Six-year-old Benny Alden howled at the TV. He was watching his favorite show, Wildman Willie. The man on the show practically lived outdoors, and in each episode, someone hired him to solve a problem.
This week a wolf had been separated from its pack and was trying to hurt a farmer’s chickens. The farmer had hired Wildman to take the wolf back to its pack. Wildman had tracked the animal all day. Now it was getting dark outside, but he was too close to give up.
Wildman howled like a wolf, “WhooooOOOOO.”
Benny howled like a wolf, “WhooooOOOOO.”
Wildman listened.
In the distance, a wolf howled back. The howl was leading Wildman to the wolf’s den.
Suddenly, Wildman stopped. Benny leaned closer to the TV. Wildman poked a stick into what looked like a pile of mushy rocks. “Fresh wolf scat,” he whispered. “We’re gettin’ real close.”
Benny’s heart raced. He knew from the show that scat was another name for animal poop. Old scat turned hard. Mushy scat like this meant the wolf was nearby. Benny barely breathed as Wildman ran through the woods. He would find the wolf. Wildman Willie always found what he was looking for.
“Ben-ny. Oh, Ben-ny.”
Benny didn’t hear his sister calling for him. He was tracking the wolf with Wildman.
“Ben-ny. Ben-ny. There you are.” Ten-year-old Violet stepped in front of the TV. She held a basket of laundry.
“Violet!” cried Benny. He tried to look around her. “Wildman is about to find the wolf!”
“And we are about to fold laundry,” said Violet. “I’ll only move if you promise to help.”
Benny nodded and tried to see the TV. Violet sighed and sat down.
“A wolf has been sneaking into a farmer’s yard. It’s trying to hurt the chickens,” said Benny.
Violet shivered. “How awful.” The T-shirt she’d been folding lay forgotten in her hands. Sister and brother watched as Wildman eased a rifle off his shoulder. Violet gasped.
“Don’t worry,” said Benny. “Wildman won’t hurt the wolf. That rifle shoots tank…tank…”
“Tranquilizer darts?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Benny. “They’ll make the wolf sleep so Wildman can take it back to its pack.”
Wildman stopped and whispered to the camera, “There’s the den. The wolf’s inside.”
A commercial came on. One always did just before the show’s ending.
“Socks,” said Violet.
Benny dug through the laundry basket, searching for all the socks. His thoughts drifted back to when he and his brother and sisters had lived in the woods.
After their parents had died, the four Alden children had run away. They’d heard they would be sent to live with a grandfather they’d never met. They thought he would be mean. At first, they had lived outside. Then one night they’d found an old railroad car. The children had turned the boxcar into a cozy home. After a while, their grandfather found them. He’d been searching everywhere for them, and it turned out he wasn’t mean at all. Now they all lived together in Grandfather’s house.
The commercials ended, and Wildman Willie came back on. He put a finger to his lips, reminding the people watching to stay quiet. Benny and Violet held their breath as Wildman tiptoed toward a mound of leaves. He raised his rifle. They jumped as Wildman yelled, “HUH!” A startled wolf dashed from its den. Wildman pulled the trigger. A tranquilizer dart shot into the wolf’s rear end. Slowly, the wolf rolled onto its side, asleep.
“He did it! He did it!” yelled Benny.
Violet clapped her hands. “That was exciting!”
Fourteen-year-old Henry and twelve-year-old Jessie ran in. “What’s all the noise?” Jessie asked.
“Wildman Willie caught the wolf,” said Benny.
“Judging from all that noise, I think you’re the wild man,” said Henry, roughing his little brother’s hair.
Henry and Jessie sat on the floor and helped sort laundry. Their dog, Watch, curled up on the sofa. On the TV, Wildman introduced the Show Us Your Adventure part of the show. In it, Wildman showed off photos and videos people had submitted of their own adventures in the wild. Benny really, really wished he could be on the show. He looked at the polka-dot sock in his hands. A video of him folding socks wouldn’t be very exciting. “I miss living in the boxcar,” he said. “It was so much fun.”
Jessie tossed him the matching sock. She thought about reminding him that there were hard times in the boxcar too, like the time Violet had gotten sick. The children had been lucky to have help close by when that had happened. Instead, she said, “Wildman is never alone. He has a whole bunch of people along with him. You just don’t see them because they are off camera.”
Benny shrugged. “He still does all the cool stuff himself. Last week he jumped into a frozen lake.”
Henry chuckled. “Why would anyone do that?”
“To show people how to get out,” said Benny. “I’ve learned all sorts of survival tricks from Wildman.”
On the TV, Show Us Your Adventure ended. The scene changed to Wildman Willie lifting the sleeping wolf into his rescue plane. “I’m flying this wolf to a new home deep in the wilderness,” said Wildman. “There he’ll be back with his pack and won’t be harming nice people’s chickens.” Wildman saluted the camera. Benny saluted back. “Until next time,” said Wildman. “Be smart. Stay safe.” He climbed into his plane and took off into the sky.
The children finished stacking the folded clothes. “Camp Survival!” boomed a voice from the TV. “Where campers survive in the wilderness just like Wildman Willie.”
Benny whirled around. “Wha—?”
“Yes,” boomed the deep voice, “you too can camp outdoors, forage for food, cook over campfires.” The commercial showed happy children toasting marshmallows on sticks over a fire. “Camp Survival. Big Pine Lake, Maine. For children six to sixteen years of age. Register now.”
“I’m six!” shouted Benny. “I could go to—”
“Lunch is ready,” called a woman’s voice. It was Mrs. McGregor, the Aldens’ housekeeper.
“Coming!” said Henry, clicking off the TV.
Camp Survival, thought Benny. He had to remember that name. Camp Survival. Camp Survival. He just had to.
Mrs. McGregor bustled around the kitchen, pouring milk and setting out a platter of sandwiches. Mrs. McGregor took care of the Aldens’ cooking and cleaning. She was also a close part of the Alden family.
Grandfather walked in. His blue eyes twinkled as he looked at his grandchildren. “Is there room for one more?”
“Here,” said Benny, patting the chair next to him.
“Thank you, Benny,” said Grandfather. “What are you eating?”
“PB and J,” said Benny.
“A fine choice.” Grandfather searched the platter for another peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
“There’s a…” Benny started. “There’s a camp called…” But he had forgotten the name. “It’s called…” He closed his eyes and thought of campers fishing and cooking and surviving on their own. “Camp Survival!” he said. “Kids live in the wild just like Wildman Willie. Can we go? Please. Please. Please?”
Grandfather chewed thoughtfully. “Where is this camp?”
“Big Pine Lake, Maine,” said Jessie.
Something changed in Grandfather’s face. “Big Pine Lake, huh?” He took another bite of sandwich. “What do the rest of you think?”
“I’d like to research Camp Survival,” said Jessie. She was a whiz at finding out things online. “We’ll see if they have interesting programs. If campers like going there. If the counselors are nice.”
Grandfather turned to Violet. “What about you?” he asked.
“I would love to sketch life in the woods,” she said. “Trees, flowers, animals. Like I did when we lived in the boxcar.”
“Hmm,” said Grandfather. “Henry?”
Henry speared a pickle from the jar. “I’ve been studying outdoor survival in Boy Scouts,” he said. “It would be fun to try things I’ve learned.”
Grandfather finished his milk. “Jessie,” he said, “why don’t you research the camp on the computer. I’ll make some phone calls. We’ll talk everything over at dinner.”
“Hoo-RAY!” yelled Benny.
Grandfather held up a hand. “Hold on,” he said. “It’s not a yes. It’s a ‘we’ll see.’”
All afternoon, Benny ran back and forth between Jessie’s room and Grandfather’s office. Jessie printed out information about the camp. They learned that the first two days would be spent learning skills. Then their skills would be put to the test on a three-day hike. Jessie also found online reviews posted by past campers. It seemed like everyone had a good time, except for one girl who got poison ivy. She posted a selfie of her face covered with a rash. “My bad,” she said. “I forgot to watch where I was walking.”
By dinnertime, it was settled. “Well,” said Grandfather, “it looks like the Aldens are on their way to Camp Survival.”
A week into their summer vacation, the children dragged duffel bags up from the basement. They wrote their names on clothing tags. Jessie was racing past the kitchen with an armload of blankets when she heard Grandfather’s hearty laugh. Is he speaking with Mrs. McGregor? she wondered.
Jessie peeked into the kitchen. Grandfather was sitting with Watch. “Yes, yes,” he was saying into the phone. “He is a fine traveler. You can take him anywhere. He’s young and eager—always first on and first off.”
Jessie smiled. It sounded like Grandfather was talking about Benny, who always raced to be first—first to the table, first to the door, first to the car. “Oh, yes,” said Grandfather. “He’ll do just fine up in the air.”
Jessie carried the blankets upstairs. “Up in the air?” The Aldens were driving to camp, not flying. What could “up in the air” mean? And who was Grandfather talking to in such a friendly way?
The night before the children left, they gathered in the living room to double-check their packing list. Watch rested his head on his paws. His eyes looked sad. “I’m afraid he knows we’re going away,” said Jessie. The children liked having Watch along on their adventures, and Watch loved being outdoors, but Camp Survival did not allow pets.
“Don’t worry,” said Henry. “Mrs. McGregor will give him extra treats and let him run through the sprinkler.”
Violet nuzzled Watch’s head. “She does spoil him when we’re away.”
The next morning, Mrs. McGregor and Watch waited as Henry helped Grandfather lift the duffel bags into the back of the minivan. One by one, each child hugged their sad-eyed dog.
“Time to go,” called Grandfather. The children scrambled into the van. As they buckled up, Grandfather walked around to the back. He moved their duffels then closed the door. Soon they were on their way to Camp Survival.
It wasn’t until they reached the highway that they found they had a stowaway.
