Bo-Bo Goes Camping

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The boxing club had closed and it was much too quiet a summer for
Bo-Bo .
So he decided to bring some of the lads for a hike up the Black
mountain .
He thought that while they were up there it might be a nice idea to a
camp out with the boy's overnight. So one by one he visited the homes
of seven of the Bosco boys and asked permission from their parents to
take their boys away on a two-day adventure.

The parents were all glad to oblige and so Bo-Bo handed over a list of
things that they would need to bring with them in their bags for the
camp .

When Bo-Bo told the boys he arranged for them all meet at the clubhouse
at five o'clock on Saturday morning.

As planned they were all there on time except for Charlie. Bo-Bo gave
him about half an hour before making his way with all the other lads to
his front door. Marching in single file down the road they came to
Charlies house where they all stood underneath Charlies bedroom
window.
Bo-Bo threw a few small stones against the windowpane, which saw the
curtains being drawn, and Charlie sticking his head out the
window.

" I'm sorry Bo-Bo but the alarm clock never went off. I'll be right
there, just give me a few minutes."
Charlie said.

Bo-Bo and the boys waited until Charlie came running out the front door
with his backpack kind of thrown over his head.

"It doesn't work like that Charlie."
Said one of the lads standing on the pavement.

Charlie looked up and said.
"What do you mean."?

"The backpack goes on your back Charlie not over your head "
Came the reply.

"Oh sure I knew that."
Said Charlie as a few of them laughed.

Wanting to distract their thoughts Charlie lifted his foot up and
pointed to the soles of his shoes.

"See all that "
Said Charlie.

"All what?"
Said Stitch.

Charlie continued ,
"The animal paw marks Stitch. Don't you know anything? I got these
shoes just in case we should meet any wild animals up the mountain. If
we need to
I can identify their tracks by matching them with those on my
shoes."

"Charlie you're not going anywhere until you change your
pyjamas."
Said Bo-Bo.

"Oh sorry I forgot. Just a minute."
Said Charlie who rushed back inside the house.

A few minutes later Charlie returned wearing denim jeans, a t-shirt and
a pair of white sneakers.

Stitch took a long look at Charlie and said,
"So we're not going to wear the animal tracking shoes then ".

"No I've changed my mind . I think sneakers will be better for creeping
up on things .

"Like what kind of things ? "
Said Brasser .

Charlie said .
"I don't know . Wild rabbits or bears ."

'We're going on a bear hunt and I'm not scared ."
Said Lefty .

Bo-Bo spoke before anyone else added in to the conversation .
Well are we ready to go now "

"Yes sir. Let make tracks . "
Said an over eagre Charlie who saluted every one of the group "

"Right then. Off we go lads. To the mountain side."

Bo-Bo took the lead with the seven young adventurers marching
behind.

Through the early morning light the eight made their way to the foot of
the Black Mountain. The concrete footpath finished at a clearing where
a well-walked track invited them along a path through the long grass to
the base of the mountain. It was there beside a trickling stream that
Bo-Bo stopped marching and told all the boys to rest for a
moment.

He passed around a few maps and pointed up ahead .
Then he said,

"All right boys. I want you to give me your attention. This weekend we
are going to discover how to survive in the wilderness."

Mo spoke up and captured everyone's attention.
"We're going on a bear hunt and I'm not scared ."

Stitch entered saying ,
" I saw a movie once about some boys who went camping. They were
surrounded by a family of grizzly bears. The boys were all eaten alive
. "

Lefty answered immediately,
"Aw sure thing Mo. That movie doesn't count. Bears don't eat people
because I read a book about a girl who ate three bowls of porridge and
ended up sleeping with three grizzly bears. "

Before anyone else said anything Bo-Bo cut in,
"Well there are no bears in Wolfe Mountain so ease up . Further along
this path we will come to a junction where three tracks will
meet.
Charlie, you take Stitch to the right . Sketer, you and Brasser take
the left
And everyone else follow me up the middle track . We will all meet up
again at the fallen tree. I've marked that place on your maps with a
big circle. That is where we will set up our camp site."

"Can I come with you Bo-Bo?"
Said Charlie.

"No Charlie. You must take your group from the junction to the fallen
tree. It's all a big adventure. Don't worry about a thing just enjoy
yourself."

Charlie didn't look happy and said,
"But what if there is a bear up there?"

"Then tell him you're a hunter and he'll run away."
Said Bo-Bo.

Charlie said,
"Thanks Bo-Bo. You know everything about camping. "

Bo-Bo replied,
"Right then . Lets go . We'll meet at the fallen tree. "

They split up in three groups and made their way slowly up the mountain
paths. Along the way they had to avoid nettle bushes and wild
blackberry bushes. They saw rabbits and even some squirrels . It was
all very interesting for the boys who never got away from the village
streets.

Bo-Bo's group arrived at the fallen tree first and unloaded their back
packs . The all dropped to the ground and rested on the grass and
waited for the others to arrive.
Time passed quietly and finally in came the other groups . All out of
breath but no worse for the wear .

Bo-Bo asked everyone to gather around. He took some leaves from his bag
and handed them around and said.

"Listen to me now. These are the leaves of seven different trees your
job is to find those trees and scratch your name on the ground beside
the tree . The try to make a mark where you think the tree is on your
maps.
There is a forest full of trees around you boys , so don't say you
couldn't find your tree . You all have one hour to do that and get back
here to camp."

Stitch said,
" But Bo-Bo we've been walking since five o'clock this morning. We need
a break."

"Call this part of your training boys. Now off you go and when you
return I'll have some food cooked and ready to eat . How does that
sound?"

Stitch replied ,
"Sounds great . Lets go boys "

Mo added ,
"Ok then. Come on everybody. Lets go and find some trees."

They all set off in different directions . Bo-Bo gathered some kindle
wood and soon had a campfire burning. About a foot above the flames he
placed a quarter inch iron plate and began cooking some eggs and bacon
. It wasn't long before all the boys returned . That was everyone but
Charlie . Bo-Bo didn't want the food to get cold so he told the boys to
get out their cutlery and plates and tuck in. Once they had all eaten
Bo-Bo decided they should go and find Charlie. They set off down the
track that Charlie had taken and with Bo-Bo's keen sense of awareness
he was able to follow every step Charlie had taken. After a while they
came to Wolfe Cliff. Bo-Bo stood quietly for a few moments looking up
at one of the caves in the cliff face.
Then everyone heard it.

" Help."
Charlies voice echoed from inside the cave all around the
mountainside.

Bo- Bo shouted back .
"Charlie. It's Bo-Bo and the boys. Keep calling we're coming. "

Charlie continued to scream for help. Bo-Bo and the boys scaled the
cliff face until they were right outside the cave where Charlie was.
They all made their way into the cave and soon saw Charlie who was
sitting in a small pool of water surrounded by bats. Charlie couldn't
move for fear. So Bo-Bo and the boys lit some torches and frightened
off the bats. Charlie was so happy to see everyone. Getting his
confidence back he started to make up a story about how he chased a
grizzly bear into a corner of the cave but was driven away by a hundred
bats who distracted him and the bear escaped .

Bo-Bo was wise to Charlie and his stories . He asked Charlie about the
leaf and if he found the tree.

Charlie replied ,
"I lost the leaf you gave me Bo-Bo but I did find the tree . Its up
there ."
Charlie pointed to a thin shaft of light that streamed down from the
roof of the cave .

With further questioning from Bo-Bo and the boys the truth finally came
out.
Poor Charlie had been walking around Wolfe Hill and somehow had fallen
into a pothole. He had slid down an inner channel of Wolfe Cliff until
he landed in a pool of water inside the cave.
Apart from a few scratches Charlie seemed ok . He even wanted to return
to the top of the mountain and slide down again into the cave. Bo-Bo
encouraged the boys to put that idea on hold and suggested it was time
to return to the campsite. On their return it was time to pitch the
tent.
They all helped unpack the large canvas and frame . Then they began
to
Hammer in pegs and stretch stings and with other directions they soon
had the tent up and their sleeping bags in and spread out on the
floor.

As night arrived they all lay inside their sleeping bags. There were
strange scurrying and scratching sounds. Everyone eventually worked out
that it was just Bo-Bo mucking around, trying to frighten them.
It was really quiet and everyone was just about falling off to sleep
when Charlie's voice broke the silence.
"Bo-Bo I have to go and do a thing outside."

Bo-Bo replied.
"What thing."

A few smans were heard .

Charlie said ,
"A thing you know."

Bo-Bo replied
"No Charlie. Tell me what thing."

Quietly Charlie answered ,
"I have to go to the toilet."

Bo-Bo said.
"Well go on then. Hurry up."

Charlie continued ,
"I can't Bo-Bo."

Bo-Bo said,
"Why can't you?"

Charlie replied,
"Well its dark out there and there might be night creatures
around."

"Charlie for heavens sake take a torch and go behind a tree and do what
you have to do. Unless you want me to hold your hand for you."

Some more smans were heard.
Charlie unzipped his sleeping bag and turned on his torch almost
blinding everyone in the tent. Then he felt around the tent looking for
door out .
Scrambling for the exit he tripped over a few people who lay there half
asleep.

Stitch shouted
"Aw Thanks a lot Charlie "

Now everybody was wide-awake. Charlie found the door of the tent and
unzipped it open and walked off into the bushes.
Inside the tent they all sat up and waited for Charlie to return.
Charlie seemed to be gone a long time . Suddenly they heard his faint
cry for help. Bo-Bo stuck his head outside the tent and shouted
,
"What's going on? Are you all right Charlie?"

Charlies voice answered,
"I've dropped the torch and can't find my way back to the tent."

Bo-Bo replied
"Ok Charlie don't panic. Just follow the sound of my voice and you'll
find your way back."

Charlie said .
"Could you sing me a song Bo-Bo."?

Bo-Bo amused him and began to sing ,
"If you go down to the woods today you're sure of a big
surprise."

As the song continued Charlie soon was back in the tent. Once again
everyone was settling down and just about to fall asleep.
Charlie's voice again spoke.
" I can't sleep without Fuzzy. Could you go and find him Bo-Bo."

Bo-Bo sat up and replied.
" What the heck is the matter now Charlie?"

Charlie replied ,
"Well I brought Fuzzy over with me into the bushes when I was doing my
thing
and then I dropped the torch and I forgot all about him and he's still
over there somewhere in the darkness ."

Bo-Bo asked.
" Who is Fuzzy "?

Charlie answered very quietly,
"My teddy."

A few smans were heard and then a few more.

Bo-Bo interrupted and said,
"Charlie you don't mean to tell me you brought a teddy camping with
you. "
Charlie never answered.
As Bo-Bo got to his feet he asked ,
"Ok Charlie what colour is Fuzzy."

Charlie replied,
"He has a kind of scruffy creamy fur and there's a red scarf wrapped
around his neck. He had a pair of black shoes."

Now the smaning around the tent turned into giggling and eventually
laughter. Bo-Bo told them to settle down and continued,
"Ok Charlie I'll go and find scruffy for you."
When Bo-Bo was out looking for Fuzzy some of the boys told Charlie not
to worry. It seemed like a good idea to so Brasser produced Messer who
was a kind of soft cuddly puppy dog. The one by one each of the boys
introduced their comforters. There were Teddy's as well as some other
soft toys that had been brought along for a camping trip by the boys.
After a brief introduction all the toys were put away again and Charlie
didn't feel embarrassed by losing Fuzzy.

Bo-Bo found Fuzzy and returned him to Charlie who was delighted to have
his friend back. All was well and everyone tucked themselves up into
little balls and fell fast asleep.

Morning came and Bo-Bo was up getting the campfire started.
Slowly he started to cook breakfast. Other heads stuck out from the
tent.
Toast and jam with hot chocolate was on the menu.
After breakfast the boys helped Bo-Bo wash up. Then they took the tent
down and began to pack everything away.

The walk back to the village was enjoyed by one and all. They told
stories and promised again to return to Wolfe Cliff and explore the
deeper caves.
Bo-Bo made the boys promise not to mention any thing about Charlie's
mishaps or about Fuzzy getting lost in the dark.
Everyone agreed and so it was to be.

THE END

By Paul McCann