Part 30 (1/2)

Bella joined in her laughter. ”Then I suggest we post a daily lookout on this wall from now on. No doubt we can accommodate his sense of beauty with a big apple pie.”

Chapter 37.

A lively breeze stopped autumn's first day starting with a gentle mist. The Honeysuckle Honeysuckle was positioned just below the brow of the hill, armed with slings and oars, and the crew and their Dunehog allies stood waiting. was positioned just below the brow of the hill, armed with slings and oars, and the crew and their Dunehog allies stood waiting.

Furmo tested the wind direction with a damp paw. ”Couldn't ask for a fairer breeze, Martin!”

The Warrior signaled to Folgrim. ”Off you go, mate, and don't forget to raise a shout at the right moment.”

The smallest of the Guosim shrews was bent double, wearing a cape which Trimp had made for Chugger. He grasped Folgrim's paw and toddled off over the hilltop, with the scarred otter adopting his old hunched hunting pose. Together they looked like a grandsire and his grandchild.

A stringy-looking weasel was arguing with a ferret, disputing over a wooden skewer festooned with insect and moth carca.s.ses, which had been spiked there to roast over the fire. A motley collection of rats and a.s.sorted vermin watched them, knowing a fight was inevitable. As the weasel reached for the skewer, the ferret kicked him.

”Getcher dirty paws offa me vittles, longnose!”

The weasel was knocked forward, scorching his paw in the flames. He turned snarling at his tormentor.

”Half o' them are mine. Lift yer paw t'me agin an' I'll chop it off, greedyguts!”

Like a flash, a broad evil-looking blade appeared in the ferret's paw. He aimed another kick at the weasel.

”Yew couldn't chop yer way outta a daisy patch. Back off from those vittles, they're mine!”

The weasel shrugged, as if admitting defeat. Picking up the sharpened skewer, whose end was on fire, he turned to the ferret.

”Ah, wot's a pile o' squashed bugs t'me. You 'ave 'em!”

Bounding forward, he thrust the skewer hard into the ferret's gut. A shriek of agony rang out, and the ferret fell backward dying, stabbed through his stomach.

Callous laughter and coa.r.s.e remarks greeted the cruel act.

”Haw haw haw! Somethin' upset 'is stummick!”

”Heeheehee! Ole Brango looks jus' like a bug on that skewer, lookit 'im wriggle!”

A fox who had lost interest in the gruesome spectacle happened to turn and look uphill. He caught sight of the two pitiful figures hobbling side by side.

”Oh lucky day, look wot's comin' this way, mates!”

Paws grasped blades as most of the vermin began inching toward the two unfortunate creatures, calling mockingly, ”Come an' join us fer dinner, friends.”

”Aye, don't be scared. You'll 'ave nought t'be worried about soon, ain't that right, mates?”

The two creatures halted, as if noticing the evil crew for the first time. Slowly they backed off uphill, crying piteously, ”Please don't hurt us, we're only poor travelers!”

Speeding up their advance, the vermin began to spread in an arc, trying to cut their quarry off. The poor travelers ran then, scampering uphill and yelling aloud, ”Help! Oh, help us somebeast! Help!”

Pulling a rusty ax from his belt, the fox ran after them. ”I saw 'em first!”

The skinny weasel dashed past him, snarling. ”First there, first served, brushtail!”

As Folgrim and the Guosim shrew reached the ridge-crest, they were yanked aboard the Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle. Down the hill she thundered, the breeze billowing her sail full out. War cries rang around the hillside. Down the hill she thundered, the breeze billowing her sail full out. War cries rang around the hillside.

”Eulaliaaaaa! Redwaaaaaalll! Gorramahoggorraaaaa!”

The vermin were taken completely by surprise. Dinny whacked out with an oar, laying the skinny weasel out cold. Hard round slingstones cracked against skulls, ribs, paws and tails, filling the air like angry hornets in swarm. Heedless of the stupidity of their retreat, the vermin fled off downhill, with the Honeysuckle Honeysuckle skimming behind them. Vurg caught the fox by his tail and dragged him along, while Beau hung over the side belaboring him with an oar. ”You thoroughly” Whack! ”despicable” Thwack whack! ”cad!” skimming behind them. Vurg caught the fox by his tail and dragged him along, while Beau hung over the side belaboring him with an oar. ”You thoroughly” Whack! ”despicable” Thwack whack! ”cad!”

A rat who was tripped by one of the for'ard oars leaped smartly up, only to be felled by Furmo, who from his position at the stern walloped him over the head. Onward plunged the vermin in their rout, hotly pursued by a skiff on wheels, leaving in its wake a trail of wounded and senseless creatures.

Finally the remnants of the ragtag vermin band broke, running off in separate directions, but not before Dunespike la.s.soed one. The terrified ferret was dragged aboard. He lay quivering on the deck of the still traveling craft, staring up into the fearsome scarred face of Folgrim.

Resting his axblade between the ferret's eyes, the otter growled in a menacing voice, ”I see I've got yore attention, sc.u.mbrain, so lissen hard. We'll be sailin' these regions for the next couple o' seasons, huntin' down vermin an' cleanin' up the land. Yore lot are the first ain't you the lucky ones? We're lettin' you live, so you an' yore cronies can spread the word 'round that we've arrived. Y'see that warrior with the nice sharp sword? He's our leader. Name o' Martin of Redwall, a very fair beast. He believes in givin' vermin a sportin' chance . . . then slay in' 'em!”

Martin prodded the ferret with his bladetip. ”Up on your paws, bully, come on!”

Trembling uncontrollably, the ferret rose. The Honeysuckle Honeysuckle had slowed down minimally, breasting another rise, then she picked up speed, skimming downhill. Martin swung his sword up high. ”Jump or die?” had slowed down minimally, breasting another rise, then she picked up speed, skimming downhill. Martin swung his sword up high. ”Jump or die?”

”Eeyaaaaagh!”

With a pitiful wail the ferret flung himself overboard. They watched him bounce and spin as he rolled downhill until a rock halted his progress with a juicy thud.

The breeze made a hissing sound as it ran through Dunespike's stickles, and he clapped his paws happily.

”An' isn't this the grand ould way t'be travelin'. Sure I've not had this much fun since I caught a jellyfish on me spikes. Cap'n Chugg, sir, do we throw out the anchor at lunchtime, or does eatin' on the move sound like a grand ould idea to ye?”

Chugger gave Dunespike his captain's scowl. ”Wot a jellyfish is?”

The hedgehog Chieftain caught him and tickled Chugger until he broke down laughing.

”Yore a jellyfish, ye liddle omadorm, a fat wee jellyfis.h.!.+”

Chugger rolled about, unable to escape. ”Heeheehee 'elp me, mista Fol! Heeheehee, I norra jellyfish, I on'y a likkle Chugg. Heeheehee, 'elp 'elp!”

The Honeysuckle Honeysuckle did not stop for lunch; they kept on while the breezes favored progress. During the afternoon the wind deserted the sails, and the skiff rolled to an easy halt, at the fringe of a copse. did not stop for lunch; they kept on while the breezes favored progress. During the afternoon the wind deserted the sails, and the skiff rolled to an easy halt, at the fringe of a copse.

Guosim cooks discovered a small spring among the trees, where the water was cool and sweet. Apples, pears and wild berries were plentiful. Lounging in the tree shade, the crew ate and drank their fill.

Dunespike looked about admiringly. ”Murfo, me son, does this place not look grand t'ye?”

”Aye, grand, da, grand 'tis!”

”An' a whole lot better'n livin' midst ould sand dunes?”

”Aye, 'twould be, da, 'twould be so!”

”Sure we've got fruit t'pick from the bough an' berries t'gather as we please. What would y'say to livin' here?”