zipped up his hooded sweatshirt Yo said Vik Where are you going I’m uh Nate hesitated At school kids teased him about how he liked birds That’s why Nate was still keeping his interest in birds a secret even from Vik When Nate didn’t finish his sentence Vik said Relax buddy You can’t go anywhere You and I are on fire duty remember Oh yeah said Nate He sank back down glancing over his shoulder at the woods What’s back there that’s got you so jumpy asked Vik Nothing said Nate Then he decided to trust Vik a little It’s just I heard an owl and I sort of want to see it Okay so after we douse the campfire we can go look for it said Vik He tossed the stick and the marshmallow into the fire Really asked Nate surprised You want to Sure said Vik We’ll hunt for you-know 12
who-oo-oo Vik’s hoot was pretty loud but no one else heard him because the other campers were singing Nate laughed Okay he said You’re on Hey Nate Vik said Knock knock Who’s there I hope so said Vik Get it Oh man that’s painful groaned Nate He shoved two uncooked marshmallows in his ears Now Vik laughed Vik was a newbie it was his first summer at Camp Wolf Trail Nate had hit it off with Vik right away and he was really glad that they were both in Birch Cabin along with his friends from last summer Yasu Jim Erik and Zee and the other newbies Zack Kareem and Sean All right everybody said Simon one of the counselors That wraps up the show for tonight Another counselor Carlos lifted the strap of his guitar off of his shoulder and started to put it in its case Time to hit the sack boys Nate leapt to his feet tossing his ear marsh mallows into the flames He was eager to put out 13
the fire and be on his way But most of the other campers didn’t want to leave Noooooo they groaned One more song One more song Carlos held up his hands in surrender Okay he said You got it One more song on the condi tion that you sing it as you follow me back to your cabins Deal Deal yelled the campers Nate glanced at the woods He hoped the noise wouldn’t scare the owl away It might be a screech owl or maybe a great horned Carlos strummed his guitar You’ll be sorry he said to the campers with a mischievous look I’m gonna sing the goofiest song I know He took a deep breath and sang at the top of his voice You put your right foot in You put your right foot out The campers laughed and howled with glee and soon everyone was singing the Hokey Pokey as they danced left foot in left foot out behind Carlos through the woods to the cabins As the 14
