Trouble If Salt Is Not Salt

Uhh-huh! Uhh-huh!

Violetta comes over.

It's hyper-ventilating, says Violetta. Why's everyone standing around?

She picks up the Twitcher and drops him into the bucket.

Blub, blub, says the Twitcher, as he sinks to the bottom. Help! It's the wrong sort of salt!

Salt is salt, says Violetta. Like ink is ink.

The Twitcher rises again.

There I disagree, says the Twitcher. Is paint paint?

Good point, says Violetta. It will be fun going to Turkey with you.

Are you coming too? says the Twitcher. This is going to be costly. How is the fundraising going?

I can always find money, says Violetta. Sell a signed print or something. I can pay for myself. And Gaius is getting a grant. But I foresee trouble......

Twitcher sinks to the bottom again, without hearing the rest of the answer.

Arthur is sitting in the shadows on a low wall with Bunny.

Did you hear that, Arthur? says Bunny.

What? says Arthur. Violetta sees trouble? Tell me something I don't know. Do you want to go?

Go? says Bunny. To Turkey? Yes I do.

Where exactly? says Arthur. To Kas with the cuttlefish, or to Gaius's Gate of Hell?

I hadn't thought, says Bunny. Both, I guess. Are they close?

No, says Arthur. Nowhere near.

Gaius is talking to the Copper Coast Mayor, about funding.

Of course, says the Mayor, it's just a formality, but you'll need to fill out an application. Come to my office tomorrow.

Certainly, says Gaius. This is most unexpectedly generous. And the Wallaroo ladies are generous. Tell me, what is a Quillo?

A Quillo? says the Copper Coast Mayor. I don't know. It is something they make, I believe. I could ask my wife. Darling! Come here for a minute.

The Mayor's wife comes across.

Darling, says the Mayor, you will know this. Our guest wants to know about Quillos.

Meanwhile Lavender and Baby Pierre are sitting on another low wall in the shadows, discussing the forthcoming trip.

I'm going with Arthur, says Lavender. But only if he washes his shorts.

Me too, says Baby Pierre, I'm not going with Bunny.

But she has that book, says Lavender. Remember? About miracles and statues and things? It was so lovely sitting with her.

Baby Pierre does remember. Yes it was lovely, the three of them, sitting on the bus with Bunny, reading Lourdes. There was him, there was Lavender, there was .......OUVERT!

Lavender! cries Baby Pierre. Ouvert has gone MISSING!