Reveille sounds for the camp kids. They’re out and about with all their adventures for the day. It’s time for our little pack to get started for the day as well. I thought we would take a hike on a trail I discovered a few years back. It winds along Inks Lake where there are lots of rabbits to chase. We normally take a little picnic lunch to share. I rigged up a little cart with a harness that our big guy Felix has agreed to pull. They served pizza at the mess hall last night so there were a lot of leftover bones. Bones are the part those kids never eat. Also called the crust where you don’t find many ingredients. They eat the middle and toss the rest. Along with pizza there were lots of apple slices. To complete our lunch, we found a whole box of corn dogs. Ok, let’s go. I will lead the pack and let’s have big Felix at the rear so no one gets lost.

We arrive at the edge of a big rock that overlooks the lake. This will make a splendid spot for our picnic. Thanks Felix for hauling our lunch up the hill. Let’s all help spread our feast on the big rock. Geez, all that hiking has really made me hungry. I can’t wait for those left over corn dogs. They are my favorites at camp each year. Let’s circle up and put everything in the middle. What a beautiful afternoon. The kids are sailing out on the lake and having so much fun. What’s that little sailboat I see in the distance? I don’t see any kids on board. But there’s a tiny speck on board. Hand me the binoculars Bear. Let’s see if a sailboat broke away from it’s mooring last night and floated out into the middle of the lake. Oh my goodness! There’s no way! I can’t be seeing what I think I’m seeing. Where’s Hank? I know he left with us didn’t he? Hank, come here! Hank, where are you? Come on now; don’t be playing games like this. Bear, didn’t you make sure Hank left with us? Bear has a really sheepish look on his face and cowering a bit. I’m gonna take a deep breath and say a prayer right now. Clean the lens of the binoculars Coco. I focus the binoculars really well this time. Great scot, Hank’s aboard a sailboat all alone! How in the world did that happen? Catahoula hound dogs can be pretty mischievous little pups and Hank is proving to be just that and more. Come on guys, just leave everything, we’ve got to get down quickly to the lake and see how we’re going to get Hank to shore.

Assuming the role of camp chairman this year is proving to be quite the challenge. If anything happens to Hank I’ll never hear the end of it. That pup! Grrrrrrrowl! Ok, Bear since you are probably the strongest of us all I need for you to take the lead on this rescue. We’ll all swim out to Hank except for Felix. We’ll need Felix to run back to camp and stay ashore near the big slide as a landmark so we can find our way back after we’ve rescued Hank. On the water everything looks the same from a distance. So we should all remember to have a landmark to help us find our way back to shore. Coco, Bear and I dive in and start dog paddling out to Hank. By now little Hank is howling because he’s scared to death. The closer we get the louder he’s howling. We finally reach Hank. I tell Bear to get the rope in his teeth and I will climb aboard since I am the smallest. Hank is shivering with fear and he’s so glad to see me he almost knocks me into the water. After reassuring him he’s going to be ok and not in trouble Hank settles down a little bit. I really want to scold him big time but poor little pup has already had the most frightening experience of his young life. We’re all family and even though we can get frustrated with each other we love one another deeply. Bear swims hard with Coco helping pull the rope towing us back to shore. Felix is barking loudly to signal where we should dock the sailboat. There will be big tales for campfire tonight!