His Adventure Truncated

The tree the quoll is watching moves slightly.

Feel that? says Du Fresne. We're moving.

The tree moved, says the quoll.

Relative to our position, says Du Fresne. Remember, we're on the water.

So we moved, says the quoll.

I said that, says Du Fresne.

At the same time as the tree, says the quoll.

Relatively, says Du Fresne. 

It seems a bit wasteful, says the quoll.

Not at all, says Du Fresne. The wheels of natural motion are not wasteful

Wheels? says the quoll.

Metaphorically speaking, says Du Fresne. Anyway, motion is the concern of a captain. Not the crew member.

Which is me, says the quoll. 

Yes, says Du Fresne. And as the wind is getting up, we'll soon reach the far shore where you spotted the so-called orange flash. 

The canoe floats towards the far shore of the lagoon, and bumps up against it.

Bump!

Now we disembark, says Du Fresne.

You first, says the quoll.

No, you first, says Du Fresne. Captain last. In fact, if the vessel is sinking, the captain remains with it.

How stupid is that? says the quoll.

We need not debate it, says Du Fresne. Our task is to look for that parrot.

The quoll leaps out.

Du Fresne pushes off again.

Hey! says the quoll.

Au revoir! says Du Fresne.

He floats back to the middle of the lagoon.

(the breeze must have dropped)

The quoll is not happy to have his adventure truncated.

And it need not be!

He climbs up the now stationary tree.

Stealthily.

What does he think he can see?

Through the leaves.....

Orange belly feathers? An orange belly? Telltale yellow underparts?

Tzeet! squawks the Tzeet. ( It is he!)

Steady on! says the quoll, in a voice he hopes sounds like a lobster.

The Tzeet is puzzled. What's a lobster doing up here in the tree?