The Ladder

 Now what? asks Louisa. Should we talk to the Ears?

No, says Arthur. It's all good. Everyone's happy.

SEEMS happy, says Louisa. We should ask them if they're happy.

But the Ears have climbed up the rope and disappeared into the lighthouse.

They'd escape, if they were unhappy, says Arthur. 

True, says Louisa. They could escape down the ropes. But then what? Where would they go?

Hitch a ride with a tourist, says Arthur.

Where to? asks Louisa.

Arthur doesn't know. He tries to put himself in the Ears' position.

And realises that for unattached Ears, there is nowhere to go.

Sweezus is coming over next week, says Arthur. And the Captain's invited him to the lighthouse.

Great, says Louisa. You and Sweezus can check on them then.

We will, says Arthur. And we'll ask if they want to go surfing. 

What if they say no? says Louisa. You'll be none the wiser.

If they say no, says Arthur, we'll wait around till nightfall, and look in through the windows.

The windows are all high up, says Louisa.

We'll use a ladder, says Arthur.

Louisa feels she has already made too many objections, so does not ask where Sweezus and Arthur will find a ladder. 

Leave that to them.

So, where to now? asks Louisa. I guess we find Gaius.

We could just call him, says Arthur. Then we can go where we like.

Great, says Louisa. Let's go to Stokes Bay.

That sounds good to Arthur. He calls Gaius.

Hello, Arthur? says Gaius. Did you delve into the mystery?

It's all good, says Arthur. The Ears are a hit with the tourists and they're helping Captain du Couedic with his hearing. 

What's wrong with his hearing? asks Gaius. It seemed all right to me.

He was scraping his sensory hairs on the wall of the lighthouse, says Arthur.

A wall? says Gaius. Those sensory hairs are only sensitive to water vibrations.

Maybe they itch, says Arthur. Anyway, Sweezus and I'll check up on them next week. We'll go at night, and climb a ladder to look through the windows.

Wonderful, says Gaius. Where will you get the ladder?

I'll find one, says Arthur.

Good man, says Gaius. Are you coming here now?

No, Stokes Bay, says Arthur.

No doubt in search of a ladder, says Gaius.

Arthur lets him think that.