Camp Club Girls Get a Clue!

by Renae Brumbaugh

  Elizabeth began playing, and Bailey performed. The audience laughed in all the right places. When she finished, she bowed, and the room erupted in more applause. Then she gestured toward Elizabeth, who also bowed, and the girls left the stage.

  They were nearly knocked over by their four roommates. “You were awesome! Bailey, you’re a natural! And Elizabeth, you can really play! We’ll win this for sure!”

  The group was hushed by a counselor as the next act was introduced. The girls sat and politely applauded when the dance number was finished. The next act was Amberlie, and the girls held their breaths. They had a feeling she would be their main competition.

  Amberlie took the stage and held the microphone. The music began, and the girl began to sing. Her voice was pure and sweet, and she sang a popular Christian song almost better than the original artist. The audience leaned forward, drinking in her voice.

  Then, at a climactic point in the song, a dreadful howling noise sounded from outside the window. It got louder and louder, and more and more dreadful. At first the audience thought Amberlie had really messed up. But the Camp Club Girls knew that howl. Without thinking, Kate jumped to her feet and ran out the door, yelling, “Biscuit! You’re okay!”

  Her five roommates followed, creating quite a stir in the room. Amberlie, who had just sounded like an angel from heaven, stopped the song. “I can’t believe this!” she yelled. “Those girls did this on purpose so they would win! This isn’t fair!” She slammed her microphone into its stand and stormed off the stage.

  The girls exited the dining hall just in time to see two men getting out of a large white van. It had the words Animal Control painted on the side. Gerhardt spoke to the men, one with a long stick and the other with a net.

  “Oh no! What will we do now?” whispered Kate. The howling continued as campers and counselors poured out of the building.

  Elizabeth thought quickly. “Kate, you and Sydney come with me. Alex, Bailey, and McKenzie, create a distraction.”

  “A distraction?” questioned McKenzie.

  Alex grabbed her with one hand, Bailey with the other, and said, “Come with me!” She led them to the men beside the white truck. “Excuse me?” she interrupted.

  The men looked at the girls, their eyes resting on Bailey and her silly costume.

  “That howling has interrupted our talent show. What kind of animal is that?” Alex asked.

  “We believe it’s a dog, miss. Now if you’ll…”

  “You have such a dangerous job. It must be scary to have to catch these animals. I mean, you don’t know if they have rabies or if they will attack you. Have you ever been bitten?” she continued.

  As the men looked at Alex with annoyance and confusion, Kate, Elizabeth, and Sydney moved toward the howls. Biscuit seemed to be in the woods across from the dining hall. As they moved into the shadows, Kate flipped open her cell phone for light.

  “Biscuit!” they called. The howls were getting closer, but they couldn’t find the little dog.

  “He must be stuck,” said Sydney, “or he would have come to us by now.”

  The girls continued the search but soon heard men’s voices behind them. A large spotlight shined on them, and Mr. Gerhardt called out, “You girls get back to the dining hall. You could get hurt out here!”

  Suddenly they heard one of the men yell, “I found him! He’s stuck in this hole. Poor little guy! Good thing he didn’t get stuck out here a few days ago, before we hauled off that cougar. He would have eaten this little fellow for lunch!”

  The man walked into the spotlight holding a very wiggly, very dirty Biscuit in his arms. When Biscuit saw Kate, he lunged out of the man’s grip and ran for his beloved owner.

  But Gerhardt was too quick for the dog. He stepped in front of Kate, saying, “Oh no you don’t. You’re not getting away again!”

  Biscuit changed directions and dashed toward the dining hall. Campers and counselors squealed as the filthy dog ran into the building, followed by three men and six girls, all yelling, “Come back!”

  The man with the net cornered the dog on the stage, but just as the net was coming down on him, Biscuit took off again and headed back out the door. The big man leaped for the dog and crashed into a row of chairs.

  Out the door came the little dog, then Gerhardt, then Kate and Sydney, then the man with the pole, then Bailey with her curlers and face cream, then the other three Camp Club Girls. The man with the net followed, limping.

  Biscuit led the group toward the golf course. The men gradually slowed, holding their sides and breathing heavily. The girls raced ahead, and as they reached the fence, they found Biscuit, tail wagging, with his favorite golf club in his mouth.

  “Biscuit!” Kate yelled, and scooped the filthy dog into her arms. “I’m so glad you’re safe!”

  The dog clung to the golf club, and the girls laughed. “Bailey, I know you want to be the next Tiger Woods, but I think Biscuit may give you a run for your money,” said Elizabeth.

  Just then, Mr. Anzer’s golf cart pulled up. Gerhardt sat beside him, and the two Animal Control men were in the backseat. Several of the counselors followed, including Miss Rebecca. Gerhardt jumped out of the cart and stepped toward Kate. “You need to put the dog down,” he said sternly. He grabbed the golf club, but Biscuit growled and refused to let go.

  The tug-of-war continued, Kate holding Biscuit, Biscuit holding one end of the golf club, and Mr. Gerhardt pulling on the other end of the club.

  Suddenly, the club broke apart, and out spilled an old sock.

  Everyone gasped as the contents of the sock tumbled out!

  Real Treasure

  No one moved. They stood in the moonlight, with the golf cart headlights casting a soft glow on the broken golf club, the old sock, and the sparkly, shiny jewels that had fallen from it.

  Then Mr. Gerhardt sank to his knees. Tears trickled down his cheeks as he gathered the colorful treasures. “Thank you, God! We found them!”

  The girls jumped up and down and cheered, and the man looked confused. Elizabeth stepped forward. “We know all about your father, Mr. Gerhardt. We know he was convicted of stealing these jewels and selling them on the black market. And we know he didn’t do it.”

  The man stood up. “But…but how did you—”

  Alex spoke up. “We were curious about your digging. We figured that the spooky sounds weren’t real, and we figured you were behind them. So we decided to do a little investigating of our own.”

  “When Mr. Anzer told me about the thieves that used to hide in that old house, we put two and two together. You looked pretty suspicious for a while,” Elizabeth told the man.

  The adults who had followed them to the golf course were now gathered around, listening intently.

  “We went to the house, as you know. There we found an old newspaper with an article about the stolen jewels. I did an Internet search and found out your father was convicted for stealing them,” said Kate.

  “Yeah,” Sydney interjected. “But we also learned that the jury was divided. That there wasn’t real proof of his guilt.”

  “It didn’t make sense,” McKenzie added her two cents. “If your father was guilty, he would have just told you where the jewels were hidden. You wouldn’t have been digging those holes everywhere!”

  “That’s when we decided the thieves must have hidden them somewhere at the golf course. We searched but didn’t find anything. And just think, all this time, Biscuit was trying to give us the answer!” Elizabeth concluded.

  Gerhardt nodded. “I’ve been trying to prove my father’s innocence for nearly twenty years. I’ve searched high and low, but the jewels were just gone. Then, several months ago, I found out the thieves had hidden in that old house, and I had a feeling this was my big break. I searched the area, and the golf course seemed the most logical hiding place for the jewels. After all, who would think to look at a kids’ camp?

  “That’s why I really didn’t want you girls snooping around. I was a
fraid you’d find them first and not tell anyone about them. I didn’t mean to scare you girls.” His eyes fell on Bailey. “I’m sorry I frightened you so much. I hope you’ll forgive me,” he said.

  Bailey’s cold-creamed face shone in the moonlight, and she smiled her million-dollar smile. “You’re forgiven. Besides, this has been the most exciting two weeks of my life!”

  The man tousled her hair then looked at Biscuit. “And you, little dog, are a hero. Just think, I’ve been trying to get rid of you, and you ended up finding the jewels for me!” He patted the filthy dog on the head, and Biscuit let out a friendly bark.

  Kate laughed. “He has a thing for smelly old socks. That explains why he was so drawn to this golf club! All this time we were trying to solve the mystery at Discovery Lake, and Biscuit had the answer the whole time!”

  Mr. Anzer approached Kate, examining the dog in her arms. “So this is the little guy who caused such a stir around here. He is quite the mystery maker, leaving evidence of his presence all over camp. But we could never find him! Now we know why. You were hiding him!”

  Kate smiled sheepishly.

  “I spoke with your father on the phone this evening, Kate,” he continued. “I called him to discuss an equestrian society I located in Philadelphia, and he wanted to talk about dogs!” The group laughed, and Mr. Anzer reached for Biscuit. “You can keep this little fellow, but tonight he needs to go with the Animal Control men. They’ll make sure he is healthy and is caught up on his shots. They’ll probably even give him a bath before they bring him back to you!”

  “Good luck with that!” said Sydney, and all the girls laughed.

  Miss Rebecca stepped forward. “This explains the strange smells from your room. I just thought you girls were really stinky,” she said with a wink. “And the socks! He must be the one who kept your room in a mess!” She knelt down, and Biscuit licked her on the nose.

  The Camp Club Girls told Biscuit good-bye, and Kate held him tightly before handing him to Mr. Anzer. “I’m so glad you’re safe, Biscuit. You really had me worried! After tomorrow, we’ll never have to be apart again!”

  Biscuit wagged his tail and covered her face with sloppy kisses before being carried to the Animal Control men. The limping man took him gently and slid into Mr. Anzer’s cart. “Would you mind giving us a lift?” he asked the old gentleman.

  The group of girls and counselors followed the golf cart back to the dining hall, and the talent show was soon back under way.

  The girls awakened early the next morning, listening to the annoying trumpet reveille for the last time. They stretched and groaned. Bailey clutched her oversized panda under one arm and her blue ribbon in the other hand. She had been thrilled to win first prize in the talent show and had fallen asleep with the ribbon under her pillow.

  “Okay, girls. Today is the day we win or lose,” said Sydney. “Even with Bailey’s points, we’re still behind. Biscuit made sure we didn’t win the cleanest cabin award. We have to win almost all of the competitions today or we won’t walk away as champions.”

  “We’ll win. We have to win. We’re the Camp Club Girls,” said McKenzie.

  Alex bounced to the center of the room. “Remind me again who is doing which competition?”

  Kate sat up in her bed. “I took the nature studies quiz yesterday, and we’ll find out our scores today at breakfast.”

  “I’m competing in scripture memory,” said Elizabeth. “Mac, aren’t you doing the horse-riding competition?”

  “Yes,” McKenzie replied. “I signed up yesterday.”

  “Alex, will you compete with me in the canoe races?” Sydney asked. “I really want to do that, but I need a partner.”

  “That sounds like fun. I think we really have a chance to win!” Alex said.

  A short time later, as the girls sat at their usual breakfast table, the camp director took the microphone. “Good morning, ladies. May I have your attention?”

  Miss Barr continued. “I hope you’re ready for an exciting, fun-filled last day of camp. As you know, the Camp Club Girls of cabin 12 took the winning points last night at our talent competition.” She paused for applause. “But the Princess Pack from cabin 8 is still in the lead. They had the cleanest cabin almost every day!” She paused again, but not as many people clapped.

  “I have just received the results from the nature studies quiz taken yesterday,” the woman continued. “Believe it or not, we have a three-way tie! Equal points will be given to Grace Collins of the Princess Pack, Rachel Smith of the Shooting Starlets, and Kate Oliver of the Camp Club Girls. Congratulations to each of you and your teams!”

  The room erupted into a combination of applause and disappointed groans. “The first competition this morning will be barrel racing. The races begin at 9:00 a.m., so I suggest you all finish your breakfast and head that way.” The woman replaced the microphone into the stand and stepped down from the stage.

  The Camp Club Girls congratulated Kate, who seemed unaffected by her win. She simply smiled, thanked them, and continued devouring her bacon-filled biscuit.

  The girls finished their breakfast and headed toward the stables. “Are you nervous?” Elizabeth asked McKenzie.

  “Not really,” Mac replied. “I love to ride. I just hope I get the horse I want.”

  “We’ll cheer for you!” called Sydney as McKenzie headed for the corral.

  She was relieved when she saw that Spirit didn’t yet have a rider. She walked over to his stall and began saddling him.

  “I’ve seen you ride. You’re good,” came a voice from the next stall. McKenzie was surprised to see it was Taylor, one of Amberlie’s roommates.

  “Thank you,” she responded.

  “Well, good luck out there,” the girl called as she rode into the paddock.

  McKenzie stared after the girl. She had assumed that all of Amberlie’s friends were just as mean as Amberlie. But this girl had been…friendly. “I guess that will teach me to make snap judgments,” she told Spirit.

  The dozen girls that competed in barrel racing lined up their horses. Most of them did a good job, but few had McKenzie’s expertise. The Camp Club Girls’ cheers could be heard above all others as they watched their friend effortlessly guide Spirit around the barrels and to the finish line, taking nearly a minute less than anyone else.

  Mac smiled proudly, and her blush was almost darker than her auburn hair as she accepted the blue ribbon.

  Elizabeth held a little white index card, reading the verse over and over. The other girls were confident that Elizabeth would win, but she wasn’t so sure. Philippians 2:3–4 always tripped her up: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”

  She always messed up on the “selfish ambition or vain conceit” part. She could never get those phrases in the right order. Taking a deep breath, she offered a silent prayer.

  Miss Rebecca took the stage. “Welcome to the scripture memory competition. Round one will begin with verses you all have learned here at camp. I will give the reference for the verse. Then contestants must recite the complete passage word for word and repeat the reference. Any questions?”

  No one spoke, and the two dozen contestants formed two lines on the stage.

  “This will take awhile,” whispered Kate, settling in her chair. But the contestants dropped like flies, and by round four, only three girls were left. Elizabeth stood at one end of the line and Amberlie at the other, with a quiet girl named Caitlyn in the middle.

  Miss Rebecca began the round with Elizabeth. “Philippians 2:3–4,” she said.

  Elizabeth took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes in concentration. Her five roommates held their breath as their friend began to speak.

  “Come on, Beth, you can do it,” whispered Bailey.

  Elizabeth spoke. “Do nothing…out of…selfish conceit or vain ambition, but in humility consider others
better…” She stopped and looked directly at Miss Rebecca. “That wasn’t right, was it?” she asked.

  The counselor shook her head but smiled. “No, I’m sorry, Elizabeth. But you aren’t disqualified yet. Remain on stage until another contestant correctly says the verse.”

  Caitlyn began to recite the verse but messed up in the middle. The audience leaned forward as Amberlie took the microphone. She smiled the sweet smile that was reserved for public use and began the verse. Without missing a beat, she recited it perfectly, and her team cheered.

  Miss Rebecca said, “Congratulations to each of our contestants. We are proud of all of you, and I hope you will continue to memorize God’s Word. And a special congratulation goes to Amberlie and the Princess Pack for winning this competition.”

  The audience applauded politely and dispersed for the next competition.

  Sydney and Alex stood on the bank of the pond, looking fiercely competitive. They had to win this race if they had any hope of winning the championship.

  “When the whistle blows, you will climb into your boats, paddle to the marker in the center of the pond, and then turn around and canoe back,” the counselor instructed. “At no time during the race can you exit the boat. If you fall or jump out of the boat, you’ll be disqualified. Please make sure your life jackets are securely fastened.”

  Sydney and Alex checked each other’s life jackets. “I think we can win,” whispered Alex.

  “We have to win,” Sydney responded.

  “On your marks…get set,” the counselor called then blew the whistle.

  The two Camp Club Girls launched their canoe with skill and speed, and easily floated into first place. “One—two, one—two,” shouted Sydney. They had spent more than a half hour after breakfast, sitting on dry ground, practicing their timing and technique. Both girls were naturally athletic, and the strokes came easily. In no time, they reached the marker in the center of the lake and rowed around it.