Something to liven up a Sunday afternoon. The idea that this might have somehow helped conjure up the Bee King would not occur to them until much later on. They had done their rounds, winding up at the allotments around four o’clock with no obvious means of entertainment until Aldred found the remains of a bonfire, with its embers still glowing under the ash. A boy on his own might have warmed his hands at it. Two might have tried stoking the fire back into life. But it took all five to create the conditions necessary for them to organize a party to look for something combustible which might be introduced to it. The first shed Finn and Lewis forced their way into was full of old rakes and spades and piles of potting trays, which might have made a nice little bonfire of their own and brought a good deal of misery to their owner, but lacked the explosive element they were after, so they went onto the next shed along. The other boys were breaking up beanpoles and adding them to the embers and managing to fan some flames into being when Finn and Lewis reappeared, looking mightily pleased with themselves.
