Camp Average by Craig Battle

Author:Craig Battle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Owlkids Books Inc.
Published: 2019-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

16

“WE’RE GOING SWIMMING”

Even though the boys all fell asleep before lights-out, the next morning came much too fast for junior camp. Out of every bunk came the sounds of cracking joints and groans due to aching muscles.

Pat grimaced as he raised a cupped hand to his ear. “Ah, the sweet sound of character.”

“Too …” Spike croaked.

“… soon!” Mike wheezed.

Over baked beans and low-fat turkey sausages in the mess hall, they heard that the basketball and soccer teams were thinking of abandoning Mack’s plan. At this point, Winston’s offer of a free period as a reward for a win, no matter how unlikely that win might be, sounded a whole lot better than boot camp.

Drained and discouraged, the members of the baseball team trudged to the field and lay down in front of Laker to receive the orders of the day. Their coach couldn’t blame them.

“Okay, boys,” he began before stopping abruptly, a flush coming over his face as he locked his knees together.

Mack took notice immediately and propped himself up on his elbows.

“Um,” Laker said, “I may need to use the bathroom. You men warm up. I’ll be right back.”

Mack watched with laser focus as the coach awkwardly fast-walked to the office, holding his stomach with both hands the whole way. He slipped through the door and shut it behind him.

“Okay, let’s go,” Mack said, scrambling to his feet as soon as Laker was out of sight.

“Go where? The outfield?” Pat asked, rolling over onto his stomach.

“No,” Mack answered. “The beach.”

He turned away from the field and walked at a steady clip toward the waterfront.

The baked beans they’d been served that morning happened to be Laker’s kryptonite. If past run-ins were any indication, the boys would have fifteen minutes before their coach was upright again and back on the field. That was just enough time to right a horrible wrong—if, that is, the rest of the team still trusted Mack enough to come along.

He walked on alone for a few seconds before he heard a small stampede of footsteps behind him, and he took a grateful breath. When the members of the team reached his side, he simply said, “We’re going swimming.”

“But what about Winston?” Miles asked nervously.

“Camp directors meet in Simon’s cabin every day after breakfast,” Mack answered. “He’ll be busy for at least half an hour.”

They arrived at the waterfront area, and Mack strolled boldly into the small red building that acted as both lifeguard station and equipment shed. In there, he found the on-duty lifeguard, Jama.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” the lifeguard said. “What’s this? I’m not supposed to have anybody here this morning.”

In truth, Jama had had a lot of free blocks since the junior campers were barred from water sports. At first he’d enjoyed the quiet, but then he’d just gotten bored.

“Laker sent us down for a cool-off,” Mack said confidently. “Just ten minutes and then back up. He felt bad seeing us at boot camp yesterday. Thought he’d cut us a break on the down-low.”

“Yeah, well,

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