They lifted her to her feet and sat her outside in the shade of a eucalyptus tree.

‘Jane? Can you hear me?’

She blinked. ‘Stop shouting at me. What happened?’

‘You banged your head,’ said Luke, unusually tactful. ‘You weren’t out cold but you might want to take things slowly for a moment.’

She peered around groggily. ‘I’ve never seen a rabbit up close . . .’

‘The world is full of things you haven’t seen up close, Lockland. Now is not the time to start listing them.’

‘Do they lollop along?’

‘They do, yes.’

‘On their big back legs?’

‘They do.’

‘We’re going to need a bigger net.’ She pointed past them.

They turned to look at the rusty red shape disappearing behind some bushes.

Luke sighed. ‘Sweetie – that’s a kangaroo.’

Jane blinked and shook her head woozily. ‘I’ve never seen a kangaroo either. And don’t call me sweetie.’

Luke shook his head. ‘Mean and nasty.’

Matthew nodded. ‘They kick as well.’

‘I wasn’t talking about the kangaroo. How are you feeling?’

‘Fine. Just a bit wobbly.’

‘Are you all right if we leave you here? Follow on when you can see straight.’

‘OK.’

‘Stay in the shade.’

‘OK.’

‘You’ve got water?’

‘Yes. Go. I’ll guard the barn.’

They left Jane guarding the barn and went.

As Luke said afterwards – it wasn’t their finest hour.

19

19

Actually, locating one single rabbit in the vast continent of Australia turned out to be considerably easier than they expected. Luke and Matthew rounded a corner and there it was, happily nibbling something at the side of the track.

Without a word spoken, they moved apart, the net stretched between them.

‘When I say now,’ breathed Luke.

They approached very slowly and cautiously. Barely an inch at a time.

‘Now.’

The net flew through the air and settled over the rabbit. Who promptly ran off. With the net. Luke lost his balance and fell heavily.

‘Oh f . . .’

‘Fire truck?’ said Matthew, helpfully.

Luke sat up and breathed heavily. ‘So – to recap. We’ve lost the rabbit. But that doesn’t matter because we’ve lost the net. Jane is barely in this world but that doesn’t matter because that’s normal for her. You’re being your usual unhelpful self and, as always, I’m the one holding things together.’

‘If you mean presiding over imminent catastrophe – yes.’

Luke rubbed his elbow. ‘We need to catch it before it kills someone.’

‘I think you’re exaggerating.’

As if arranged by a deity with a sense of humour, somewhere, from a small house off to their right, came a scream of surprise and the sound of breaking crockery.

‘Or perhaps not.’

Luke climbed to his feet. ‘It’s eating someone. Come on.’

They peered cautiously around a corner.