One side of the field was suddenly filled with tents. Eight large tents just like Gary had said. Big enough that each would be able to hold a cabin of kids and their counselors. It would be close quarters, but none of the kids were large, so that was an advantage. The tents were in the same position as the cabins, again like Gary had said they would be, and in the middle of them was a large bowl that appeared to hold a large supply of what looked like lanterns. Probably for something later on when it got dark, Ian decided. Hearing the noise of the kids – even though the small tent city hid them more or less – he walked through the tent area to the other side of the field to see what they were doing.

They were playing a balloon game when Ian reached them. An odd balloon game. Everyone had two balloons on strings tied to their ankles – one to each leg – and everyone else was apparently trying to pop the other peoples' balloons by stamping on them without letting their own get popped. It made for a lot of running around, a lot of laughing, and a lot of jumping up and down to jerk their balloons out of reach. The kids were obviously enjoying it, though, and even though a few of them were accidentally knocked over or tripped, it was far more civilized than he'd thought such a game could be.

But he was glad he wasn't playing it.

"How's the back?"

He looked over and saw Gary had joined him while he'd been standing at the edge of the field, watching.

"It's fine."

"Good." He smiled. "I was wondering, then, if you'd be willing to help me with the next game?"

And why didn't that suddenly sound incredibly ominous?

The problem was, he couldn't think of any good reason to say no. Of course, he couldn't think of any real good reason to say yes, either. Swearing – to himself – he nodded, and Gary's smile broadened.

"Stay here. I need one more volunteer."

Well, at least he wasn't going to be alone in his misery.

Gary walked over to the growing group of people who were 'out'; meaning both of their balloons had been popped. He returned a minute later with Hank, and a couple of the members of the staff – who were carrying paper grocery bags that were filled with something.

"Let's get you two outfitted…"

Ten minutes later the last of the balloons had been popped and one of the girls from Japan was the surprise winner of the balloon stomp game. Mainly because she had been a lot more graceful than those around her – and a lot luckier. With the help of the counselors, the kids got the strings removed from their ankles, chatting happily about the game they'd played. None of them were at all worn out from a busy day of playing, but that was just as well, because Gary wasn't finished with them yet.

He gathered them all together, bringing them close enough that they could hear him.

"Are you ready for the next game?" He asked.

"Yeah!"

It was almost a single cry of excitement, and Gary's smile was wide as he waited for the kids to calm down enough so that they could hear him again.

"Okay… the next game we have is kind of the opposite of tag. Our two volunteers are 'it', but instead of them trying to catch you guys, you're going to try to catch them."

There were assorted murmurs among the kids – and a couple of the counselors – as they tried to figure out who was it, and why they'd want to catch up with the person who was it, but Gary raised his hand for silence and received it almost immediately.

"Why do you want to catch them, you ask?" he said, gesturing towards the closest tent, which had been used for a staging area. A moment later Ian and Hank walked out to come stand by Gary. And both of them had at least fifty tootsie roll pop suckers taped to their chests and backs. "Because if you can grab a sucker off of one of them, you get to keep it!"

This announcement was met with cheers, and the kids broke instantly, not even waiting for the word go. They swarmed for Ian and Hank, who took off at a run, dodging in and around the kids in an effort to not be tagged any more than necessary – although Hank was running slower than necessary and Ian was actually making the kids chasing him work for that little piece of candy. He wanted his kids worn out, and it hadn't escaped his notice that all of the boys from Australia were chasing him.

"How on Earth did you get them to volunteer for that?" Shawn asked, coming over to Gary and holding a tootsie roll pop that he'd snagged from Hank's back.

The camp director smiled.

"I told them we'd have stories tonight instead of a lot of singing if they did it."

Yup. That would do it. Shawn grinned, wishing he had a camera – but fairly certain Ian would feed him every picture he tried to take. He ate his sucker as he watched the kids chasing the two guys (and understood immediately why the two volunteers were male counselors).

OOOOOOO

By the time the last sucker had been snagged, it was well past sunset. The lanterns that had been in the metal bowl were taken out and lit, hung around the field so the kids wouldn't get lost out in the dark and the counselors would be able to keep track of their kids. Ian and Hank were excused from the last game of the night – a game designed to calm the kids down a little – so that they could get the odd bits of tape off their shirts, and by the time they came out of the staging tent, all the kids were now sitting on the grass around the large metal bowl. There were two lanterns in the bowl. One was giving off an orange light, and one was giving off a yellow light. Reflected in the bright sheen of the bowl it almost looked like there was a raging fire in the bowl instead of a couple of simple lanterns. Which was, of course, the whole idea. Without a fire pit, it would be far too risky to have an actual fire in the field – especially with the tents the kids were sleeping in being so close to it.

"Okay, guys," Gary said as the two staff members who played the guitars at campfire came up to them with their guitars ready. "Only a couple of songs tonight."

There were moans of dismay and grumbles – but Ian and Hank weren't grumbling, and Shawn had to admit that he didn't feel like grumbling either. Gary wasn't at all alarmed.

"Because then we're going to tell stories!"

"Yay!"

Again the enthusiastic roar.

"Ghost stories?" One boy from Hank's cabin asked.

"Maybe."

"Scary ones!" One of the girls said, proving that the boys weren't the only ones who liked scary stories.

"Not scary!" One of the other girls said, shaking her head. "I don't want a scary story."

"We'll see what happens," Gary promised, smiling. He wasn't worried. They already had plans for this night. He gestured to the guitar players, who stepped up to the 'fire', and started playing one of the songs they'd learned the night before last.

I wuv a wabbit
A cwazy, cwazy wabbit
Hop, hop bunny, bunny
Hop, hop bunny, bunny
Hop, hop, hop, hop, ho, ho.
He wuvs his cawwots
His cwazy, cwazy cawwots
Chomp, chomp bunny, bunny
Chomp, chomp bunny, bunny
Chomp, chomp, ho, ho, chomp chomp.
When he goes to sleep at night
I kiss he and he kiss I
If he's been a such and such
He sleeps out in the wabbit hutch.
Oh...CHORUS

Ian sighed.