  DARING DORA DANE Oh, boy, you should have heard those girls laugh. Dora Dane Daring said, “Isn’t that just too provoking? He didn’t seem to be a bit afraid of you, did he?” “Don’t you know sometimes scouts have to use strategy?” Pee-wee said. “Did you think I was going to—to—just force my way in? Don’t you know a scout has to be courteous?” “It was so good of you not to hurt him,” she said. “Scouts are—they’re kind,” the kid said. She said, “Yes, but you know they’re invincible. I suppose you’ll just go and ring the bell again?” “We—we take turns doing things like that,” the kid said. “The general appoints scouts to do that,” I told her. “I appoint Westy Martin and Dorry Benton to——” “I can’t be drafted, I have a dependent ancestor,” Dorry said. Westy said, “I’m sorry, but I have heart trouble. I claim exemption.” I said, “You’re a fine pair. I appoint Will Dawson and Warde Hollister to go up there and arrange terms——” Warde said, “I’m sorry, but I’m not in uniform.” “I have a dependent mother,” Will Dawson said. “I’m a conscientious objector,” Hunt Manners piped up. The Warner twins said they were the sole support of a collie dog. “Some bunch of warriors,” I said. “I always heard that scouts weren’t supposed to be afraid of a draught. What are we going to do? Go home?” “If we had tanks——” the kid started. “Well, go and get a couple of water tanks,” I said. “Isn’t it exasperating?” one of the girls said. “Can’t you wait a little while?” Pee-wee shouted. “Wasn’t the world war four years long? That shows what you know about history.” One of the girls said, “Do you still claim to be invincible?” “Sure we do,” Pee-wee said. “But of course everybody—a lot of people know that women helped in the war a lot—everybody knows that. We wouldn’t be mad if you made a suggestion.” That Daring girl said, “Oh, I haven’t a single thing to suggest. We believe in action. Actions speak louder than suggestions. If you’re really ready to admit that you’re defeated I’ll make a proposal. It isn’t a suggestion, it’s a proposal.” “Proposals are just as good as suggestions,” Pee-wee said. She said, “Well, if you’re ready to admit that you’re balked——” “Even—even—even the Germans were balked on the Marne, weren’t they?” our young hero shouted. I said, “Well, it doesn’t look as if that giant with the brass buttons is going to surrender. If we could get some propaganda past him to the people in the house——” “Like they did with airplanes,” Pee-wee said. “Yes, but you see the shutters are closed,” she said. “Girl scouts are observant. It looks as if there were no one in the house but that horrid big giant.” I said, “What do you propose?” Then Dora Dane Daring said, “I propose to lead you to victory if you will print it up on your banner that you were saved from disaster by the Girl Scouts of America, and keep that on your banner till you get home.” “I’d like to see you do it first,” I said. “You mean to tell me you’re not afraid of that man?” Pee-wee said. “Do you think I’d let you—a scout has to be chivalrous. He has to protect women——” “Give me your hatchet,” she said, and she jerked it out of his belt. “You better look out what you’re doing,” the kid said. “Do you want to get arrested?” She swung Pee-wee’s belt-axe in the air just like Carrie Nation or Joan of Arc and she said, “Follow me!” Pee-wee said, “Dora Dane Daring, you’d better look out what you’re doing.” She said, “Private Canary Bird Harris, you’re a coward. Fall in line, everybody!” Gee whiz, I thought that girl was crazy. Up she marched, right onto the porch, with all the rest of us after her. Pee-wee kind of hung back—safety first for him. I was ready to run any minute. We went across that porch as if we were stalking a bird. But she didn’t care. She just hit the door a good rap with the hatchet and kept pushing the button. Boy, I was kind of shaky! Pee-wee said to her, “You’d better be ready to run.” I said, “I’m ready to go scout-pace for ten miles. I’m glad a scout can run.” I guess that big army all rolled into one with the brass buttons must have known it was our crowd because he didn’t come right away. Gee whiz, I pictured him getting madder and madder every second. I was ready to jump from the porch to the middle of the street. Pee-wee had one leg all ready for a good starter. All the while Dora Dane Daring kept pounding on the door and pushing the button. All of a sudden the door opened. That’s the end of this chapter. |
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