The Right Answer Is No.

Arthur does not seem inclined to get Gaius out of his pickle.

He is sitting at the kitchen table eating jam tarts and ginger biscuits.

Terence lifts Jinjing onto the table.

Jinjing inches closer to Arthur.

Yes, says Katherine, pouring the coffee, I do like Tasmania. And when Margaret expressed an interest in exploring the geology, I suggested....

What has this got to do with me? asks Gaius. Arthur and I will be looking for endangered birds.

We could share the expenses, says Katherine. Don't worry. We won't get in your hair. I shall tag along with Margaret as she searches for evidence that Tasmania was once part of Northern America.

Really? says Gaius. That hypothesis has escaped me.

It has escaped most of us, says Katherine. However there is plenty of evidence already. Ask Margaret, she'll fill you in.

No doubt she is full of it, says Gaius.

We were thinking of flying to Hobart, says Katherine.

That's unfortunate, says Gaius. We shall be taking the ferry.

Take the ferry, says Jinjing.

Arthur stops eating his biscuit.

Will you be coming? asks Arthur.

Wherever you go, says Jinjing. I love you.

What did he say? asks Terence.

I love you, says Arthur.

I know he loves me, says Terence.

P krameri is furious.

No one has asked him.

I might go with the ladies, says P. krameri.

But we need you, says Gaius.

Do you? says P. krameri.

You will be invaluable, says Gaius.

I would be invaluable to the ladies, says P. krameri.

You would be a conversation starter, says Katherine. But I'm sure Gaius needs you more than we do.

P. krameri pecks up a crumb of ginger biscuit that Arthur has dropped on the table.

He eats it.

What's this? asks Katherine, seeing Terence's sunflower seed finger for the first time.

It broke, says Terence.

It looks as though it was sprouting, says Katherine. What happened? Did the parrot eat it?

Yes, says Terence.

Although the right answer is no.

Katherine's phone rings. It's Margaret.

Hello dear, says Katherine. Yes Gaius is fine with it, but he wants to go on the ferry. Arthur is bringing a clever mechanical bird. You'll adore it. Yes, he looks well.

Katherine ends the call and smiles benignly at Gaius.

I'm really just going for the cheese, says Katherine.