GLOCESTER — When summer arrives for a child of 9 or 10, ordinary time goes into suspension. Add summer camp, and magic results, as Allison Lambert and Dayana Lafargue have discovered this year on the shore of a country lake.

The girls might not describe it quite that way, but they are happy to tell the story of how they met at Mother of Hope Day Camp. Being their age and being outdoors the whole day, they are happy about pretty much everything. You see it in how they move, always skipping. At this age, life is less complicated.

Dayana lives with her mother in Providence, Allie with her parents in North Smithfield. They attend different schools, move in different cultures, have different interests at home. Chance brought them together at the start of the camp season while playing a game called statue.

“It’s when you stay in one place and one person’s the customer and the other’s the owner and the customer can’t see you move,” says Allie, 10.

“If they see you move, then you’re out,” says Dayana, 9.

“Then you’re out. But if the owner sees you move, you’re still in.”

“You were the customer.”

“Yes, I was the customer,” Allie says.

Already, so quickly, they have created a history.

On this recent day, city temperatures reach almost 87 degrees. Here on Echo Lake, a breeze brings cooling comfort. About 200 girls and boys from 5 to 12 attend the camp. Each age has its charms, but camp staff will tell you that the nines and tens are the most enthusiastic. They are still children, in the old-fashioned sense of the word.

“When they get older, 11 or 12, sometimes they’d rather just hang around,” says camp director Maria Piccirilli. “Nines and tens are still happy to be playing.”

The day begins with morning announcements and continues onto the playground, where Allie, Dayana and 13 other nines and tens swing, slide and play hand games, staples of childhood since forever. Their laughter animates the surrounding woods, which, not yet touched by August drought, have achieved a luxuriant green.

Counselor Carolyn Huff instructs the girls to form a buddy line, the standard mode for travel, and they head down a trail toward the lake, skipping as they go. After changing into bathing suits, they join other girls and boys at the beach. Allie helps Dayana with her sunscreen, and Carolyn applies finishing touches to both girls. They sit on their towels until the lifeguard gives the signal to swim and then they dash into the water, which a nearly cloudless sky has turned an appealing blue. If you could have but one snapshot of summer camp, this would be it.

“After we’ve been walking for a while, we want to just get all cooled off,” Allie says.

“When we have all the hotness on us and all that stuff,” Dayana says.

“Yeah, especially on really hot days.”

“And it’s really fun ’cause we get to play tag.”

“And we get to play in the sand and we get to see all our friends who are in different age groups.”

It’s nearing noon, which the girls sense from appetite, not a clock. They towel off, Carolyn forms her group of 15 into their buddy line, and they proceed up a small hill to a pavilion for lunch. Dayana and Allie eat with enthusiasm, for fresh air and activity combine to create healthy hunger. Allie eats a ham submarine sandwich, Cheez-Its and a peanut butter granola bar packed by her mother; Dayana a bologna-and-turkey sub, cookies and a plum provided by the camp. They share their napkins and their desserts.

“What do you do when you go home?” Dayana asks her friend.

“My brother has a hockey game to go to.”

“Where’s it at?”

“I think it’s somewhere in Franklin.”

“I take a shower and then take a nap. Then I’ll probably go outside or watch TV.”

Lunch ends, and the girls walk to the camp’s open-air chapel, which doubles as an activities center. The Catholic Diocese of Providence runs the camp, available to children of all faiths. This afternoon, karaoke is being staged.

The day unfolds with another visit to the playground, an arts-and-crafts session, and a second dip in Echo Lake. Hiking, canoeing and fort-building are options on other days. As 3:30 p.m. approaches, the children prepare to board the buses for the journey home. They’ll be back tomorrow by 9 a.m. Nines and tens never tire of summer, nor of camp.

“I like it because of swimming and because we get to do arts and crafts,” Allie says.

“I like everything about camp,” Dayana says. “Why I like arts and crafts is ’cause you get to be all messy and stuff having fun.”

Before long, school will resume. Birthdays will be celebrated. The teenage years beckon. Whether this new friendship or just memories will endure, only time will tell.

But for now, for this summer of 2008, for these two girls, that sort of time lacks meaning.

gwmiller@projo.com