Chocolate Heads Up

I have spoken with the sea snake, says Kobo.

Jumping Jupiter! says Gaius. Well done.

And I have learned the whereabouts of a Barbados racer, says Kobo.

Yes, continue, says Gaius. Make a note, Griff.

Gun Hill, says Kobo. Under the lion.

Gun Hill! says Terence. I went there!

That was Cherry Tree Hill, says Gaius.

Terence is sure he has been there, and spotted the lion.

But everyone is mean, and especially Gaius.

Gaius is letting the captain keep Nose when she hasn't finished becoming a parrot.

So Terence says nothing but thinks darkly, so what, he is bound to get Nose back.

Nose is grinning.

He gives her the finger. The claw.

We must be going, says Gaius. Thank you captain, for your hospitality, and the fine luncheon.

You have forgotten something, says the Captain. We hit a snag. We have a hole in our keel. We are not going anywhere.

No doubt you have a life boat, says Gaius.

No, says the Captain. We used to.

Balls to that, says Gaius. I can see one. I demand that you let us get in it, and row to the shore.

All right, says Stede Bonnet. Get in it. See if I care.

So Griff, Gaius, Terence, Ageless and Kobo get in it.

Griff and Gaius take up the oars and start rowing for Bridgetown.

Overhead, an Eskimo curlew is flying.

Did you see that? says Griff. An Eskimo curlew.

Impossible, says Gaius. The last Eskimo curlew was seen in 1963.

If you say so, says Griff. But it was an Eskimo curlew.

Gaius is still fuming about Captain Stede Bonnet.

Two-faced scoundrel, says Gaius.

I didn't see two faces, says Terence.

It means he's got good manners, but is nasty, says Kobo. Perhaps Nose will regret her decision.

The Eskimo curlew flies over Bridgetown, and heads north for Gun Hill Signal Station.

She lands near the lion.

Oi-oi, says the Eskimo curlew ( the normal pre-arranged signal, between endangered species).

The Barbados racer pokes her head out, from behind the red ball on which the lion's white foot is resting.

Here it might be proper to explain that the lion was carved by an officer at the signal station, in 1868, out of a single piece of rock, and the statue is famous. There are those who think that the red ball rather spoils it, chief of whom is the Barbados racer.

What is it? asks the Barbados racer.

Message from the sea snake, says the Eskimo curlew.

Yes?

You're getting a present.

From the sea snake?

No, a random clam. It's delicious chocolate.

And the sea snake decided to spoil the surprise?

That's not how it is. He wanted to make sure you came out to receive it.

Well, thanks for the heads up.

That's okay. How's life treating you?

So so. I'm thinking of getting rid of this ball.

The lion would lose its balance.

Do you think so? Maybe I should just change the colour. This red reminds me of chipped nail polish.

Chipped nail polish. That's a good one. Well... bye now!

Bye bye. I'll save you some chocolate.

No don't. Chocolate's bad for sea birds.

Snakes too. Clams can be thoughtless.