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questions, and he told stories about some of the trips he'd taken with his parents.

"Jon, could you show us how to identify birds?" asked another boy when they got back to camp.

"Sure. It's easy," said Jonathan. "Come on, I'll get my binoculars and b-bird books and show you how to use them."

Everyone trooped over to cabin 2. As Jonathan turned to follow them, his eyes met Sam's. The bigger boy was leaning against a tree staring after them, his face contorted with hatred. Icy fingers crept up Jonathan's spine. He hurried after the others.

That night the campers woke to violent flashes of lightening and crashes of thunder. Heavy rain drummed on the cabin rooftops. Wind tore through the campgrounds blowing limbs off trees and upsetting chairs.

By midmorning the storm had ended and the sun was shining as the campers cleaned up the debris.

"Hey! Look here, Jon!" In the middle of the mess one of the boys found an injured sparrow. The bird lay on its side, its dark eyes darting from one boy to another.

"I think it's just stunned." Jonathan lightly stroked the little bird. "We can put it in a shoebox to rest and let it go after supper."

Two of the boys went with Jonathan to cabin 2 and watched while he gently placed the bird in an old shoebox and punched holes in the lid. Then he set the box on the top shelf of the closet and the boys headed to the mess hall for supper.

Halfway there, Jonathan stopped. "Hey, I just got a new book from my parents today. I'll run back and get it."

As he reached the clearing in front of the cabin he saw the shoebox on the ground and Sam standing over it, a huge rock raised above his head. Sam's face twisted with rage when he looked up and saw Jonathan.

"N-o-o-o!" Jonathan wailed and charged at Sam, hitting him so hard that the rock went flying through the window of the cabin next door.

"Oof!" Sam hit the ground with a thud and lay there with the wind knocked out of him.

Noah, Danny, and some of the other boys heard Jonathan's shout and came running. They arrived just in time to see Jonathan's flying tackle.

The little box lay unharmed.

"All right, Sam," said Noah, after Jonathan told him what happened, "this time you've gone too far. Pack your stuff. I want you gone by this afternoon. And don't plan on coming back next year."

Later that evening Noah walked out in the woods with Jonathan to release the sparrow. As they watched it fly off Noah said, "All of a sudden there seems to be a big demand among the other campers for a class in bird watching. I think you would be the most qualified to lead it. What do you say?"

Jonathan slapped his forehead with his hand. "Oh, nooo!"

Then he grinned. "Sure, Noah."

Learn more about this author, Gena Husman.
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