Part 42 (1/2)
”Foulwhisker, Your Majesty.”
”Well done, Foulwhisker. Good weasel. Yes, we'll stay safe in Kotir all summer, with plenty of supplies for everyone. Then in autumn we'll burn the woodlanders and their forest together.”
Brogg was on his paws again. ”Well, mates, I'm all for it. A lazy summer with lots of grub. I vote we stay here with 342.
four Queen. She's not afraid of woodlanders. Huh, she even f'shot their boss tonight.”
A cheer rang out from the troops. It was not wildly enthusiastic, but at least it carried a note of optimism.
>BeIla and Lady Amber bent over Martin.
”Looks as if he's coming round,” the badger reported : thankfully.
T. B. held the sling pouch with the arrow still sticking from it. ”It would have been a different story without this stone carrier.”
* Bella bathed Martin's brow with cool water. ”Even allowing for that, it's not exactly a scratch, is it.”
Martin opened his eyes and immediately tried to stand, but Amber pushed him back. ”Be still,” she said firmly. ”It's only by luck you weren't really injured. Bella, stick some herbs on his wound and bind it up.”
”What hour is it, Gonff?” Martin asked, looking at the sky.
”Not long before midnight, matey.”
”Bella, thank you. But please stop fussing over me like a mother hedgehog. I must get up. There is important work to be done.”
Bella extended a paw. ”Then up you come, warrior. Gonff and I will help you. What is this important work that cannot wait?”
Martin tested his leg experimentally, and winced. ”I must get to Wudds.h.i.+pp tonight.”
”Well, jump on my back. It's quite broad enough to bear a mouse-even a wounded warrior.' *
With Gonff walking in front to clear the path for Bella, they made their way through the warm woodland night.
Bula the otter lay crouched on the foredeck. She watched the dark shapes materialize silently from the trees by the bank.
”Who goes there?” she challenged them.
”Corim of Mossflower.”
”Advance and be recognized.”
”Bula, you old shrimp-chaser!”
”Gonff, you little pie bandit. h.e.l.lo, Miz Bella. What news? Martin, are you hurt? What happened?”
343.
Martin slid from Bella's back and leaned on his sword. ”It's nothing, Bula. Is everything ready?”
”As ready as it'll ever be, Martin.”
Bula gave a short bark, and her four companions appeared on deck.
Martin gave a last fond look at Wudds.h.i.+pp as she rode at anchor on the River Moss, then he nodded to Bula.
”Sink her!”
”Scuttle Wudds.h.i.+pp, matey? Are you out of your mind?” Gonff blinked in disbelief.
Bella laid a heavy paw gently on the mousethief. ”Martin knows what he's doing, Gonff.”
With a splash the five otters dived into die river and were momentarily lost to sight in the dark water. When they surfaced they were at opposite ends of the craft, three for'ard, two astern. Clamped in their jaws were rope hawsers which ran to the s.h.i.+p. They began swimming strongly, tugging Wudds.h.i.+pp around so that she drifted until stem and stern faced opposite banks. Now Wudds.h.i.+pp stood side on across the River Moss.
The otters emerged, dripping. Pa.s.sing the headropes to Bella, they dived back in and joined their friends on the other bank. ”Make those stern ropes fast to that big oak,” Martin called out to them. ”Give some slack to allow her sinkage. We'll make her fast to this beech over here,”
Diving back into the water, the otters boarded the vessel amids.h.i.+ps. Bula handed out wooden mallets, and they went below. She pointed out the inlets under the oardecks.
' 'Knock those spigots and seac.o.c.ks wide open, crew. Let the water in.”
They went at it with a will. Soon the river was gus.h.i.+ng in from eight different points and the bilgewater level rose swiftly. Bula took one last look around, satisfied that the job was done.
”She's filling fast, crew. All ash.o.r.e!” she ordered.
Martin stood on the bank with them. They watched Wudds.h.i.+pp list slightly with the flow, then the black s.h.i.+p began sinking lower in the water. Above the gurgling flow and creaking timbers, Gonff could be heard singing a mournful farewell, 344.
You carried us safe o'er the water, So proudly you sailed the blue sea.
Now lie on the bed of a river, To help make old Mossflower free.
But here in our hearts we will keep you, Wudds.h.i.+pp.
Like a great bird of freedom upon that last trip, With the wind in my whiskers, Surrounded by friends.
Sleep deeply, old Wudds.h.i.+pp, Your voyaging ends.
The little mousethief sniffed as he wiped a paw across his eyes. ”It's a good thing Log-a-Log isn't here, matey.”
Stem and stern sank levelly as the vessel went down. With A cascading ripple the waters broke over her mids.h.i.+p rail.
Martin turned away. ”Come on, Gonff. I can't bear to watch her any more.”
A pale silver moon dappled the forest floor as they made their way back to the camp outside Kotir. Bella, with Martin on her back, lumbered through the calm summer night, flanked by Gonff and Bula.
”Don't fret. It was a great act of sacrifice, a brave thing. Boar would have been proud of you both,” she consoled them in her gruff, gentle voice.
Bula was a little more cheerful. ”I'll bet you when this is all over that Skipper will find a way to refloat your Wudds.h.i.+pp. ”
Gonff looked across at the otter. ”D'you really think so? You're not just saying it to make us feel better?”
Bula winked. ”Of course not. We never stoved her in, just opened the inlets. She's not damaged. Don't you worry, matey. Skipper'11 sort it out. He's got other things in his head beside water in his ears, that's for sure.”