The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-09-12
The Canvas Blew Away. and Away
They Went Whlrling Down Hin.

tHcy Wchh WHfhH5 wv" ''f's
OF provisions. the small brothers. Don.
Denny and Billy. felt very down
hearted indeed
Never mind" said mamma, try.
ing to comfort them. you shall go
TO the Sunday school picnic next
week"
But Don and Denny mournfully
shook their heads. What was a sun
day school picnic compared with
camping out In the woods? You
can't shoot bears az a Sunday school
picnic" replied Don.
Nor sleep outdoors at night. nor
cook your dinner over a camp fire."
said Denny
Now. boys" said papa. between
you and me. don't believe Irving or
Ralph OF Percy viii really shoot any
bears They just think they viii
But | don't see why you cant have
good time camping out. too.
you have the old tent up IN the
attic. and II can be pitched In the or
ehard ! viii set Il up and lay a board
floor tomorrow. You can have Billy's
trundle bed, and lie crosswise. so that
Il Will be wide enough for three. You
may have the old wash.bonch for a
able. and three camp-chairs. or course
| you cannot cook there. but now and
then We will have a FIRE and get a real
camp meal. just as the other boys
will How will that dor
Splendid" cried Don and Denny
Billy jumped up and down In delight
Let them sleep out there!" eI
claimed mamma
What harm could come 10 them7"
said papa. ~Towser win be with them;
they will be quite safe"
SO the tent was pitched. and the
happy little boys began their camp
life. The orchard was on a slope OF
land. facing the southeast IL was
only a short distance from the house.
but the foliage was 20 thick that you
could not see the house from the or
chard
All day the boys played 40 usual.
but the things they did seemed differ
ent from usual. They did not have to
keep dressed up. but went barefoot all
the time, and wore old clothes and
hats: and mamma did not bother
when they got soiled and torn. Once
when they met her. and a lady caller
on the garden walk. she only said
These boys are not at home now
they are away on a camping trip"
Their meals tasted different from
usual. also. although they had the
same fare that papa and mamma ate
at home. Once. however. papa came
out and built a fire IN the orchard. and
they broiled steak. roasted eggs and
toasted crackers. Some way or other
their dishes got cleared away and
their beds made right along. although
they never troubled themselves about
e; and at bedtime mamma came In
to hear their prayers and tuck them
I'm. Towser slept In the tent door.
and every morning he woke them up
by tapping their faces.
One night they were suddenly awak.
ened by thunderclap. which seemed
to be right in the tent They chung
to one another, too scared even 70
cry. The lightning flashed, the thun-
der pealed. the wind shrieked among
the trees. and the rain beat upon their
canvas. The tent was trembling
Towser was bowling with all his
might. And then. all at once. there
came a terrific rush OF wind and rain.
their tent-pole broke. they we're torn
from bed. the canvas blew away. and
away they went whirllng down hill
What happened then the boys were
too bewlldered to know distinctly; but
Don remembered fetching up against
tree. and seeing-by a lightning
fash-iittle Billy washed by. with
Towser in pursuit. Then he saw the
dancing yellow CLEAN Of a lantern
and heard his fathers voice calling:
Boys, where are your"
Towser caught Billy and dragged
him uphiii-very frightened, wet and |
muddy, although not seriously hurt
Then papa carried him u the house
while Don. Denny and Towser strug.
gled on behind. And then there was
lively rubbing with towels. a put
ting on Of dry clothes and a slipping
Of hot chocolate as they sat toastinr