Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the oak trees and fell onto the outside of the canvas tent like a coating of gold dust. The lighting inside the tent had a rippling, amber glow, like diving underwater at sunset and looking up at the sky. Glittering motes of dust swirled lazily in the air from the activity of the two boys as they spread out their sleeping bags and other supplies.

This was the first time in over a month that Jackie Stone and his best friend, Chris Hooper, planned to sleep out in the tent, so it needed a good airing out. The earthy, mushroom smell was bad enough to make the boys gag and cough.

“I think you're nuts,” Jackie said as he sat back on his heels and looked at Chris. “We'd never get away with it.”

“A' course we will,” Chris said. “How many times have we done it and not gotten caught?”

“Yeah, but ... ” Jackie lowered his gaze and shook his head. “I just ... I dunno.”

“Trust me.” Chris shot him a lop-sided grin. “It'll be great.”

Jackie started sawing his teeth back and forth across his lower lip, the way he always did whenever he got nervous. Just to have something to do, he re-fluffed his flannel Sears sleeping bag so it looked nice and cozy. It was late August, and the nights were already starting to cool down. Jackie tried hard not to look Chris directly in the eyes because he was afraid his friend would see just how worried he was. He didn't know why, but something didn't feel right about this plan.

Wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm, he finally glanced at his friend, grimacing as he shook his head in firm denial.

“Yeah, but maybe it's not such a good—”

“What are you, pussy?”

“I'm not pussy. It's just that ... every time we sneak into town, we always get into some kind of trouble.”

“Oh, yeah?” Chris scowled as he scratched his left cheek with his stubby fingernails. “Name one time.”

“How 'bout earlier this summer? Remember right after school was on in June, 'n we slept out 'n were coming back from town, 'n Mrs. Miller's dog chased us, barking his damned fool head off?”

“We got away, didn't we?”

Jackie snorted. “Yeah, but we were lucky the police didn't find us.”

“Ahh—” Chris waved his hand dismissively. “The dumb dog never even left the yard. But you were so scared, I'll bet you pissed yourself.”

“Did not.”

“Did too. 'N you dropped all the apples we kifed from Gardner's Market, you were so scared.”

“We shouldn't be stealing stuff, anyway.”

“How come? Afraid you'll piss yourself again?”

“I never pissed myself.”

“Did so.”

“Did not.”

“Did—did—did!”

Before the exchange went any further, Chris ended it with a sharp jab to Jackie's upper arm that was hard enough to hurt.

“Cut it out!”

“I'll show you,” Chris said, clenching his fist and shaking it under Jackie's chin.

“Look, man. We're lucky as it is that my mom's letting us sleep out tonight.” Jackie licked his lips, cringing when he tasted the rotten mushroom smell. “She's still ticked off about me not finishing the lawn today.”

“But you said it was Bobby's turn.”

“It was, but he's such a big jerk. Ever since he got his license, all he ever does is drive around town and hang out with his idiot friends.”

“What's that got to do with anything, anyway? I'm tellin' ya—we gotta check this thing out tonight.”

“No, we don't,” Jackie said.

He wanted to keep arguing, but he picked up on the rising agitation in Chris's voice, and he was suddenly afraid that his friend would bail on their sleep out plans if he didn't agree to do whatever Chris wanted. Summer vacation was just about over, and they'd be starting school in less than two weeks. Jackie wanted to cram as much fun as he could into their last days of freedom. He just wished Chris wouldn't push so hard about some stuff. The last thing he needed was to get grounded from now until when school started, and that's exactly what his folks would do if they ever found out he'd been out gallivanting around town when he was supposed to be in the tent asleep.

“I dunno.” Jackie tried to look busy as he kept fluffing his pillow. “It seems kinda risky if you ask me.”

“I didn't ask you. I'm telling ya. We gotta do it.” When Jackie remained silent, Chris kept pressing. “Come on. It'll be cool. We might even be able to steal some beer.”

“I don't like beer.”

“See what I mean?” Chris's scowl deepened before he punched Jackie on the upper arm again, this time hard enough almost to knock him over. “You are a pussy.”

“Am not.”

“Are, too.”

“Lord have mercy, will you boys stop bickering out there?”

The sudden sound of Jackie's mother's voice made both boys jump.

“You sound like a couple of mad hens.”

She sounded awfully close to the tent, and Jackie was worried that she might be just outside and have heard their argument ... even what Chris said about trying to steal some beer. If she or his dad knew what Chris had in mind, there's no way she'd let them sleep out, tonight or ever.

“Sorry, Mom,” he said.

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