‘Too much trouble feeding them. I’d better stop with ’em tomorrow, boss, see if I can get them to eat. We’ve got ordinary birdseed, which isn’t ideal – they’d be getting ground eucalyptus nuts from their parents, plus whatever enzymes they’d have in their crop. I’m not very hopeful,’ he finished gloomily.

‘I can see to the camp stuff myself,’ Tilly volunteered. ‘I’ve got it down pat now. Clean the ablution block, rake out the ash beneath the donkeys, light the fire, restock the wood supply, empty the rubbish, check the tank and the pump . . .’

‘Okay,’ Sophie said, nodding. ‘But be careful at the river, won’t you? I noticed the supply of leaflets was low in the box too, so take a few extra. My turn to cook tomorrow – where are you up to, Matt?’

‘I’ll be getting back to the grader.’ He frowned. ‘Just hope no buggers been at it. Ain’t much of a step from stealing wildlife to nicking a battery or damagin’ something. I’d’ve brought it back if I’d known.’

‘Let’s hope they were too concentrated on getting away,’ Sophie said heavily. ‘They’d have come in and left on the old mining tracks, I expect. Right, I’d better report it to head office. Is it worth asking them for special parrot-chick feed, Luke? They could contact a zoo, I suppose, find out if such a thing is available.’

‘It’s a nice thought, but not unless there’s a private jet involved. The chicks’d starve before it got here. I’ll see what I can do with what we’ve got. Is there a rolling pin, Tilly?’

She raised her brows at him. ‘Uh-huh. Why on earth—?’

‘I thought maybe if I crush the seed, mix it with something – got any ideas? It needs to be sort of sloppy, but not too much so.’

Mentally running through a list of the cupboard contents, Tilly said doubtfully, ‘You could try glucose syrup, perhaps. It’s sort of gluggy, and isn’t it used to rehydrate patients? It works for the glider, after all.’

‘Worth a try,’ he decided and she went to find it for him.

Both chicks survived the night. The following morning, Tilly, carrying her lunch and thermos, stopped in at the animal enclosure on her way to the shed and found Luke bent patiently above the new arrivals, using the finger and thumb of his right hand to simulate a beak, while the other held a pellet of food ready to poke down the chick’s gullet if and when it opened its mouth.

‘Getting anywhere?’ she asked.

‘Morning.’ He looked tired and unshaven. ‘Let’s just say it’s a battle. The smaller one’s fairly weak, but I think this chap’s starting to get the idea. You off, then?’

‘Yes. Do I need to fuel up?’