Probably Bad

The two people stop.

They are two ladies.

Look, Ursula! says one lady. There's a child in your seat.

And a frog in yours, Bertha, says the other.

I'm sure we can sort this out, says Bertha. They'll belong to someone.

Perhaps the child will tell us, says Ursula. I'll ask him.

Sweetpea waits for her to ask him. He hopes she asks who he is and not who he belongs to.

Hello dear, says Ursula. Who do you belong to?

Bonjoo, says Sweetpea, remembering to pretend he is French.

And where is Bonjoo sitting? asks Ursula.

Bonjoo? says Sweetpea.

Yes, where is he or she sitting? asks Ursula.

I'll ask a few people, says Bertha.

She wanders away.

You must go back to your seat with Bonjoo, says Ursula. And your frog must go with you.

There is no Bonjoo, says Sweetpea,.

That's right, says the Kroombit tinker. Bonjoo is a French word, not a person.

Is it? asks Ursula. What does it mean?

I don't know, says the tinker. I'm from Queensland. Ask Sweetpea.... I mean Arthur.

Aha! says Ursula. So the boy's name is Arthur. Now we're progressing.

Yes, says Sweetpea. I'm Arthur, and I write poems.

How sweet! says Ursula. Give me an example.

O Nicolo, says Sweetpea, his beard is pointy and he has very sharp eyes....

Not that one! says the Kroombit tinker.

It's my best one, says Sweetpea.

It's very unusual, says Ursula. I wonder...

Ursula is wondering if little Arthur's unusual poem might reveal his identity.

Is there anyone in the carriage with a pointy beard and sharp eyes?

Wait here, says Ursula.

She wanders off down the passage to check out the other travellers.

It worked! says Sweetpea. She believed me.

We should go, says the Kroombit tinker. 

No, we've got a bit longer, says Sweetpea.

He cranes around to see where the two ladies have got to.

Bertha is a talking to someone at the far end of the carriage.

Ursula is talking to Arthur and Nicolo.

That's probably bad.

So they do not have long.