In 1977 I read a short novel contained in a school-issued anthology of literature. I remember quite a lot of the story (which I was reading when I should have been reading the assigned passages (or listening to the instructor)), but not the title or author. Any help would be appreciated:
The main character is a child (10-13 years old I think), who was at summer camp. The big event each summer was a fair for which teams of campers built attractions of various kinds, with a big prize for attraction that brought in the most money. The kid has a great idea for an attraction - some kind of water flume ride, but needs money to buy the supplies. He sneaks out of camp, and hitchhikes to New York (or the unnamed big city where his father works) to his apartment or his father’s office (not sure which) to get some money - while there he overhears his father’s partner plotting something nefarious.
Don’t remember too many other details other than
his attraction is a big success making him “King of Camp” or some such.
additional tension is provided by the fact that one of the persons who gave him a ride while he was hitchhiking is the fellow who will crown the winner of the attraction contest - will he recognize the kid or not?
If you can remember a sentence or sentence fragment verbatim you might be able to find it by doing a search in Google Books. A unique word in the sentence/fragment, and/or some odd phrasing, would be especially helpful. I was able to locate a book once by searching Google Books for “chrysalis on the underside of a branch of a tree.”
Finally got a copy - this is definitely the right book. The portion I read in my school anthology started with Chapter 19 “Herbie’s Ride - I.” A great book, and thanks again for identifying it.