Canoe-Prints

Baby Pierre and Second Dirty have gone off in the other direction.

Away from Lake Jasper.

Don't worry, says Baby Pierre. It's a better direction.

Why? asks Second Dirty.

Because spiders don't live under water, says Baby Pierre.

Good thinking, says Second Dirty.

Keep your eyes peeled, says Baby Pierre.

I am, says Second Dirty. What do I do if I see one?

Tell me, says Baby Pierre.

What will you do? asks Second Dirty.

Catch it, says Baby Pierre.

A boy comes towards them, dragging a canoe through the shrub swamp, towards Lake Jasper.

It's the same boy. With the same dad's canoe.

The boy goes straight past them.

What do they look like? asks Second Dirty.

All different, says Baby Pierre. One might have a white crown. One might have red lines. One might have a union jack pattern. And they're all the size of a rice grain.

Second Dirty looks harder. They will be hard to spot if they're the size of a rice grain.

Baby Pierre thinks he sees one.

Look! Look over there!

He rolls over to the spot where the tiny maratus cristatus spider is hunting.

Hah! says Baby Pierre.

This frightens the spider, and it runs away into a reed hole.

Sheesh! says Baby Pierre. It ran into a reed hole.

I'll stand guard, says Second Dirty. You go and get Gaius.

No, I'll stand guard, says Baby Pierre. And you go and get Gaius.

Okay, says Second Dirty.

If only Baby Pierre could see the future.

Second Dirty sets off on his mission. But he has forgotten the way.

That's okay, he will follow their track-prints.

But hey.

The track-prints dissolve into a canoe-prints.

He has no choice now.

I have no choice, thinks Second Dirty. I must follow something.

He follows the canoe-prints, and who should be at the end of the canoe-prints but Lavender?

Lavender! says Second Dirty.

Team leader to you, says Lavender.

Not to me, says Second Dirty. Baby Pierre is my leader. And we've found a spider.

We've had an accident, says Lavender. First Dirty is drowned.

Second Dirty believes her.

His best friend has drowned! Only hours after losing their best friend Mouldy.

Second Dirty does not hesitate.

 He jumps into Lake Jasper.

Hey! says Lavender.

Not to Second Dirty, but to the boy who is returning with First Dirty, in his dad's canoe.

Would you mind going out again? asks Lavender.