Read B.A.S.E. Camp for Free Online Page B

with humans.’
    â€˜Well, they seem to have managed it here somehow,’ reasoned Gareth. ‘YT’s the proof of that.’
    â€˜Strange he didn’t mind admitting it,’ said Tom. ‘Even boasted about it, really.’
    â€˜Old Taffy likes to show off, too,’ Adam muttered. ‘Maybe they
are
one and the same, sort of thing.’
    â€˜You’re very quiet, Eddie,’ said Gareth. ‘What do
you
think about all this business?’
    â€˜I think it stinks even worse than Foxy’s feet!’ he said, pulling a face. ‘YT’s a freak!’

Chapter Eight
Open Day
    â€˜There you are, Gramps!’ Gareth exclaimed. ‘What do you think of that?’
    Gramps stared, open-mouthed, at the statue of his old schoolfriend. ‘Taffy Jones…’ he breathed. ‘I can hardly believe it.’
    â€˜We said you’d be in for a big surprise,’ laughed Gareth. He exchanged grins with Adam, who had managed to slip away from his parents for a while to meet Gramps and show him what they had discovered.
    Adam glanced towards the house to make sure no one was watching and then stamped on the stone discus. ‘Watch this!’ he cried.
    Gareth enjoyed Gramps’ shocked reaction as the gap slowly appeared at the base of the statue.
    â€˜It’s a secret passage,’ Gareth told him. ‘Just like in your stories about the school.’
    â€˜Better than any of them, m’boy,’ said Gramps. ‘How on earth did you find it?’
    â€˜
He
told us.’
    â€˜Who?’
    â€˜Taffy!’
    â€˜You mean the old boy’s still here?’ Gramps gasped. ‘You’ve actually met him?’
    â€˜Sure have,’ said Gareth. ‘He might even own the place, for all we know.’
    Gramps shook his head, marvelling at such news. ‘Taffy Jones!’ he repeated in amazement. ‘Thought he were dead.’
    Adam laughed. ‘So did we at first. Thought he might have been one of your ghosts when I saw him disappear through a wall.’
    â€˜Through a wall?’
    â€˜Yeah – turned out to be another secret passage.’
    â€˜The old devil!’ Gramps murmured. ‘Don’t like to say this now, but you couldn’t really trust Taffy as a kid. You never knew if he were just telling tales.’
    â€˜Don’t reckon he’s changed much, then,’ muttered Adam, thinking of Taffy’s denial over Jacko. ‘Only I call it lyin’.’
    â€˜Best close this up before anyone comes,’ Gareth said, heaving the discus back into position to seal the hole once more.
    â€˜Do you know where it leads?’ asked Gramps.
    â€˜Sure do. A group of us explored it,’ said Gareth. ‘Goes right under the lake.’
    â€˜Goodness!’
    Before Gareth could say any more, he saw his mother heading their way across the lawn, carrying a bowl of strawberries.
    â€˜I might have known you two would try to escape the crowds,’ she chuckled. ‘Come on, Gareth, introduce me to your new friend.’
    â€˜This is Adam, Mum,’ he said and then pointed up at the statue. ‘We were just showing Gramps an old one – Gareth Taffy Jones, the great Olympic champion!’
    Mum choked and dropped a strawberry off the spoon down the front of her new dress.
    Tom and Eddie were finding it less easy to entertain their families. After a guided tour of the Camp’s training facilities, there weren’t exactly a lot of things to see and do – at least before the demonstration of some track and field events.
    Tom was sitting with his parents at one of the tables in the courtyard, conveniently near to where the strawberries were being served.Two empty bowls bore witness to his appetite and he was planning to go back for a third. He let out a loud burp.
    â€˜Manners, Thomas!’ said his mother, frowning at him and hoping that none of the nearby guests had heard the