Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
[Illustration: Natalie begins her planting. (_Page 110_)]
Author of "Janet: A Stock-Farm Scout," "Norma: A Flower Scout," "The Blue Birds Series," "The Five Little Starrs Series."
Endorsed by and Published with the Approval of NATIONAL GIRL SCOUTS
Perhaps you will like these country life books better for knowing that the incidents told in them actually happened to me in my girlhood days. I did not live on a farm such as Natalie's, however, nor was my father a farmer. He liked to "putter" around the acre of ground after business hours, simply because he enjoyed such recreation. I was generally at his heels, and whenever a fruit-tree was being grafted, or a swarm of bees hived, you could always find me there, too, getting in Daddy's way. If I was not in the garden, or at the barnyard, I would be shadowing my brothers who were my seniors. Scouts were unheard of in those days, but we hiked, camped, fished and did all the enjoyable stunts which you Scouts now do.
I have not the space here to tell you of some of the hair-raising "dares" my brothers tempted me to accomplish, but I will have to write them for you to read, some time. However, the stunts and the following results would never be termed ladylike, nor were they graceful. Freckles, tan, and tattered dresses were the bane of my mother's life, and the inglorious title of "tomboy" failed to curb my delight in the freedom of country life. But, dear girls, I stored away a fund of health and experiences that I can now draw upon without bankrupting myself.
A keen desire, which I hope to realize soon, is to have a place like Green Hill, where you girls can come and camp for as long a time as you like. Then we can sit about the campfire and talk about the fun and frolics the out-of-door life gives us. Many a laughable experience will I then tell you. Until that time, dear girls, believe me to be an ardent admirer of and staunch worker for the Girl Scouts.
CHAPTER PAGE I. Natalie Solves a Problem 7 II. A Secret Conclave 23 III. Green Hill Farm 38 IV. Girl Scout Farmerettes 59 V. Investigating Green Hill Farm 91 VI. Natalie Begins Her Planting 110 VII. Natalie Learns Several Secrets 131 VIII. Miss Mason's Patrol Arrives 153 IX. Janet Forms a Second Patrol 175 X. Trials of a Farmer's Life 213 XI. Norma and Frances Launch Themselves 235 XII. Grit Invites Himself To Green Hill 259 XIII. Belle's Choice of a Profession 283 XIV. Visitors and Welcome Orders 301