A few days later, Dundle woke to its hottest morning of the year. The stove-top heat pressed in from all sides. Leo sweated the whole day, wilting at his desk like a thirsty plant. Ms Pengari sprayed misty water on the children’s faces. She wore a pair of pilot’s goggles strapped to her head – they were supposed to be flying to the twin islands of Area and Perimeter, but everyone was too hot and tired.

‘It’s days like these we need that pool more than ever,’ she said. ‘The sooner we raise some money, the sooner we can go for a swim.’

Nicola, the girl with the horse, raised her hand. ‘Do you think it’ll really happen? How much money do we need?’

Ms Pengari sprayed water on her own face before she answered. ‘I spoke to someone at the council. They said ten thousand dollars would be a good start.’

The class erupted into gasps and howls.

‘That’s way too much!’ one boy called out.

‘Yeah,’ said another. ‘That’s like a million bucks!’

The gasps turned to laughter before Ms Pengari calmed them down.

‘You all have such good ideas for raising money. I think we’ll get close. And the first fundraiser is at the end of next week, Dundle After Dark. Leo and Gus – is everything on track?’

Leo gave something between a nod and a shrug and glanced across the room at Gus. They hadn’t talked since Leo had told him to go home.

Ms Pengari didn’t ask any more questions, but she caught Leo before he went to morning tea. ‘Should I be worried about Dundle After Dark? Or more worried about you and Gus?’

Leo stretched his finger and Ralph grabbed on. ‘We planned everything at my place on Saturday. But something happened and we haven’t talked again.’

She pulled the goggles from her forehead. ‘Are you going to try talking today?’

He shifted from foot to foot. ‘Mum said I should. That I need to tell him the truth.’

‘The truth?’ she said. ‘About Ralph?’

He squinted at his teacher. ‘How much do you know about Ralph?’

She polished her goggles with a tissue. ‘Oh, you mean the little guy holding onto your finger right now?’

Leo’s eyes popped. He looked at his honey-coloured friend, then shook his head and laughed. ‘I’m really bad at hiding him.’

‘I wouldn’t say that. Your parents told me to keep an eye on that finger. And I don’t think everyone knows about him – are you worried about telling Gus?’

He nodded, head down.

‘Remember I said you needed to find someone who likes the way you don’t fit? That someone is Gus. He already likes that you’re different. And having a Ralph makes you fit even less, so I think he’ll like you more.’

It was all a bit confusing.

‘Okay,’ he said. ‘Thanks.’

She sprayed him with water and shooed him out the door.