Squeezed Out

 Luckily the pond is not deep.

Terence is only in up to his knees, when he stands.

Ha ha! laugh Baby Pierre and Ouvert. You fell in.

I didn't fall in, I meant to, says Terence, looking about for the carrot.

There it is, waiting for what happens next.

What happens next is, a tiny green o-ring bobs up and down in the ripples that Terence has made.

The carrot has never seen a green o-ring, but it looks, to the carrot, like a lifebuoy.

Perhaps Terence dropped it in.

The carrot propels itself towards the green o-ring, and lines itself up with the hole.

It reverses towards it.

Hey! says Baby Pierre. That looks like one of my o-rings. Where did it come from?

It must have fallen out of my pocket, says Terence. Remember I told you I had them.

Get it back! says Baby Pierre. The carrot's trying to get its end in. 

Okay, says Terence. He wades up to the carrot.

Sorry. You can't have that, says Terence.

But he is too late, The carrot has taken advantage of a wave created by Terence's movement. And reversed itself into the o-ring. And jammed itself tight.

What's happened? asks Roo-kai.

The carrot's got stuck in the o-ring, says Terence.

On purpose, says Baby Pierre. Get that dumb carrot out of this stupid pond and give me my o-ring.

No need to be nasty, says Roo-kai. First I must assist Terence.

I can get out by myself, says Terence. But I don't want to yet.

He splashes off towards the waterfall, in the middle.

Roo-kai decides Terence will be okay plodding round the base of the waterfall. He'll have fun in the spray. And his shorts are soaking wet already.

So Roo-kai lifts out the carrot, and places it on the stone edge of the pond.

He plans to ease the carrot out of the o-ring and return the o-ring to Baby Pierre.

Then he will explain various metaphorical expressions to the carrot.

To do with eating.

And then maybe teach it to say a few extra words. Like yes and no.

These are good plans. 

But just then Belle and Nico come back.

O no! cries Belle. Terence is in the water!

Nico leaps into the pond and wades towards Terence. Picks him up without asking. And sets him down beside Belle.

Thanks Nico, says Belle. Terence and water is a bad combination. Look at you, Terence! Did you fall in? Are you cracked?

No, says Terence. I was exploring.

No more exploring, says Belle. We're setting off for the Boucles de la Seine, and Nico's kindly promised to come some of the way with us. Now where are the frogs and the pebbles? Where's that carrot? 

Here, says Roo-kai. But it's got....

Belle gathers up the pebbles and the carrot. Nico lines up the frogs. 

Terence has to take off his shorts and have them squeezed out.