An Incredible Feat of Deduction

Squeesquee!

Gaius and Kierkegaard make their way through the gap in the bulrushes.

Alexander-Red-Hook follows.

Remind me to tell you something, says Alexander-Red-Hook.

Very well, says Gaius.

They have now reached the spot where Terence has been sitting with Lily, drying his shorts.

Where is it? asks Gaius. Flown away, I suppose.

No, says Terence. That was me, doing a practice.

It sounded lifelike, says Kierkegaard.

I thought so too, says Lily.

But the emu-wrens don't appear to have thought so.

Unless they took it as a warning, and decided to avoid that particular spot in the future.

Tap tap. Alexander-Red-Hook taps on Gaius's Croc.

Yes, you were going to tell me something, says Gaius.

You had a phone call, says Alexander-Red-Hook. While you were sleeping.

Was I sleeping? asks Gaius. Dear me.

If I had the phone, says Terence, I could have answered it for you.

Or I, says Kierkegaard.

You were sleeping as well, says Alexander-Red-Hook.

Kierkegaard frowns.

I never sleep, says Terence.

Wow! says Lily. You're lucky!

And I could've taken a picture of the E-mew, says Terence.

Except there wasn't one, says Lily.

What was the phone call? asks Gaius.

Someone is coming, says Alexander-Red-Hook. He's coming this evening and bringing a tent. I gave him directions.

Was it Arthur? asks Gaius.

No, says Alexander-Red-Hook. No one I know the voice of.

Didn't he say? asks Kierkegaard. Don't people usually tell you?

This one didn't, says Alexander-Red-Hook. He just said who the dickens are you? I suppose you're one of Gaius's creatures. He said he's coming because he's got cobwebs.

Haha! laughs Terence. Cobwebs!

Hum, says Gaius. Who can it be?

No doubt a fellow philosopher, says Kierkegaard. We all suffer from cobwebs.

That narrows it down, says Gaius. Did he have any speech characteristics?

He said Ah! twice, says Alexander-Red-Hook. No wait! Ah! first, then Ahah! after that.

That would be Vello, says Gaius.