“I wanted to ask you why the scouts aren’t being fed in the main cabin tonight.”
“It’s a tradition that the scouts have their first meal at their campsites.”
“Is it true the leaders will all be eating there, though?”
“Yes, and the Bonfire Boys’ leaders, as well.”
“Thank you. I just was concerned the scouts wouldn’t be fed a decent meal while they’re here, Mrs. Tuttle.”
She smiled slightly. “I didn’t catch your name.”
“Agnes. I suppose I should bring the water back to camp before the scouts form a search party. If you can assure me you’re okay.”
“Of course. Thank you for your concern.”
Chapter 6
I willed myself to meet Eleanor and the girls at the end of the trail. I didn’t want to leave Mrs. Tuttle’s side, but what else could I do? I joined Eleanor, who was trying her best to stop the girls from searching for me.
“Thank you, Eleanor.”
“Why did you tell her to make us leave? Hailey pouted.
“Calm down, there was nothing to see. I only wanted to check on Mrs. Tuttle, and she’s fine.”
“You heard Agnes; let’s head back to camp with the water,” Eleanor said. “If we can remember where we put the empty jug.”
We passed the dining cabin and waited until the scouts filled the jug with water and joined us before we were back on the trail.
I barely made it back to camp without collapsing and eased down on the picnic table bench. Someone had started a fire since we left and campfire forks were at the ready with packages of hotdogs.
Martha appeared from behind a tent. “Oh there you are. I tried to have one of the girls catch up with you before you were out of sight. There’s a water pump right over there,” she pointed.
“It’s my turn to pump the water next time,” Kenna said.
“I didn’t expect it to take you so long to get the water, Mother. Did everything go okay?”
“Yes. We stopped the cook from smoking a cigarette,” Hailey announced. “She crumbled them up after Agnes threatened to tell the leaders.”
I searched the camp. “Where is Peggy?”
“Peggy was invited to have a meal at the main cabin. She left on a golf cart before I could stop her.”
“Golf cart?” I asked.
“I think golf carts are used everywhere besides a golf course,” Eleanor chuckled.
“From the way Marjorie and Elsie hurried out of here I think they might be searching for a golf course,” Martha replied.
“You should be the one getting the meal, not Peggy,” I commented.
“She’s the leader, not me.”
“You’d think she’d have stayed in Tawas with her injuries.”
“She didn’t want to disappoint the troop. I really don’t have that much experience with Bonfire Girls.”
“You don’t have to overthink it, Martha, they’re just girls. Just remember that you’re the one in charge.”
“Really? How much do you actually remember from when you raised Stuart and me?”
“Believe me, it was easier back then. Children these days have too many distractions.”
When my eyes widened, Martha looked over her shoulder at Yasmine. She marched over and took a tablet from the girl. “No electronics allowed.”
“It’s not like there’s an internet connection,” Yasmine complained. “I’m only playing games.”
“Which one of these girls is talking back?” Moraine asked as she walked into the fray.
Fern, Kenna, Nadia and Hailey backed up. “Give me my tablet!” Yasmine demanded.
“Bonfire Girls don’t whine, complain or make demands,” Martha said. She handed Moraine the tablet. “Put this in a safe place.”
Eleanor and I slipped into our tent, where we could speak privately.
“So what happened?” Eleanor asked.
“I heard a man talking to Mrs. Tuttle. He sounded quite angry. He didn’t expect to see the Bonfire Girls here.”
Eleanor’s eyes widened. “Why?”
“I don’t know, but he sounded threatening. I have a feeling that he might be searching for something here, or hiding something.”
“That’s not very specific. Did you recognize the voice?”
“Nope,” I replied, “I wish I had.”
“The leaders for the Bonfire Boys will be at the dining cabin for their meal tonight,” I mentioned.
“Please say you don’t want us to go all the way back there.”
“No, I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Not unless we have another means of transportation.”
“So did you get a chance to speak with Mrs. Tuttle?”
“I did but she was in total disarray. For all I know, that man roughed her up.”
“Should we do anything? We don’t know for certain if there’s a threat to the scouts.”
“He did tell Mrs. Tuttle to keep the scouts out of his way.”
“So whatever he planned to do is still happening?” Eleanor asked.
“Sounds like it. We’ll just have to keep a close eye on the scouts, especially Yasmine.”
“She’s hard to take, but I imagine she’s quite spoiled. Hopefully her attitude changes,” Eleanor suggested.
“There’s hope for everyone.”
When we exited the tent, the girls were roasting hotdogs. Moraine was positioned near the tents while Martha kept an eye on the scouts ringed around the campfire. At first I wondered where Bernice might have gone, but she threw a chunk of wood into the fire, sending the scouts running for cover as sparks scattered.
“Be careful, Bernice! I’m responsible for bringing the scouts back alive,” Martha exclaimed.
The girls returned after the sparks died down and continued cooking their hotdogs and my heart about leapt out of my chest when a bush shook. Apparently nobody else noticed, though, and the sound of Elsie and Marjorie’s laughter relaxed me. Leotyne Williams and Rosa Lee walked into the camp.
“Well, I’ll be,” Rosa Lee exclaimed. “It sure looks like these girls are having fun.”
“For now,” Leotyne said as she rubbed her hands together. The girls screamed and hugged each other. “Relax ladies, I’ve been sworn off telling ghost stories.”
“Aww,” Fern sighed. “Can’t you tell us at least one?”
Leotyne tapped her foot. “Maybe just one — if you eat all your food, and roast an extra marshmallow for me.”
The scouts went back to roasting hotdogs and I hugged Rosa Lee. “I didn’t know if you’d show up.”
“Who else is gonna teach these girls about plants?” Rosa Lee asked.
I shrugged. I narrowed my eyes at Marjorie and Elsie, who were giggling to one another. I walked over to them and asked, “What’s going on with you two?”
“Nothing,” Elsie insisted. “We were exchanging camping stories. I told Marjorie the time a tent blew down on our family on a camping trip … during a thunderstorm no less.”
“Much better than going down the Rifle River in a spinning canoe,” Martha said with a sly smile. “My mother here thought she was an expert at canoeing … not so much.” Martha burst out laughing until tears streaked her cheeks.
The scouts laughed too, and I felt about an inch tall. “I’m still living that trip down,” I admitted.
“So what was your camping trip folly, Marjorie,” Eleanor asked.
“We went on a golfing trip.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s not funny.”
She put a finger up. “Wait … Bill let me drive the golf cart and back then I didn’t even have a driver’s license. Anyway, I drove that golf cart right into the pond. They were having a tournament, and we were laughed at the entire weekend.”
“I’m still hungry,” Kenna complained.
“You’re always hungry,” Yasmine spouted off.
“Yasmine,” Martha said, “what did I tell you before we left? I expect you to all get along.”
Yasmine stomped
to the picnic table and plopped down. “Why do you always pick on me?”
Martha sighed. “Come on girls. It’s time to roast the marshmallows. We’re making smores.”
Marjorie and Elsie speared the marshmallows and handed sticks to Fern, Kenna, Nadia and Hailey. They sat on rocks and toasted their marshmallows.
I walked over to Yasmine. “I believe they have another rock available. I would think that you’d want to roast marshmallows even if you don’t want a smore.”
Yasmine looked up at me, her face tense. “Leave me alone.”
“I thought you came here to have fun. It doesn’t sound like you’ll have very much fun sitting over here all by yourself.”
She sighed. “Okay, I’ll go over there, but only because I want to.”
Yasmine joined the other scouts and they began to laugh when Eleanor lost her hotdog in the fire. “I hope that’s not the last hotdog,” Eleanor exclaimed.
Leotyne handed Eleanor a new hotdog. The scouts clammed up when they stared into the woman’s grayish face, which looked even more menacing in the glow of the fire. Leotyne snickered as she moved away.
I walked over to the table and helped Rosa Lee and Elsie and Marjorie ready the graham crackers and chocolate for the girls. The scouts took turns and happily brought their mostly burnt marshmallows and assembled their smores. They then ate them by the fire as we adults roasted our hotdogs.
It was dark now, the only light from the campfire. Stars dotted the night sky and the nearly full moon loomed. I enjoyed the view until Martha came over. “I wonder when Peggy will be back.”
“How long ago did she leave?”
“An hour before you returned from the water run.”
“Perhaps the leaders are having a good time. The male leaders from across the lake were going to be at dinner, too,” I reminded her. “Peggy might be enjoying herself with one of them.”
“That doesn’t sound like something Peggy would do. She’s shy when it comes to the opposite sex.”
“Would it make you feel better if we went to check on her?”
“I’d hate to ask you to do that, Mother. It’s so far and after dark.”
“I have a flashlight,” Moraine said. “I’d be happy to come along.”
“We do, too,” Eleanor said as she hurried to the tent and returned with a flashlight for each of us.
“I’m not sure I should leave you alone with the scouts, Martha,” I said.
“Don’t forget, I have Rosa Lee, Elsie and Marjorie here, too.”
“Where did Leotyne and Bernice go?”
“I have no idea. I only hope that Leotyne doesn’t plan to tell the girls ghost stories later.”
Eleanor and I headed out on the trail, with Moraine in the lead. The trail was black except for the cones of light cast by our flashlights. I couldn’t stop myself from shuddering. I gripped the flashlight tightly as the glow of our lights cast shadows on the trees. I had an active enough imagination to see us being watched, which was silly. It was hard not to get spooked when all I could hear was the chirp of crickets. I don’t mind solitude if it doesn’t have to happen in the dark.
“Watch out, Agnes,” Eleanor grumbled. “That’s the second time you stepped on my foot.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m nervous.”
“No, you’re a scaredy cat.”
“So are you.”
“Is there a reason we’re whispering?” Moraine asked. “We’re not on a stakeout you know.” She laughed.
“Do you do that, or just work undercover for the FBI?”
“Did you hear that?” Moraine suddenly asked. “I wonder if Bigfoot is in these woods.”
“Nope, but I suspect there might be a coyote,” Eleanor said.
“Or bear,” Moraine volunteered.
“How about we quit talking until we get to the dining cabin?” When there was no response I was actually relieved. The last thing I needed to worry about was bears or coyotes.
After we were walking for a time, the woods came alive with the campfires of the other troops, the sound of laughter echoing in the trees. I grimaced at the pain in my feet, but bright lights were directly ahead of us and I knew we had about reached the cabin.
There wasn’t any activity at the cabin. Moraine tried the door and informed us, “It’s locked.”
“I’ll check the back door.”
Eleanor and I walked around back. I frowned at finding that door locked, too. “It doesn’t look as if anyone is here.”
“Should we go ask Mrs. Tuttle if she knows where Peggy might be?” Eleanor asked.
“Maybe we missed Peggy. I bet she’ll be waiting for us when we get back to camp,” Moraine suggested. “Let’s head back.”
We walked back into camp, where the scouts were hugging one another, as were Marjorie and Elsie. Rosa Lee and Bernice were still gone. Leotyne’s face appeared evil as her eyes widened.
“I’m shocked they let scouts back in this campground … after what happened,” Leotyne said. “If it’s not fed, it might get loose.”
“Wh-what would get loose?” Fern asked with chattering teeth.
“The Marsh Monster.”
“Marsh Monster?” I said. “I didn’t see any monster when we were on the trail.”
“That’s because he likes plump little girls.”
The girls screamed.
“That’s about enough, Leotyne,” Martha scolded her.
“But I didn’t get to the part where the Marsh Monster lives.”
“How about you girls get to bed now? We have flashlights in case you need to use the bathroom,” Martha said.
“I’m not using the outhouse tonight,” Yasmine said. “I’ll hold it all night.”
“You can’t do that,” Eleanor said. “I’ll go with you. I’m not afraid of any Marsh Monster. There isn’t even a marsh in this camp.”
“Actually that’s not true,” Marjorie said. “My grandchildren have come to this camp before and there is a section of wetlands here.”
“See, the Marsh Monster didn’t eat Marjorie’s grandchildren,” I said. “Err … I mean there isn’t any monster, marsh or otherwise.”
When the girls were finally settled in their tents I asked Martha, “I imagine Peggy didn’t come back yet?”
“No, and obviously you didn’t find her.”
“She’ll turn up. I can’t imagine she trusts you to handle the scouts by yourself. Otherwise, why would she come to camp with her injuries?”
“I guess you’re right, but I’m worried.”
Chapter 7
The roar of an engine in the morning had me scrambling out of my sleeping bag. When I finally stumbled from my tent I saw Moraine driving an all-terrain vehicle around the campground. She braked where I stood and said, “This is a better way to get around.”
“For you perhaps, but there’s no way I could maneuver a machine like that.”
“I suppose you’re right. Don’t worry, the golf cart is coming. When I told Stuart what a time you were having getting around he told me there was an ATV we could sign out, but I thought a golf cart might be more practical for you two.”
“How did you get hold of Stuart? Are you breaking the no-electronics rule?”
“Absolutely!” she said. “Get dressed and we can head out to check on Peggy.”
I crawled back into the tent to find Eleanor fully dressed in denim crop pants and yellow shirt, tugging on her sneakers. I had planned to wear the same beige pants I wore yesterday, but smeared marshmallow from the night before made that impossible. Luckily I packed jeans and plenty of T-shirts.
A golf cart was parked nearby when we crawled back out of the tent. The scouts were begging to be taken for a ride.
“No, we need to go somewhere,” I said.
“No, we wanted a ride on the ATV,” Kenna said with a shake of her head.
“You’ll need helmets for that.”
“Awww,” the girls cried until Moraine said, “Not to worry. I brough
t one along.”
“I hardly think that’s on the activity list,” Martha fretted.
“Now that’s not fair,” Eleanor said. “You don’t want to disappoint those girls. Look at their long faces.”
“Oh? I thought they’d want to go swimming today, but never mind,” Martha said.
“Can’t we ride the ATV and then go swimming,” Fern asked.
“Did their parents sign a permission slip for them to ride an ATV?” Eleanor asked.
“I’m not sure, which is another reason that we need to find Peggy, and soon,” Martha said. “I’m sorry, girls, but you can't ride the ATV. I'll try to contact your parents later to get permission, but right now we need to get ready for breakfast.”
“Where will we be going for breakfast?” I asked.
“We brought along some lovely granola bars.”
I stuck my tongue out. “Haven’t those girls had enough granola bars already?”
“I suppose so, but I don't know what else to do with Peggy gone.”
Eleanor and I were cleared to leave because our friends still hadn't gotten up. I allowed Eleanor to climb into the driver seat, and off we went.
“Where do you think Peggy went last night?” Eleanor asked.
“I wish I knew. I'm beginning to wonder if Martha will crumble if she’s not back soon.”
“I just hope we find her.”
Somehow Eleanor was able to maneuver the golf cart down the trail without mowing over any of the scouts who were walking on the path. I had to admit my feet were loving the use of the cart. I just wasn't certain what the other troops would think of it. I'm sure they wouldn't understand that we’re investigators, although I certainly hoped there wouldn’t be anything here that we’d need to investigate.
When we arrived at the main cabin nothing seemed out of the norm, though it’s not as if I’d know what would be normal at this campground. All that I saw were adults walking into the cabin, I assume to possibly work in the kitchen.
Inside the cabin, the tables weren’t set. A young woman appeared from the back.
“Can I help you?" she asked.
“We were wondering if Peggy Hughes is here? She's the leader of our troop. Can't miss her — her arm is in a sling.”
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