As they walked back through the bush to their camp, the children were preoccupied and serious, and Tristram had suddenly declined to regale everybody with tales of Big Scale. Hence, Russell decided to cheer the party by relating his own encounter with the legendary monster.
“We had a good day before he showed up, didn’t we, Stew?”
“Yeah…had a few good ones.”
“Your grandfather was there that day, and we were in a little twelve-foot tinnie on the mighty Murray river, not far from Swan Hill. Of course, I was totally out fishing Stewy-”
“Go on, McTavish!” Stewart snorted. “I was shakin’ em off so yer didn’t feel bad.”
“You must have been shaking them off pretty hard, old man.”
“There, yer hear that kids? Old Rusco is a bit of a character. I don’t know how you’re gonna grow up alright lis
