Fort Laramie Read Online Free PDF Page B

it hurt in the evenings, after the fort was closed and they were relaxing back at their campsite? But then Tom had pointed out that the campsite was primitive without electronic hookups. There would be outlets in the bathrooms, but nowhere else.
    "What are we gonna do all summer," one boy complained.
    "By the time you get back to the campsite, prepare supper and clean up, you'll be ready for sleep," Tom replied.
    "Boring," the boy muttered.
    Tom just laughed.
    Of course, their costumes took up a lot of room! Duffle bags stuffed with woolen army uniforms, gingham dresses with aprons and petticoats, antique props and boxes of camping gear spilled out all over the parking lot. Carrie doubted that it was all going to fit anyway. Maybe they should have shipped half this stuff weeks ago? Still, it was rather impressive watching how Tom got everything sorted and loaded in under an hour's time. If only she were in the market, he was certainly worth considering.
    Finally, Tom went around to all the students, letting them draw numbers from a hat. Mindlessly, they followed directions, not even knowing what the numbers were for. Carrie drew 11; Julie got 2. Then Tom opened the side door on the campus van. "Since we're going to be working together all summer, I thought we'd start with assigned seating. It's a fourteen-hour drive. We'll rotate at every gas stop - so you should get a chance to sit next to just about everyone. All aboard!"
    The front passenger seat was marked with a number 2. Julie sat up front with Tom, who drove, while Carrie was relegated to the very back of the van, where no air conditioning ever reached, and the shocks were shot, so she felt every bounce and pothole. She was wedged between scrawny Doug Slater, who enjoyed a bad case of gas like a vulgar fourth-grader, and sullen Chayton, the scary senior with tattoos and scars. She crossed her arms, rested her chin on her chest and pretended to sleep, even though it was barely nine o'clock in the morning. If she tried real hard, she could hear Julie's and Tom's voices, engaged in conversation that they were apparently enjoying, if their carefree laughter was any indication. Life just wasn't fair.

Chapter 2
    Tom was beginning to regret his decision to eliminate all electronic gadgets. The students had bickered and squabbled for eight straight hours. What were they - junior high schoolers? What was wrong with kids these days? He wasn't that much older than them, but he felt ancient. He had never been that foolish. He was the oldest in his family, and became the head of the house at age seventeen when his father passed away. He'd dropped out of football to take an after school job. He'd been too busy for foolishness. Mom insisted that he go to college, but he'd chosen one near enough that he could commute, so he was still around to help out at home.
    The exit sign ahead advertised a KOA - saved at last! He flipped on the blinker and sharply cranked the wheel to the right, tossing the passengers into each other.
    "Hey," some of them called out.
    "Sorry," he muttered, without much conviction.
    Adrian, following behind him, laid on the horn as he zipped on past. He hadn't been able to make the abrupt exit. Tom wasn't worried. Adrian had GPS; he could find an alternate route as soon as Tom gave him the address. He slowed to a stop, looking right and left to figure out which direction had the campground. He didn't see another sign, but right looked cluttered with gas-and-go shops, fast food places, and dollar stores. He turned left. A mile and a half later he found the elusive campground. He pulled to the side of the gravel entrance and texted the address to Adrian.
    "Why did you get to bring a smartphone, and we couldn't," one student whined.
    "Because I'm the administrator," Tom said. That was going to be his pat answer to a thousand questions this summer.
    He paid the fee for the night, tucking the receipt into a zippered pocket in his project binder, and minutes later