‘It was a great idea to stay overnight at the Gray Plaza Hotel in Marion so that we can explore Giant City, State Park,’ Chet remarked. ‘Yes I thought that it would be fun after our all-day visit to the DuQuoin State Fair for us to spend an additional day and camp overnight at Giant City before we return to Eldorado, Neva J. responded. Is it true that the glaciers caused all of the rock formations in the Park,’ Jane asked. ‘Giant City’ terrain is much different than most of Illinois and looks much more like it belongs in the Ozarks ‘Yes, the boulders are similar to those we saw at the Garden Of The Gods, humongous sandstone, Billy B. answered Jane with a wink and a grin. ‘The boulders are part of the Chesterian Formation and come from the Mississippian Period around 359 million years ago,’ Chet answered with a sly smile. ‘Thank you…Mr. Peabody,’ Jane laughed.

‘Simply a beautiful night to be camping under the stars,’ Neva J. said as if to herself. ‘September is some of the best camping because it is not so hot,’ Darryl agreed. ‘Goodness…did we forget the wine,’ Neva J. asked with a start. ‘No, NJ…it is in the other picnic basket,’ Jane chuckled. ‘I wonder what these rocks would say to us if they could speak,’ Billy B. mused. ‘Give me a blanket…I am chilly,’ Chet responded. ‘Rocks do not get cold,’ Billy B. answered. ‘Not the rocks…me…I am cold,’ Chet said through chattering teeth. ‘Maybe I should place another log on the campfire,’ Darryl said. ‘Yes…but first you will have to find another log…I looked high and low and could not find any more than the wood scraps that I gathered,’ Chet complained. ‘Hand me your flashlight Billy B. and I will make a wood run,’ Darryl said. ‘I will come along and help carry the wood…if we find any,’ Jane commented as she rose from around the dying embers of the campfire.

‘May I help you…’ said a Voice. ‘Pardon me…who is speaking,’ Jane asked with quavering speech. ‘May I help you,’ the Voice repeated. ‘Well yes…we need more wood for the campfire…and could you come out into the light of my torch so that I may see you clearly,’ Jane requested. A young man in brown clothing walked out of the lengthening shadows followed by two other men at his left and his right. ‘Who are you guys,’ Darryl asked. ‘We are members of the Civilian Conservation Corps and we are working on the Giant City Lodge,’ the man in front said. ‘How long have you been in the woods,’ Jane asked. ‘Well it seems like only a few days…FDR is still the President isn’t he,’ the young man asked. ‘No…we had chicken dinner at the Lodge and I saw a photo with all of you guys who worked on the lodge just outside the entrance to the dining room…I saw you three in it,’ Darryl responded.

‘Berl…I told you we took a wrong turn in the thicket, Merle said with a wicked grin.