It was almost possible to grip the silence on the winding paths between the pines. The steady drips hit the plastic hoods of a small group of children, trudging through the woods. Miss Tyler fumbled with a soggy map and hopeless compass. This trek had already taken longer than planned. The meagre puddles of sky began to flood. The thought of not getting back to the road was nauseating. It would not be sensible to camp without equipment. Children had a propensity for wandering off or injuring themselves in the dark.