Avoiding the Crossing

Gaius emerged from the Museum with some specimen bones in his pocket.

Good news! he said. We're all going to Alcoota Scientific Reserve on the weekend in Dr Yates's Jeep.

Yay! cried Lavender. A Jeep!

Count me out, said Ageless. I don't trust Dr Yates.

Nor me, said Baby Pierre. We might never come back.

We'd come back, said Ageless, but no longer intact.

No longer intact! said Ouvert. What do you mean?

He wants my claw, said Ageless.

And my special mark, said Baby Pierre.

What? said Lavender. You think he wants your TULIP?

It's not a tulip, Lavender, said Baby Pierre, as you well know. It's the Mark of the Lobster Claw.

He wouldn't want it, said Lavender. How would he get it off?

By scraping, said Baby Pierre.

Lavender looked scared.

We won't go, she declared.

Tell you what, said Arthur, I'll take you all there on the bike. Then you won't have to go in the Jeep.

But Arthur! said Gaius. Why would you do that? It's one hundred and sixty kilometres!

That's nothing, said Arthur, who had not visited the Centre before.

And I have my own reasons, he added, remembering the replique lac and the spasmique quack.

No need to cross poems with Dr Yates in a Jeep if he could avoid it.