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arranging something before now? But he didn’t. There was no point in annoying Dad when he was trying to get something out of him.
    â€˜Couldn’t we go for a bit? We could camp,’ he said.
    â€˜Camp in what? We haven’t got a tent or anything.’
    â€˜I could borrow a tent,’ Stephen said, not at all sure if he could or couldn’t. But he knew that Mike’s dad had a tent. He had taken Mike camping in it the summer before last. If Mike’s family didn’t need their tent this summer, they might lend it to Stephen for a short time.
    â€˜Camping’s not that simple. You have to find somewhere they let you put the tent up.’
    â€˜Have you ever gone camping, Dad?’ Stephen asked.
    â€˜A long time ago. Rained most of the time.’ But his dad laughed as if, in spite of the rain, he might have enjoyed the experience.
    â€˜Dad! If I can borrow a tent, can we go?’
    â€˜I’ll think about it when you’ve got your tent,’ Dad said, and Stephen had the sense not to go on with the subject. He knew how Dad worked.
    The next day, he tackled Mike. ‘You going away this holidays?’ he asked.
    â€˜We’re going on a package. Spain. Sea’ll be warm. I can’t wait,’ Mike said.
    â€˜You going camping there?’
    â€˜No, stupid. I said it was a package. We’re flying there and it’ll be a hotel. This year my mum said, “No more cooking over a camping stove and sleeping on the ground.” She wants a proper holiday, where she doesn’t have to do all the work. She bullied Himself till he agreed. I can’t wait,’ Mike said again. Himself was Mike’s dad. That was how his mum generally referred to her husband.
    Stephen was terribly envious. He’d have loved to fly to Spain and stay in a proper hotel, something he’d never done. But the news was good for him. He said, ‘You won’t be using your tent, then?’
    â€˜I said we’re going to a hotel, didn’t I? What would we want to take a tent for? On the aeroplane and all,’ Mike said.
    â€˜Could I borrow it?’ Stephen asked.
    â€˜The aeroplane? Or the hotel?’
    â€˜No, the tent.’
    Mike looked serious. ‘Dunno. It’s my dad’s, see? I don’t know what he’d say.’
    â€˜I’d be careful. Extra careful. Really.’
    â€˜You know how to put a tent up?’
    â€˜My dad does. He’s done it before.’
    â€˜You mean you and your dad are going away?’
    â€˜We might. If we can have a lend of a tent.’
    â€˜Where’d you go?’
    â€˜We haven’t thought yet. Not far. Because my dad can’t take much time off. Somewhere by the sea, I’d like.’
    â€˜Your dad’s a careful sort of bloke, isn’t he? I’ve seen him. He looks as if he’d be careful.’
    â€˜He’s careful. He’s extra careful,’ Stephen said, thinking that this was hardly strong enough for the sort of careful his dad was.
    â€˜I’ll ask,’ Mike said.
    â€˜Thanks. Thanks a lot.’
    The next day, Mike met him with, ‘It’s all right. My dad says, you’re welcome. And if you come round Sunday, he’ll show you how it goes up.’
    Stephen reported this at home. ‘Mike’s dad’s going to lend us his tent. And he’ll show us how to put it up if we go there on Sunday.’
    â€˜I know how to put up a tent,’ Stephen’s dad said.
    â€˜Are they all the same? I mean, if you know how to do one, can you do them all?’
    â€˜It’s like driving a car. You can work it out, once you know one.’
    But he did go with Stephen on Sunday. He said it would be only right. Stephen was anxious. His dad was not a talker and generally found it difficult to get on with people. But Mike’s dad was so different, so easy and so friendly, without seeming to notice that his friendliness wasn’t