Saturday, June 5, 2021

Overcoming Bad Whistles

Baudin and Dufresne have turned up on the island, says Katherine.

Where are they? asks Gaius.

Back at the dinghy, says Katherine. Arthur was fetching his shoes.

Good man, says Gaius. It's all very well to go about without shoes, but you never know what you might step on.

I know that, says Arthur.

But you haven't put them on, says David.

And I know that, says Arthur. 

You must scrub them, says Gaius. In the quarantine room. But don't let anyone see you.

Arthur goes off to the quarantine room.

The lobsters won't be joining us, says Katherine.

It's for the best, says Gaius.

But there may be a problem, says Katherine. They plan to trap kakapos tonight.

Trap them? says Gaius.

Someone should keep an eye on them, says David.

Not Arthur, says Gaius. I need him with me.

Perhaps David will keep an eye on them, says Katherine. 

If only I knew where they were, says David.

In the undergrowth close to the dinghy, says Katherine. They must be hungry. You could take them some food.

Now David has a task that is useful.

What do lobsters eat? asks David.

Fish, crabs, clams, snails, sea stars, mussels and sea urchins, says Gaius.

Protein balls? asks David.

At a pinch, says Gaius. Take a couple.

They wouldn't eat kakapos, would they? asks Katherine.

I should think not, says Gaius. They swallow food whole.

How uncomfortable that must be, initially, says Katherine.

One would have to ask them about that, says Gaius.

David takes two protein balls from the packet and drops them into his pocket.

He heads down to the shore.

Baudin and Dufresne have not gone far into the undergrowth.

They are planning their evening.

Should we split up? asks Dufresne.

Do you still have your whistle? asks Baudin.

No, says Dufresne, It will be at the bottom of the ocean.

Mine too, says Baudin. Question two, can you whistle without one?

Never tried, says Dufresne. 

Me neither, says Baudin. Let us attempt it.

They try.

Phooof. Phooof. What bad whistles. 

The problem is not having teeth, says Baudin.

But we have our GASTRIC teeth, says Dufresne.

The two lobsters attempt to manipulate their stomatogastric ganglia which control the rhythmic contractions of their stomachs, and gastric teeth.

David, approaching, hears two stomach-turning whistles.


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