have tests and keep grades anyway?”
“Oh, that’s what _we_ think, Miss Haynes. Can’t you do something about it?”
“I’m afraid not, Jean,” but Miss Haynes’ eyes danced. Why, it wasn’t going to be hard at all to talk to her. Probably it was because she liked hiking and things that she was so human!
The girls explained. They had started a club. They wanted to do some things that girls did in some of the organizations they’d read about in Camp Fire and Girl Scout stories and yet they wanted their own fun, too. They knew that she took hikes and knew everything about nature work and maybe camping, and could she suggest anything that would be possible to do?
Miss Haynes listened thoughtfully. “Why, yes, girls do a great deal that is very wholesome for them these days, but if they take up anything seriously they usually have a leader. I am not familiar with any of the organization work. Isn’t there any young woman in the town who does?”
“Nobody, Miss Haynes, and besides, the older girls don’t want to bother with us.”
“Will we have any field work in science, Miss Haynes?” This was Phoebe.
“Why, yes, a little. I’m sorry that I can’t start more, but there is a reason this year. The schedule will not permit it, the superintendent said, and there is some one who does not want the children to take their Saturdays.”
Jean looked at Nan. “That old school board!” she thought.
“But if you want something to work toward outdoors, I may be able to start you at something. Bird study is my particular hobby, but I also teach and study botany, and bugs and butterflies and anything else in that line. How would you like to begin on snails?” Miss Haynes was actually pretty when she laughed and talked like this. Nan “bet” that she wasn’t much older than the senior girls.
“My father has an old zoology text with lots of interesting pictures in it,” said Phoebe. “I’d like snails better than snakes, but I think I like birds best.”