Things That Do And Don't Happen In Water

And where is Surfing-With-Whales?

He has raced off to borrow a jet ski. Soon he is roaring out to sea behind Sweezus, Belle et Bonne and Midge, to help them rescue Farky.

Sweezus, who has a head start, gets there first.

Farky is in the water, clinging to the broken paddle, the surfboard he was on has floated out of reach.

Old Nick's mouth is closing round his hindmost leg.

Sweezus! calls Farky. Help!

I'm coming, says Sweezus, swatting at Old Nick. Get away from there!

Theethus! says Old Nick, with his mouth full. Don't tell me thith doggy belongth to you?

No, says Sweezus, but...

This is no time to split hairs, says Farky. I am his dog!

Old Nick spits out a mouthful of dog hair and swims back a little way to take in the vision of Sweezus.

Man! says Old Nick. It's nice to see you.

Yeah, right, says Sweezus, thinking this might be a case of mistaken identity, but what the hell, you'd have to be a dickhead not to go along with it. Nice to see you too. Now please lay off my dog.

Belle et Bonne and Midge paddle up, followed moments later by Surfing-With-Whales.

The sea rocks alarmingly, and there is a horrible smell of fuel.

Bloody JET SKIS, says Old Nick. Stinking up the place. And noisy! They really piss me off.

Everyone turns to look at Surfing-With-Whales disapprovingly..

Sheeeeezz! says Surfing-With-Whales. You guys! I was only trying to help!

Midge gets out her camera. I think this rescue deserves a photo, she says. Smile, everyone.

Not you, she adds, to Surfing-With-Whales. Can you just back off a bit?

Old Nick swims to the forefront of the picture, and flashes a sharp-toothed grin.

.........

Arthur and Bunny are ankle deep in the Pool of Siloam.

It is slippery on the wet rocks and they clutch at one another.

Bunny lets go suddenly and Arthur falls and grazes his knees, scraping off all his scabs. His blood turns the water red.

Woo, says Bunny. Sorry Arthur. Didn't mean to.

It's alright, says Arthur. I've got a bandage somewhere. He rummages in the  pockets of his shorts.

But Arthur's pockets are empty. Mrs Hume removed the bandages before she washed his shorts, and didn't put them back.

Let's go, says Bunny. Come back to my place, my dad 'll patch you up. He's a.......he's good at it.

They walk back to the station, Arthur dripping blood. They catch the train to Emu Plains and walk up the Old Bathurst Road to Bunny's house.

They go inside. No one is home. Arthur looks around. There are locks on all the internal doors.

Oh that's just dad, says Bunny, waving vaguely at the locks. He used to lock us in our rooms. He hardly ever does it now.

Arthur is glad dad isn't home.

Bunny is upstairs in the bathroom looking for clean bandages and Arthur is in the kitchen bleeding when dad arrives, and knocks him to the floor.