When Threatened

By now it is evening in Weipa.

A beautiful sunset is occurring.

Outside their cabin at the Weipa Camping ground, Gaius and Humboldt eat apples.

Gaius: Most satisfactory.

Humboldt: Yes they are good apples.

Gaius: And we can peel and quarter them, thanks to you.

Humboldt: Which we are not doing. But thanks for acknowledging my foresight.

Gaius: Posting my Swiss army knife from Adelaide airport to Weipa.

Humboldt: I knew it would be useful.

Gaius: I wonder where Terence has got to?

Humboldt: He's down there, by the water, bird spotting.

Gaius: It will be dark soon.

Humboldt: I know.

Gaius: I'm thinking of setting up a viewing place next to the road.

Humboldt: I understand. The night is humid. Perfect conditions for a bandy bandy crossing.

Gaius: I'd better fetch Terence.

He gets up and walks over to Terence, who is easy to see in his black and white snake shorts.

Gaius: Seen any comb-crested jacanas?

Terence: No. But I  thought I saw Saint Roley.

Gaius: That is highly unlikely.

Terence: HE would know where to find my magic bracelet.

Gaius: Ah. I must remember to check for it in my back pack. But right now we are going to look for bandy bandies in the dark. You'll enjoy that.

Terence: Yippee! Let's go!

....

It's dark now, and humid.

The campsite is quiet.

Gaius and Humboldt are sitting on camp chairs at the road side, under a stringy bark.

Terence is fiddling with a torch.

Gaius: Turn it off. The moonlight will be sufficient.

Humboldt: Shh! I see something.

Terence (running onto the road): Bandy bandy!

Gaius: You'll frighten them off! Come back here!

Two bandy bandies (not the new species), had been crossing. They freeze.

Gaius: See there! Drat! Where's my phone?

Humboldt: What do you want your phone for?

Gaius: To take a photo.

Terence: I'll catch them!

He runs back onto the road, towards the two bandy bandies.

When threatened, a bandy bandy raises hoops of its body vertically while its head remains on the ground.

Terence grabs them by their hoops.

Runs back, brandishing them like magic bracelets.

Put them down at once, says Gaius.

Terence puts them down.

Humboldt, who has run off for the apple bag, returns at this moment.

He drops the apple bag over the two bandy bandies.

Gathers them up quickly and closes the bag with a twist.

Can I carry them? asks Terence.

All right. Don't drop them, says Humboldt.

Terence carries the bandy bandies back to the camp site. Swinging them.

They can see parts of him through the apple bag.

Which parts?

His claw finger and his bandy bandy shorts.