Nose Holes Red Eyes Blue Spangles

But Arthur has not stopped at the hotel bar downstairs.

He has kept going.

To go on a bus with Gaius, to Caldera de Bandama, dragging Daniel O'Connell?

Merde! He pictures his fate. Searching for lost pencils. Listening to sententious drivel.

He walks down to the esplanade and back around the marina.

He sits down on a bollard.

The dust is clearing. Another ferry is docking.

He watches some people get off.

He is surprised to see Terence and the Pesquet among them.

The Pesquet flies up to perch in a palm tree.

Terence looks sad.

Terence stands on the quay, looking up at the Pesquet.

Arthur goes over.

Hello, kid.

Arthur! cries Terence. I went on the ferry!

Did you like it? asks Arthur.

Yes, says Terence. No! I missed getting a present. Did you get me one?

No, says Arthur. Maybe Sweezus did.

Cruel. He knows Sweezus didn't.

Yay! says Terence. Where is he?

Hotel Parque, says Arthur. It's along there a bit. The name's on the front in big letters.

Pesky! cries Terence. We've got presents!

Down flies the young Pesquet, excited.

Are you coming, Arthur? asks Terence.

Later, says Arthur. You go.

Terence and the Pesquet head off in the direction of Hotel Parque, to get their presents.

Arthur stays sitting.

And so the following was bound to happen and is not a coincidence.

Mother and Father Pesquet land on the quay, beside the ferry.

Phew! says Father Pesquet, snorting out dust from his nose holes (if he has them)

Look, says Mother Pesquet. We're in luck. That's Blue Eyes!

She's spotted Arthur.

Up in the tree! Quick! squawks Father Pesquet.

It's the same tree that Pesky has only just vacated.

Mother Pesquet sniffs through her nose holes (if she has them).

All right dear? asks Father Pesquet.

It smells like Pesky, says Mother. I'm sure he's been here.

We'll wait here until Blue Eyes moves, says Father Pesquet. Then follow him.

It's a good plan but Arthur isn't going back to Hotel Parque yet.

He's had an idea.

The idea is to go to a bar and stay there until late in the evening,

By which time Gaius will have set off with someone else to Caldera Bandama.

at ten pm the thought comes to him that he ought to have done many things that afternoon that he didn't do but what were they.....

at midnight he stumbles back to the hotel parque, it's magical, the palm trees are dotted with blue spangles and as he looks up he thinks he sees four red eyes blinking ......