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When Stanley reached D Tent, he found five other boys sitting outside. Their shirts were dusty, and their faces were damp from the heat. A counsellor named Mr Reed showed Stanley the empty bed near the tent flap. “That bed belonged to a boy called Scrub,” Mr Reed explained. “He’s at the camp clinic while he gets better.” The boys introduced themselves by their camp nicknames. There was Boots, Cricket, Echo, Patches and Dash. Mr Reed told Stanley that their first names were Ngaio, Hemi, Zoe, Charlotte and Toby. Boots was Ngaio, Cricket was Hemi, Echo was Zoe, Patches was Charlotte, and Dash was Toby. The boys called Mr Reed “Mum” because he often reminded them to eat, drink and keep tidy. Stanley felt thirsty. He turned to Ngaio and asked where to find a water bottle. “Ngaio?” the boy said, frowning. “Call me Boots.” He stood up quickly, and Stanley stumbled backwards onto the sandy ground. The other boys fell quiet. Stanley brushed dust from his hands and looked towards the water station.