Depends Who You Follow

Sweezus and Arthur are cycling back to Cancale.

Saint Roley is flying behind them, for practice.

They never look back.

Saint Roley is tiring, dropping suddenly in the air, then, with difficulty, rising.

But he keeps up, because he is listening.

Sweezus: That water was freezing!

Arthur: Summer's over.

Sweezus: Yeah, where are we now?

Arthur: October.

Saint Roley thinks: That's the answer! October.

Sweezus: The oystercatchers asked me if it was October.

Arthur: Why would they want to know?

Sweezus: Dunno. But soon as I finish with Sartre I'm heading south for the winter.

Arthur: Me too. Where's Moreton Bay?

Sweezus: Queensland. Near Brissie.

They both look at one another. Surfing on the Gold Coast. How cool would that be?

Saint Roley flies valiantly. He might make it to Cancale, but not to Brissie.

It's hopeless.

He should have waited for Gaius and Jeanne Jugan.

They are cycling back to Cancale with Terence, Baldy and the Scarabée.

Gaius: Saint Roley will be a valuable asset in Moreton Bay. The problem is, how to transport him.

Jeanne Jugan: Why can't he fly?

Gaius: It's over sixteen thousand kilometres. Time is of the essence, if one wants to halt developers.

Jeanne Jugan: I see. Could you get him a passport?

Gaius: A bird with a passport?

Jeanne Jugan: Wait.  Does Terence have a passport?

Gaius: Yes, but he needs it. I wonder if Baldy has one?

Baldy: Am I coming?

Gaius: Certainly not. You are staying. Where was it you came from?

Baldy: Le Puy-en-Velay.

Jeanne Jugan: Then he won't have a passport. Your best bet is Butterball. He did a gap year. The whole town saw him off. He went to....let me think....the Arctic Circle.

Gaius: This is promising. But Baldy looks more like Saint Roley than Butterball. Black and white feathers. Orange finger.

Jeanne Jugan: It's only a paint job. Do you know a good artist?

Gaius: I do.

Had he heard this Saint Roley might have ended his first long flight feeling more hopeful.