>Be Evan.

>Be in 5th grade.

>Be at Island Lake State Park, staying in a cabin with his Cub Scout Troupe on a weekend retreat.

>Jason is along even though he doesn't Scout anymore. Their father thought he should come so Evan would have someone to hang out with. Jason's in seventh grade.

>The day's activities have included target practice with some handguns and rifles.

>Earlier, Mr. Haversham caught his son Oliver showing some of the older kids the forbidden M4 without permission. Rob Van Gilder and Rob's older brother Steve are among them.

>Mr. Haversham is now bawling them out while the other dads, including Evan and Jason's, all stand around the offending kids in an intimidating circle of discipline.

>Mr Haversham bellows at Oliver, "I find you holding that gun again without my supervision, I'm gonna whip ya! I'm gonna whip ya, right on the spot!"

>Jason sits with Evan in the cabin's dining room, listening. It's cold out. Some of the other scouts are already in their bunks in the adjacent bedroom.

>Their dad has left his revolver on the long table. It's just been unloaded and the bullets sit in a row alongside the handle, like soldiers in formation.

>Jason picks up the empty gun.

>He points it at his head and pretends to pull the trigger.

>This is something that would cause their father to freak out the same way Mr. Haversham is freaking out.

>Bleeehhhhh, Jason says, rolling his eyes and sticking his tongue out.

>Heh heh, says Evan.