Episode 29: "Daddy ... Help... !"

That evening, after lights out, the girls of cabin 7 continued to talk about the disaster. Finally, Heather couldn't take it anymore. With a brusque shove, she pushed open her bedding and jumped to the floor.

"It's unfair... ! I'm going to call Dad..."

Making sure she was 'properly attired' in shorts and tee shirt (she didn't want to get into any more trouble than she would be for roaming after hours), she snuck out the cabin and headed for the pay-phone at the admin building. Five minutes later, she was back, crying openly.

Between sobs, she explained that Hartwell's people had padlocked the phone. On hearing this, Karen was furious...

"It's bad enough that 'sour lemon' Hartwell fires Jennifer; the best head counselor there ever was but this goes beyond what they're allowed to get away with ... They have no right to keep a child from calling her parents. Does anybody have any suggestions?"

Samantha spoke up. "I can think of one thing ... there's a payphone at the municipal dock..."

"But how do we get there?"

"Leave that to me..." Jumping out of her top bunk as well, she headed out the door. Contrary to the other girls, she had always ignored Hartwell's orders to wear 'proper' sleepwear; she wore what she always did – nothing. With Karen trotting close behind, she walked with a determined step to cabin 6 and stormed in.

"Robert, wake up!" she said it loud enough to wake up everyone.

"What?!"

"You and I are stealing a canoe ... Karen needs to call her father and Hartwell's bunch locked the phone. We're taking her to the municipal dock."

"NOW?! Okay ... give me sec." He crawled out of bed and into a pair of shorts (he had always admired his sister's brazenness but had never had the courage to do it so openly- he preferred to work in the shadows.)