p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""When the hand goes up?" called the leader of Troop 1182, holding up their hand./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""The mouth goes shut!" twenty Cub Scouts shouted back, followed by… not complete silence, but considerably closer to it than before./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Thank you. Now, I hope you've all got your water bottles, because you're in for a special treat tonight…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When Scoutmaster Earl Harlan had approached them a week ago asking if they could talk, they couldn't help but worry. But the young scoutmaster had asked them, bouncing and brimming with eagerness, if he could lead the troop on a hike./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Sure… of course," the troop leader said quickly. "How's Tuesday?"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Perfect!" Earl's grin widened. "I thought I'd take them out to the ruins down by the far canyon."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Uh… they're only seven or eight, are you sure…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""It'll be fine!" Earl replied immediately. "We'll take it slow. We can always turn back if it doesn't go well. But they'll be fine."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Okay…" The Scoutmaster meant well, they were sure. But he hadn't had to deal with Cub Scouts since he was an Assistant Troop Leader. Nobody really knew how long ago that was./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Okay, scouts! Buddy line!" Earl called out, and the scouts scrambled to get in a double line, holding up their buddy's hand. "I know you've all got sunscreen on. Everybody show me your water bottles!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"A little over half held water bottles up as high as they could. The rest ran back to their seats and grabbed them./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Good." Earl laughed indulgently. "Now we're going on a really cool hike today, but it's really long. As we leave, I want you all to make sure you stop at the sink and fill those water bottles all the way to the top."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"It took a while, but eventually the Scoutmaster led the buddy line out into the desert. They stopped now and then to let the end of the line catch up, and slowly made their way to the canyon./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Do you know how this canyon was formed?" Earl called over his shoulder as they walked down into it. "Thousands of years ago, this used to be a river! Way before this was a desert. And the water was so strong that it made this deep canyon before it all dried up."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Whooooooaaaaa…" the scouts towards the front breathed./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""The water did other things, too. As you walk, look where you're stepping. First, make sure you don't step on anything living, like a rattlesnake or a table saw. But also, you might find… one of these!" He bent down and picked up a rock, holding it up high to show them. "See the hole all the way through? Long ago, the water pushed a smaller, harder rock against this one – or maybe even just a grain of sand. And it wore away at the rock until the hole was formed. We're going to have a contest to see who can find the smallest one."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"That got the scouts looking at the ground, and while they did, Earl had the ones in the front stop, so the slower ones at the back took the lead. He reminded them that there was no passing these people, and despite some grumbling, the group stayed together better after that./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""There's a cave up to the left," Earl said about halfway down the canyon. "It should be coming up pretty soon, but it's a little far back… Help me watch for it…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""I can't find any little rocks," one of the scouts whined./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""That's okay, we've got a way to go still."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""I'm hot…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Take a drink of water! We'll stop for a break in a minute."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Scoutmaster, there's the cave! Is that it?"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Oh, let's see… yeah! That's it!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Ah! Can we go in?"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""No, sorry," Earl said, smiling. "It's hard to climb up, and harder to get back down… besides, it's really tight once you get in there. I don't think even you could fit in there! I know I can't."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"The scouts whined and grumbled, but they stopped to sit down in the shade and drink water./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""So what are you most excited about in Scouts?" Earl asked as they sat together./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Exploring!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Learning how to fight."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Doing stuff with my friends."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Finding out how to make food!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Those are all great answers. You'll get to do all that and more. It'll be so much fun." Earl smiled at the scouts./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When they started off again, Earl pointed out numerous landmarks. There was the foundation of an old footbridge that Earl said his troop had walked over when he was their age: They had to go one by one, because it was so rickety. There was a rock wall, holding up the sandy soil on one side of the canyon. There was a well shaped like a half-circle, full of debris, with a dead tree growing up out of the middle. Earl wouldn't let the scouts climb up on it, and they complained loudly./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"At last they turned a corner and headed up to a shallow ramp leading up to a wide ledge. Earl paused on the ramp and turned to the troop./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""When I came here when I was a boy, my troop leader told us this was an Olympic training ground for water sports. And it's really hard to find the real story. But I've talked to a lot of older people, and I found out it really belonged to the High Council of Pine Cliffs, way back before your parents were born. They would invite their friends here and have huge parties." Earl beckoned the scouts up to the top of the ramp, and gestured out over a cracked, empty swimming pool. "They came here to cool off and play in the pool! There's even a really neat drainage system over on the far side – we won't go over there, though. There's a lot of debris, and it's not safe."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"He stepped back and let the children crowd around to stare at the ancient swimming pool. "…And nobody's going in," he said quickly, seeing a tall boy look over at the stairs leading down into the pool. There were some groans in response./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""That's not all, though! Come on, I'll show you." He led the scouts around a big boulder and pointed to a deep pool of dark water. "This water used to flow into the pool. It stopped because a hole opened up towards the bottom, and now it flows underground. …And we can't go into that either!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"The scouts moaned loudly. "It looks sooooo cool!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Where does that water come from?" one of them asked after a moment./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"Earl grinned. "It's just past here. This part is the coolest, just wait!" He led them through a copse of dead trees and loads of rocks, to a few low walls that made up a three-sided structure in the hillside. There were hinges attached to the opening. There was a plank floor over a rushing stream, and Earl ushered the scouts inside to stand on the wooden floor./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Do you feel how cool the air is in here?" the Scoutmaster asked. "Like air conditioning! The water flows out of that little hole in the rock – there's a big cave in there, and we're emnot/em crawling in! But when the High Council had their big wild parties, they'd tie their drinks and food so it sat in the cold water, and that kept it cold, before there were refrigerators. So the water flowed out of the cave, kept the food cold on the way, and then flowed out to fill the little pool, then the big pool. Feel the water, it's icy cold!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"The scouts crowded around to touch the water. Earl dug a bag of trail mix out of his pack and they passed it around, munching on the dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate, flicking cold water at each other, and talking eagerly about the kind of parties they'd have here./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"At last it was time to go back. It took almost twice as long, because the scouts' feet hurt, and they were tired, and they had to wait while a few took turns peeing behind a rock. The smallest boy broke out in a rash and started to cry. Earl encouraged him to go on for a while, but finally just carried the boy on his back./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When they got back to the Scout HQ in town, everyone refilled their water bottles. They all presented their rocks to the Scoutmaster. Most of the scouts had found rocks smaller than their palms. The smallest was the size of the tip of the boy's pinky finger. A few didn't have rocks. One scout proudly held up a rather flat rock bigger than their head and shaped like a fish, with a fist-sized hole through the middle. Earl gave that one an honorable mention. He pulled out some strong boot laces and dental floss, and showed them how to make necklaces out of their rocks, except the big one, which Earl recommended they place on their porch./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When the troop leader hurried back in, Earl was sending the scouts home with their parents./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Oh, we had a great time," he assured them, smiling. "They're great kids, gonna make amazing scouts. Listen, any time you need somebody to lead an activity, I'd love to help out again. …Besides, it gets me out of some paperwork for a while." He checked his watch. "…Which I should probably get back to now. Anyway, thanks again for letting me do this!" He smiled and waved on his way out./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""That's – that's fine!" the troop leader called after him. "Thanks for spending time with the kids! It means a lot to them."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"Earl smiled as he headed up to his office. It meant at least as much to him./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""The mouth goes shut!" twenty Cub Scouts shouted back, followed by… not complete silence, but considerably closer to it than before./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Thank you. Now, I hope you've all got your water bottles, because you're in for a special treat tonight…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When Scoutmaster Earl Harlan had approached them a week ago asking if they could talk, they couldn't help but worry. But the young scoutmaster had asked them, bouncing and brimming with eagerness, if he could lead the troop on a hike./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Sure… of course," the troop leader said quickly. "How's Tuesday?"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Perfect!" Earl's grin widened. "I thought I'd take them out to the ruins down by the far canyon."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Uh… they're only seven or eight, are you sure…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""It'll be fine!" Earl replied immediately. "We'll take it slow. We can always turn back if it doesn't go well. But they'll be fine."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Okay…" The Scoutmaster meant well, they were sure. But he hadn't had to deal with Cub Scouts since he was an Assistant Troop Leader. Nobody really knew how long ago that was./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Okay, scouts! Buddy line!" Earl called out, and the scouts scrambled to get in a double line, holding up their buddy's hand. "I know you've all got sunscreen on. Everybody show me your water bottles!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"A little over half held water bottles up as high as they could. The rest ran back to their seats and grabbed them./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Good." Earl laughed indulgently. "Now we're going on a really cool hike today, but it's really long. As we leave, I want you all to make sure you stop at the sink and fill those water bottles all the way to the top."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"It took a while, but eventually the Scoutmaster led the buddy line out into the desert. They stopped now and then to let the end of the line catch up, and slowly made their way to the canyon./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Do you know how this canyon was formed?" Earl called over his shoulder as they walked down into it. "Thousands of years ago, this used to be a river! Way before this was a desert. And the water was so strong that it made this deep canyon before it all dried up."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Whooooooaaaaa…" the scouts towards the front breathed./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""The water did other things, too. As you walk, look where you're stepping. First, make sure you don't step on anything living, like a rattlesnake or a table saw. But also, you might find… one of these!" He bent down and picked up a rock, holding it up high to show them. "See the hole all the way through? Long ago, the water pushed a smaller, harder rock against this one – or maybe even just a grain of sand. And it wore away at the rock until the hole was formed. We're going to have a contest to see who can find the smallest one."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"That got the scouts looking at the ground, and while they did, Earl had the ones in the front stop, so the slower ones at the back took the lead. He reminded them that there was no passing these people, and despite some grumbling, the group stayed together better after that./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""There's a cave up to the left," Earl said about halfway down the canyon. "It should be coming up pretty soon, but it's a little far back… Help me watch for it…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""I can't find any little rocks," one of the scouts whined./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""That's okay, we've got a way to go still."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""I'm hot…"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Take a drink of water! We'll stop for a break in a minute."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Scoutmaster, there's the cave! Is that it?"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Oh, let's see… yeah! That's it!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Ah! Can we go in?"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""No, sorry," Earl said, smiling. "It's hard to climb up, and harder to get back down… besides, it's really tight once you get in there. I don't think even you could fit in there! I know I can't."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"The scouts whined and grumbled, but they stopped to sit down in the shade and drink water./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""So what are you most excited about in Scouts?" Earl asked as they sat together./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Exploring!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Learning how to fight."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Doing stuff with my friends."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Finding out how to make food!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Those are all great answers. You'll get to do all that and more. It'll be so much fun." Earl smiled at the scouts./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When they started off again, Earl pointed out numerous landmarks. There was the foundation of an old footbridge that Earl said his troop had walked over when he was their age: They had to go one by one, because it was so rickety. There was a rock wall, holding up the sandy soil on one side of the canyon. There was a well shaped like a half-circle, full of debris, with a dead tree growing up out of the middle. Earl wouldn't let the scouts climb up on it, and they complained loudly./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"At last they turned a corner and headed up to a shallow ramp leading up to a wide ledge. Earl paused on the ramp and turned to the troop./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""When I came here when I was a boy, my troop leader told us this was an Olympic training ground for water sports. And it's really hard to find the real story. But I've talked to a lot of older people, and I found out it really belonged to the High Council of Pine Cliffs, way back before your parents were born. They would invite their friends here and have huge parties." Earl beckoned the scouts up to the top of the ramp, and gestured out over a cracked, empty swimming pool. "They came here to cool off and play in the pool! There's even a really neat drainage system over on the far side – we won't go over there, though. There's a lot of debris, and it's not safe."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"He stepped back and let the children crowd around to stare at the ancient swimming pool. "…And nobody's going in," he said quickly, seeing a tall boy look over at the stairs leading down into the pool. There were some groans in response./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""That's not all, though! Come on, I'll show you." He led the scouts around a big boulder and pointed to a deep pool of dark water. "This water used to flow into the pool. It stopped because a hole opened up towards the bottom, and now it flows underground. …And we can't go into that either!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"The scouts moaned loudly. "It looks sooooo cool!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Where does that water come from?" one of them asked after a moment./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"Earl grinned. "It's just past here. This part is the coolest, just wait!" He led them through a copse of dead trees and loads of rocks, to a few low walls that made up a three-sided structure in the hillside. There were hinges attached to the opening. There was a plank floor over a rushing stream, and Earl ushered the scouts inside to stand on the wooden floor./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Do you feel how cool the air is in here?" the Scoutmaster asked. "Like air conditioning! The water flows out of that little hole in the rock – there's a big cave in there, and we're emnot/em crawling in! But when the High Council had their big wild parties, they'd tie their drinks and food so it sat in the cold water, and that kept it cold, before there were refrigerators. So the water flowed out of the cave, kept the food cold on the way, and then flowed out to fill the little pool, then the big pool. Feel the water, it's icy cold!"/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"The scouts crowded around to touch the water. Earl dug a bag of trail mix out of his pack and they passed it around, munching on the dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate, flicking cold water at each other, and talking eagerly about the kind of parties they'd have here./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"At last it was time to go back. It took almost twice as long, because the scouts' feet hurt, and they were tired, and they had to wait while a few took turns peeing behind a rock. The smallest boy broke out in a rash and started to cry. Earl encouraged him to go on for a while, but finally just carried the boy on his back./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When they got back to the Scout HQ in town, everyone refilled their water bottles. They all presented their rocks to the Scoutmaster. Most of the scouts had found rocks smaller than their palms. The smallest was the size of the tip of the boy's pinky finger. A few didn't have rocks. One scout proudly held up a rather flat rock bigger than their head and shaped like a fish, with a fist-sized hole through the middle. Earl gave that one an honorable mention. He pulled out some strong boot laces and dental floss, and showed them how to make necklaces out of their rocks, except the big one, which Earl recommended they place on their porch./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"When the troop leader hurried back in, Earl was sending the scouts home with their parents./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""Oh, we had a great time," he assured them, smiling. "They're great kids, gonna make amazing scouts. Listen, any time you need somebody to lead an activity, I'd love to help out again. …Besides, it gets me out of some paperwork for a while." He checked his watch. "…Which I should probably get back to now. Anyway, thanks again for letting me do this!" He smiled and waved on his way out./p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;""That's – that's fine!" the troop leader called after him. "Thanks for spending time with the kids! It means a lot to them."/p
p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; color: #6e7173; font-family: Baskerville, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"Earl smiled as he headed up to his office. It meant at least as much to him./p