The next day found all of the campers rested and full of vigor. Josh declared this the day of the hike. He said, "Let's all go together. Togetherness is best."

So off they went. Most of the time Josh and Nancy lead the way. Jeane and Alex both giggled about the way that Nancy sort of clung to him on the trail. But they set a furious pace.

About noon, they stopped to eat lunch. Nancy said she had brought something along especially for lunch and said she needed a small fire. She gave instructions for setting things up to Jeane and said that she and Josh would be off to forage for firewood. Josh said he could get it, but Nancy insisted to going too. Jeane tittered as the went off arm in arm. She really wanted to follow them, but she couldn't leave Alex and she was afraid to take him along. After about forty-five minutes they returned, sans firewood. Nancy had a big smile on her face and Josh had this sort of satisfied look about him. Their clothes were all messed up. Nancy gave Jeane an great big wink and real cozy hug when she got back. All Jeane could make out when she hurriedly whispered in her ear was something like, "much better." Only after they had sat down did they realize that they had forgotten the firewood. With a rosy red face, Josh said he would go some, "alone, this time." He was back inside of five minutes with enough kindling for five fires.

The buckwheat pancakes were great, but it was not clear that either Josh or Nancy notice them. Out of the corner of her eye, she notice once that Nancy had slipped her hand inside of Josh's shorts. She disappeared a long way and Josh squirmed a lot as he tried to maintain some sense of composure. He didn't succeed too well. After lunch, Jeane suggested that she and Alex do some searching around a hillock close by. Nancy though it was a great idea, but Josh nixed the idea. "We should all stay together," he said. That seemed to put a pronounce damper on the party the rest of the afternoon.