As plans go, it's straight out of a cartoon, but even as she's pressing her lips together against a laugh, Karen has to admit that there's a certain brilliant similicity about it. She doubts it will get executed nearly so cleanly as it was conceived, but they've only got som many options when trying to move an animal the size of a small house.

"What the hell," she says with a lift of both hands. "I'll find the stick if you'll find an uneaten gourd." And if it doesn't work, they're no worse off than when they started.