Captain Baudin has decided to take the short cut to the lighthouse.
He will travel by sea.
It's a dangerous journey.
He heads for the rocks. Will his boat still be there?
It's not his old boat which was too large for a lobster.
It's a small boat, made of flotsam.
He has named it the Minérau, in honour of the old sailors' song.
Yes there it is, tied up to a half buried spar.
He boards the Minérau, feeling optimistic.
As-tu connu le Minérau? Hourra mes boueés hourra!
He unties it. Stows his journal under a thong.
The waves crash onto the rocks which surround him.
He floats out between them, the wind blows him west.
C'est un joli petit bateau, tra lalala lalala la la ....
......
Gaius decides not to cross out the two Gang-gang cockatoos and the Rainbow Bee-eater.
Next time you spot anything, says Gaius, tell me.
Okay, says Baby-Glossy.
He flies up again, in a zigzag pattern.
Gaius returns his notebook (and Ronnie) to Terence, and re-mounts his bicycle.
Don't point me downwards, says Ronnie.
What then? asks Terence.
Upwards, says Ronnie.
You'll poke my eye out, says Terence.
I won't, says Ronnie. It's made of cement.
Or make a mark on my eyeball, says Terence.
I promise I won't, says Ronnie. I'm into self-preservation.
What does that mean? asks Terence.
I don't want to get shorter and shorter and end up buried, says Ronnie.
I won't let that happen, says Terence. Shall I wrap you in socks?
No need to go that far, says Ronnie.
......
Sweezus is on the ferry, on his way to KI.
Piped music is playing from somewhere.
"Sailing".
He liked that song once but jeez.....
He pulls his beanie down over his ears.
And looks through the salt-crusted windows.
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