6.21: Epilogue

The next day, pTravis collects a parcel from Lois-the-Hippo, who has quickly carried out the favour he asked of her. Together with Masongill and Lottie, he sets out to find Fabian, who is practicing racing round the cusp-fold in the field behind the Potting Shed. 

pTravis passes the parcel to Lottie saying: “You can do this. And try to be serious, for once. It is a solemn moment.”

“Okey-dokey. Easy-peasy!”

pTravis sighs and almost looks away. But Lottie carefully and gracefully unfolds a newly made yellow scarf, an almost identical copy of their own scarves, though without a sponge insignia, which she wraps round Fabian’s neck.

“We don’t think we can actually make you a member of the Order of the Sponge. We don’t really know whether we are, though we were taken on a Wild Hunt by the Order. But we know that the Order exists to help ‘Pilgrims of Dust’: wanderers of the world’s grimier paths. And you, a racing snail, are surely such a Pilgrim of Dust. So you’d better have your own scarf in case you ever need to summon help from the Order.”

Fabian says nothing. They didn’t expect him to. But he looks at all three for a long time. And then he sets off over the grass, as fast a racing snail can, his scarf flying behind him.