ROTORUA GIRL GUIDES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 82, 27 November 1931, Page 2

ROTORUA GIRL GUIDES

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Dear Guides. — I hear you had quite a good meeting again last week; but how sad to think that as many as three guides were eareless enough to lose their Tenderfoot badges. No wonder Captain felt she must say something to you about it. It seerns the Fuchsia Patyol was perfectly turned out for inspection and succeeded in winning the red ribbon. Captain says your knowledge of compass* directions and morse was fair; and that some of you listened attentively to lectures for eooks and toymaker's badges. The new song is heginning to sound nicer each time you sing it, isn't it? By the end of the year, you will be giving quite a finished performance. Congratulations to Doris on reeeiving her embroidress' badge, and to Joan on having completed another year's guiding and receiving her service star. And now, guides, for a few weeks I will tell you of the adventures of the "Peacock Patrol," and .hope you will find their adventures entertaining. | Adventures of the Peacock Patrol The Peacocks were girl scouts of* the first stroop formed in Rotorua, some years ago. The Uames are not real names, but some o'" the happen-. ings really did happen. Pat Hawthorne, the kind of girl brings to any movement a great eagerness and enthusiasm, was the leader of the Peacocks, having boem selected after all had been carefully; watched for a month by the offjcers of the troop, Her second was Molly Brown, a fat, jolly kind of girl, and the members of the patrol were Mere Rangi, Julie Davis, Lorna Mansel, Daisy Jones, Letty Hornef and Rangi Rawson. Each girl was tremendously loyal to her leader and patrol, and although : they sometimes found it hard to live up to all ten scouts laws, they did have ; a lot of fun together.

One day they .packed their haverI sacks and started off on a long tramp, following the Utuhina stream away up past Sherriff's farm. At Sherriff's, it was decided that Molly, Mere, Lorna and Julie should go on ahead and lay a trail, and after an interval of five minutes that Pat and the others should endeavour to pick up the trail and follow them to their hiding place. So away they went across the paddocks, making the usual arrow signs and using the tied grass method of showing the way to those behind. They had wandered some distance from the stream when Molly said: "Shall we cross the Utuhina, girls, and hide somewhere near the other bank ? " "Yes," they all agreed. So to the stream they turned.

How the Stream was Crossed. They were by this time miles upstream and far away from any peo- , Ple or houses. Arrived at the stream, 'they found that on their side there was such a depth that wading across ( was out of the question. They were only five minutes ahead of the others and if they didn't want to be caught standing openly there something had to be done quickly. So Mere said, j "I know. We must swim across." j "Silly," said Molly, "how can we, without getting all wet?" | "Why," said Mere, "undress and ' carry our clothes above our heads ! with one hand while we swim with ' th i other." That is what my grandmothcr used to do years ago when rhc travelled f.-ra Matata to Maketu' 1 and arrived at Waihi at full tide." j "We couldn't possibly do it," the /others answered. i "Well, I'll carry the clothes while j you swim," said Mere, "so hurry up." | In this fashion they soon crossed j the stream, and having dressed, I found a big clump of manuka behind • which they crouched awaiting the ar- ; rival of • the other half of the PeaI coeks. | Ihey had, of course, jnade a huge ; arrow pointing across stream before they left the other shore. They whispered and gurgled away, wondering if their frierids would evet discover their method of crossing the Utuhina. | Presently a cautious peep revealed to thein Pat and the others gazing intently at the arrow. "Not Mermaids," "Well, they are not mermaids," said Pat, "so they can't be hidden under those weeds; and they can't have gone downstream to cross at a shallower place or they wouldn't have put the arrow here, so how on earth did they manage to get over Anyway, however they did it, we've got to do it too. Where it is shallow on this side, it is almost eertain to be deep on the other side, and we might spend hours looking for a place to wade across. So, we'll have to think out some other way."

"Let's make a raft," suggested Daisy. "Where's your material " asked Pat. "G.an't we do something with a rope?" was Letty's contribution, Pat shook -her head. _ Then Rangi said, "Pat, you can ride a horse, can't you?" "Yes," said Pat; "used to live on a farm, so can ride a hit. Why?" "Well, there's a horse over there. He looks quite tame." "You brainy kid," said Pat. "I'll go and put a halter on him, and he shall ferry us over." So out came the rop^e from Pat's haversack, and away she went to ; catch the steed, He was an old family friend who -had been turned out to end his days in peace, so Pat found i him easy to catch and not a bit hard to manage. She decided to swim the horse over, and if everything went smoothly to return and double-back the others. He was a splendid old! thing and carried Pat without any! trouble. So one at a time the others ! were ferried over. Until it came toi Letty's turn; she was the last. As ! they neared the opposite bank, the | horse stumbled over a stone, and down splashed Letty into tlje stream. ! Pcor Letty! Although she splashed : into a shallow part, yet she was thoronghly soaked. But she laughed just as much as the others did. It was a great joke she thought. The sight of Letty dripping wet was too much for Molly's party. They eame running from their hiding place shouting with laughter.