“Like spy stuff,” Jordan added.
He didn’t have the heart to tell them the spy stuff happened before they were sent in. It was Gretchen who spoke. “Why don’t you play a game of spotlight?” She pointed to the torch they must have brought out with them.
“Yes,” Jordan yelled and in moments the kids were on their feet and working out the boundaries of the game and who was going to be it first. After an initial count of thirty, the kids scattered.
Faith sighed and sipped her tea. “Great idea, Gretchen.”
“I figured they needed some more exercise to burn off the sugar.”
Arthur scanned the area. How much trouble could they get into? There were enough lights on the outside of the shed, the shearer’s quarters and the toilet block for the campers that the kids could see where they were going. But they weren’t great at hiding. In his quick scan, he spotted eight of the kids hiding behind trees or cars, or buildings. They were too impatient to stay hidden and kept popping up to see what was going on. Amateurs.
“What was that?” Gretchen asked.
Damn, he hadn’t realised he’d spoken aloud. “Nothing.”
Gretchen smiled at him. “They don’t have your training.”
“They don’t need it. All they have to do is stay still. The movement gives them away.” Sure enough, as he spoke, the torch illuminated Jordan’s face and Cody yelled, “Gotcha, Jordan.”
Jordan groaned and trudged over to the fire. “Why do I always get caught first?”
“Because you can’t stay still,” Arthur answered.
Jordan glanced at him as if surprised he’d received an answer. “What?”
Arthur gestured him over. “Scan the area. Tell me what you see.”
Jordan scanned the area. “Nothing. It’s too dark.”
“Look again.” He nodded towards the toilet block. “At ten o’clock.”
“Huh?”
“It’s military speak to tell you which direction. Twelve o’clock is straight ahead, so ten o’clock is to the left, like on a clock.”
“Cool,” Jordan breathed, and looked at the building as someone stuck their head around the corner. “That’s Mischa.”
“Would you have spotted her if she’d stayed behind the building?”
“No.”
“OK, tell me who else you can see.” Giggles erupted from behind a nearby ute. “Or hear.”
“That sounds like Natasha,” Jordan said. He slowly turned, surveying the grounds. “Lara’s near the shed, Sophie is at the tree and Joe is at the shearer’s quarters.”
“Good job. Remember that when it’s your turn with the torch.”
It took another ten minutes before Cody had found everyone and then it was Jordan’s turn to be it. He counted slowly, and the kids fled, some going to the same hiding places as before, others desperately trying to find new hiding spots before the count ended. When Jordan opened his eyes, he stepped away from the fire and panned the torch around. In about five seconds, he’d spotted those who’d hidden in the same spots.
“No fair,” Natasha said. “You must have cheated.”
Arthur hated it when people blamed others for things they were responsible for. “He didn’t cheat. We were watching. You hid in the same spot.”
Natasha crossed her arms and pouted, going to sit on the log away from him.
Within five minutes, they had found everyone. Jordan ran over. “You’re so smart. That was easy.” He held up a hand to high five.
Arthur stared at it for a second and then slapped it. Jordan grinned. “I know. My code name can be Watson.” He ran over to the other kids.
