Advantages of Using a Willoughby

Arthur turned.

It was Irma. And Emma, her twin.

Hi Arthur! said Irma. We're camping next to Sonny's Dunny, with our mum and dad. Dad's dug down to the washline. That's where you find the right stones.

And we've got a Willoughby, said Emma.

Have you? said Arthur. What's that?

It's this cool water sieve, said.Emma. You move the sieve up and down in a bucket of water, using a vertical pivot and a horizontal arm.

That sounds very useful, said Arthur. But right now we have nothing to sieve.

Come back with us! said Irma. Just you, Arthur, not him, she added, indicating Paul Verlaine.

Paul looked daggers at Irma, and went to sit in his Jeep. He poured himself a large absinthe and sugar, which he had brought in a flask, and took out his O Arthur notes.

Arthur and Lavender walked over to Sonny's Dunny with the twins, and the bucket.

Now we're sure to find a zircon, said Lavender.

Oh yes, said Emma, you are. And zircons are so lovely. They can be orange, brown, pink, purple or yellow, and some of them are even multi-coloured.

Wow, breathed Lavender. How magical!

Yeah, said Irma, and you can find other things too. Agate, jasper, tourmaline, garnets, even gold nuggets sometimes.

Get digging Arthur, said Lavender. You might find some of those.

Arthur got digging with Irma and Emma's dad's spade.

Soon the bucket was half full of dirt, pebbles and stones.

Lavender was excited. She wanted to look at the stones, but she couldn't see into the bucket.

She climbed up a dirt heap and tried to look down into the bucket.

What are you doing? asked Irma.

I want to see, said Lavender.

I'll help you, said Irma.

She picked Lavender up and balanced her on the rim of the bucket.

Ooh! said Lavender. Ahh.

And then something terrible happened.

Followed almost immediately by another terrible thing.