Author's Notes: This was written for a friend's birthday. I should have had my parents send me the family copy of this novel, because I looked high and low for it with no success and since she's the only other person I know who's read the book, this is not only written without having read it for nearly a year, it's also un-beta'd to boot. I narrowly avoided naming it Welcome (back) to Camp Algonquin Island and apologize for any other errors I did miss. But it was lots of fun to write and I'm glad I've finally become one of the, like, three people writing IWtGH!fic! ;)
Disclaimer: Korman owns, I play.
Welcome (back) to Camp Algonkian Island!
Most of the boys were still chattering excitedly to each other as they gathered up their bags and got off the boat, but one was silent. Rudy Miller hung back, taking in the all too familiar fields, cabins, and woods of Camp Algonkian Island. Only when the last boys were climbing off did he pick up his own bag and follow with a heavy sigh.
On the dock, Frank, or at least an exceptionally identical clone, was greeting the boys and directing them to their cabins for the next weeks. He was still busy with his clipboard and a pair of tall blonde boys who looked alarmingly like future clones themselves and he hadn't noticed Rudy yet. Rudy began to inch unobtrusively closer to the edge of the dock. There was a new sailboat this year. How interesting.
"Miller!" A familiar howl split the air, and Rudy looked up to see Chip hurtling down to the shore from the cabins. Frank's head jerked up from his clipboard and the other boys (finally!) stopped their chattering to stare.
"Do you have any idea what an inconvenience you've caused us?" Chip howled, pushing past Frank and the other boys and screeching to a stop in front of Rudy. "The company wouldn't take them back! Now they refuse to do business with us ever again! We had to give 985 volleyballs away! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find enough places to take 985 volleyballs?"
"Chip!" Frank said warningly, hurrying over.
"Do you have any idea?" Chip howled.
"Chip, stop it!" Frank snapped and the clone subsided, red-faced. "Welcome back, Miller," Frank said, turning to Rudy. "I trust you had a good year at school?"
Rudy inclined his head graciously and Frank grinned. "Chip, go check in the others," he said, shoving the clipboard against the clone's chest. "Miller and I are going to have a little talk."
"So," Frank said quietly when Chip had moved off. "Do you have any idea of the inconvenience you've caused us?"
"I've just been informed by your crazed clone, actually," Rudy said coldly. "Although I think it's interesting that nobody informed me, or my parents, of it sooner."
To his credit, Frank looked embarrassed. "Well, how exactly were we going to explain it to your parents in a way that, er, made sense?"
"The truth will set you free," Rudy declared. "Is Mike here yet?"
Frank coughed. "Webster? No, he's not." He sighed and turned back to the other counselor. "Chip?" he said. "Go back to your cabin. I'll finish here. You," he added, looking significantly at Rudy, "are with Pierre this year."
Chip snickered as he handed Frank back the clipboard. "He found you so amusing last year we thought he might like to have you on a more permanent basis."
Rudy looked almost pleased. "What cabin number?"
"Nine," Frank said. "No, Chip, he does not need an escort," he added a moment later, grabbing the burly counselor by the back of the shirt. "Go back to your cabin." Chip obeyed, and Frank turned back to the staring crowd of boys, smiling brightly. "Now then! Williams, Charles…."
Pierre was leaning against the doorframe when Rudy arrived at his new home away from home. "Well hello, Miller," he said, grinning. "Welcome back to Algonkian Island."
Rudy muttered something that sounded distinctly like "Alcatraz" under his breath, but aloud he said, "Thank you."
"I've saved the far bunk for you," Pierre said, stepping aside. "There's an extra blanket there too, for your curtains."
Something that may have been surprise flickered across Rudy's impassive face. "You know me too well."
Pierre grinned. "Much too well!" he agreed. He waved a hand towards the interior of the cabin. "Go ahead and make yourself at home."
"Is Mike here too?" Rudy asked, not moving.
Pierre grimaced. "No, they sent him to Ralph's cabin this year. They thought it might keep you out of trouble to be a little more separate."
Rudy's eyes gleamed. "I hardly think so."
"That's what I said," Pierre said. "I'll take it up with the rest of them tonight."
"Thank you," Rudy said, with dignity, and went inside to unpack his duffle bag.
A few minutes later he was out again. "Can I go down to the docks to wait for him?" he asked.
"Only if you promise not to try to sail, row, paddle, motor, stow away, or swim to the mainland," Pierre said. "Did I miss anything? You can't fly, can you?"
"Not that I know of," Rudy said sadly.
"Do you promise not to try?"
"I promise."
"And the other stuff, too?"
"Darn," Rudy said. "You caught yourself."
Pierre looked smug. "I try. Do you promise?"
"I promise," Rudy said grudgingly.
"Frank's down there anyway," Pierre added. "You wouldn't get far."
"Probably not," Rudy agreed.
Pierre smiled. "Go ahead then, and remember your promises!"
Rudy nodded and went back down to the lake. "You again," Frank grumbled when he saw him.
"Pierre said I could wait for Mike," Rudy said.
"Only if you promise not to…"
"I already have."
"Good. I'll be watching you."
Rudy sighed. "I know."
He settled himself on the grass above the sandy beach and waited. It was a beautiful day, the sun sparkling on the lake and the birds singing. This was fortunate because Mike, it turned out, was on one of the last boats of the day. Rudy had long since begun to regret leaving his music behind at the cabin when he finally spotted his friend sitting on the starboard side of the little motorboat that carried the campers across the lake. Mike saw him too, and waved. Rudy distinctly heard Frank groan.
Mike was one of the first off the boat and as soon as his feet were on firm ground, he made a beeline for Rudy. "Webster!" Frank called after him. "Cabin 2!"
"Hi Frank!" Mike called back over his shoulder. He screeched to a halt in front of Rudy, who'd gotten to his feet as he approached and was brushing himself off, and threw his arms around him in a hug. Rudy jumped backwards.
"What are you doing?" he said, startled.
Mike blushed and looked uncertain. "Giving you a hug? You know, old friends … haven't seen each other all year… lots of people d-" He stopped abruptly. "Okay, you're not lots of people, are you?" He held out a tentative hand. "Sorry?"
Rudy shook it. "I accept your apology."
Mike shook his head, grinning ruefully. "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"
"Hopefully not," Rudy said, his eyes gleaming. "Although," he added in an undertone, keeping a wary eye on Frank, "I have been studying raft-building techniques."
Mike laughed aloud at that. "I've missed you!" he said.
Something uncertain flickered ever so briefly in Rudy's eyes and then he stepped forward and gave Mike a quick, awkward hug. "I missed you, too," he said, and then Rudy Miller smiled.