CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 4 At four o'clock the kids were waiting in front of the hotel. Jack's van showed up a few minutes later. Jack opened the rear doors. "I brought a tent big enough for all three of you," he told them. "Where will you sleep?" Ruth Rose asked. "In this." Jack showed them a rolled-up string hammock. They all climbed in and buckled up. Jack joined the late-afternoon traffic. "Where are we going to camp?" Dink asked. He was sitting in the back with Josh, and Ruth Rose was u
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CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 4
At four o'clock the kids were waiting in front of the hotel.Jack's van showed up a few minutes later.
Jack opened the rear doors. "I brought a tent big enough for all three of you," he told them.
"Where will you sleep?" Ruth Rose asked.
"In this." Jack showed them a rolled-up string hammock.
They all climbed in and buckled up. Jack joined the late-afternoon traffic.
"Where are we going to camp?" Dink asked.He was sitting in the back with Josh, and Ruth Rose was up front with Jack.
"How about near the water?" Jack asked."Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to see an alligator nest."
"They make nests?" Josh said. "Like birds?"
"Not like birds. Mother alligators lay their eggs on the groundand cover them with vegetation," Jack explained.
Jack parked his van at the head of the trail.Between the four of them, they managed to carry the tent,Jack's hammock, and two small food coolers.
They took a different trail to the bay this time,and soon came to the clearing at the water's edge.
"Just dump everything near the boats," Jack said."We'll get your tent set up before it gets dark."
Josh peeked under one of the upside-down boats."There are no alligators here, right, Jack?" he asked.
"No, it's too open," he said. "But they often hunt at night.When it gets darker, look for two yellow spots in the water.Alligator eyes reflect light, so our campfire will help us see them."
As Jack and the kids set up camp, their shadows grew longer.
Soon the sun was behind the trees.
After the tent was up, Jack hung his hammock between two trees.He gave the kids some containers. "Fill these with water," he said.
"We have to drink salt water?" Josh asked. "Yucko!"
"No, we'll need it to put out our campfire later tonight," Jack explained."I brought bottled water for drinking."
The kids walked to the water, which was only about twenty feet from their tent.
As Josh stooped to fill his jug, Dink dropped his hand on Josh's shoulder."Is that an alligator?" he whispered. "I see two eyes!"
"Duh," Josh said. "I guess I can tell a floating branch from a reptile!"
Ruth Rose joined in. "But … but that branch is swimming toward you!"
"Very funny" Josh said. He lugged his container back to Jack.
"Just set the water by that tree," Jack said as he scooped a depression in the sand.He made a wall around it with rocks and damp sand.
