Alex worked for the Forestry Commission. He enjoyed being out in the bush. Open air, interesting work, plenty of healthy exercise, and a reasonable pay packet. Seeing that the pay packet was only reasonable he sometimes moonlighted on other jobs. One of these was to act as a guide for the two local camps.
There were two local holiday camps. One was privately run and accepted groups from all over the place. The other was run by the Catholic Church and tended to restrict their groups to people from other Catholic institutions, such as schools and orphanages. Plus the occasional convent. This wasn't a case of the nuns wanting to go to a holiday camp but rather because some of the convents also ran a girl's school and the girls were sent to the camp during holidays.
The Catholic camp asked Alex if he could drop by while they discussed a hike with him. Having some free time Alex did so. Alex arrived at the camp and found himself surrounded by what appeared to be a screaming horde of young girls running in all directions. Fighting his way past the mob he found himself in the Administration Block, talking to Father Randle, the priest in charge.
"I understand that you sometimes do over-night hikes, Alex. A couple of our girls have put their names down for hikes on their activities list and we do try to grant all activities if possible, but we don't have an experienced guide. I was hoping you could take them."
"You have got to be kidding. Dumping a couple of kids on me for an over-night hike? You'd have to be out of your mind. I know I would be if I agreed."
"It's not that bad, Alex," Father Randle. "The girls who have signed up are a couple of our seniors. This is their last camp with us. They're both eighteen and will soon be leaving school and joining the workforce."
"Father, no offence, but that's even worse. While I have no doubt they could handle the hike do you really want to leave me out over-night with two nubile young ladies?"
"Yield not to temptation, my son," Father Randle said smiling.
"Lead us not into temptation, Father. Luke 11, Verse 4, I think."
"I see you know your bible. However there is no need to worry. The hike will take you up to the camp's high cabins. Sister Margaret is currently up there and she will take care of the girls. All you need to do is escort them there and back."
That made it easier. Just pick up the girls on Saturday morning, hike them through the woods to the high cabins, dump them on Sister Margaret, and bring them back the next day. He could do that.
"OK. It's a deal. Make sure the girls are appropriately dressed. That means jeans, slacks, or shorts. No skirts or dresses. Also make sure they have backpacks. I believe you have the standard list I supply of what the backpacks should contain?"
Father Randle nodded, smiling.
"We do. I'll see you in the morning."
Alex arrived the next morning and was introduced to the two girls, Helen and Rebecca. They were wearing walking shorts and t-shirts and carrying their backpacks.
"Do I need to check your backpacks?" he asked.
The girls quickly assured him that he didn't. They had the list of what was required and they made sure they had everything. They also had warmer tops in their packs, in case the weather cooled.
"I trust you haven't over-packed? Those things can get heavy after you've been carrying them for a while."
The girls assured him that they hadn't.
"Anyway, the packs will get lighter as we go as we drink our water and eat the snacks," Rebecca pointed out.
They were only thirty minutes into the hike before Alex found that he was in trouble. They were walking along a track, only themselves and trees to be seen, when Helen called a temporary halt.
"Can you wait a moment, please, Alex," she said.
Alex stopped and turned to see what the trouble was. Both girls calmly took off their tops, revealing what were, in Alex's opinion, godawful bras.
As if taking their tops off wasn't enough both girls were reaching behind them and undoing their bras.
"Ah, girls, standing right here," pointed out Alex.
Helen flashed him a grin at the same time she flashed her breasts. Very nice breasts, Alex had to admit, but still.
"Don't let it worry you, Alex," she said, sounding quite happy. "You're not seeing anything that some other man won't be seeing fairly soon."
He was relieved to find that she and Rebecca were taking different bras out of their pack and putting them on.
"So who do you expect to receive that particular treat and how soon is fairly soon? Ah, and why the peep show?"
"Do you seriously think we were going to hike all day wearing those things? It's all you can do to breathe in them. I wanted to wear a sports bra but Sister Mary said no. We had to wear the approved bra. As to who and how soon I have no idea, but I can assure you it will be someone and fairly soon. I am so tired of the convent's restrictions."
"I'll go along with that," grumbled Rebecca. "The nuns are still living in the eighteenth century."
"I see. Ah, those aren't exactly sports bras," Alex said, referring to the scraps of lace the girls were now wearing.
"True, but they are a lot more comfortable than the boob breakers that the nuns insist on." The girls exchanged self-satisfied looks and pulled on their tops.
"Shall we go?" suggested Rebecca.
"So, girls," Alex said as they continued on their way. "Am I to understand that you may have been kicking over the traces a little when the nuns aren't watching?"
"Perhaps a little," agreed Helen, "but not too much. Overdo it and we'd get caught and we can wait when we have to. We both enjoy an occasional drink, but we don't smoke or do drugs. We don't intend to, either. That's a loser's game."
"We may even have gone on a date or two, and gone dancing," added Rebecca. "Not horizontal dancing, though."
"Yet," added Helen with a giggle.
Alex sympathised with the men of their community once those two were free from the convent. They were both ready to start cutting a swathe through the local bachelors.
They continued on their way and mid-morning they arrived at a creek with a small cleared area.
