Episode 21: Sink the Swiss navy

Both girls had tears in their eyes. "How ... how did you manage? I mean ... Lisa, Pete... ?

"I'll tell you a secret ... even Jennifer, the head counselor, is involved. She's the one who brought all our stuff over in secret so that Hartwell wouldn't find out. The only thing that bothers me is that today is our last day here; tomorrow, we have to pack up everything and go back to camp."

"We do? I had completely forgotten about camp ... Ugh ... bathing suits..." said Heather.

"Separate showers..." reminded Karen.

"Having to stay 'properly' dressed..." added Ginger. "I itch just thinking about it."

"I have an idea," piped up Susan.

All the girls turned around in surprise. Susan had never yet uttered an opinion.

"Why don't we go naked when we get back?"

Ginger got an evil gleam in her eye. "No ... not when we go back ... we should do it when we're scheduled for swim. It should be, at the least, a mixed swim with the guys ... And we DON'T tell Lisa or Pete ... They've really stuck their necks out for us already; if Hartwell finds out they were in on it, he'll have them fired so hard, they'll never be able to get a job anywhere, anymore."

Linda, organizer extraordinaire, took the ball. "Karen, Heather ... This afternoon, I imagine that Ginger and I will be in the naval battles. Would you tell Thomas and Henry to talk it over with the guys; tell them what we've decided and get them to come in on this? I'll tell Sam; I'm sure she'll agree."

After the lunch dishes were washed and everything put away, the entire gang headed for the beach and the canoes. They had agreed on three separate events; two separate sets of races, one set where Tom and Linda would race against Ginger and Luke, one race with the girls in the stern, the other with the guys and the other set with Thomas and Karen against Henry and Heather, again one race with each sex at the stern. The winner would be decided in a single race between the teams that had the best time from each set.

The second event would be a 'no-paddles' race between Robert and Samantha; each one would stand up in a canoe and, by hopping up and down, cause the canoes to go forward ... the first over the finish line would be the winner. If both fell into the water, they would have to start over again, and again, until one crossed the finish line; no forfeit would be accepted.

The last event would be a four canoe battle royal with Linda and Tom. Ginger and Luke, Karen and Thomas and Henry and Heather, no moves barred. The last team afloat (they did not necessarily have to be afloat in their own canoe) would be the winner.

Lisa and Pete were to act as judges while Robert and Sam, each with one of the Ames kids aboard, acted as safety crews for all the races except their own.