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Zeke was sure that busking would make them money. He could hardly wait. Becca had never busked before and she hoped their plan would work. Everyone was going on the camping trip and she really didn't want to miss out.

On Sunday Becca and Zeke got to London at midday. Becca followed Zeke through the railway station and down to the
Tube.

‘We can get the Tube to
Camden,'
said Zeke. ‘You need a
permit
to busk in most areas, but not in Camden.'

Zeke seemed very nervous on the Tube train. He kept looking around as if someone was watching him. Becca felt as if she was in a spy movie. Zeke was even worse once they got to Camden. He kept staring at every teenager who walked past.

They decided to busk near to the Tube station so that lots of people would see and hear them.

‘You start playing while I get ready,' said Zeke. He unzipped his backpack, took out a hat and put it on the ground. Next he took out a sign.

Becca began playing her flute, but it was too quiet. No one was taking any notice of her.

‘It's too noisy here,' she said to Zeke.

‘We need to make more noise,' said Zeke. ‘How about these?'

He pulled a set of
bongo drums
out of his backpack. ‘I can play the bongos and you keep playing the flute. That should be loud enough. What song do we both know?'

Becca couldn't think. Then she saw a small girl carrying a toy lion. ‘How about a song from
The Lion King?'
said Becca.

‘Perfect. African bongo drums coming up!' replied Zeke.

Zeke's bongo drums were a hit. His playing drew a small crowd and people dropped coins and notes in the hat. They also dropped some other things in the hat – a muffin, a packet of sweets and even a raw potato!

‘What are we going to do with a potato?' asked Zeke.

‘I know!' said Becca. ‘It can be our lucky
mascot.'

She draw a face on the potato. They both laughed and sat their mascot, Mr Potatoman, on top of Becca's flute case.

Zeke turned on his CD player. It was loud! He started to
street dance.
Zeke bent his arms and kept to the beat of the music. He kicked forward and then back without touching the ground. Becca thought he was amazing. Other people did too and they dropped even more money into the hat.

Becca and Zeke busked all afternoon until the hat was half filled with money. Someone put in another handful of sweets, but there were no more potatoes!

Everything was good until a street gang pushed their way to the front of the crowd.

‘Don't let me stop you begging, Zeke,' said their leader. ‘Me and the lads like a good laugh.'

Becca looked at Zeke. He stopped dancing. He clenched his fists and started to rub them on his jeans. Now Becca realised why Zeke had been so nervous about coming to Camden. There was someone here he didn't want to meet, but now they had come face to face.

The gang leader tossed a chewing gum wrapper into the hat. ‘You're a real loser, Zeke,' he said. ‘I can't believe you left my gang for this!' He spat on the ground and walked away. His gang followed him.

‘What gang?' thought Becca. Had Zeke really been in a street gang? Zeke turned off the CD player. People put their money in the hat and moved away.

‘Come on, Becca,' said Zeke. ‘Let's pack up and go. Shark is bad news. It's never safe when he's around.'

‘No! I want to busk some more,' said Becca. ‘We're doing really well but we need lots more money to pay for the trip. I'm staying. You can go if you want to.' She knew she sounded childish, but she couldn't help it. She really wanted to get enough money to go on the school camping trip.

Zeke started to pack up his gear.

‘Do what you want,' he said. Zeke bent over the hat. ‘I'll take the money before someone steals it.'

‘Don't take all of it,' said Becca. ‘If people see an empty hat they might think our playing was no good.'

Zeke put a big pile of money back in the hat and walked towards the Tube station. ‘I'm better off on my own,' he thought. But when he got to the platform he changed his mind. ‘I can't leave Becca on her own,' he thought. ‘What if Shark comes back? Becca won't know how to handle him.'

Becca had watched Zeke pack up his gear and walk away. She started playing her flute again but busking wasn't much fun on her own. The sky was turning grey and everyone was in a rush. They didn't want to stop and listen to her music. Even Mr Potatoman was looking fed up.

It was getting dark, cold and rainy. When the overhead streetlight went out, Becca gave up. She was packing up her flute case when a voice startled her.

‘Where's Zeke?'

Shark and his gang were back!

Becca looked up. There was something mean in Shark's eyes and she didn't feel safe. Becca stood up and Shark stared at her. Her bones felt like jelly. Becca hated bullies but she knew she shouldn't show Shark she was scared.

‘Zeke's gone home' she said.

‘Is he coming back for this?' asked Shark, kicking the hat and making the money inside it jingle.

‘No,' said Becca. She was still acting like she wasn't scared, but inside she was shaking.

Shark grabbed the sweets from the hat and tossed them to his gang. Then he snatched Mr Potatoman from Becca, bit its face off and spat out the bits. Becca was upset. ‘What kind of person eats a raw potato with a cute face drawn on it?' she thought.

‘You know what, lads? We should try begging. It's easy money, and you even get sweets,' Shark said.

Becca stopped being afraid and decided to stand up for herself.

‘We didn't get that money by begging,' she said. ‘We worked for it. People put money in the hat because they liked our music and dancing.'

‘Nah, they've got it all wrong,' said Shark. ‘You don't put money
in.
You take it
out.'

Shark grabbed the money and stuffed it into his pockets. ‘And sometimes you take the hat as well!' He flipped the hat on to his head and his gang started sniggering.

Becca didn't know what to do. If she stood up to Shark she might get their money back. She tried to grab the money from his pocket but Shark pushed her away. ‘Get out of here,' he said, ‘and give me that thing before you go.' He reached towards her flute case.

Becca held on to the flute case tightly. The flute had been a present from her dad. It had taken him over a year to save up the money for it. There was no way she was giving it up without a fight.

Then out of the corner of her eye she saw Zeke. Becca gasped in shock. What was Zeke doing here? Zeke did a back flip, pushed off the wall behind him with one foot and bounced into Shark. They both fell to the ground heavily. Zeke got to his feet first. He shouted to Becca: ‘Run!'

Becca turned into a crowded side street which was full of market stalls. Zeke caught up with her.

‘We've got to lose them,' said Zeke. Becca was red faced and gasping for breath, so she nodded, yes. There was a brick wall at the end of a street. When they reached the wall, Zeke threw their gear over the top. Then he cupped his hands for Becca to climb up. She stepped on his hands, pulled herself up and over the wall and landed on the other side. Zeke hauled himself up the wall, then jumped down next to her.

Zeke heard Shark and his gang run up to the brick wall and stop. He and Becca ran through the dark streets until they got back to the Tube station.

‘I think we've lost them,' gasped Becca. They only relaxed once they were safely inside the train, with no sign of Shark and his gang.

‘I'm all sweaty,' said Zeke, ‘and my heart is thumping.' He unzipped his backpack and looked at their money. ‘We did really well. I think we've got about …'

Becca stopped him. ‘I don't want to know,' she said. ‘It's my fault that Shark got away with all that money. I messed up so badly.'

‘No, you didn't,' said Zeke. ‘I didn't leave much money in the hat. I just made it look like I did. Shark only got about ten pounds.'

Becca cheered up. ‘That's good,' she said. ‘So how much did we get?'

‘There's about a hundred pounds in here,' Zeke said. ‘That's enough for one of us to go on the camping trip.'

‘You or me?' asked Becca.

‘We'll have to toss a coin, I guess,' said Zeke. ‘But it's going to be bad news for one of us.'

At school on Monday, Natalie from the Gang-Stars had news for Becca and Zeke.

‘My mum was at Camden market on Sunday, and guess what? She saw you two busking!' said Natalie. ‘I told the other Gang-Stars and we all want to have a go at busking too! Meet us in the
courtyard
at lunchtime.'

At lunchtime all the Gang-Stars met up in the courtyard. There were singers, dancers, musicians and actors. They all had fun busking, except Zeke and Becca. They couldn't stop thinking about how only one of them could go on the school camping trip. By the end of lunchtime their collection hat was filled with money from students and staff.

Natalie quickly counted the money. ‘Great news,' she said. ‘We've got enough money.'

‘We've got enough money for what?' asked Zeke.

‘We've got enough money for you and Becca to both go on the camping trip, of course,' she replied.

‘This was for us?' asked Becca. Zeke and Becca couldn't believe how great their friends were.

‘That's what being in the Gang-Stars is all about,' said Natalie. She had another surprise for Zeke. ‘Mum saw what that bully did, and told him off. She got your hat back, but they got away with the money.'

Zeke felt really happy. He had a lump in his throat, but he didn't want to cry, so he blinked hard and shook his head.

‘I'm just glad I'm in the Gang-Stars now, and not Shark's gang,' he said quietly.

‘Thanks so much, everyone. You're the best friends ever,' said Becca.

A boy with spiky red hair ran through the courtyard shouting, ‘Jacket potatoes! Hot jacket potatoes at the café now!'