The trip was a success. Even though they got lost in a swamp and nearly eaten by a crocodile, almost everyone liked the hike.
When they got back to Sunnyside Inn, they brought out big tables and the innkeeper (everyone called him Beauregard) fixed something to eat on an old stove. [Note--from the looks of it I had a great deal of trouble spelling "Beauregard."] Zoser, Cheops, and King Kuts brought the pots full of rice and gravy in and sat [sic] them on the tables.
Straitjacket sniffed over one big pot right in front of her that was blocking her view of Nefertiti. "Whoo!" she said. "That smells good!"
"Bo makes the best food in this part of Australia," Darlene said.
"Why don't you have an accent?" LaTa asked.
"I was'nt [sic] born or raised in Australia," Darlene answered. "A few years ago (longer than you think) my family moved here. [Note--what's this parenthetical "longer than you think" jazz?] My parents died in a big fire."
"Mine too!" Straitjacket exclaimed. [Note--"ZOMG, my parents died a horrific death TOO!" "REALLY??" "REALLY! Let's be BFFs!" "TOTALLY!!"]
"Get out!" Bo suddenly shouted. Everyone looked and saw a scrawny, wrinkled kangaroo edging towards the door.
"Who's that?" Benji called.
"That's Turtleneck," Darlene said. "He's the stupidest kangaroo here."
"He is stupid," a cockatoo called from his perch. "If he knew what was good for him, he'd leave right now. No telling what Bo will do."
Bo grabbed the perch and the cockatoo went flying. He clobbered the kangaroo on the head. The 'roo howled and jumped out the window. Unfortunately, there was glass in the window and Turtleneck got scraped and cut.
"Homerun! Homerun!" the cockatoo screeched. Bo shook his head.
"I've been trying to get that blasted bird out of the habit but it just won't listen. It's plain stubborn."
The door opened and another kangaroo, this one with goggles, a pilot's cap, a scarf, and a jacket with gloves, came in. Following him were three dingo dogs dressed in the same attire.
"Good day, mates," the kangaroo barked, shaking hands--paws--briskly with King Kuts. "You must be the chief. Howya doin'?"
"Uh--fine," King Kuts replied. He still did not quite understand the strange language of Australia.
[Illustration: A fullpage drawing of the cockatoo on its perch, one wing outspread; it seems to be squawking frantically. King Kuts stands in the room below, looking up at it somewhat puzzledly.]
"M-i-s-i-p-p-i! M-i-s-i-p-p-i! M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i!" the cockatoo shrieked, flapping its long wings. Feathers flew all over the place.
"What's wrong?" King Kuts said.
"He does that whenever a storm is coming. All the water reminds him of a river."
Sure enough, big black clouds were rolling across the sky. Big flashes of lightning crept down like whips. Soon the Outback was as dark as night.
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