Karen's Campout

by Ann M. Martin

  “In Cabin 7-B, the counselor will be Nora Geller,” continued Mrs. Meanie. “The CITs are Betsy Pink and Mary Lowell. The campers are as follows.”

  Karen’s name was the first one called. The Three Musketeers were not going to be in the same cabin. Oh, well. Karen said the A and B cabins were connected. We would still get to see each other a lot. But we would not have to be together every second. And there would be one more girl in my cabin who I did not already know. One more new girl to make friends with.

  We walked to the cabins together. Karen was busy introducing herself to everyone in sight.

  “See you later!” she called to Nancy and me.

  Nancy and I went into our cabin and found an empty bunk. I wanted the one right in the middle, so I could see everything that was going on. Nancy let me have the top. I climbed up and tried it on for size. Perfect.

  “Hey, Hannie. I see an empty bed,” said Nancy. She sounded excited. “Karen can sleep there!”

  “But she is not in our cabin,” I said.

  “She can switch. Then the Three Musketeers can be together!” said Nancy.

  Just then a girl came in, dragging her bag behind her. Nancy looked disappointed.

  “Maybe that girl will switch with Karen,” whispered Nancy. “Or maybe Old Meanie got the names mixed up. Let’s go ask her.”

  I did not even bother to answer Nancy. She was acting like a dweeb. I climbed down from my bed and started to unpack.

  “Hi, everyone,” said Rikki, our counselor. “Let’s take a break from unpacking to introduce ourselves. When I point to you, tell us your name, where you come from, and one important thing you would like us to know about you.”

  I listened as my bunkies introduced themselves. Jill Locke was from Pennsylvania. She was learning to play the guitar. Amy Berke was from New York City. She wants to be a stand-up comic someday. Sophie Harris was from Connecticut and rides horses. Christine Sklar was from New Jersey. This was her first time at sleep-away camp.

  When it was Nancy’s turn, she told everyone that she was from Stoneybrook, Connecticut, and has a new baby brother named Danny. “I wish I did not have to leave him at home,” she added.

  Then it was my turn.

  “My name is Hannie Papadakis,” I said. “I am from Stoneybrook, Connecticut. And this week I want to make a lot of new friends!”

  Wilson the Wimp

  I’m here because I’m here because I’m here.

  And boy am I glad!

  Our camp director, Mr. Means, just finished giving us our cabin assignments. Linny Papadakis was in Cabin 9-A. That is because he is nine. (Cabin 9-A. Nine-year-olds. Get it?)

  “See you around, David Michael,” called Linny.

  “See you,” I called back.

  I was in Cabin 7-A. (Guess how old I am.) I did not know any of the kids in my cabin yet. No problem. Being on my own was going to be fun. You don’t get to be on your own very much when you come from a family as big as mine. (There are ten of us, counting Karen and Andrew, but not counting the pets.)

  This summer I am going to be Independent with a capital I. At home I have enough little brothers and sisters to look after. And enough grown-ups looking after me.

  My counselor’s name was Rick Lyon. Last year he was a CIT in this cabin. He is pretty wild. But Mr. Means must like him. Everyone in camp has to wear a teepee T-shirt. But Rick gets to wear another shirt on top. It has pictures of bowling balls and bowling pins all over it. It is wild.

  After we introduced ourselves, Rick made an announcement.

  “This summer, the seven-year-olds are going to be part of an experiment,” he said. “Each of you is going to be assigned a ‘little brother’ from one of the six-year-old cabins. How about that?”

  How about that? How about sending me home! I came to camp to get away from little kids. I have all the little brothers and sisters I need back where I came from.

  “Yo, David Michael. Are you with us?” asked Rick.

  “Huh?” I said.

  “Your little brother is going to be Wilson Tenney. He is in Cabin 6-B,” said Rick. “We’ll head over to the sixes as soon as everyone finishes unpacking.”

  I tried unpacking really, really slowly. But it did not do any good. I had to leave when everyone else was ready anyway.

  The kids in Cabin 6-B were wearing name tags. As soon as I saw Wilson Tenney, I knew I was in trouble. All I could think was Wimp with a capital W.

  I had to introduce myself to him anyway.

  “Hi,” I said. “I’m David Michael, your big brother.”

  “Achoo!” said Wilson. He wiped his runny nose with the back of his hand.

  “Maybe you need a handkerchief or something,” I said. I was trying to act like a big brother. I was also trying not to gag.

  “I — ah-ah-choo! — have allergies,” said Wilson, sniffling. “I am allergic to pollen, dust — achoo! — every animal you can name, and most of the activities they are going to make me do while I am here.”

  Oh, brother! Just what I needed. I was glad I did not have to be Wilson’s pal all day long. Rick said we only had to spend one hour a day with our little brothers.

  Still a whole hour! I did not even want to spend one second with this kid.

  “Okay, everyone. It’s time to say good-bye. But we’ll be having a campfire sing-along tonight. You will get to sit with your little brothers then,” said Rick.

  I needed a plan. Let me see. I could sit down next to Wilson. The minute he sneezed I could tell him he was allergic to me. Then I would do him a big favor and disappear. Forever.

  Karen the Know-It-All

  “Good night, Sasha, Corinne, Janet, Becky, and Maggie!” I called to my bunkies.

  It was lights out for Cabin 7-B.

  “I wonder what time we have to wake up tomorrow,” said Janet.

  “I can tell you exactly what time,” I said. “Old Meanie will wake us up at seven sharp. I know what she will say, too. She will say, ‘GOOD MORNING, CAMPERS, COUNSELORS, AND CITs. TODAY IS SUNDAY. BREAKFAST WILL BE SERVED IN HALF AN HOUR. THE MENU IS WAFFLES, BACON, AND ORANGE JUICE. HAVE A NICE DAY!’ ”

  “Thank you and good night, Karen,” said Nora, our counselor.

  “You are very welcome,” I replied. “Good night.”

  The next morning, we were up at seven sharp, just like I said. The only difference was Mrs. Meanie announced that we were having pancakes instead of waffles.

  The kids from all the cabins walk to the mess hall together, so I got to see Hannie and Nancy.

  Nancy gave me a gigundoly big hug. She acted as if she had not seen me for a hundred years.

  “Hi, Karen!” cried Hannie. “I loved my first night of camp. It was so much fun.”

  The Three Musketeers marched arm in arm to the mess hall. We sang “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt” as loudly as we could the whole way.

  When we got inside, I heard a girl behind me say, “I hope there is something for me to eat besides pancakes. Pancakes give me a bellyache.”

  “Do not worry,” I said. “You just have to ask Old Meanie for a substitute. You can have eggs or cereal. When you are an old camper like me, you know these things.”

  After breakfast we went back to our cabins to straighten up. Then it was time for swimming.

  “I wonder if the water will be cold,” said Maggie.

  “The water is really, really cold. But you forget all about it once you start moving around,” I explained. “You have to be careful when you get in, though. Some parts of the lake are rocky. I will show you. And you have to wear shoes on the dock, or you could get a splinter. And don’t forget your swimming cap or the counselor will send you back. And … ”

  “Thank you very much, Karen,” said Nora.

  Guess what. When we reached the lake, Corinne had to go all the way back to the cabin because she had forgotten her cap. I wanted to say, “I told you so.” But I did not. I did not want to act like a know-it-all.

  After swimming, Nora told
us we would be going on a hike in the afternoon.

  “I am sure Karen can tell you all about hiking,” she added.

  “That is right!” I said. “I know how to follow a trail. You just have to look for the cairns. They are piles of stones that mark the way. And I know how to use a compass. All you need to know is that it always points north. I know because I went hiking before.”

  “I am afraid we are boring you at camp this summer, Karen,” said Nora. “Let me see. Maybe we can find something that would be new and exciting for you. Tell me, did you go on any overnight trips when you were here last time?”

  “No,” I replied. “But I went camping once with my family.”

  “Well, we will be going on a campout this Thursday night, before we go home,” said Nora. “Do you think you would like that?”

  “Sure,” I replied. “I know some kids get scared camping out. But not me. I love camping!”

  Homesick

  I looked at the clock beside my bunk. It was six-thirty. In half an hour Old Meanie would wake us up.

  I missed my alarm clock at home. It looks like a cat. It wakes me up by saying, “Meow, meow, meow.” That is much nicer than Old Meanie shouting over the loudspeaker.

  The night had lasted forever and ever. In the middle of the night I had had to go to the bathroom. The bathroom is all the way in the back of the cabin and there is no light in it. I am afraid of going to the bathroom in the dark. So I woke up my counselor, Rikki, and asked her to go with me. She did not seem very happy. After that I could not fall asleep again.

  I knew I would be homesick. I just knew it. I miss Mommy and Daddy and Danny and Pokey. I miss Grandma B. I miss my clock and my dolls and the bathroom with the night light and soft seat.

  Camp is too rough for me. There are bugs. I do not like the food. We are busy every single minute. We hardly ever just sit.

  The Three Musketeers are not even together. Karen is in another cabin. She does things at different times from me and Hannie. And Hannie is always running around. She wants to do everything. She wants to meet everyone. She hardly has any time for me. I am lonely here.

  “GOOD MORNING, CAMPERS, COUNSELORS, AND CITs. TODAY IS SUNDAY. BREAKFAST WILL BE …”

  “Hurry up and get dressed, Hannie,” I said. “Karen will be waiting outside.”

  “Go ahead,” said Hannie, yawning. “I’ll meet you.”

  By the time I was dressed and ready to go, Hannie was still in her pajamas, brushing her teeth. That is because she was busy talking to the other bunkies.

  I ran outside to see if Karen was there yet. She was!

  “Hi, Karen!” I called. I gave her a great, big hug.

  When Hannie finally came out, the Three Musketeers linked arms and headed for the mess hall. We sang “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.” Then Karen sat with her bunkies and we sat with ours.

  I sat next to Christine. She’s kind of quiet, but nice. I could tell she did not like camp food either. She hardly ate anything.

  After breakfast, we had clean-up, then volleyball, then swimming. Karen was on her way back from the lake, when we were on our way down. She waved and called, “I’m going horseback riding! See you at dinner!”

  I wish the Three Musketeers could stay together. I know I would feel better.

  “Good morning, swimmers,” said Hank, the swimming instructor. “Everyone into the water for warm-up. Then get ready for a relay race.”

  “I am swimming faster every day!” said Hannie.

  She jumped right into the water. I stayed behind on the dock. I hate the way the bottom of the lake feels. It is covered with rocks and slippery weeds. One time I felt something long and wiggly. I am sure it was a snake.

  “Hey, Hannie,” I called when she swam by me. “Stay with me on the dock. Please?”

  “I can’t. It’s almost time for the race,” said Hannie. She grabbed a kickboard and kicked across to the rope on the other side.

  I was the only one who was not in the water. Well, almost the only one. Christine was halfway in. She took two steps forward. Then three steps back. Forward. Back. Finally she turned and came back to the dock.

  She sat down next to me. “I thought I felt a snake,” she said. “I’m afraid of snakes.”

  “Me, too,” I said. “But I think we’re safe here.”

  Nature Boy

  Cabins? Bunks? I thought I was going to be roughing it. I may as well be at home in my bed.

  Camp is okay so far. I am in Cabin 9-A. That is because I am nine years old. (9-A. Nine years old. Get it?)

  I get to play volleyball, softball, and basketball. And I go swimming every day. (You should see my sister, Hannie. She’s turning into a really cool swimmer.)

  “Come on, Linny. We don’t want to be late for supper. Burgers and bug juice,” said my bunkie, Jimmy.

  Burgers? Bug juice? I thought I was going to be hunting for food in the woods. Catching fish. Picking berries. Instead we eat in a mess hall. I may as well be eating in the school cafeteria.

  One good thing, though. Mr. Means, the boys’ camp director, said we were going on an overnight on Thursday. Today is Monday. Three more days until camping out. At least I’ll get to live out in the wild for one night.

  After dinner we went to the rec hall to see a movie called Meatballs. It is a goofy comedy about a bunch of kids at Camp Sasquatch. They didn’t rough it there either. Doesn’t anybody rough it at camp?

  I couldn’t wait to get back to the bunk for lights out. As soon as it was quiet, I did what I’ve been doing every night since I got to Camp Mohawk. I sneaked out of bed. I rolled up a sheet and put it under my blanket. I bunched it up so it would look like I was still curled up there. Then I slipped outside.

  I found the blanket I had stashed behind the cabin. The air was cold. But I didn’t mind. That is what camping out is all about. Coming face to face with nature. Roughing it.

  I wrapped myself up in the blanket to keep warm, just the way I had done every night since I got here. Then I settled down under a tree to get some sleep.

  Before I closed my eyes, I gazed up at the stars. I found the North Star, the Big Dipper, and the Little Dipper.

  I was just about to doze off, when I heard a voice say, “Back to bed, Nature Boy.” (That is what everyone calls me.) “You know you can’t sleep out here.”

  It was my counselor, Rob. He had come out to find me. Just the way he had every night since I got here.

  Oh, well. On Thursday night I would be able to sleep outside. And no one would come drag me back in.

  The Big Fight

  It was Tuesday morning. Sports Day!

  Nancy and I and our bunkies were on the blue team. Old Meanie (she’s not really so mean) hung blue streamers outside our cabin.

  Karen and her bunkies were on the red team. (They got red streamers.)

  At breakfast, our table was set with blue napkins and a blue flag. We had pancakes with blueberries. Karen’s bunk had red napkins, a red flag, and strawberries.

  I don’t care what anyone says. I think the food here is great. But, then, I think everything about Camp Mohawk is great.

  The first event was swimming. I jumped into the water for warm-up. Karen was busy complaining about how boring relay races are. And Nancy stayed behind on the dock. I heard her tell the counselor she did not feel good. But I do not think she was telling the truth.

  “Everyone line up for the race,” called Hank, the swimming instructor.

  I hurried out of the water and waited for the whistle. As soon as I heard it, I flew back in. I raced to the rope and back as fast as I could swim (which is really fast). I tagged my bunkie, Jill. Jill swam to the rope and back, then tagged Amy. Amy swam to the rope, then came back and tagged the wall.

  “Blue team!” she called.

  The blue team was jumping up and down, shouting, “We won! We won!”

  “Congratulations,” said Nancy. “Do you want to sit with me? We don’t have to go to softball yet.”

  “
No, thanks. The elevens are playing basketball,” I said. “I want to cheer them on.”

  “Can’t you stay here for one minute?” said Nancy. She grabbed my T-shirt and hung on to it.

  “Do you mind?” I asked. “I am going up to watch basketball. You are welcome to come if you want.”

  I left Nancy on the dock, moping. I ran back to the cabin to change out of my wet bathing suit. Then I went to the basketball court with Amy and Jill.

  “Go, blue, go! Go, blue, go!” we cheered.

  We must have done a good job cheering. The blue team won!

  Our counselor, Rikki, was giving us the softball line-up when Nancy came dawdling up the hill. She looked kind of lost.

  “Are you going to play softball with us?” I asked.

  “Old Meanie says I have to,” said Nancy.

  “Gee, you could try having a little team spirit,” I replied.

  Nancy was assigned the outfield. She stood there looking dreamy. In the third inning, the ball headed in her direction. The bases were loaded. But Nancy just stood there. I could not believe it. By the time she had run after the ball and thrown it, all four red team players had slid into home base.

  Guess what. We lost the game.

  It was time for lunch. I walked to the mess hall with Jill. We were singing “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt” when Nancy caught up with us.

  “I thought that was the Three Musketeers’ song,” said Nancy.

  “It’s just a song. Anyone is allowed to sing it, you know,” I replied.

  “Will you sit next to me at lunch, Hannie?” asked Nancy. She was hanging on to my T-shirt again. That did it.

  “Just leave me alone already!” I cried.

  Karen was ahead of us with her bunkies. She turned around to look at me.

  I did not say another word to Nancy. I stomped off to the mess hall with Jill. Jill, who was not hanging on to my shirt.