An Offensive Supposition

We shall now return to the coast road, says Gaius. 

Can I have my red drink? asks Terence.

Yes, says Gaius. Open it before I lift you onto my bicycle.

Terence opens his red drink the proper way.

Straw in mouth, insert straw into foil-covered hole, start sucking.

I like how you did that, says Captain Baudin.

It's science, says Terence.

I can respect that, says Captain Baudin.

Gaius heads for the coast road, Terence behind him, Baudin in between.

What did Du Fresne say about the Needwonnee Walk? asks Gaius. 

I wasn't really listening, says Captain Baudin.

Yes you were, says Terence. The means was M bedded.

What does that mean? asks Captain Baudin.

Inside your head, says Terence. 

What is he talking about? asks Baudin.

He thinks you must have heard what Du Fresne was saying, says Gaius. 

I heard it. That doesn't mean I was listening, says Baudin. But if you insist, I'll replay it.

Yay! says Terence. He can replay it!

Your system is more sophisticated than I suspected, says Gaius.

It's a natural science, says Baudin.

He fiddles with something on the side of his head.

Whirr. Clunk. Crackle crackle.

Ready? says Baudin.

He presses a protuberance.

The voice of Du Fresne is heard droning:

Scraape...here I am on the Needwonnee Walk...it's a long boardwalk through scraaape.... through the forest...aha what is this? a dome-shaped hut, a traditonal basket ...scraape... no a nest full of eggs let me.... oops... not real ones... scraape.... now I'm in moorland....very scraaaaape....marvellous...a lagoon .....that's my kind of scraaape...and a paperbark canoe... I wonder if... burrbbble...

Sorry about the poor quality, says Captain Baudin. 

Not at all, says Gaius. Most interesting. What did you think of it Terence?

It was good at the end, when he burbled, says Terence

If somewhat alarming, says Gaius. Do you suppose he attempted to get into the paperbark canoe, and capsized it?

An offensive supposition, says Baudin.