'You pushed me!' Captain Bill gasped.
'No,' Bertha replied, 'it was more of a shove.'
'I could have drowned!'
'Mmm,' Bertha said and she allowed herself a moment of quiet contemplation.
'You don't care do you? I could have drowned and it means nothing to you. Nothing at all!'
'You weren't going to drown,' Bertha replied. 'The water wasn't deep enough. I should have waited until we were further out....my error...you live and learn.'
'And you didn't help me get back on.'
'Norman had the situation under control, although I do wonder why, what with you flicking at his ears.'
'It was mutiny!................Again!'
'I'm not sure that you can mutiny when on an elephant, you'll need to check.'
'I will be. You can be sure of that.'
'Well,' Bertha said, 'I'll leave you to do so, I'm off for a scout around.'
'Fine!' Captain Bill mooed.
Captain Bill dragged himself up the beach and sat among the reeds. He took off his hat and wrung it out and the warm night air began to dry his horns. Slowly, he relaxed a little. There was just the gentle sound of the sea lapping against the shore. He allowed himself several deep breaths. He rolled his neck to stretch the muscles. He looked up at the moon and the stars that winked and twinkled about it. The tension of the last few weeks began to ebb away. He yawned, swished his tail a few times and closed his eyes.
'MORNING!' said Cyril...in an unnecessarily loud voice.
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