And that, of course, produced howls of protest and laughter. So we dried ourselves as best we could – our shirts would probably dry on our backs in about five minutes while we walked – and set off on the return journey. Once again, Charlotte and I stayed at the rear of the group, just behind Ms Anderson this time and a hundred metres in front of two camp assistants who ambled along looking bored. After a few minutes, I pulled on Charlotte’s sleeve and put a finger to my lips when she turned to look at me.

‘I’m bursting for a wee, Charlotte,’ I whispered.

‘Well, let’s hurry,’ she said. ‘It can only be ten minutes to camp.’

‘I can’t wait ten minutes.’

Charlotte sighed. ‘Well, duck behind those bushes,’ she said. ‘I’ll keep watch for you.’

‘Come with me. Please? What if there are snakes? Please, Charlotte?’

‘There won’t be snakes. You heard Mr Meredith.’

‘But what if he’s wrong? Please? I’ll be quick.’

She sighed again. ‘All right, you big baby. But you’d better be quick.’

And I was. Charlotte stood with her back to me while I pulled my knickers down and squatted behind one of the huge bushes that lined the track. What a relief. I was just about to get up when I heard voices in a murmured conversation. In the emergency that was my bladder I’d forgotten about the two assistants following behind and it was clear they hadn’t seen us leave the track, maybe because we’d just turned a bend. When I poked my head out carefully, they were standing on the track, smoking. And talking.

‘Tellya, there’s gotta be a better way of earning a living than this,’ said one.

‘Mate, it ain’t exactly hard yakka,’ replied the other.

‘Nah. That’s not what I meant. It’s easy work, sure. But it hurts me, mate, it hurts me to be babysitting these spoiled rich brats.’

‘They’re just kids and it’s not their fault. Give ’em a break, man.’

The first man inhaled and blew out a cloud of bluish-grey smoke.

‘I know it’s not their fault and I’m not gonna say anything, but I’m just sayin’ to you; there are starvin’ kids all over Australia, let alone the world, and these ones here … well, you heard that teacher. Sausages, burgers, toasted fricken marshmallows for God’s sake. It’s not right. That’s all I’m sayin’. It’s not right.’

The other man clapped him on the shoulder.

‘No argument from me,’ he said. ‘But it’s the way it is and you and me, we have no say in how the world goes, mate. No power. So keep your head down and do your job. Who knows? Maybe the odd soy sausage could slip accidentally into your pocket. Just get food on your family’s table. You’ll find that’s worth a whole world of hurt feelings.’

The other man snorted. ‘I hate you, mate.’

‘No, you don’t. Come on. Stub out that smoke and let’s catch up.’ He laughed. ‘Maybe one of those brats will get a blister and if we’re not on duty it’ll be our fault. They might shoot us.’