Wow, what a long-lasting mystery this song is! I found this thread while doing research on whether or not 'Barges' is in the public domain, as I'm putting together a small album in honour of my mother and wanted to include a guiding song and 'Barges' seemed appropriate.

I was a girl guide from about 2005-2013, initially in Ottawa for sparks and brownies, and then in Vancouver for guides and pathfinders. I remember singing it at all levels, with the first two verses and humming the last. I was told the same story of the sick girl in the hospital, but it wasn't location or time-specific.

I've also found that in my online research the main source of information for this song seems to be on various guiding sites, so this thread was an absolute treasure to discover! I had no idea the song was so old!

I hope this mystery will be solved someday!