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‘That’s too s?’

‘Shut up or you’re the queen’

‘I’m shut,’ said Tom

Douglas finished the list and the boys clustered round, their faces shining with sweat, eager for the next lightning bolt to let loose its electric shower Distant thunder cleared its throat

‘Listen!’ cried Doug ‘We’ve alot all the chess pieces, so the old men can’t shove us around Can anyone do better?’

Nobody could and admitted it, happily

‘Just one thing,’ said To?’

‘Shut up and listen,’ said Douglas, aggrieved that central intelligence had almost been wormed away from him

‘The thing is, one way or another, I got the lightning to knock the bellybuttons off the old sailors and Civil War vets on the lawn They’re all ho like flies Flies’

‘Only one thing wrong,’ said Charlie ‘The chess pieces are ours right now, sure But – I’d give anything for a good hot dog’

‘Don’t say that!’

At which ht outside the atticThe boys dropped flat

‘Doug! Heck! Make it stop!’

Eyes shut, Douglas shouted, ‘I can’t! I take it back I lied!’

Di