“Oh, right,” said Dude. “No wonder it didn’t taste very nice.”
Squirt couldn’t help giggling.
“It’s not funny,” muttered Bro under his breath.
“Heh-heh-heh,” chuckled Dude. “It’s a bit funny, mate.”
Bro thought for a moment. “S’pose you’re right, mate. It is a bit funny. But only a bit.”
Dude didn’t reply. He’d noticed something. Something very important. Something that the other two hadn’t noticed yet. “Where’s Squeak?”
“What?” said Bro.
“Yer baby sister.”
“I know who Squeak is!” said Bro.
“So where is she, Bro?”
Squirt gasped. So that’s what was wrong – Squeak wasn’t there! They’d been left in charge of her and what had they done? They’d fallen asleep on the job!
“Oops,” said Bro.
“Oops?” said Squirt. “This is more than just oops!”
“Ya reckon?” said Bro.
“Er, yes, I do, actually,” said Squirt. “If we’ve lost her we’re in trouble. Big trouble!”
“Ya reckon?” said Bro.
“Yes, I do reckon!” said Squirt. “She’s just a baby! She’s way too young to be wandering about all by herself! Anything could happen!”
“Ya reckon?” said Bro.
“Can you please stop saying that?” said Squirt. “It’s getting really annoying!”
“Ya reckon?” said Bro.
Squirt sighed. This wasn’t good. They were supposed to be showing some responsibility, whatever that was. “Mum and Dad are going to go bonkers when they find out!”
“If they find out,” said Dude.
Squirt looked at Dude for a moment. “You’re right!” he said.
Dude was surprised. “I am?”
“Yes,” said Squirt. “If Mum and Dad don’t find out, then they won’t go bonkers, will they?”
“So what are you saying?” said Bro.
“I’m saying we have to find her!” said Squirt impatiently. “And quickly!”
“Aw, you’re joking,” said Bro.
Squirt looked at his big brother in disbelief. Joking? He’d never been more serious in his life!
“How about we have another kip – and then find her?” said Bro.
“No! We have to find her now!” said Squirt. “It’s all your fault anyway!”
Bro was confused. “My fault? How d’ya work that out?”
“Easy,” said Squirt. “You’re the one who told her to go and climb the tallest tree she could find, just so you could get some more sleep!”
“The little feller’s right, mate,” said Dude. “You did.”
Bro shot Dude a look. “Whose side are you on?”
“I’m just saying, mate,” said Dude.
“Well, don’t, mate,” said Bro.
“Stop squabbling, you two!” said Squirt. “We’ve got to find her! Now!”
Dude and Bro looked at each other.
“He’s right again, mate,” said Dude.
Bro nodded. “I know he is, mate.”
Dude and Bro turned round again. But Squirt had disappeared down below.
“Let’s go,” said Dude, almost sounding urgent.
Bro sighed deeply. “Coming.”
Squirt was smaller than Dude and Bro. He was also much quicker at climbing down trees. By the time Dude and Bro got to the bottom, Squirt was scampering across the ground just as fast as his little legs could carry him.
“Stop!” yelled Bro.
“Totally!” yelled Dude.
Squirt stopped until Dude and Bro caught up with him.
“Where are you going?” panted Bro.
“To the highest tree!” said Squirt. “That’s where you told Squeak to go, remember!”
“Aw, yeah,” said Bro, remembering.
“You said, ‘Climb to the top of the tallest tree and get a leaf ’,” said Squirt.
“And then?” said Bro.
“‘Bring it back’,” replied Squirt.
“And then?” asked Bro.
“You said you’d think of something else,” said Squirt, beginning to get exasperated.
“I did?” said Bro.
Squirt sighed. “You did!”
“Heh-heh-heh,” chuckled Dude.
“What are you laughing at?” said Bro.
Dude thought for a moment. “I’ve got no idea, mate.”
Squirt looked up. From down on the ground all the trees in The Acacia Koala Sanctuary looked pretty tall to him, but which one was the tallest? It was hard to say. And then he saw it. One tree just a little bit higher than all the rest.
“Look,” said Squirt. “Over there!”
Dude and Bro both looked.
“Do you think that one’s the tallest?” said Squirt.
“Could be,” said Dude.
“Ya reckon?” said Bro.
“Don’t start that again!” said Squirt, scurrying towards the tree to get a better look.
“Does that look like a eucy tree to you, mate?” said Bro, setting off after Squirt again.
“Nah, mate,” said Dude, following. “Wish it was!”
“That makes two of us,” said Bro.
“Two?” said Dude. “Who’s the other one?”
“Me, ya wombat!” said Bro.
“Oh, right, yeah,” said Dude.
By the time Dude and Bro reached the tree, Squirt was already halfway up it.
“Squeak? You up there?” called Squirt. “Squeak?”
But there was no reply. Squirt began to get more and more worried. What could have happened to Squeak? He had to keep climbing. He had to get to the top of the tree as soon as possible!
Squirt climbed and climbed and climbed. Far below, the everyday sounds of the sanctuary faded first to a whisper and then to nothing at all. The only sound to be heard was the sound of Dude and Bro puffing and panting (and grumbling, in Bro’s case) as they followed him up the tree.
Then, all of a sudden, Squirt could climb no further. Not because he’d finally run out of puff, but because he’d finally run out of tree. He’d reached the very top of the very highest tree in The Acacia Koala Sanctuary. The view was quite