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Richard waited for Mrs K. at the corner of the road along which Mr Smith might come. He clearly wanted to keep an eye on him. Richard was less excited and persecuted than on the previous day, although a thunderstorm was about to break and, as has been mentioned, Richard was frightened of thunderstorms. Now he said he was only frightened of the lightning, not of the thunder, but soon gave up this pretence. He told Mrs K. that his mother had arranged for him to come back to ‘X’ next day by car, and therefore he would not have to come alone by bus. In the playroom, Mrs K. and Richard found that various packages and poles (for use by the Girl Guides) had arrived. Richard tried to peep into the packages but gave it up; he made another attempt before leaving. He said there might be a bear in one of the sacks.
Mrs K. asked whether it would be a live bear.
Richard said no, but seemed doubtful.
Mrs K. suggested that, if he were neither alive nor dead, it might be a ghost bear.
Richard agreed eagerly that this might be so. As usual he drank