Mark arrives at school on Monday morning and sees three buses, along with several pickup trucks and vans waiting to take the children and their gear to Gray’s Notch State Park. Most of the other kids have already arrived, and Mr. Maxwell is dressed in a much more casual, woodsy style. Mr. Maxwell barely acknowledges Mark, who holds his head high and sits across from his friend Jason on the bus. Two other teachers, Mrs. Stearn and Mrs. Leghorn, are also coming on the trip; the former seems excited, and the latter looks nervous. When they arrive at camp, the students are split into cabins, and Mark heads to a cabin called the Raven’s Nest with Jason and a few others. An illustrated map depicts the cabins at the foot of the mountains and the trails that lead up into the mountains themselves. The cabin chaperone, Mr. Frost, tells the boys the rules; they must keep their belongings organized and ask permission before going anywhere.

After getting settled, the boys gather firewood, and Mark and Jason enjoy a light competition over who can carry the most wood back the fastest.