WAY Out There

After waiting in vain for the skateboard to surface, Surfing-with-Whales goes back in.

He feels about in the shallow water.

Kicks around with his flippers.

Scans the water for bubbles.

No sign.

He dives in and swims out several metres.

Stops, and ducks under the water.

Looks around through his goggles.

Still no sign.

He flippers his way back to shore.

It's vanished! says Surfing-with-Whales.

A skateboard can't vanish, says Gaius. The baby skates must have taken it.

Wah! cries Terence. My skateboard! Can I get a new one?

Certainly not, says Gaius. If the baby skates have it, no doubt we shall see it again.

Why? asks Terence.

Because we'll be seeking their whereabouts, says Gaius. 

Want me to show you the place I was telling you about? asks Felicia.

Indeed, says Gaius. How far is it?

Not far, says Felicia. We can walk there.

Let's go, says Terence. 

Count me out, says Surfing-with-Whales.

Of course. You've done enough, says Gaius. I'll call you if you're needed.

You may as well give me the flippers and goggles, says Felicia.

Surfing-with-Whales is only too happy to give her the flippers and goggles.

He heads back to the campsite to see if there's any banana cake left over from lunch.

Felicia leads Gaius and Terence along a narrow trail next to the water.

They walk and they walk.

Until.

They finally get there.

This is the place where they dropped the baby skates in, says Felicia.

Now what? asks Terence.

We wait, says Gaius. And we watch for signs of activity.

Like skateboarding, says Terence.

Like that, says Gaius.

They sit under a leatherwood and watch the surface of the water.

Roo-kai flies down from the tree.

Roo-kai! cries Terence. Guess what happened?

I know what happened, says Roo-kai. See those ripples out there?

No, says Terence.

WAY out there, says Roo-kai. That's where the baby skates are playing with your skateboard.

It's going to get ruined, says Terence.

Only the metal parts, says Roo-kai. And even those might be recoverable.

Shall I go in? asks Felicia.

Yes! says Terence. Go in and get me my skateboard!

She puts on the goggles and flippers and goes in.

I hope she's a good swimmer, says Gaius.

I'll fly above her, says Roo-kai.

Terence and Gaius are left alone, under the tree, watching Felicia swim out, with Roo-kai above her.

I forgot to remind her to record how many skates she encounters, says Gaius.

We need Little Mystic, says Terence. He could fly out there.

Yes, where is Little Mystic? asks Gaius.

He is not here. Perhaps he is looking for slugs, flies or mosquitoes.

But some unlikely help is at hand.

A green sock crawls out of the water