[Arry]

Gil and Tomlin were hiding in the thick bushes to the south of the Inn’s smokehouse. They were crouched down, the only thing visible their eyes, perhaps, when the light caught them. Their ears were open wide for sounds of any approach and their eyes scanned the area to sea if the culprit might come back.

Tomlin nudged Gil, his head nodding in a vaguely northerly direction. The sounds of some four legged beast, it seemed, could be heard in the distance, growing louder as it crashed across the Inn yard toward them. They were about to bolt and run, when they heard familiar voices call their names.

‘Over here!’ cried Gil, standing up from his hiding place. He listened to Cook’s instructions and shook his ‘No’ as Ferrin came to the end of them. ‘We can’t leave Cook to be out here by herself!’ he declared, his sense of male pride offended at the thought. ‘We’ll just wait for her . . . and the Shiriff. Make sure she’s alright.’

‘And what if it’s a bear . . . a big bear . . . with long sharp teeth and claws like she said,’ whispered Fallon, as the four of them hunkered down in the bushes.