‘Sure he can! What else yer gonna do, put ’im back in the transit tent? Nahh, ’e can stay with me, instead! It’ll be fun, an’ I can show him stuff around and everythin’!’

Albert looked at Father.

‘It would be only temporary,’ said Father. ‘Perhaps a day or so. But if you feel you’d be more comfortable in the—’

‘No, I think I’ll be fine,’ said Albert. He looked down at Theo. ‘Thank you, Theo.’

‘Ah, no worries,’ said the girl. ‘Team, ’member?’

Father was nodding. ‘All right then. It is settled. I will leave the two of you to settle in. I have a little something to do.’

‘Where yer going?’ asked Theo.

Father smiled. ‘To meet an old friend. It has been too long since we talked. I will see you presently, Theo. And you, Albert.’ Turning, he walked away with quick steps.

Theo looked at Albert. ‘C’mon Mac,’ she said, jerking her head towards the mouth of the tent. ‘I’ll show yer the place.’

Albert walked into the tent behind her. It was a simple, sparse set-up, low and roomy, with one mattress and some coverings on one end, and another that, via strategic placement of cushions, identified itself as a sofa at the other end. Theo ran to the bed mattress and began bouncing up and down on it. Albert went towards the other one.

‘All right Mac! Whatcha wanna do? Huh? Huh?’

‘I think we should rest, Theo.’

‘Rest? But that’s boring!’

‘So am I,’ he said, flinging himself down on the mattress. He was asleep before he hit the cushions.

15

When Albert awoke, he was alone in the tent. He stretched and, getting to his feet, he went out. It was still light outside, although the colour of the light had changed from the earlier yellow to a darkish blue shade.

Theo was standing outside, looking down on the valley. As he emerged, disentangling himself from the folds of cloth that hung down, she turned to face him, hands on her hips. ‘You crashed on me again!’

‘I did.’

‘Loser!’

‘True,’ he agreed.

‘I was bored! I din’ invite you to stay to be borin’, Mac!’

‘Well, if sleeping makes me boring I suppose I have no choice but to walk around with toothpicks under my eyelids so I can never fall asleep ever again.’

She giggled, a gurgling sound deep in her throat. ‘That’s just silly. Anyway, what we do now?’

‘I was thinking of going down to take a closer look at these fights. But I’m not sure I should take you with me.’

‘I’ve seen ’em before,’ said Theo nonchalantly. ‘An’ I don’t wanna come, anyway. I’m gonna go meet them friends I made.’

‘I’m sorry to leave you on your own like this, Theo.’

‘’S all right,’ she said airily.

‘No, I mean it. You’re a very special little girl and—’