Part 10 (2/2)
”Shame, poor old Barkjon!”
”It's a flarnin' liberty, wot?”
”Yurr, n.o.beaster should be slave to anuther!”
”Oh, I can't imagine it, we've always been free!”
”It's disgraceful. That horrid stoat!”
Rowanoak let them carry on working up their indignation before carrying on with her speech. When they had done she continued.
”When Ballaw and I formed the Rambling Rosehip Players we took on only talented creatures we knew we could rely on. I personally have never been disappointed in any of you, that is why today we are all gather-”
”Oh, stop takin' a bally seavoyage to get round a c.o.c.klesh.e.l.l, old gel. We all want to rescue Felldoh's old pater, don't we?”
”Aye!” The response was loud and wholehearted.
”Good show. Then let's stop jawbangin' an' get to it, wot?”
Rowanoak pa.s.sed Ballaw the pancakes and honey. She was smiling. ”Thank you, Bal, you old rascal. Now we need a strategy, and you know the best way that a travelling company can scout the land?”
Buckler held up a sticky digging claw. ”Yurss, marm, Us'ns goo thurr an put on 'ee show!”
”What?” Felldoh spluttered on his drink. ”Now just hold fast a moment friends. It's very kind of you to offer to rescue my dear old dad. But we've an appointment with Martin in Noonvale. Our plan is to raise an army and free all the slaves. And anyway you'd last as long as a leaf on a bonfire at Marshank.”
Kastern the mousemaid chuckled. ”Listen, squirrel, if you'd been half the places we've been and done a quarter of the things we've done, you'd know better.”
”Chaha! I'd say y' would, old lad. Gauchee, remember 107.
we put on the courtin' of the frog an' the caterpillar for all those fierce toads in the south swamps?”
”Do I ever!” The mousemaid nibbled her carrot, shaking with mirth. ”With you playing the villainous toad uncle. I thought those toads were so enraged they were going to toss us in the swamp!”
Celandine giggled. ”And they would have, too. Good job they let Celandine b.u.t.terfly tie them all up with the magic rope that would make them all handsome. Heeheeheehee!”
The whole company fell about laughing as Kastern pointed at Rowanoak. ”That was when Badger Bountiful hoisted them all up into a tree and told them they too would turn into beautiful b.u.t.terflies and fly away. Ha-hahahahaha!”
”Hoohoohoo! You should've seen their bally faces when we ate all their feast and went off, leavin' 'em all hanging' from a tree waitin' to turn into b.u.t.terflies. Hawhawhaw!”
When the laughter had subsided, Rowanoak winked at Felldoh and Brome, ”No need to worry about us. We know what we're doing.”
Felldoh grasped the badger's paw. ”I don't know how to thank you.”
Trefoil was rummaging in the cart. ”Oh, don't thank us. We won't be doing it all on our own-you two will be taking part in the show.”
Brome leapt up in alarm. ”But they'd recognize us right off!”
Kastern placed a huge frog mask over the young mouse's head. ”There, your own mama wouldn't recognize you now.”
Rowanoak clapped her hefty paws together. ”Righto, clear the food away We've got a show to rehea.r.s.e. Felldoh, you look strong enough to be a good catcher ...”
Celandine fluttered her eyelashes. ”Ooh, he could catch me anytime of the season!”
108.
Rowanoak gave her a glare then ignored her. ”Brome, sorry you can't sing on this job. Your voice is too recognizable. However, you would make rather a good frog maiden.”
”Me, a frog maiden?”
”Why certainly, old lad. An' I'll be your wicked uncle toad. Hoho, me proud beauty, you shall never marry that caterpillar!”
Felldoh shook his head in bewilderment as Buckler stuck a large red ball on the tip of his nose. ”It sounds just crazy enough to work!”
109.
13.
It was still early morning and already Martin was feeling tired. He and his friends had been roused several times that night by the familiar Squidjee cry, gluggadrink. It seemed that every baby pigmy shrew woke at least twice nightly wanting a drink.
Rose hauled her log away from the noisy breakfast table. She was spattered with food and drink.
”Good morning, Martin. You'll never guess what's planned for the morning after breakfast is through.”
Martin shook his head. ”Don't tell me, I don't want to know.”
Rose told him anyway, stifling a smile as she did. ”We're taking all the Squidjees down to the beach for a paddle in the rock pools. Evidently the whole tribe goes down there every day to check on their fis.h.i.+ng nets. If it's good weather like today, the little fiends are brought along to amuse themselves.”
”Oh how nice. It will be fun!” Martin put on his fixed smile.
Grumm and Pallum had their paws full wiping off sticky baby whiskers. ”c.u.mm yurr, you'm-'orrible liddle toad. Thoi whisker'n be full o' oatmeal.”
The Squidjees dodged about chanting ceaselessly. ”Wannago sh.o.r.esh.o.r.e! Wannago sh.o.r.esh.o.r.e!”
no Descent to the sh.o.r.e from the high cliffs was not as difficult as it first looked. There was a hidden stairway, cunningly carved into the rock by the pigmy shrews. Martin and his companions had to make the trip several times. Watched by Amballa and her ever vigilant shrews, the four friends had to carry each Squidjee piggyback fas.h.i.+on down to the sand. When all the shrews were attending their nets, the Queen turned to Pallum.
”Squidjees playnow, youwatch plennygood!”
She shook her sword at them in warning before seating herself comfortably where she could keep an eye on everything.
The Queen's infant son Dinjer was trouble on wheels. The other Squidjees were relatively calm and happy, burying Grumm up to his neck in the sand. Martin, Rose and Pallum were building a sandcastle for some others. Pallum pointed to Grumm.
”That was what I always hated, when they decided to bury me. Grumm seems to be enjoying it.”
The mole pulled loose a digging paw and waved to them. ”Burr aye, 'tis noice 'n' cool on an 'ot morn loik this'n.”
”Stillagrumm, staystill!”
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