All You Could Wish For And a Spa

It takes a long time to locate Arthur. And he does know what to do.

Follow the drips, says Arthur.

Brilliant plan, says Unni. But we need to hurry. They'll be drying up.

Arthur, Unni, Gaius and Schopenhauer follow the trail of drips to the door of the Deluxe cabin.

Gaius knocks.

Come in, says Captin Louttit. It's not locked.

They go in.

Captain Louttit is comfortably positioned on a marble table in the middle of the Deluxe cabin, which has everything one could possibly wish for, and a spa.

Welcome all, says Captain Louttit. I was thinking of inviting you but had no means of getting to the phone.

A patent lie, but never mind that. All's well that ends well.

It is getting close to bedtime.

Arthur opens the bar fridge, which is packed full of drinks and snacks.

Help yourselves, says Captain Louttit. It's complimentary.

They help themselves, and even Captain Louttit has a tipple.

It is bedtime. There are three beds. A double and two singles.

This could be awkward, says Captain Louttit. Who's going to take the double?

Not at all awkward, says Gaius. In the interests of propriety Schopenhauer and I will take the double.

Of course, says Schopenhauer. We can't have the two young people sleeping together. Who knows what they might get up to?

So it is agreed. The sleeping arrangements are as follows.

Gaius and Schopenhauer will spend a restless night together in the double.

Arthur and Unni will sleep like logs apart.

Captain Louttit will remain in isolated splendour on the marble table.

Schopenhauer sits on the double bed to take his socks off and remembers the barnacles.

No problem. He will drop them in the jug.

Plop! Plop! Plop!

What's this? cries Captain Louttit. The prodigals return. Right, line up you slackers. In the corner.

But the barnacles have become politicised after their recent adventure.

The barnacle with the rudimentary education has explained the implications of Schopenhauer's natural history theory to her comrades, and turned it on its head.

The Influence of Human Intentions on the Tenacity of the Barnacle be damned! And that applies equally to lobsters. Suck on it, Captain Louttit.

Instead of lining up, the barnacles decide to stage a sit down.

Which looks to all intents and purposes the same.

All is quiet but for the sounds of heavy breathing, and bubbles.

Tomorrow morning, early, they dock in Devonport, third largest town in Tassie, described in Lonely Planet as mildly menacing.