CHAPTER 12: WHO'S THE MOLE?!
Charlie Brown and his team continued to float along the river. But now they had knowledge thanks to Charlie Brown's contact that one of their teammates is working for the bullies and dishing out information to them. It was either Freddy Fabulous, who they all knew and had been a one-time ally of the bullies, Joslyn, who was Python's friend from Detroit and who had met Lucy via web chat, or Morris, the seemingly shy kid who was afraid of anything confrontational. Charlie Brown, Frieda, Linus, Eudora, Franklin, and Melanie stayed alert and didn't give away any suspicions they may have had about the trio.
Sometime later, they pulled their raft to shore and walked up a long pathway. It was familiar to Charlie Brown and Linus as it was the pathway toward the cabin where they set up base when the kids were looking for Snoopy and Woodstock last time they were at Camp Remote. Once they made it to the cabin, Charlie Brown and the rest settled in and cleaned the place up. Franklin started a fire in the fireplace, Frieda started making up some hot dogs she kept in a cooler that they brought. Charlie Brown figured it was a good thing Peppermint Patty wasn't there with them as she would have compared Frieda bringing the hot dogs to Charlie Brown only having cold cereal. Plus the girls that were with them this time wouldn't kick them out in the cold.
"Sounds like Patty wasn't appreciative about you guys having something to eat, even if it was cold cereal," said Frieda to Charlie Brown.
"Yeah," Charlie Brown agreed. "It was like she expected me to be this Grizzly Adams-type woodsman who knew a lot about the great outdoors. She even pulled that the next day at breakfast, where the cereal actually made sense. She even asked where the Huevos del Ranchos were!" Frieda chuckled at how the spectacle would have looked.
"I mean even Lucy or Sally didn't complain about the meal options like Patty did, and they're the biggest gripers I know," said Charlie Brown. "Finally I told her if she didn't want it, she didn't have to eat it, and that actually put an end to that."
"Well I surely won't complain that we don't have a traditional 'camp meal'," said Frieda. "Especially since I brought provisions, as well as some freeze-dried meals."
"Well don't tell Patty that," stated Charlie Brown. "I'd never hear the end of it. She would be like 'See Chuck? Your girlfriend can bring something besides cold cereal!'." The two laughed at the thought of that.
A little bit later at night, the kids were sitting around the fireplace. They were startled by the door opening. Their worry went away when they saw a familiar beagle and yellow bird.
"Snoopy!" said Charlie Brown when he saw his dog. "I am glad to see you, but you and Woodstock were supposed to head back to camp. Did you guys get lost?" Snoopy and Woodstock nodded.
"Well I guess it's actually better that you're with us rather than on your own," Charlie Brown continued.
"Care to join us at the fireplace?" asked Joslyn. Snoopy and Woodstock happily obliged and sat down next to Joslyn. Snoopy, in typical Snoopy fashion, kissed the girl on her cheek. Rather than recoil like Lucy would, she just giggled and smiled. "Your dog is a real charmer, Charles."
"Tell me about it," sighed Charlie Brown.
"Does anyone know any songs to sing?" asked Freddy.
"I'm glad you asked, Freddy," said Frieda, who then pulled out an acoustic guitar she brought with her.
"I almost forgot your girl sang, Pumpkinhead," said Freddy.
"Yeah," said Charlie Brown. "You remember she was in the contest with your sister."
"Don't remind me," said Freddy, remembering how that ended disastrously for the Fabulous siblings after Francessa's controversial performance. "My parents grounded Francessa for months after they heard about her performance. I was lucky to get off with a warning because I had no knowledge about the dancing she would do."
"Go ahead, Frieda," said Linus. And Frieda began to play the guitar and sang for the other kids. They watched and smiled at Frieda's performance. Charlie Brown smiled as his girlfriend sang beautifully. Once she was done, the kids clapped and Charlie Brown hugged her, as did Snoopy.
Later, as the kids were sleeping, Morris got up and quietly went outside. He walked past Snoopy, who made a tent and he was sleeping on top of it as he always did. Woodstock was on top of his stomach. Morris walked a different pathway towards a campfire. There he saw three figures. One of them spoke, "Ah Morris, good to see you, buddy!"
"Keep it down, Slim," said Morris. He was the co-conspirator for the bullies. "Well the beagle is back with the group, but I still don't know who the other guy is that's watching you and the others."
"Well don't worry," said Shorty. "I'm sure they'll turn up sooner or later."
"It's like they're keeping those jerks safe from your traps," said Morris. "They're staying at least one step ahead of you guys."
"Well it's time we turn the tables on their little guardian angel I'd say," said Slim with a devious grin. "You go back to the cabin. If anyone asks where you were, tell them you went to the little boy's room. Leave the rest to us." And Morris complied and went back to join Charlie Brown and the rest. Little did he know someone else followed him to the bullies' camp.
"Bucky," said Slim, "tomorrow morning you will head out into the woods and look for the contact. Since you know this camp like we do, it shouldn't be too hard. Shorty and I will continue the race."
"Sure," said Bucky, "but how will I be able to get in contact with you? None of us, except for you, brought our cell phones."
"True," Slim replied, "but I always have a backup." And he pulled out a walkie-talkie and handed it to Bucky. "Use this and we will stay in touch with each other during the race."
"Okay," Bucky responded. And the bullies began to get some shut-eye.
Meanwhile, Morris was heading back for the camp when he was stopped by two kids. One was slightly taller than him and another was really taller than him. He recognized them to be Franklin and Freddy.
"Well it looks like Woodstock isn't the only bird in our ranks," said an angry Franklin.
"Yeah," agreed a just as angry Freddy, "but at least he doesn't squeal to the opposition!" And both boys grabbed Morris by the arms and dragged him back to the cabin. Morris's pleas of how he could explain fell on deaf ears as the two boys continued to drag him back.
NEXT CHAPTER: NOW WHAT?