Sleepover Girls Go Camping

Don’t you just love children’s playgrounds? I do and I love the swings best of all. There’s nothing better than flying right up into the air and whooshing back. I think everyone should go on a swing once in a while, just to clear their heads. Grown-ups as well. Especially grown-ups.

My friends think I’m crazy. They say:

"Lyndz, anybody would think Ben was taking you to the playground, not the other way round."

In case you’ve forgotten, Ben’s my four-year-old brother. He’s a bit wild. He’d much rather be bashing people over the head with his pretend sword than playing on the swings. Still, my baby brother, Spike, enjoys going to the playground, so I quite often take him. Not today though. Today I’m meeting the rest of the Sleepover Club. You can come too, if you like. In fact you’ve got to come, because I want to tell you all about our latest adventure. It was mega-cool.

You remember that we all belong to the same Brownie Pack, don’t you? Well, just over a month ago, Brown Owl told us about this special camp she was arranging during the summer holidays.

It’s for those of you who’ll soon be going up to Guides, she said.

That’s us! said Rosie and I together.

There’s going to be a special four-day ‘under canvas’ camp at Foxton Glen at the beginning of August. It’s a fun way to get you used to the kind of things that Guides do, Brown Owl continued.

Cool! shouted Kenny. We can leave Brownies to the babies!

I heard that, Laura McKenzie! said Brown Owl, scowling at Kenny.

Kenny scowled right back at her. If there’s one thing she hates it’s being called by her proper name. ‘Laura’ is way too girlie for her!

What will we be doing at the camp? asked Frankie, quickly changing the subject before Kenny got too out of control.

Frankie’s our sort of unofficial Sleepover Club leader. She’s so sensible you see.

Well, you’ll be helping to put up your own tents for a start, then there’s abseiling, canoeing, a climbing wall, archery—

Wicked! laughed Kenny. It’s going to be cooler than a fridge full of Magnum ice creams! She was so hyper, I thought she was going to start bouncing round the room at any minute.

I turned to Fliss, who was sitting next to me. What’s she like! I laughed. But then I saw Fliss’s face. She was not a happy bunny. What’s up with you? I said.

I hate all those things, she moaned. You know, abseiling and stuff – it’s just not me!

She was right there. Fliss is not really an outdoorsy kind of girl. Give her a bottle of nail varnish and a pile of magazines and she’s in heaven. Shinning down the side of a building on a rope – well, that’s more like Fliss’s idea of hell. She’s very clean is Fliss, and strictly one for her home comforts.

I couldn’t help feeling sorry for Fliss. The rest of us were getting all excited about the idea of going away on this special camp and you could tell that she was starting to feel really left out. And that’s another thing about Fliss – she hates to be left out of anything.

How much will it cost? Rosie asked Brown Owl in her quiet voice.

The rest of us looked at each other worriedly. We know that Rosie’s a bit conscious about money since her father left home. But seeing as he coughed up for our trip to Spain, we hoped there’d be no reason why he shouldn’t do it again for the camp.

Well, I’m just finalising details about that, Brown Owl told her, but it should be quite reasonable. We’re hoping that Brownies from the 12th Cuddington pack will be joining us. And the more people there are, the more people there’ll be to share the cost.

Oh great! piped up a voice. Our friends Regina and Amanda belong to 12th, don’t they, Emily?

The voice belonged to the horrible Emma Hughes. She and Emily Berryman are our sworn enemies, the M&Ms. Just for one lovely moment I’d forgotten they were in the same Brownie pack as us. And because they’re the same age as the rest of us, they’ll be moving up to Guides soon, too. That meant that the Gruesome Twosome would be coming to the camp. Suddenly it didn’t seem quite so great after all.

Now, could all those older Brownies who are interested in going to Foxton Glen please put up their hands. Just so I’ve got some idea of numbers, said Brown Owl.

Kenny, Frankie, Rosie and I shot up our hands. So did the awful M&Ms and their friend Alana ‘Banana’ Palmer, plus a few more girls.

Felicity, I don’t see your hand up, said Snowy Owl, who is also Fliss’s auntie Jill.

Fliss did a real cherry. Even her blonde hair looked as though it was blushing.

I, er – I’m not sure, she stammered.

The M&Ms sniggered behind their hands.

Oh Felicity, I’m sure you’ll love it, Snowy Owl told her. Besides, all your friends want to go. Won’t you feel left out if you miss all the fun?

Smart move, Snowy Owl – if anything was going to make Fliss change her mind, that would do it! Fliss raised her hand very slowly.

All right! shouted Kenny, leaping to her feet. It’ll be mega! Just think of all those sleepovers we can have!

I’ll have a letter ready for your parents by next week’s meeting, which will give details of the cost, explained Brown Owl.