The whole room erupted in screams. All the girls were now standing on their beds, pressing themselves back against the wall, staring with horrified eyes at the little creature crouching on one of the rafters, its bright eyes shining in the light from the torch. To Kate’s amusement, even the corporal took a flying leap on to the nearest bed, nearly knocking the occupant off the other side.

Kate marched towards it and banged the rafter with the broom. The rat scuttled along the beam to the edge of the room, and the girl on the bed beneath squealed, jumped to the floor and leapt on to her neighbour’s where bed they clung together, turning frightened eyes upwards.

‘He’s far more frightened of us than we are of him,’ Kate said.

Mavis snorted. ‘Wouldn’t bank on that, Kate. Get rid of the bloody thing.’

Kate grinned. Mavis rarely swore. In fact few of the girls ever used bad language; the use of it now showed just how terrified they were.

The rat dropped to the floor and ran under the nearest bed. Kate pushed her broom underneath and the animal ran out the other side. Then it ran the full length of the hut.

‘Open the door, Corp. It’ll run out.’

‘Not likely. I’m staying here.’

‘Well, if I come down there,’ Kate said reasonably, ‘it’ll run back this way.’

‘Well, where is it now?’ the corporal asked quaveringly.

‘Under the bed opposite where you are.’

‘But it might come out when I get on the floor.’

‘It won’t come for you. They don’t come for you unless they’re really cornered.’

‘Well, for heaven’s sake don’t corner the bloody thing!’ put in Mavis.

The corporal was stepping gingerly off the bed, clutching her nightclothes closely to her. ‘J-just bring that broom up here, Hilton.’

‘I’ve told you, if I come any nearer it’ll start to run again. Look, Corp, just do it, will you?’

On bare feet the corporal tiptoed towards the door, her eyes fixed on the point where the rat might emerge from under the bed. The occupant of the bed was standing on it, peering with terrified eyes over the edge, convinced the animal would take a flying leap at her.

‘Where is it?’ she quavered.

‘Keep quiet,’ Kate ordered, ‘else you’ll frighten it.’

Mavis smothered an hysterical giggle. ‘We’ll frighten it! That’s a laugh.’

‘Ssh!’ The rest of the girls hissed.

The door was open and the corporal had never moved so fast in her life back to the safety of the nearest bed.

‘And the outer one, Corp.’

‘Oh, I can’t, Hilton,’ she wailed. ‘Really I can’t.’

Kate sighed. ‘Is the door to your room open?’

‘Oh Lor’!’ the corporal squeaked. ‘Yes. I left it open when I came flying in here to find out what all the racket was about.’