Macdonald Hall #6: Lights, Camera, Disaster!

The Media Circus

By noon the next day, two things were becoming apparent at the campsite in Algonquin Park. One, eating fish three meals a day wore thin very quickly. And two, Mr. Fudge was probably lost again, and help was not on the way.

It had rained all the previous night, and two of the three tents had sprung leaks. Tension in the camp was steadily mounting. Tempers flared, and when the boys weren't snapping at each other, there were long silences. Most preferred the arguing.

Mr. Flynn tried walking, with two tree branches as crutches, but it was no use. His injury and the muddiness of the ground were too much to overcome.

"Boys," he said solemnly, "I don't want to alarm you, but I think you've all figured out that we're in a bit of a situation here. Just remember that we're in no danger if we stay put. We've got shelter, water, and a steady food supply. At the absolute worst, when we're not at the road to meet the bus day after tomorrow, the alarm will go out, and we'll be rescued then. Comments?"

"We could get to the road, sir!" promised Calvin. "I could carry you!"

"Thanks, Fihzgart. Anybody else?" His eyes fell on Bruno's morose face. "Well, Walton? Obviously you've got something to say."

Bruno hung his head. "I was just thinking about all the rotten jokes I played on Mr. Fudge over the last couple of years. I put a lizard in his bed, I ordered him a pizza, I booby-trapped his toilet — "

"That was you?" blurted Pete. "Good one!"

Bruno looked guilty. "Well, it just seems kind of weird that I never got a chance to say I was sorry."

"He's not dead!" exploded Flynn.

"It was raining pretty hard last night — " ventured Jordie.

"Your imaginations are getting the better of you," the coach lectured. "Look at Drimsdale here. He isn't letting a few problems get him down."

"On the contrary, sir," said Elmer. "This has all been most fascinating. I saw a rare blue-tipped oriole today."

"Now, after lunch, " said Flynn, "we're going to start building a raft."

"Great idea!" approved Calvin. "I'll paddle out of here, and when I reach Greenland, I'll airlift help!"

"It's not transportation," Flynn replied patiently. "I figure we put an S.O.S. signal on it and float it out into the middle of the lake for any passing aircraft to see."

Wilbur was put in charge of the tree-chopping detail. His instructions: "Pick small maple saplings, stand well clear, and don't let Fihzgart anywhere near the axe."

Bruno, Boots, and Jordie were sent straight from a lunch of fish to catch fish for dinner.

Bruno dropped his line in the water. "Well, Cutesy? Still glad you came on Die-in-the-Woods?"

Jordie grinned. "It's not so bad. I feel kind of lousy that most of this is my fault, though. I hope you guys don't flunk the trip."

Bruno looked haunted. "Hey, you don't think they'll make us do it over till we get it right?!"

"I doubt it," said Boots. "I'll bet we're doing more real surviving than anybody else ever did."

"If we survive," Bruno added. "Think we'll be rescued?"

"No problem," said Jordie. "If the school, the police, the forest rangers, the Coast Guard, and the army don't find us, Goose will be here. "

"Coach Flynn doesn't think there's any danger," commented Boots. He scratched his head. "That's what bothers me. If we're all safe and sound — why do we need an S.O.S. raft?"