Part 9 (1/2)

Chugger opened one eye, his paw rising to point accusingly at Furmo. ”You keep punchin' Chugga's tummy an' I swirt water in you eye, sh'ew!”

Furmo held Chugger upside down and shook him thoroughly, letting the baby squirrel go as he snapped at his footpaws. ”See, I told yer, miss, he's stronger'n a growed eel!”

Dinny rolled himself into the warm sand until he looked like a white moleghost. He went and sat by Martin, who shook his head and burst out laughing.

”Have a rest, go to north sh.o.r.es, make it a holiday, take all summer! Some rest, eh, Din? Some holiday!”

Gonff dug a big raft splinter from his tail and sighed with relief. ”Well, look at me, mates, I'm enjoyin' meself no end. Only one thing missin' though ...”

Martin knew what was coming, so he interrupted Gonff. ”Food! That's what it is, isn't it, you felonious famine-faced soup-stealer!”

Gonff picked his teeth nonchalantly with the splinter. ”How'd you guess, n.o.ble britches? Ahoy there, Furmo, wot's the position on vittles, matey?”

One of the Guosim cooks answered for his leader. ”Flour's ruined, fruit's all right though, plenty o' fresh water in that pool. Biscuits we baked this mornin' are lost in the stream. I reckon we could stand a few fresh supplies of wotever the land has to offer 'ereabouts.”

Martin took charge, issuing orders. ”Right, anybeast who feels up to it can forage for food. We'll split up around these hills and dunes on the sh.o.r.eline. Dinny, you stay here with miss Trimp and Chugger and take a rest. See what you can salvage from the wreckage.”

Chapter 12.

Trimp was still feeling a bit sick and dizzy from her ordeal in the pool, but with Chugger about it was difficult to rest.

”Chugger, come away from that water. It's very deep!”

”Ho, Chugg know it deep. I beena bottum of it!”

”Yes, well that's where you'll find yourself again if you don't come away. Come on, this instant!”

”Yah, lea' me alone, me an' mista Din doin' a job, see!”

The mole picked him up with one huge digging claw. ”Oi can doo ee job on moi own thankee, maister. Naow, you'm do loik miz Trimp tell ee an' no cheek frumm ee!”

A fox appeared as if from nowhere. Behind him were four roguish-looking vermin, an a.s.sortment of rats and ferrets.

The fox looked the wickedest of all five. He was obviously their leader, and wore big hooped bra.s.s earrings and tattered silks. Faded tattoos showed on the paw holding a sharp single-headed ax. He gestured at Chugger.

”Haharr, young 'un, you lissen t'yore elders an' don't be cheekin' 'em. Avast now, cullies, wot 'ave we 'ere?”

One of the vermin sn.i.g.g.e.red. ”Dinner, that's wot we got!”

Shaking his head in censure, the fox growled, ”Stow that kind o' gab, Fribb, these 'ere are gentlebeastsa mite grubby, but respectable. Ain't that right, missie?”

Trimp had decided instantly that she did not like the vermin, or their leader, but her voice showed no fear. ”Who are you and what do you want?”

Strutting insolently about, the fox rummaged through the salvaged supplies with his axblade. He chose an apple, polis.h.i.+ng it on his ragged sleeve. ”I could ask you the same question, me pretty.”

Trimp picked up a solid spar of raftwood. ”I'm not your pretty, and 'tis usually considered good manners to ask before helping yourself to the food of others!”

Scornful sn.i.g.g.e.rs echoed from the four vermin. Pausing with the apple halfway to his mouth, the fox grinned. ”This 'un's got me quakin' in me boots, mates. Gut me, she's a right mouthy liddle baggage, ain't she?”

Trimp brandished her wooden spar, trembling slightly, but still game for trouble. ”Aye, but you'll find I can back up my words when dealing with bullies. Now who are you and what do you want here?”

Making as if to go, the fox sidled past Trimp. Suddenly he turned, knocking the spar from the hogmaid's paw with a deft flick of his axblade. Dinny went for him with a deep growl, but one of the vermin tripped him with a cutla.s.s blade. He tried to rise, only to find another one menacing his throat with a pike. Biting into the apple, the fox pulled a face and spat the piece out. He held the ax under Trimp's chin, his voice hard and commanding.

”I'm Sholabar, lord of these coasts. See that boat out there? Well, 'tis mine. I patrols these waters an'”

Trimp interrupted him sharply. ”I don't see any boat out there!”

Sholabar growled at one of the vermin. ”Where did ye berth the boat, Grimleg?”

”Be'ind the point, like y'told me to, cap'n.”

The fox shrugged. ”Well, no matter. Point is, missie, yore on my land. All around ye, far as y'can see, belongs t'me. Even this freshwater pool. So yore a trespa.s.ser, see!”

Trimp pushed the ax away from her chin and laughed in the bully's face contemptuously. ”Haha! Don't talk stupid, n.o.beast owns the sh.o.r.es and sea!”

Shaking with rage, Sholabar raised his ax at her. ”Snotnosed liddle spikeback, I'll skin yer alive!”

Chugger bounded forward and sank his teeth in the fox's leg.

”Yahoe to yore aid. These ruffians, the hogmaid an' her crew that attacked you so wickedly, here's how we'll deal with 'em. My friends an' I will confiscate their boat an' take them with us as deck slaves for punishment. That way they'll bother honest creatures like yoreselves no more. What d'ye say to that?”

Grimleg and his vermin companions were nonplussed. In one fell swoop they had been foiled of their prey, lost their boat and also their captain to boot. The ferret was about to object when Furmo drew his rapier and stood facing him, cold eyed. His voice, when he spoke, was like ice.

”I'd say 'twas a good idea. These honest beasts should make no objection, as long as the tale they told us is true. 'Cos I can't abide a liar, y'see! Liars is worse than thieves or murderers, I always say. Show me a liar an' I'll silence his untruthful tongue forever. Gurr! I can't stand liars!”

Gonff placed his paw on Furmo's rapier hilt. ”Put up yore blade, matey, these are honest creatures!” Grimleg and his vermin nodded furiously, trying hard to look poor but honest. Gonff pointed an accusing paw at Trimp and her friends. ”Now this lot, they're a different kettle o' fish. They've got the look o' savage murderin' villains t'me!”

Folgrim narrowed his one eye and squinted wickedly. ”Aye, I'm a bad lot, alius 'ave been. Ain't 'appy 'less I'm slayin' pore honest beasts wid me ax.”

Chugger bared his teeth and emitted a small growl. ”Ho, we's villings sure nuff, choppa tail off an' cutcha froats us will. Gurrr!”

Dinny squinched up his snout and made evil gestures with his digging claws at all and sundry. ”Burr aye, an' stuffen ee tails up'n ee noses. Gurrurr!”

Trimp kicked sand at the seated vermin. ”Hah! Gimme a sharp blade an' a cookin' pot, an' I'll show ye what I do to pore honest beasts. Yarrrrr!”