at camp, predicting who would kiss by the end of the summer and which couples would break up. Totally boring. Oh, yeah, Stephanie is in total need of a pranking , she thought. If only because itâll give her something else to talk about!
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âWhere are they?â Jenna asked, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.
âI donât know, but Iâm getting worried,â Alex said. â3A just ran by, and they looked psyched.â
âWe cannot let 3A win,â Brynn said. âWe just canât.â
It was the middle of the scavenger hunt, and Jenna and the rest of her bunk were waiting for Val, Sarah, and Grace to return from the sports shed. At Jennaâs feet was a pillowcase full of items from the list. All they needed to complete it were a horseshoe, which Val and the others were getting, and the last bonus item, which even Jenna hadnât figured out how to get. Not yet, anyway.
âThere they are!â Natalie cried, pointing toward the edge of the woods.
Sure enough, Valerie, Grace, and Sarah were all running toward them, red-faced and gasping for air.
âWe got it! We got the last horseshoe!â Valerie whispered.
âDid 3A get one?â Chelsea demanded.
âYeah,â Sarah said, bending at the waist. âThey got there right before us.â
âNow we have to get this last item to win,â Jenna said, holding up the list. âBut how are we supposed to get a picture of the top of a counselorâs head?â
âWhat kind of scavenger hunt is this?â Alyssa asked.
âYeah! What kind of scavenger hunt is this?â Candace echoed.
âAn unfair one,â Sarah said, gesturing at a couple of counselors as they walked by. âThey all saw the list beforehand, so theyâre all wearing hats. We canât get a picture of the top of their heads if they wonât take their hats off.â
âWe canât even get a picture,â Jenna pointed out. âWe donât have a camera! I have to return mine to the lab after each class.â
âJessie has a camera,â Karen piped up. âA Polaroid.â
Everyone turned to look at Jessie, who was leaning against the flagpole, staring off into space.
âYou have a Polaroid camera?â Chelsea asked, nudging her.
Jessie blinked a few times as if sheâd just woken up. âOh . . . yeah. I forgot about that.â
Jenna and Alex exchanged a glance. What a space case! She was holding onto the one item that might help them win, and she just forgot about it?
âLetâs go!â Alex said.
Together the whole bunk ran back to their cabin. On the way they saw a bunch of boys from 2E trying to jump up and grab Nateâs hat off his head. As far as Jenna could see, they didnât even have a camera, but it didnât matter, anyway. Nate was dodging and weaving and ducking and running. He wasnât letting them anywhere near his head. Back at 3C, Jessie dug through her cubby until she found the unused camera. Luckily there was a whole cartridge of film in it.
âGreat. Now all we have to do is come up with a plan,â Brynn said.
âWhat if we just tackle one of them?â Grace suggested breathlessly. âWe could tackle Julie and hold her down and take her hat andââ
âI donât think we should gang-tackle Julie,â Alex said. âWe have to live with her for the rest of the summer. But we do have to get one of them down low so we can grab their hat.â
âAnd then we need to get up high so we can take the picture,â Valerie pointed out.
âWe just need to get creative here, people,â Alyssa said, biting her lip.
Get them down low and get us up high , Jenna thought.
Suddenly she was hit with a brilliant idea. âIâve got it, you guys! I know what to do!â
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âUm . . . Jenna? Nat? Donât you think this is kind of dangerous?â Jessie whispered as they
Antony Beevor, Artemis Cooper
Mark Reinfeld, Jennifer Murray