Peter has the flu, so Adam and Jamie are spending the day together without him. Adam feels strangely shy, unused to it being just the two of them, but it doesn't seem to bother Jamie, who talks as much as ever. She looks very pretty today, Adam thinks.

Just as they are leaving the woods a voice calls to them. "Hey!" They turn to see a man standing by a tree. "I live in the cottage over there," he says, nodding. "Want to come and see?"

"No, thank you," says Adam firmly. He takes Jamie's hand and tugs her away.

The man steps closer to them. "I have marbles."

"Come on," Adam mutters to Jamie. They turn and run back to the estate. By the time they reach Jamie's house they are both giggling nervously.

"Should we tell your mam?" Adam asks Jamie when they've recovered.

"No way." Jamie shakes her head. They go to visit Peter instead and tell him all about their daring escape from a maniac.

"Wish I'd been there," says Peter wistfully. "I'm so bored."

"Maybe he'll come back," says Adam, voicing his fear.

"If he does we'll be ready for him," says Peter. Jamie nods.

The next day Peter is well enough to play again and the three of them go into the woods. There's no sign of the man with the marbles, to Peter's disappointment. Adam soon forgets all about the incident, until years later when Cassie says something that triggers a vague feeling of unease.