Fine Without Clappers

Prawny hasn't come out yet, says Terence.

I know, says Gaius. 

You shouldn't have thrown him into the hole, says the hiker.

He's the second main frog guy, says Terence.

Not really, says Gaius. But it seems he is blocking the hole.

Then he must be extracted, says the hiker.

Are you a scientist? asks Margaret.

No, I'm a Friend of Mawson Ponds, says the hiker. We do weeding and planting and keep our eyes on the frogs.

Margaret, says Margaret. I'm a geologist.

Rosalie, says the hiker.

What do you suggest we do about Prawny? asks Gaius.

One option is to let nature take its course, says Rosalie.

Does that mean I can go in and get him? asks Terence.

No, says Rosalie. I mean something will eat him.

Eat Prawny? says Terence.

There should be no need for that, says Gaius. 

If there's a green and golden bell frog in the hole it'll push him out, says Rosalie.

Or eat him, says Terence.

They eat spiders and crickets and damselflies, says Rosalie. Mainly.

And smaller frogs, says Gaius. In fact they are known to eat their own young, on occasion.

They WILL eat Prawny, says Terence.

Everyone looks at the hole Prawny disappeared into.

And then...

The front end of Prawny appears and drops out.

The back end of Prawny is missing.

Also his feathers.

Prawny floats on the surface of the warn salty pond.

Margaret grabs a stick and starts moving the water.

Prawny floats to the edge where Terence, Gaius and Rosalie are waiting.

Gaius leans forward and picks Prawny out of the water.

Look at me! says Prawny. 

You're ruined! says Terence.

The frog tried to eat me, says Prawny. But when it got to my feathers it choked. How much of me is missing?

Your clappers, says Terence.

I didn't have clappers, says Prawny.

Your tail, says Gaius. Don't worry, as a cooked prawn, you'll be fine without it. 

Scent Of Potato

Margaret is not far away.

She has heard voices.

Gaius! calls Margaret. I'm here!

We know! answers Gaius. Stay where you are. We're coming.

Terence runs ahead, forgetting about Prawny.

I assume you'll be wanting your prawn back? says the hiker.

Thank you, says Gaius. Prawny is proving invaluable.

But your friend has just called out to you, says the hiker. What did the prawn do?

This prawn saved Terence from drowning, says Gaius.

That boy? says the hiker.

Yes that boy is Terence, says Gaius. Which way are you going?

The same way as you, says the hiker.

They proceed towards Margaret.

Terence is already there.

Look! says Terence. We found the frog saunas. 

He points to a pile of black bricks with holes in the sides, under a pyramidal plastic umbrella, at the edge of a pond

Please don't disturb them, says the hiker.

Of course we won't, says Margaret, we're just observing.

Wonderful! says Gaius. Are there any green and golden bell frogs inside?

I haven't seen any, says Margaret. They may be hiding.

Prawny will find them, says Terence. Where is he?

Here, says Gaius, handing Prawny to Terence. 

Terence is about to step into the water with Prawny.

Don't do that! say Gaius and the hiker, at once.

Okay says Terence. I'll get Prawny to swim there.

I can't swim, says Prawny. 

I'll throw you into one of the holes, says Terence. 

Yikes! says Prawny.

This is your chance to be the second main frog guy, says Terence.

All right, says Prawny.

Terence is quite a good thrower, and the holes in the black bricks are not far away.

He throws Prawny.

Prawny fixes his eye on a hole.

Zoom! Made it!

Prawny is inside a hole. It's warm inside, and something is growling. Rr! Rr!

Hello, says Prawny. 

This is MY hole, says a frog voice.

I know, says Prawny. 

I was just going out to sunbake, says the frog voice.

Don't let me stop you, says Prawny.

You ARE stopping me, says the frog voice. And tickling me. What are you, a bird?

I'm training to be a parrot, says Prawny, but I'm really a prawn.

You smell like a prawn, says the frog voice.

Do I? asks Prawny.

With hints of potato, says the frog voice.

That's spun potato, says Prawny. It dried up and fell off.

Well, the scent lingers, says the frog voice. Anyway why are you here?

I'm a second main frog guy, says Prawny.

From the university? asks the frog voice. 

No from the Gateway Motor Inn in Narrandera, says Pawny. Terence ordered me.

That's all Greek to me, says the frog voice. 

Shall I get out of your way? asks Prawny.

Yes, go back to where you came from, says the frog voice.

Prawny can't do that. 

Nor can he get out of the hole.

Two Cooees And A Cooee

Cooee! 

That will be Margaret, says Gaius. 

He speeds up.

Terence is behind him, with Prawny.

Cooee! They hear it again.

You're meant to answer, says Terence.

I'd rather not, says Gaius. She must be nearby.

I could send my parrot, says Terence.

Me? says Prawny.

If you could fly, says Terence.

What would I do if I could? asks Prawny.

You'd fly up and spy Margaret, says Terence. Then you'd fly down and tell us.

Tell you what? asks Prawny.

Where she was, says Terence.

Cooee! They hear it again.

That cooee seemed to be coming from a different direction, says Gaius.

Stop, says Prawny, Throw me up and maybe I'll spy her.

Can I? asks Terence.

May as well try, says Gaius.

Terence throws Prawny into the air.

Prawny wasn't ready.

He falls to earth beside Terence.

See her? asks Terence.

I wasn't ready, says Prawny. Throw me again.

Ready? asks Terence.

Throw me so I'm already facing in the right direction, says Prawny.

That's too hard, says Terence. We don't know the right direction.

Give Prawny to me, says Gaius. I'll do it.

He throws Prawny, in such a way that he hopes Prawny is facing in the right direction.

A hiker comes up behind them,

Hello, says the hiker. Ow! What was that?

She bends down and picks up Prawny.

We don't encourage littering at Mawson Ponds, says the hiker.

It's my parrot, says Terence.

Our prawn, says Gaius. It was up aloft, briefly, looking for our colleague.

The hiker looks unconvinced.

To her it's a headless prawn with two baby bird feathers.

She has not spotted the eye or the mouth hole.

So when Prawny says: Guess what? I saw her! I saw Margaret! she is astonished.

Ears Peeled

Ten minutes is long.

Terence is sinking.

What if he's down here forever, turning slimy and green?

Something slimy and green floats towards him.

And sticks to his face.

Yeerk! Bluh! 

A fish comes by, and nibbles at the slimy green thing stuck to his face.

Another fish joins the first fish.

This is new, says the first fish.

They both swim away.

Bumhole!

Terence would have liked to ask them a question.

But he can't talk underwater.

What's this though?

Two legs with feet at the bottom. Two hands grasp Terence by the waist. 

Squelch! Pop! He is rescued by Gaius.

Yikes! says Terence. That was close.

How did you happen to be in the water? asks Gaius.

The ground wasn't there, says Terence.

Come and sit down with Prawny, while you dry off, says Gaius.

Okay, says Terence. 

Gaius puts Terence down beside Prawny.

Did you find a bell frog? asks Prawny.

No, says Terence. Two fish tried to eat me.

They were probably trying to eat that green algae stuck to your face, says Gaius.

How did you know where I was? asks Terence.

Prawny told me, says Gaius. You can be grateful to him.

I heard you fall in, says Prawny.

I didn't FALL in, says Terence.

Never mind, says Gaius. I wonder how Margaret is going.

He calls Margaret.

Gaius! says Margaret. I think I've located some of the frog saunas. 

We'll join you, says Gaius. How far away are you?

About ten minutes walk from where we parted, says Margaret. In the direction I went.

We're sure to find you, says Gaius. But it might help if you whistle.

Margaret does not normally whistle.

She's not sure if she can.

I'll cooee, says Margaret. 

Fine, says Gaius. We'll listen out for your cooee.

Is she going to cooee? asks Terence.

What's cooee? asks Prawny.

When someone goes COO-EE! says Terence. 

I hope she doesn't frighten the frogs, says Gaius. 

They'll just think it's lame, says Terence.

I hope you're right, says Gaius.

If I was a frog I would, says Terence.

Are you dry yet? asks Gaius.

Yes, let's go! says Terence.

They set off, ears peeled for lame cooees.

Into The Mud

Prawny suspects Terence has fallen into the pond.

But what can he do?

He can't move forward.

Then he remembers the call of the green and golden bell frog. 

He tries it,

Rr! Rr! Rr!

A green and golden bell frog hops over.

Was that you?

Yes, says Prawny. I was trying to sound like a motor bike.

Why? asks the green and golden bell frog.

To attract a green and golden bell frog, says Prawny.

Well, you did, says the green and golden bell frog. But you're bad at it.

It's my small mouth hole, says Prawny.

So it is, says the bell frog. Did you want anything in particular?

Yes! says Prawny. I think Terence has fallen into the water.

Something has, says the bell frog.

It's probably him, says Prawny.

What does he look like? asks the bell frog.

Like a boy, says Prawny. With curls and a claw.

Boys don't have claws, says the bell frog.

It's not his claw, says Prawny. Can you help him?

Why don't you help him? asks the bell frog.

Can't, says Prawny. I haven't learned how to get things.

How did you get those wings then? asks the bell frog. They don't look like prawn wings.

I'm training to be a parrot, says Prawny.

Who's your trainer? asks the bell frog.

A real parrot, says Prawny.

Meanwhile, time is wasting. 

If Terence has really fallen into the pond, he'll be expecting someone to save him.

And he is.

Under the water, beyond the reeds, Terence is waiting.

And thinking.

Only Prawny knows where he went.

And Prawny can't move on his own. 

But Gaius said he'd be back in ten minutes.

Then Prawny can tell him...

and Gaius will come...

and save his main frog guy.

If he can see him.

Terence wonders if he is visible from above.

It would be good if his curls were sticking up out of the water.

He wriggles his toes.

And sinks deeper into the mud.

Main Frog Guy

Gaius and Margaret are cycling towards Mawson Ponds.

Gaius is on Minnie's good bike and Margaret is on Minnie's old one.

Terence and Prawny are in the good bike's front basket.

They are talking about what they will do when they get there.

I'm the main frog guy, says Terence. Beause I know what they look like.

I know what they look like, says Prawny.

So you're the second frog guy, says Terence. If you see one, tell me.

Okay, says Prawny. Then what?

We tell Gaius, says Terence.

And me, says Margaret, who has been listening.

And Margaret, next, says Terence.

Then what? asks Prawny.

We ask them some questions, says Gaius. 

Assuming they'll talk to us, says Margaret.

There are four of us, says Gaius. At least one of us should be able to coax them to answer.

The one they like best! says Terence.

Indeed, says Gaius. So I want you to think up some questions, and how you will ask them.

Okay, says Terence.

Okay, says Prawny.

They are at Mawson Ponds now.

They are very big ponds. The green and golden bell frogs could be anywhere.

Shall we stick together or separate? asks Margaret.

You go that way, says Gaius. I'll go this way. We'll keep in touch by phone.

Which way can we go? asks Terence.

You stay here with the bikes, says Gaius. And listen out for frog calls. I'll return in ten minutes.

What do the frog calls sound like? asks Prawny.

I was going to ask that, says Terence.

Like a motor bike, says Gaius. A motor bike revving up.

Not a bell, says Margaret.

No, says Gaius. Not a bell.

Gaius goes off that way. Margaret goes off the other way.

Terence and Prawny remain with the bikes.

Rrrr! Rrrr! Rrrr! 

Ding! 

What are those sounds? 

Wait here Prawny, says Terence. 

He leaves Prawny on his own and tiptoes to the reeds at the edge of a nearby pond.

Rustle rustle.

Splash!

Is Prawny about to become the main frog guy? 

Visions Of Dust

The superb parrot has gone.

Interesting take on the bell frogs, says Katherine.

Up themselves, says Gaius. Who would have thought?

I suppose they have been given special treatment, says Margaret.

I'm sure parrots exaggerate sometimes, says Minnie.

What's exaggerate? asks Terence.

Making something sound worse than it is, says Margaret.

Or better, says Katherine.

Parrots don't do that, says Terence.

Not your parrots, says Gaius. They have, in the main, been reliable.

Like Arthur, says Katherine.

Yes like Arthur, says Gaius.

Who's Arthur? asks Prawny.

A guy we know, says Terence. He gets things.

He obtains things, says Gaius. Things I've forgotten.

But he's not with us at present, says Katherine. 

Maybe Prawny can get things, says Terence.

Prawny wonders what things.

They would need to be small things.

What are everyone's plans for this afternoon? asks Minnie.

I should like to visit Mawson Ponds, says Gaius. Can you give me an idea of the distance?

Not far at all, says Minnie. Mawson is right next to Chifley.

Within walking distance? asks Gaius.

Yes, says Minnie. Or you could borrow my bike.

Have you got two bikes? asks Margaret. Because I'll be going with him.

Curses. Gaius hopes there is only one bike. 

But then Margaret would probably have it, and be first to arrive at the Ponds.

Yes, says Minnie. Two bikes.

So that's that, then.

What about you Katherine? asks Minnie. 

I thought I'd do some sight-seeing, says Katherine. It's ages since I was last here.

I'll come with you, says Minnie. We'll go to the War Memorial first.

The War Memorial!

Katherine has visions of khaki, artillery, and dust.