Course, they swore they never entered the military reservation, but nonetheless they were still booted out. They mean what they say with their “No Trespassing” signs. And then there was this little piece in the paper about agricultural research and testing being done out here.
“Well, ahead of us, I think around the next bend, is another little creek. I can't remember the name, but at that point we are more than halfway done with Camp Crowder. After that, be on the lookout for a big flat topped rock in the middle of the river. It should still be a little ways ahead of us. And that's where I thought we might spend the night.”
“That's good. I think Marty and I are ready to call it a day,” I said.
“ Don't get too excited. It's still at least another hour or so. I just think we will be better off if we can get a camp site set up before dark. The bluffs block out the sunset and it will get dark rather quickly. Besides, we can find more firewood that way.”
A vision of snakes entered my mind as I thought of gathering firewood after dark; and I had to agree with Sam that it was probably better to stop before it got dark. I rummaged through my camping first aid bag and found some aspirin. I passed two tablets to Marty.
“Take these, it might make you feel a little better.”
“I really don't feel good at all. My left shoulder is sore and so is my neck. I think I must have pulled something. And I'm achy all over. Do you think I could have sunpoisoning?”
I had to think a moment. What did she consider sunpoisoning? Was she talking of heat or sunstroke? Well, she certainly was a candidate for that.
“Weelll, could be a possibility. Keep on drinking as much as you can and cool off. There's plenty of water around us, just splash some on. That will help.”
I turned to Sam. “Hey, pal, your wife is getting too much sun. Let's get moving so we can get her cooled off.”
He looked surprised at me, as if he had not even noticed Marty. “Honey, are you okay?” Marty nodded and swallowed. “Oh, I think I'll be fine. Chris just gave me a couple of aspirin and I'll drink some more and I think I'll be ok with that.”
She may have thought so, but I had my doubts, I've seen a couple of cases of sunstroke. If that's what we were dealing with here, then Marty was in big trouble. I couldn't figure out how to explain my concerns to the others. The only answer was to keep an eye on her, keep her drinking, and remind her to splash river water on to cool off. It would be better to just get her off the river, fast.
The trees on the right shore got taller and the underbrush denser. I kept thinking about what Sam had said about top secret testing, and I wondered what was going on behind that dense vegetation. My colorful imagination was in overdrive. But I couldn't see anything unusual or mysterious, just lots of brush and big trees. It did strike me as odd, though, that we didn't see any more animals. There were no more little turtles sunbathing on the logs and it was quiet around us.
Chapter 5
Once again Tom and I were in the middle between the other canoes. Sam had pulled well ahead of us. I suppose it's part of his entertainment on these trips to be the one to yell, “We're here”. He can have his fun. I like to go slower and so do Ralph and Sandy.
I turned slightly to the right, wanting to ask Tom how far back Ralph and Sandy were, when movement on the shore caught my eye. For one brief
“Well, ahead of us, I think around the next bend, is another little creek. I can't remember the name, but at that point we are more than halfway done with Camp Crowder. After that, be on the lookout for a big flat topped rock in the middle of the river. It should still be a little ways ahead of us. And that's where I thought we might spend the night.”
“That's good. I think Marty and I are ready to call it a day,” I said.
“ Don't get too excited. It's still at least another hour or so. I just think we will be better off if we can get a camp site set up before dark. The bluffs block out the sunset and it will get dark rather quickly. Besides, we can find more firewood that way.”
A vision of snakes entered my mind as I thought of gathering firewood after dark; and I had to agree with Sam that it was probably better to stop before it got dark. I rummaged through my camping first aid bag and found some aspirin. I passed two tablets to Marty.
“Take these, it might make you feel a little better.”
“I really don't feel good at all. My left shoulder is sore and so is my neck. I think I must have pulled something. And I'm achy all over. Do you think I could have sunpoisoning?”
I had to think a moment. What did she consider sunpoisoning? Was she talking of heat or sunstroke? Well, she certainly was a candidate for that.
“Weelll, could be a possibility. Keep on drinking as much as you can and cool off. There's plenty of water around us, just splash some on. That will help.”
I turned to Sam. “Hey, pal, your wife is getting too much sun. Let's get moving so we can get her cooled off.”
He looked surprised at me, as if he had not even noticed Marty. “Honey, are you okay?” Marty nodded and swallowed. “Oh, I think I'll be fine. Chris just gave me a couple of aspirin and I'll drink some more and I think I'll be ok with that.”
She may have thought so, but I had my doubts, I've seen a couple of cases of sunstroke. If that's what we were dealing with here, then Marty was in big trouble. I couldn't figure out how to explain my concerns to the others. The only answer was to keep an eye on her, keep her drinking, and remind her to splash river water on to cool off. It would be better to just get her off the river, fast.
The trees on the right shore got taller and the underbrush denser. I kept thinking about what Sam had said about top secret testing, and I wondered what was going on behind that dense vegetation. My colorful imagination was in overdrive. But I couldn't see anything unusual or mysterious, just lots of brush and big trees. It did strike me as odd, though, that we didn't see any more animals. There were no more little turtles sunbathing on the logs and it was quiet around us.
Chapter 5
Once again Tom and I were in the middle between the other canoes. Sam had pulled well ahead of us. I suppose it's part of his entertainment on these trips to be the one to yell, “We're here”. He can have his fun. I like to go slower and so do Ralph and Sandy.
I turned slightly to the right, wanting to ask Tom how far back Ralph and Sandy were, when movement on the shore caught my eye. For one brief
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