‘Or both,’ said Matthew.

They could see some women walking in the street or talking together in small groups, but most were in their gardens, hoeing or digging or doing something unidentified but probably horti­cultural.

‘Peaceful,’ said Jane.

Luke indicated the vegetable plots. ‘A bit of a bugger if it’s somewhere in among that lot, alternately chomping and giving birth.’

Each plot was enclosed by post and rail fencing that certainly wouldn’t be any sort of barrier to a hungry rabbit. Everything was very neat, very tidy, very peaceful and completely rabbit-free.

They stood in a eucalyptus grove and peered cautiously around them.

‘I can’t see it anywhere,’ said Jane, anxiously. ‘Can you?’

Luke shook his head. ‘No. I can’t see how we’ll ever find it in all this. And it might not even still be in this area. The bloody thing might be on its way to carving itself an underground empire, right this minute.’

A yelping dog raced past, tail well and truly tucked between its legs.

‘A bit like you the other day,’ said Matthew to Luke.

‘Shut up. Did anyone see where it came from?’

‘Yes,’ said Jane. ‘It came out of that barn over there.’

‘OK. Let’s check it out.’

They pulled back under the trees, and, staying under cover for as long as possible, made their way to a large wooden building. The door stood open and they peered cautiously inside. The sun streamed through tiny gaps in the roof and dust floated gently in the sunlight. The rich smell of earth mingled with the even richer smells of animals. As outside, everything was very neat and standing tidily in its place. It appeared to be empty, but as Luke said, rabbits were cunning.

‘Let’s use our brains for once,’ said Jane. ‘Close the door so nothing can get out.’

‘If it’s still in here,’ said Matthew, staring around at the hard, earth floor and the harnesses hanging from the walls. Clean and well-maintained agricultural implements of all kinds hung or leaned around them.

‘It could be anywhere in here,’ said Luke. ‘Probably gorging itself on the remains of that dog’s little friend. Matthew, you stay by the door. Jane, you check over there.’

‘Should we ask permission to be in here?’ said Jane, doubtfully.

‘No. We grab the rabbit and go and no one ever knows we’ve been here.’

‘Like with Henry Plimpton,’ said Matthew.

Jane turned to say something. There was a nasty sound and she fell to the floor.

‘Jane?’

They ran over. She was stretched out on the ground. A wooden rake lay nearby.

‘What happened? Did the rabbit get her?’

‘No,’ said Matthew. ‘I did something similar once. When I was a kid. She stood on the rake and the handle flew up and knocked her out. It’s bloody painful.’

‘And bloody stupid.’

Jane stirred. ‘I heard that.’

‘Let’s get her outside into the fresh air.’