her thoughts, she had somehow wandered off the trail.
Casey turned back to find the trail, but it wasn’t there. All she saw were trees, in every direction.
Casey spun around, trying to figure out which way she’d come.
How could I be so stupid?
she thought with rising panic.
I wasn’t watching where I was going, and now I’m lost! And Mom and Dad won’t even think to look for me until dark. I’ll be lost in the woods in the dark!
A twig snapped somewhere nearby. Casey’s stomach clenched with fear.
There are wild animals in the woods,
she thought. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? There could be a mountain lion … or a bear! A bear that was stalking her!
Leaves rustled. Casey looked around wildly for a place to hide. But it was too late for that. She was trying to remember what you were supposed to do if you saw a bear
(Run? Stop, drop, and roll?)
when she spotted a large shape coming through the trees.
Casey covered her face and screamed. She heard a crash of leaves, followed by a low curse. Something about the voice was familiar….
“Erik?” Casey said, peeking through her hands.
She followed the thrashing noises and found him lying on his back, tangled up in a bush. He frowned up at her. “Why do you scream every time you see me? Am I really that scary?”
“I thought you were a bear,” Casey admitted. She glanced around just to be sure that a bear hadn’t been following Erik. “I’m scared of bears.”
“Well, nothing to worry about now. If there were any bears nearby, you’ve probably scared them allto death.” When Casey didn’t reply, he added, “Are you going to help me up or what?”
Casey grasped his hand and pulled him out of the bush. There were leaves stuck to his shirt, and his bare arms were covered with little red scratches. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I always come down here when it’s hot. The stream is the only place to cool off,” Erik said, brushing at the leaves on his shirt.
“There’s one in your hair,” Casey said, pulling it out.
“Thanks. So, what are
you
doing here?” he asked.
Casey suddenly remembered her problem. “I’m lost!” she told him. “Thank goodness you showed up. Do you have any idea how to get back to the trail?”
Erik stared at her. Then a smile crept across his face. “It’s about ten feet that way. You can’t miss it,” he said, pointing in the direction he had come.
Casey could tell he was laughing at her again. She straightened her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said coldly with as much dignity as she couldmuster. “Have fun at your stream.” She started toward the trail.
“Wait,” Erik said, chasing after her. “You can’t go yet.”
Casey stopped. “Why not?” “You’ll, uh … miss the regatta!” “The what?”
“The regatta. You know, like a boat race,” Erik said.
Casey looked back at the stream, confused. It didn’t seem deep enough for any kind of boat.
Erik was bent over, searching for something on the ground. “Find a stick,” he told her.
She didn’t have a clue what he was up to, but she picked up a long stick. “You mean, like this?”
“Ah,” Erik said, nodding. “A classic schooner. Me, I tend to prefer a skiff.” He held up a much smaller twig. “We’re going to race them,” he told Casey. “That log is the starting point. We’ll go all the way to the bend in the stream. Ready?”
“I guess,” Casey said. It seemed a little silly to her.
But why not?
she thought. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do.
They took their sticks over to the half-submerged log. “On your mark,” said Erik. “Get set…. Go!”
They both dropped the sticks into the water. At once, the current carried them away. Erik ran alongside the stream, shouting encouragement to his stick. Casey ran after him, laughing and shouting, too.
“Come on, come on! To the right! Watch out for that log!” Erik yelled.
“Go, go, go, go … no, no!” Casey hollered as her
Casey turned back to find the trail, but it wasn’t there. All she saw were trees, in every direction.
Casey spun around, trying to figure out which way she’d come.
How could I be so stupid?
she thought with rising panic.
I wasn’t watching where I was going, and now I’m lost! And Mom and Dad won’t even think to look for me until dark. I’ll be lost in the woods in the dark!
A twig snapped somewhere nearby. Casey’s stomach clenched with fear.
There are wild animals in the woods,
she thought. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? There could be a mountain lion … or a bear! A bear that was stalking her!
Leaves rustled. Casey looked around wildly for a place to hide. But it was too late for that. She was trying to remember what you were supposed to do if you saw a bear
(Run? Stop, drop, and roll?)
when she spotted a large shape coming through the trees.
Casey covered her face and screamed. She heard a crash of leaves, followed by a low curse. Something about the voice was familiar….
“Erik?” Casey said, peeking through her hands.
She followed the thrashing noises and found him lying on his back, tangled up in a bush. He frowned up at her. “Why do you scream every time you see me? Am I really that scary?”
“I thought you were a bear,” Casey admitted. She glanced around just to be sure that a bear hadn’t been following Erik. “I’m scared of bears.”
“Well, nothing to worry about now. If there were any bears nearby, you’ve probably scared them allto death.” When Casey didn’t reply, he added, “Are you going to help me up or what?”
Casey grasped his hand and pulled him out of the bush. There were leaves stuck to his shirt, and his bare arms were covered with little red scratches. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I always come down here when it’s hot. The stream is the only place to cool off,” Erik said, brushing at the leaves on his shirt.
“There’s one in your hair,” Casey said, pulling it out.
“Thanks. So, what are
you
doing here?” he asked.
Casey suddenly remembered her problem. “I’m lost!” she told him. “Thank goodness you showed up. Do you have any idea how to get back to the trail?”
Erik stared at her. Then a smile crept across his face. “It’s about ten feet that way. You can’t miss it,” he said, pointing in the direction he had come.
Casey could tell he was laughing at her again. She straightened her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said coldly with as much dignity as she couldmuster. “Have fun at your stream.” She started toward the trail.
“Wait,” Erik said, chasing after her. “You can’t go yet.”
Casey stopped. “Why not?” “You’ll, uh … miss the regatta!” “The what?”
“The regatta. You know, like a boat race,” Erik said.
Casey looked back at the stream, confused. It didn’t seem deep enough for any kind of boat.
Erik was bent over, searching for something on the ground. “Find a stick,” he told her.
She didn’t have a clue what he was up to, but she picked up a long stick. “You mean, like this?”
“Ah,” Erik said, nodding. “A classic schooner. Me, I tend to prefer a skiff.” He held up a much smaller twig. “We’re going to race them,” he told Casey. “That log is the starting point. We’ll go all the way to the bend in the stream. Ready?”
“I guess,” Casey said. It seemed a little silly to her.
But why not?
she thought. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do.
They took their sticks over to the half-submerged log. “On your mark,” said Erik. “Get set…. Go!”
They both dropped the sticks into the water. At once, the current carried them away. Erik ran alongside the stream, shouting encouragement to his stick. Casey ran after him, laughing and shouting, too.
“Come on, come on! To the right! Watch out for that log!” Erik yelled.
“Go, go, go, go … no, no!” Casey hollered as her
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