The Camp Fire Girls in the Mountains

In Short

This juvenile novel follows a troop of young women known as the Manasquan Camp Fire Girls as they relocate their summer camp to the mountains. Guided by their mentor, Miss Eleanor Mercer, the girls strive to embody the principles of the Camp Fire movement: self-reliance, cooperation, and service. Through a series of challenges—ranging from legal mysteries involving kidnapped friends to physical tests of endurance and outdoor survival—they learn to handle adversity without the help of men. It remains a classic example of early 20th-century girls’ literature, emphasizing character-building through outdoor life.

The Story

The story begins at Long Lake, where the Manasquan Camp Fire Girls prepare for a field day against a local troop of Boy Scouts. Their Guardian, Miss Eleanor Mercer, encourages the girls to perform all camp chores themselves, emphasizing a philosophy of independence for women. However, their peaceful summer is complicated by the presence of Zara, a girl they are protecting from a miserly money-lender and a network of hostile gypsies who wish to exploit her. The narrative shifts from competitive games to a high-stakes legal struggle as the girls’ allies, including a lawyer named Jamieson, attempt to secure justice for Zara’s imprisoned father.

When the girls move their camp to the mountains to escape these dangers and to expand the influence of the Camp Fire movement, they find themselves in a precarious situation. They are forced to contend with a group of elitist girls from their hometown who are hostile toward them. This social friction is soon eclipsed by a far more dangerous threat: a massive forest fire. As smoke blankets the region and threatens local camps, the girls must put aside their grievances. When the very girls who harassed them go missing during the chaos, the Camp Fire Girls demonstrate their true character by leading a dangerous search and rescue mission through the storm and forest.

Amidst these trials, the girls also engage in a series of "pathfinder" contests, designed to sharpen their skills and teach them to work under pressure. The legal mystery surrounding Zara is eventually resolved through the recovery of a crucial letter that exposes the conspirators. The story reaches its conclusion when the girls successfully navigate both the internal conflicts of their group and the external dangers of the mountain environment. They return to their homes not merely as campers, but as young women who have successfully proven their ability to act with courage, intelligence, and grace under the most trying circumstances.

How It Unfolds

The transition to the wilderness Miss Mercer leads the girls to the mountains, framing the trip as a missionary effort to spread the values of the Camp Fire organization. They leave their familiar life at Long Lake behind, seeking new territory to challenge their abilities.

The legal shadow The group remains preoccupied with the safety of Zara, whose father is held in prison due to a conspiracy. The girls and their supporters track the movements of the legal adversaries who seek to silence them.

The rising tension Upon arriving at their new location, the girls encounter a group of antagonistic peers who attempt to provoke them. The girls struggle to maintain their composure and uphold their principles while dealing with these petty, malicious attacks.

The wall of smoke A devastating forest fire breaks out, forcing everyone in the region to confront a life-threatening emergency. The girls must abandon their trivial disputes to focus on survival and the safety of those around them.

The final search When the antagonistic girls disappear in the woods during the fire, the Camp Fire girls organize a rescue effort. This act of service serves as the final test of their maturity, proving their commitment to the spirit of the organization.

The People

Eleanor Mercer is the Guardian of the Camp Fire troop. She serves as the moral anchor, consistently steering her girls away from petty conflict and toward self-reliance. She believes firmly that modern women must be prepared to handle any hardship without male intervention.

Bessie King is a reliable and steady influence within the troop. She is characterized by her pragmatism and her ability to view situations with a cool head, often acting as a stabilizing force when others, like her friend Dolly, are prone to impulsive reactions.

Dolly Ransom is the spirited, impulsive counterpoint to Bessie. While she is deeply loyal and fiercely protective of her friends, her quick temper leads her into trouble, particularly in her interactions with the rival group of girls. Over the course of the story, she learns the value of self-control.

Zara is the catalyst for much of the tension. As a girl escaping exploitation, she represents the "oppressed" individuals the Camp Fire Girls seek to help. Her presence forces the girls to confront the reality of legal and social injustice, moving them beyond the insular world of their own camp.

Gladys Cooper leads the group of rival girls. She represents the social elite who prioritize status and exclusivity over the egalitarian values of the Camp Fire movement. Her hostility serves as a constant hurdle that tests the protagonist's commitment to their code of conduct.

In Its Own Voice

The Guardian explains her primary philosophy regarding the development of the girls under her care:

"It was her idea that before the coming of the Camp Fire idea girls had been too willing to look to their brothers and their other men folks for services which they should be able, in case of need, to perform for themselves."

A tense moment arises when a character realizes the true danger of the forest fire that threatens their mountain refuge:

"I used to think a forest fire would be good fun, but there isn't any fun about this."

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book is an argument for the education of the "new woman" at the turn of the century. The plot uses the backdrop of the mountains and the urgency of a forest fire to strip away the artifice of Victorian social norms. It asks whether young women can be truly independent, not just in their chores—such as cooking and fire-building—but in their emotional lives. The narrative consistently pits the "Camp Fire" way of community and service against the "old-fashioned" way of social maneuvering and reliance on male protectors. It concludes that the most essential skills are not those found in a drawing-room, but those that allow one to survive and serve others during a crisis.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy historical fiction about the early 20th-century American wilderness will find this book particularly engaging. It offers a fascinating, unfiltered look at the pedagogical goals of the original Camp Fire Girls movement, which sought to make camping and outdoor survival a pillar of female education. The prose is earnest and direct, reflecting a time when "character" was a tangible, measurable attribute.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes embedded in the narrative. The dialogue and characterizations reflect the social hierarchies and nationalistic sentiments of 1914, and the plot relies on conventions—such as the "gypsy" mystery and the rigid gender roles—that feel dated. The pace is leisurely, focusing as much on the philosophy of leadership as on the action. Despite these conventions, the book remains a sincere artifact of a movement that fundamentally changed how young women perceived their place in the world. It is a rewarding read for those interested in the history of youth organizations and the evolution of the independent spirit in American literature.