The Trainee

A black clad figure with a glittering knife! Arthur was excited.

The black clad figure strode right up to Arthur, and leaning across the still-snoozing Gaius, said, Hi! I'm the trainee. Stacey said to bring you this knife.

What for? said Arthur.

To cut the pits out of your prunes, said the trainee.

They're already pitted, said Arthur.

Ooh! squealed Lavender from behind. We heard that, Arthur! Your threat was EMPTY.

Ha! said Arthur. An empty threat is as good as a ....proper one.

So you don't want the knife, said the trainee. Sheeez! Wasting everyone's time.

No, I'll have it, said Arthur. Give it here.

What! said the trainee. What d'you want a knife for? That's it! I'm pulling the emergency cord.

What's happening? said Gaius, waking up from his snooze, to see the angry trainee brandishing the glittering knife.

Nothing, said Arthur.

A knife! said Gaius. That will come in very handy. Thank you, young man.

What do you want it for? asked the trainee suspiciously.

Digging, said Gaius. I'm going to Alcoota Station. I'm a natural historian, interested in the giant fossils, in particular the claw of the Giant Varan, and I believe in the excitement of packing I neglected to include a knife.

You can't have this knife, said the trainee! This knife stays on the train.

Fiddlesticks! said Gaius. How much do you want for it?

It isn't for sale, said the trainee. It's a prune-pitting knife.

Just the thing, said Gaius.

No, said the trainee. It isn't.

I agree with him, said Arthur.

Who? said Gaius. Me? Or him?

............

The debate raged on. Ouvert and Lavender had lost interest long ago. Where was Stacey? When would she read them a story?

What does it mean to be faithful, Ouvert? asked Lavender, thinking about the storyteller who had risked being killed by the Sultan.

It means that you're following someone, said Ouvert.

We're following someone, said Lavender.

Yes, said Ouvert.

The door of the carriage opened again. Will this be another cliff-hanger? Who will it be?