Meet Some Americans, Eat Turkish Cakes

Ageless is esconced in the Children's Zoo, in a tiny pond, moulting, in full view of the children.

He usually does his moulting in private.

It's not fair. Even the tadpoles are laughing.

Hehehe, giggle the tadpoles. We heard what you did. You stole a HAT.

A calumny, groans Ageless. I was misunderstood. The hat was for someone with cancer.

What's a CANCER? asks one of the tadpoles.

A CRAB, says Ageless. You ignorant polyp. Go away. I need privacy. Ooah, ouch, ffft, click.

.........

Baby Pierre is not happy.

I don't want to go to Hieropolis, says Baby Pierre. I want to stay here in the white water wonderland.

I'll go to Hieropolis, says Lavender. Gaius, take me!

You are no use to me in Hieropolis, says Gaius. It's because of your build.

I'm an augur, says Lavender. That's my build. I can tell you the future, Gaius. Baby Pierre can't do that.

Lavender, says Gaius, it's not the future I'm interested in, it's the past.

I can do.....begins Lavender.

But you have no SUBSTANCE, says Gaius. I am sorry to put it so bluntly.

Ha ha Lavender! says Baby Pierre. You have no substance, because you're just empty space.

Wrong! says Lavender. I'm a space in the shape of an augur. And this is the future. I'm going to Hieropolis with Gaius. We'll meet the Professor. We'll go into the Gate of Hell and discover ......something really really scary....and we won't be afraid!

Impressive, says Katherine. Gaius, I think you should take Lavender. What does her shape matter?

It matters, says Gaius. She can come, but it will make my planned experiment less reliable if I have to use her.

Hurrah! cries Lavender. I'm the one going! Not you Baby Pierre!

Baby Pierre is glad to have got out of Gaius's planned experiment. He is already dreaming of lying on his back in the shallow hot springs, while Katherine is soaking her feet.

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

Arthur and Bunny are not the only ones kayaking. They meet some Americans.

Hi, say the Americans. We're Chucky and Steve. You staying in Kas?

Yes, says Bunny. We're just going back there.

So are we, say Chucky and Steve. It's nearly cake time in Kas.

When's cake time? says Arthur, feeling hungry.

Five o'clock, says Chucky. Race you back.

They race back to Kas where it's cake time. They eat Turkish cakes in a cafe with Chucky and Steve.

Wanna come with us tomorrow? says Chucky. We're goin' to check out s' more islands in a gulet.

Yeah, says Bunny. Yeah we do. What's a gulet?

Wooden yacht, says Steve. We' re goin' to Butterfly Valley. Should be awesome out there.

Doesn't sound very Turkish, says Bunny.

Nah, says Chucky. It ain't.