The Cheese Wheel The Knife And The Spider

The same morning.

Gaius, Elodie and Sprocket have arrived at Lake Jasper.

It's the largest freshwater lake in southwest Australia.

They are not the only ones here.

There are other HiLuxes, and other campers camping.

Even people canoeing.

This is nice, says Elodie. Let's start by asking a few people if they've seen any spiders.

We should set up camp first, says Gaius.

Set up camp? says Elodie. We've hardly brought anything.

I'll go and start asking, says Sprocket. I'll record the answers.

Good man, says Gaius.

Sprocket goes off with his smartphone, and Gaius gets his back pack from the tray of the HiLux.

He tips the contents onto the ground.

Great, says Elodie. You brought a groundsheet.

Did I? asks Gaius. Oh that.

It isn't really a ground sheet, but a folded up poncho.

It'll do, says Elodie, spreading out the poncho.

Gaius has also brought a bag of pears, and a cheese wheel.

You surprise me, says Elodie. I wouldn't have thought you liked Gouda.

We'll see, says Gaius. Now I must make a phone call.

He calls David.

As we know, David is not driving, so he picks up.

Hello, Gaius? Where are you? Good. Yes we did. No, not all of them, one was left behind in the water. No they don't seem that bothered, made up a poem, very moving. What's it like there? Found any spiders? Yes we'll be there in fifteen minutes, sooner if Arthur.....I don't know, I'll ask him. Yes. Okay. See you soon.

Good, says Gaius. Arthur has brought all my notes on the peacock spider.

Brilliant, says Elodie.

Gaius's phone rings.

David?

Yes, me again. Arthur says to let you know that page one is missing, but not to worry. Blood. No, not his. He and Shu were fighting with knives in your kitchen and they couldn't find any bandages...Yes probably, knowing Arthur. Okay. See you shortly.

Knives, says Gaius. They will come in handy for cutting the cheese.

Great, says Elodie. Well, camp's set up, so I'm going to check out the birdlife. If I'm lucky I might see an endangered little bittern.

Yes, do, says Gaius. I'll wait here for David and Arthur and Shu. And Baby Pierre and his cohorts.

Except for one, says Elodie. Which one is it?

I forgot to ask, says Gaius.

Elodie goes off to look for an endangered little bittern.

Gaius settles down on the plastic poncho to wait for the rest of his party.

Ten minutes later, they arrive.

Arthur! cries Gaius. David! Shu! Welcome to the biodiversity hotspot. Help yourselves to cheese and pears. And water.

We've got our own water, says Shu.

Good, good, says Gaius We haven't got much, now I think about it.

David sits down on the poncho and helps himself to a pear while Shu gets the tin from the back seat of the camper.

Arthur is about to sit down when he spots a small spider.

He brushes it away with his hand.

It was more fragile than he expected and it breaks into several parts.

No coming back for the spider.

Arthur looks up.

Someone is pointing a camera phone at him. Someone with a smudgy gold back to front question mark on his forehead.

Arthur pulls out a knife. Sprocket stops filming.