Dennis?

Years ago my family lived in Verdun, France with my dad serving in the U.S. Army. I was a Boy Scout at that time and my two friends (brothers) and I decided to earn some merit badges by going on a weekend camping trip to some lakes maintained by the Army.

We got permission and soon we were set up inside a very large 'permanent' tent which was there year round for events. These 'tents' were probably 60 ft. long by 20ft. wide and 10ft. high or more with concrete floors. We set up cots on one end in a horseshoe shape.

In the mornings we would be awake but waiting for the first one of us to make a noise, and that one would have to get up and start a fire 'cause it was fall and cold.

On the second morning Dennis, the older brother, got up and left. David and I lay in our cots talking with the covers over our heads 'cause as I said it was COLD! In time we heard a noise at the other end of the tent and slow footsteps came splooshing down to our end. David and I started laughing and making fun of 'Dennis' saying "what'd you do, fall in?..is the fire goin'? what happened?" all of this was said while we lay covered. The splooshing stopped in the middle of our cots and by this time we were getting upset that 'Dennis' hadn't answered, so we yelled at him to get the fire started. The sploooshing left the way it came and went out.

Later Dave and I got up and found no fire. We then decided to walk around the lake to the Rod and Gun Club. When we arrived we found Dennis there dry as a Bone!! Apparently he had been there ever since he left that morning.

We went back trying to find some sign of who or what it was in our tent...needless to say we found nothing and left that afternoon!

I'm sure glad I didn't put my head out of the covers when I was yelling at 'Dennis' like I'd started to!!!