Until You Lose It

 Sweezus arrives at Stokes Bay, having wheeled his bike through the gully.

Yes! He sees a couple of surfboards, and two figures, down there on the sand

He ditches the bike, and heads towards them.

Arthur is bleeding, from the toe.

Louisa is wrapping something round it.

What happened? asks Sweezus.

Shark, says Arthur. Don't worry. I've still got my toe.

Man! says Sweezus. You should've waited.

What for? asks Louisa.

Me, says Sweezus.

You're here now, says Arthur. Let's go back in.

Did you hire me a surfboard? asks Sweezus.

No we didn't says Louisa. You can borrow mine. I'm going to get some antiseptic from the café.

Cool, says Sweezus. Let's go.

Aren't you going to take off the hi viz vest and those trousers? asks Louisa.

Sure am, says Sweezus.

He rips off the vest, no worries, now for the pants. Better be cautious. He unzips and looks in.

Awesome, he's still wearing the boardies he wore in hotel quarantine.

The old tiger ones. With the egg stains.

Arthur stands up. Blood drips to the sand from his toe.

That'll bring the sharks back, says Louisa. So will those egg stains. You guys are nuts.

She heads off to find antiseptic.

Sweezus and Arthur pick up their boards and head for the surf, where sharks are lurking.

......

Meanwhile out to sea, somewhere due west, Captain Baudin and Saint Roley have become closer.

It has happened like this.

Captain Baudin started singing a song of Saint Malo.

De Saint-Malo j'avons parti, sur une frégate bien joli, pour aller attaquer les Anglais!

O! cries Saint Roley. That is the song of my brother!

He attacked the English? Baudin is astonished.

No, he sailed out from Saint-Malo on a vessel bien joli, says Saint Roley. And was never seen after.

What was the name of the vessel? asks Captain Baudin.

This Way Up, says Saint-Roley. Or a pointing finger, to that effect.

Don't tell me he relied on the finger! says Captain Baudin.

I believe so, says Saint Roley. He was inexperienced.

It's a hard life, says Captain Baudin. But it can be rewarding.

Until you lose it, says Saint Roley.

Until then, agrees Captain Baudin. That reminds me, should we be turning southward?

We should, says Saint Roley. 

If only your brother had had your sense of direction, says Captain Baudin.

He did, says Saint Roley.