Russ put down his empty dish and began to fill his pipe. “I think a joke like that rates KP for another night, at least.”
Sandy and Quiz helped Jerry clear up the mess kits, forks and pans and carry them down to the pool.
“Hey,” Sandy remembered suddenly, “we didn’t bring any soap powder. How can he wash these greasy things in cold water without a strong soap?”
“We could boil some water,” Quiz suggested.
Russ got up from where he was relaxing against a tree and joined them. “What’s the matter with sand?” he asked.
“Sand!” the boys chorused together.
“Sure, it’s the best detergent there is. Mix up some of that fine sand on the bank with a little water and you’ll get these utensils as sparkling clean as your mothers’ best silverware.” He turned away, shaking his head. “Fine lot of woodsmen we’d be, going camping with a case of soap powder and steel wool.”
While Jerry was finishing up the dishes, Russell Steele showed Sandy and Quiz how to erect the pup tents. “Each of us has a shelter half in his bedroll,” he explained. “Half of a tent, to be exact, with enough wooden pegs to anchor it to the ground. We also have one ridgepole apiece. When we pair off, we have the makings for a complete tent; that’s how they do it in the army.”
From the creek, Jerry yelled, “What happens if there’s one guy left over?”
Russ laughed. “He stands first tour of guard duty.”