Not To Eat But To Smell

It's a frog, says Terence. Bad luck, frog.

Bad luck, frog? 

The tiny Kroombit tinker frog thinks the worst.

But it needn't.

We're not looking for you, frog, says Terence.

Even though we're supposed to be, says Greedy.

You've confused it, says Freddy. Turn off the torch.

Terence turns off the torch.

Now the Kroombit tinker can see them.

A cement boy with curls, a rubber glove with white spots and a brown froglike creature with a bead in its head.

The bead-headed frog comes closer.

Fear not, says the bead-head. Hello. My name is Freddy.

Hello, says the Kroombit tinker. Can I go now?

Ask him to wait, says Terence. We'll be coming back later.

We don't know if it's the right sort of frog, says Greedy.

Ask it, says Terence.

What are you? asks Freddy.

The Kroombit tinker was raised in captivity and so knows the answer.

A Kroombit tinker, it replies.

Woop! says Terence. Ask it if it wants to come with us.

Do you want ... begins Freddy.

I heard the question, says the Kroombit tinker.

Well, do you? asks Terence.

Where are you going? asks the Kroombit tinker.

To see the letter from Greedith and Freddy, says Terence. 

Greedith is my granny, by the way, says Greedy. 

How far is it? asks the Kroombit tinker. 

Not far, says Terence. Freddy knows the way. 

Freddy, says the Kroombit tinker. So did you write the letter.?

No, says Freddy. I've only just learned to speak.

He used to say why all the time, says Terence. 

Why? asks the Kroombit tinker

Yes, says Terence. So, are you coming?

The Kroombit tinker has nothing much to do. It has already eaten. It likes Freddy, who smells of chocolate. It likes chocolate. Not to eat, but to smell.

I'm coming, says the Kroombit tinker.

Of they go, in the moonlight. 

Freddy wonders if it would be all right to ask it its gender.

Found One!

Right, says Gaius. Does everyone have a torch?

I have, says Nerida.

And I have, says Katherine.

Where's my torch? asks Terence.

You won't need a torch, says Gaius. You're coming with me.

But I'm your deputy senior assistant, says Terence.

Good, Terence, says Gaius. You remembered your title, although I had forgotten it. If anyone has a spare torch, you may have it.

I have, says Nerida.

She gives Terence her spare torch.

Phew! that was a close one.

Terence nearly couldn't go on his mission with Greedy and Freddy.

We'll spread out, says Gaius. Move as quietly as you can. Stop every now and then to listen for tink tink sounds. 

What do we do if we hear a tink tink sound? asks Katherine.

Make a note of the location, says Gaius. And report back to me.

Katherine goes off with her torch, through the trees, towards the sound  of trickling water.

Click click. 

That sounds like the wrong sort of frog. She keeps going.

Squelch.

Nerida heads off towards another section of water. 

She hears something. She stops to listen.

Hee hee.

Could it be a laughing tree frog?

Whatever. It's not a tinker. She keeps going.

Hee-hee.

Gaius has heard it too. 

Is that you Terence? whispers Gaius. 

No reply.

He keeps going, towards the trickling water. 

Quiet, hisses Terence. No laughing. Who remembers the way?

Not me, says Greedy. I didn't come with you the first time.

I did, says Freddy. And I have a bead in my head. Put me down.

Terence puts him down.

That way, says Freddy.

Or the opposite, says Terence. Remember the water?

Don't confuse me, says Freddy.

Okay, says Terence. 

He shines the torch in the direction that Freddy has pointed.

Trees, bushes. Dirt, stones. 

Tink tink.

Hey, whispers Greedy. Stop a minute.

They stop.

Tink tink.

Terence points his torch at the sound.

Woo!

A tiny Kroombit Tinker frog crouches, rigid, in the spotlight.

A Granny-Type Name

It will soon be dark enough for frog hunting, says Gaius.

Let's eat first, says Katherine.

Yes let's, says Nerida. I'm starving.

Apples, cheese and dry biscuits, says Gaius. Washed down with spring water. What could be better?

He heads for the food tent.

Any number of things could be better, says Katherine. How about individual quiches?

Yes, says Nerida. Individual quiches would be nice.

Katherine goes to her tent and comes back with a zip-top bag which she opens.

She takes out four individual quiches.

I brought these for our first night, says Katherine.

Yum, says Nerida. And there's even one extra, because Arthur's not here.

Which one would you like? asks Katherine. There's one bacon and onion, one cheese, leek and artichoke, one asparagus and ricotta, and one sweet potato, chorizo and goat's cheese.

Asparagus and ricotta, says Nerida. 

Gaius returns with the apples, hard cheese and dry bicuits.

He sniffs. What's that aroma?

Katherine brought quiches! says Nerida.

Just for the first night, says Katherine. I know you won't mind.

Of course not, says Gaius. What a treat. First the sandwiches at lunchtime and now the quiches. What sort are they?

Katherine tells him. He chooses the one with sweet potato, chorizo and goat's cheese.

Terence and Freddy meanwhile have snuck into the food tent.

Is it time yet ? asks Greedy.

Yes, says Terence. It's night. We're going on an adventure.

Looking for frogs, says Greedy. I know.

Not frogs, says Terence. A letter.

To you, says Freddy. 

Almost exactly, says Terence.

What are you talking about? asks Greedy.

We went to see Beautiful Betsy, says Terence. And we saw a letter to Greedith and Freddy.

Greedith? says Greedy. That isn't me.

It sounds like you, says Terence.

Well it isn't, says Greedy.

Terence thinks.

Maybe it's your granny, says Terence. 

O yes, says Greedy, my granny. 

Do you agree? asks Terence.

Yes, says Greedy. Granny Greedith.

See, says Terence. Greedy agrees. I win the bet.

What bet? asks Greedy.

I said you wouldn't, says Freddy.

Wouldn't what? asks Greedy.

Agree with it, says Freddy. Being called Greedith.

Not me, my granny, says Greedy. It's a granny-type name.

Yay! says Terence. I get... wait... what do I get?

Not a horse, says Freddy.

I want to read the letter to Granny Greedith, says Greedy. 

Okay, says Terence. We'll go when the others go frog hunting.

We should take a torch, says Greedy.

Okay, says Terence. 

So it's decided. They'll go.

 

No Horse No Treasure

They finish looking at Beautiful Betsy and trudge back to the campsite.

What did you make of that, dear? asks Katherine.

It was like the end of a movie, says Nerida.

Or the other way round, says Katherine.

Huh? says Nerida.

The end of a movie is like what actually happened, says Katherine. 

Good point, says Nerida. 

What's this? asks Gaius.

Nothing, says Katherine.

I said it was like the end of a movie, says Nerida. 

How so? asks Gaius, who rarely sees a movie. 

It's the irony and all that, and the pathos, says Nerida.

Except it was real, says Katherine. That was the point I was making.

I see, says Gaius. But he does not see. He has been thinking ahead.

As is Freddy. 

We should come back with Greedy, says Freddy.

Yes, says Terence. Then she'd see her name on the letter.

My name, says Freddy.

And hers, says Terence. Almost.

How almost? asks Freddy. 

Greedith, says Terence. Dear Greedith and Freddy. 

It was Edith, says Freddy. 

Close, says Terence.

I bet she wouldn't have thought so, says Freddy.

I bet she would, says Terence.

You're on, says Freddy.

What does that mean? asks Terence.

It's a bet. If I win, I get something. If you win you get something.

A horse, says Terence.

Not a horse, says Freddy. 

Okay, says Terence. And what do you get?

Your best treasure, says Freddy.

Okay, says Terence.

He doesn't have a best treasure. He used to. But he lost it.

So ha ha! Freddy can't win.

The bet is on.

They approach the campsite.

The low sun casts long shadows. 

Water trickles. Frog noises start up.

Greedy stirs in the food tent. 

Until You Didn't

 It says Dear Freddy says Terence, pointing to the word 'Edith'.

Edith, says Katherine. This word is 'Freddy'.

Freddy looks at the word Freddy. 

His word.

Now he can read it.

So, says Freddy. Connection.

You died, says Terence.

No it wasnt Freddy who died, says Nerida. It was Roy Cannon who wrote them the letter.

You're alive, says Terence, to Freddy.

Probably not though, says Katherine. If Freddy was an adult in 1945, he may well be dead now.

See, says Terence. I was right the first time.

Can I look at Beautiful Betsy? asks Freddy. 

I'll take you, says Terence.

Don't put me back in the sandwich bag! says Freddy. It stinks of salmon.

Really Gaius! says Katherine. Why did you bring him in that?

I didn't want to melt him, says Gaius.

Terence has run off with Freddy in his hand.

His hand won't melt Freddy. 

He shows Freddy Betsy's propellor.

What's that? asks Freddy.

The whizzer that fell off the front of her, says Terence. 

I could use a whizzer, says Freddy.

What for? asks Terence.

When I hang from my string, says Freddy.

Terence imagines Freddy hanging from his string with a whizzer.

You could do loop-the-loops, says Terence.

I might not use the string, says Freddy.

You could whizz round the campsite looking for water, says Terence.

And beyond, extrapolates Freddy.

Until you crashed, says Terence.

You wrecked it, says Freddy.

What did I wreck? asks Terence.

My dream, says Freddy.

Okay, says Terence. Until you didn't. 

Freddy has to be happy with that.

Shades Of Sadness

Beautiful Betsy lies on a hillside, in various parts.

There is a plaque nearby, which explains things.

Where Betsy was going, (to Darwin) and who was on board (six American and two British airmen).

When she crashed, (1945),  and when she was found, (almost fifty years later).

On the plaque is a photo of Flight Officer Roy Cannon, one of the eight airmen who perished.

And a copy of his last letter.

Katherine starts reading.

Dear Edith and Freddy, Haven't heard from you for some time.....

Freddy! says Katherine. There's a coincidence. We should have brought Freddy. He'd have liked this.

Nerida and Terence are looking at a rusty propellor.

They hear the name Freddy.

We forgot Freddy! says Terence. He wanted to see Beautiful Betsy.

It may be a good thing, says Nerida. It would have made him feel sad. 

Because there are no bombs? asks Terence.

Not that, says Nerida. They weren't carrying bombs anyway. They were taking food supplies up to Darwin.

And the Darwins didn't get their food, says Terence. Is that sad?

And the eight airmen died, says Nerida. And weren't found until fifty years later. 

Too late, says Terence. Is THAT sad?

Not really, I guess, says Nerida. It's kind of romantic.

I don't get it, says Terence. I'm going to ask Katherine.

Ask her what? asks Nerida.

If she's sad, says Terence.

He runs over to Katherine.

Freddy's name is on this plaque, says Katherine. In this letter. See here!

Yikes! says Terence. 

It's not actually him, says Katherine. 

Are you sad? asks Terence.

No, says Katherine. It was a long time ago. And there's no point being sad. I thought Freddy would be interested.

He is interested, says Terence. I'll go and get him. I know the way.

No you don't! cries Katherine.

But Terence has run off in the campsite's direction.

Luckily Gaius is rapidly approaching, with Freddy in the sandwich bag smelling of salmon.

Well met, Terence! says Gaius.

Guess what? says Terence. Freddy got a letter. On a plaque. One of the crashed people sent it.

To Freddy? says Gaius. That's a long stretch.

Yes, says Terence. Come and see it.

Gaius follows Terence to the plaque, where Katherine is waiting.

Good, you brought Freddy, says Katherine. Show him this!

She points to his name in the letter from Flight Officer Roy Cannon.

Cannon? says Gaius. Flying a bomber. That's....

Right here, says Katherine, ignoring his attempt to find comedy in a memorial.

Gaius takes Freddy out of the sandwich bag.

At last! Freddy breathes freely again.

He looks at the spot on the plaque at which Katherine is pointing.

But sadly, he has not learned to read.

We Don't Want You Melting

 We're going to look for Beautiful Betsy, says Nerida. Want to come?

I assume that's the crashed bomber, says Katherine. 

Yes, says Nerida. 

One can't help wondering what those airmen were thinking, says Katherine. All right I'll come. Are you coming, Gaius?

No thanks, says Gaius. I'll stay at the campsite, and store my notes safely.

See you later then, says Katherine. 

We won't be too long, says Nerida. The crash site is on a hillside somewhere near here.

She and Katherine and Terence head off.

Gaius gathers his notes together. Weren't they supposed to be stapled?

No that's right, they were stapled, but in the incorrect order, and had to be unstapled

Best leave them as is, and trust to his numbering system.

He sits on a log in the shade, looking at the Kroombit tinker frog illustration.

A grey and brown back, with a wide dark stripe from the snout to the groin. A horizontal dark marking between the eyes. And their call is distinctive. Tink tink. Hence the name tinker. He certainly won't confuse a tinker frog with a laughing tree frog, or a clicking froglet, both of whom live in the region.

He shoves the notes inside Arthur's tent, and takes out a bottle of water.

He could do with a drink.

He hears something. Hoo hoo! A frog call?

It is coming from Terence's tent. 

He heads over.

It's Freddy, still dangling between two tents on his string.

They left me behind, says Freddy. I wanted to see Beautiful Betsy.

I'm free now, says Gaius. And I'd be interested to see Beautiful Betsy. Come, we'll soon catch them up.

He unhooks Freddy and starts off in the direction the others had taken.

Freddy soon becomes sticky.

Curses, says Gaius. We don't want you melting. 

He feels around in his pocket.

Yes! the empty sandwich bag. He drops Freddy in it.

Now he can carry him without direct contact.

Problem solved.

Freddy swings back and forth in the sandwich bag, as Gaius is walking.

He is not as keen as he was to see Beautiful Betsy.

He feels ill. The sandwich bag smells of smoked salmon.