Chapter 8: Cleaning After Dinner
"This one's trying to make a break for it," Caleb said, grabbing a particularly lively fish and tossing it into the barrel.
"Not on our watch," Leo added, his tone serious despite the smile on his face.
Once the barrel was full, Mr. Rowe and Mr. Grant sealed it with a makeshift lid. "We'll keep them here for now," Mr. Rowe said, tapping the side of the barrel. "In the evening, we can start roasting them. Should be enough to feed everyone."
"You're welcome," Lucas said, flashing a grin.
"Don't let it go to your head, Carter," Mr. Grant muttered, though there was a faint smirk on his face.
As the teachers moved the barrel toward the camp, another raft pulled up to the shore.
The group aboard looked tired and disheveled, their expressions grim.
Lucas recognized a few of them — Mark, Jason, and two other boys from the grade below him.
"How'd it go?" Leo called out as they waded ashore.
"Not great," Mark admitted, holding up their net. Inside were only five fish, each one smaller than any in Lucas's haul.
Jason sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "The fish weren't biting, or we just weren't doing it right. Either way, this is all we got."