Hunting At Night

Has everyone finished eating? asks Gaius. 

No, says Terence, from under the table.

Apart from you, says Gaius.

Us, says the frogs.

We must stop somewhere so the frogs can go hunting, says Gaius.

I'll go hunting with them, says Terence.

We hunt mainly at night, says Quiet-Tartus.

Yay! says Terence.

You're not hunting at night, little buddy, says Sweezus.

You could come too, says Terence.

We don't need heavy-footed companions, says Shorty-Tartus.

End of story, says Sweezus. Let's go.

They all leave the café, and head for the vehicles.

It's raining.

Who's coming with me in the Mazda? asks Wittgenstein.

I will, says Gaius. Has it dried out inside?

Let us hope so, says Wittgenstein. Perhaps we should find ourselves two plastic bags to sit on.

There might be some in the camper, says Gaius.

Midge doesn't use plastic, says Sweezus. 

Not even to sit on? says Wittgenstein.

I'll find you something to sit on, says Arthur.

He has noticed a post office.

He goes in and comes out with a roll of bubble wrap.

Excellent! says Gaius. Ever reliable.

Sweezus finds a pair of scissors, in a drawer in the camper.

He cuts two car-seat sized squares.

Can I have one? asks Terence?

All right, says Sweezus, cutting him a small one.

Terence sits down on it.

Pop pop pop.

What's our route? asks Sweezus. Back to Taree, then north on the Pacific Highway to the Gold Coast? 

Yes, says Gaius. But it's a five hour drive, maybe longer, in this rain.

No worries, says Sweezus. We'll stop in Port Macquarie. That's only an hour away.

Good plan, says Gaius. We can work out what to do from there.

Will it be night time? asks Terence.

No, says Sweezus. That why we're stopping. Good surf.

Hmm, says Gaius. I wasn't planning a long stop.

Okay, says Sweezus. New plan. We stop in Port Macquarie. You and Ludwig take the frogs, and drive on to Grafton. That's three and a half hours away. It'll be dark and the frogs can go hunting. We'll catch up with you there.

Gaius is impatient to leave, and as plans go, this sounds like a good one.

The frogs think so too.