Blaggut paddled the tide line with Slipp lying back in the boat, giving him the occasional cutla.s.s prod. "C'mon, put yore back into it! Where's this stream, or does it just run through yore empty 'ead?"

Blaggut paddled harder. "Yowch! There it is up ahead, Cap'n. See the sun glintin' on it? Good 'n' sweet, just like I said."

The morning sun warmed Slipp's back as he bent and lapped streamwater. Blaggut brightened up.

"You'll like it 'ere, Cap'n. There's dunes an' probly fruit growin' nearby. I can fish for us, an' we'll live 'ere snug as two bugs in a rug. I'll... Yaagh!" Slipp gave the boatswain a smack that sent him sprawling into the stream.

"Froghead! Get in that boat an' start paddlin' up- 121.

stream. It must lead somewheres, maybe there's good pickin's up there. Come on, bulgebelly, stir yer stumps." By noon Blaggut had paddled the shrewboat into the fringes of Mossflower Wood.

11.

;";. Dandin was first to regain his senses. He wished fervently :* that he had not-his entire body was a ma.s.s of pain. The J- last thing he recalled was the three of them being dragged I along the ground all the way to Castle Floret. Kicked, buffeted, b.u.mped, and scratched, until they lost con-

: sciousness. Somewhere in the background he heard j

. voices.

5K "Sourgall, look, one of 'em's comin' around."

Ijg: "C'mon Fillch, we'd better go an' report back."

-j:, As the voices died away in the distance, Dandin sat up, ffetrying to ignore his discomfort. One of his eyes was swol-

'ten shut; through the other he took stock of his surround- jngs, Mariel and Meldrum lay on either side of him, still ;i

senseless. All of their footpaws had been bound together $-^.

ipy a thick rope. They were in a prison cell, its floor strewn th dry rushes and old straw. Four stout stone walls sur-inded them; there was one high, barred window and a wily timbered door, with iron studding and a small >y-hole grille. Sunlight flooded in from the wide-barred 123.

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window, lighting up the grimness of their dungeon.

Mariel stirred, her voice a hoa.r.s.e croak. "Water!"

Dandin winced as, cradling her head on his lap, he scoured the cell with his one good eye. "Sorry, there's not a drop in the place. Are you all right?"

"I'm thirsty--that's how I know I'm still alive. How're you?"

"Still here, I suppose. Meldrum looks very still."

The old hare lay prostrate with both eyes shut. He began muttering half to himself. "Want a full military burial, lots of fuss1 medals, sad music, an' tears, that'll do. Hmm, at the foot of a good oak tree, nice an' shady. They can carve somethin' fittin' on it, too. Now, me effects, let me see. I leave a nice mess jacket to Thurdale, hope he wears it with pride. About me rod V line, young Foghill gets that, blighter's always had his eye on it anyway ..." The Field Marshal's finely attuned ears waggled. "There's somebeast comin'. Steady in the ranks than. Lie doggo, make 'em think we're still out."

Locks squealed and bolts clanked as they were withdrawn, and the door creaked open. Nagru and Silvamord swept in, flanked by a dozen rats. One of them stirred Meldrum with his footpaw.

' 'This is the beast who slew Captain Bragglin. We had the two mice cornered when he b.u.t.ted in. There were four, no, five others-four young hares and a hedgepig."

Nagru shoved the rat aside contemptuously saying, "And they vanquished a full patrol of you!"

"You should talk," said Silvamord, her voice heavy with scorn. "These three between them slew your wonderful Dirgecallers and more than a score of hordebeasts. Tell us about that again!"

The Foxwolf ignored her, but took his spite out by kicking Mariel. "I thought you said they were coming around, Sourgall. This one's still senseless. Look!"

He kicked Mariel again, and her eyes snapped open. "I'll remember your face when the time comes for me to slay you, ugly one!" she spat out.

Nagru stood over her, smiling evilly. "Well, well, tough words for a mousemaid who's hardly in a position to slay anybeast. Listen, fool, I am the Organ Nagru. I could squash all three of you like so many bothersome gnats, and I will if you don't answer my questions. What are you doing in Southsward? Where did the squirrels and otters go to? Tell me!"

From his position on the cell floor, Meldrum the Magnificent blew a long sigh of boredom. "Somebeasts love t'hear the sound of their own voice, don't they? Tell that wallah to buzz off, will you? I'm takin' me noon nap!"

Silvamord drew a dagger and leaped at the hare. Nagru restrained her as she snapped at him, "Dolt! Can't you see they're not going to tell you anything? Kill them now, I say!"

Nagru placed himself between Silvamord and the cap-tives. "I want them kept alive for the moment. Leave this tome."

The three friends sat up facing Nagru, conscious of the ^-Vixen prowling back and forth behind him. The Foxwolf crouched, letting his metal claws show ominously. v "You'd do well to listen to my words. Make it a lot rjtasier on yourselves and just tell me where Serena and lfaat brat of hers are hiding."

Dandin eyed him coolly. "Or?"

Silvamord leaned over Nagru's shoulder, brandishing 126.

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her dagger lovingly as she hissed, "Or you won't be able to talk for screaming!"

The Foxwolf shook his head pityingly. "She'll get to you sooner or later, probably after you've rotted in here awhile from hunger and thirst. So give me your answer now, and we'll reach an agreement. I could do with three warriors such as you; it would spare you all this."

The trio looked from one to another. Mariel nodded. They lay back down, with Meldrum yawning. "Close the door on your way out, will you? It gets quite drafty in here with it open."

Surprisingly Nagru kept his temper, though he had to signal the guards to restrain Silvamord. She was struggling to get at them, spittle and foam ringing her lips as she shouted wildly, "Leave me an hour with them, just an hour. I'll have them talking so fast they won't be able to stop!" The guards hustled her out. Nagru stood framed in the doorway, a thin smile on his lips.

"Fine words from warriors, but think on this: You are no longer warriors free to do battle. You are my prisoners, to do with as I please. Without liberty, food, or drink. Soon you will begin to feel weak; thin and hungry, sick and thirsty. I have seen it before. You will be reduced to whining, cringing wretches who will betray one another for a cup of water or a crust of bread."

Meldrum raised his head, careful not to show how painful the effort was. "Hard luck, laddie. Fear won't work on us. We've faced death too many times taking felons like y'self down a peg or two. Y'see, there's a world of difference twixt warriors 'n* windbags, between real fighters an' jumped-up johnnies who go around wearin' the skins of other creatures-bad form, y'know! Quick as y'like now, toddle off an' close the door quietly!"

The cell door slammed shut with an earsplitting bang. Nagru shouted through the spyhole as he left, "Bravado won't feed you, and stupidity will kill you!"

In the silence that followed, Mariel untied the rope that bound their footpaws together. Standing up carefully, she {gave an agonized groan. "Ooahh! That villain's right, you : know. We're hardly in a fit state to stand on our own ; paws, let alone defy him."

Supporting one another, they staggered over to the window. It was not as high as it had first looked. They scrambled up onto the broad sill and Mariel pulled herself forward, craning her neck to peer between the bars.

"Oh, my giddy paws! It feels like sitting in the clouds looking down from here. It's a sheer drop down to the >:Valley. The trees look like tiny blobs of green moss!" ;-. Meldrum crawled over to join her. "Right, m'dear.

We're at the rear of Castle Floret, straight drop, no moat around this side, no need for one y'see. If I'm not mistaken, we're on the third floor, north wing. Nice view Ijspcioss the valley, wot? Pity we ain't got nothin' t'do but f:8Jt here an' admire it."

Dandin took a look and then sat back, resting against sun-warmed stone. "Don't you wish you were a ; The garrulous old campaigner flexed a stiffened paw. Wish I were any flippin' thing but a three-quarters dead at the moment, young feller. 'Deed I do!" Mariel felt her back, raw through the holes that had sn made in her tunic with being dragged along. "In-1, imprisoned, hungry, thirsty. There's only one way us to go now, up!"

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"We're already up, old gel. How much further up would you like us t'be, eh?" said Meldrum, probing gingerly at a loose tooth. * 'Listen to a veteran, you two. Best thing to do in a case like this is sleep. Calms the nerves, clears the brain, an' helps nature heal the body, wot? Bit of shut-eye, that's the ticket!"

He received no arguments on that score, and within moments the three of them were dozing on the broad win-dowsill in the noontide sun. Deep sleep overtook the trio of battered warriors immediately.

A search party scoured the collapsed sand dune, sifting through the sand. Furpp straightened up, unable to find anything. He shook his head at Bowly, saying, "You'm sure they'm been round boi yurr, maister?"

Iris waved a paw at the upset state of the wrecked sandhill. "They must have been. Look at all the activity that's taken place round here-prints, tracks, holes. I'd say some sort of fight took place. Whoops, careful there!" The female otter had been standing on one end of Meld-rum's rod, and she toppled backward downhill as Coltvine unearthed the other end vigorously. He gave a whoop.

"What ho! Lookie here, Uncle Mel's fishin' weapon!"

"Aha! The Gullwhacker-I was right!" said Bowly as he tugged Mariel's rope from the sand.

Greenbeck shook his head in admiration as he unearthed the paw of a dead horderat. Letting it go limp, he kicked sand back over it. "Sink me, wot a tussle they must've put up!"

"Aye, just like Muta an' my Rab, brave creatures!" Iris said as she blinked back a tear.

Furpp patted her with his huge digging claws. "Roight,

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marm. They uns gived us toim to rescue ee Queen an' ee babby. Leastways they'm safe naow."

Greenbeck sat down between them, keeping his voice low and out of earshot of Bowly and the leverets. ' 'Furpp, get yore moles to dig round 'ere," he said. "If they ain't buried under this lot then they've been taken by the Fox-wolf an' that 'orde."

"Fate and seasons have mercy on the poor brave beasts." Iris shuddered. "If they're in the cells at Floret no creatures can help them, even supposing that they are still alive!"

12.

.. *S%#***Z".

i********^,, L .. **'

"Up in the riggin', out on those yardarms, crew!"

Finnbarr Galedeep fought with the tiller to keep the Pearl Queen plowing southwest as he roared orders.

"Pile on every sc.r.a.p o' sail, buckoes! Log-a-Log, search the lockers, we need more canvas! Joseph, lash that boom on the same course we're runnin', sou'west an' keel down! I'll show the scurvy flotsam, with me own paw on me own tiller there's not even the seagulls kin outsail the ole Pearl QueenV Out on the yards, lashing down sheets like two old salts, Durry and Rufe roared into the blasting winds, while at the same time comforting a thoroughly seasick Fore-mole.

"Foremole, forget that your stomach's heavin'. Just roar like we do. You'll feel better right away, promise!"

The good mole tried, but he was not convinced, roaring fitfully as he glanced backward to the Shattoo. "Hooour-rrarrruurrg! Oi wishes oi wurr back 'ome, 'stead o' bein' chased by a gurt boatload o' vurmints. Hooarrurg!"

I32.

Strapp was perched high on the prow of Shalloo, clinging to the wet lines as the bow dipped and heaved. He howled encouragement at his double crew.

"Bend yer louse-ridden backs, cullies. I said we'd be sailin' south, didn't I? Keep yore glims on the prize ahead, the Pearl Queen, me new ship! If I can't catch 'er wid two crews to speed us on, n.o.beast can!"

Rappsnout joined him, shouting to be heard above the shrieking gale and hissing spray. "Don't fret yer 'eart, Cap'n. They got a few lengths start on us, but we'll overhaul 'er soon!"

"Yer right there, mate," Strapp said as he wiped bow-spray from his eyes. "Get some archers up 'ere, an' some grapplin' 'ooks. When we gets close enough then we'll clap grapplers an 'old 'er close, while the archers picks 'em off. Tell *em t'get that rogue Galedeep first!"

Rappsnout cackled happily as he leaped down to obey Strapp's orders. He spat on his paw and patted a bulkhead. "Haharr, that's fer luck, Shalloo, ole Rappsnout'll soon be yer new master. Ahoy, Snicker, get below an' break out bows 'n' arrers. Sharkoe, lay yer paws on some grapplin' irons an' lines. Jump to it, messmates. We're lucky rats this day-a ship 'n' crew an' plunder too!"

Finnbarr knew his old ship like the hairs on the back of his paw. He ordered triangle sails to be set between the bowsprit and the cable from the topmast, and two square sails sitting low amidships to port and starboard. It worked like a charm, lifting the for'ard end, and sending Pearl Queen skimming. Log-a-Log smiled at the sight of many searats crammed into the bows of Shalloo, sending

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her head deeper down and slowing her.

"Hoho, look at that, Finnbarr. Shalloo's starting to wallow like an old leaky bucket!"

Joseph came dashing up. "Finnbarr, what's that roaring noise I hear?" he shouted.

The big sea otter grasped Joseph's paw. "Come aloft with the Galedeep, Beilmaker, and I'll show ye!"

Together they climbed into the rigging, and Finnbarr pointed directly on the course they were heading. "There's a sight ye can tell yore grandmice about. Look at the hole in the sea, Joseph!"

The sight took Joseph's breath away. Less than a sea league southwest was a gigantic whirlpool, more than ten shiplengths wide, a complete circle, whirling around like a tornado, with a ma.s.sive hole at its center. The roaring noise increased until it filled the air for miles around. Finnbarr's single eye watched it impa.s.sively.

"Few creatures 'ave ever seen it an' lived. 'Tis called the Green Maelstrom. See there, it spins off south creatin' the fastest part of the current they call Roaringburn!"

Redoubtable as he was, Joseph found himself trembling with fear of the unknown hole in the deep. "But we're heading straight for it," he said. "We'll be sucked in!"

Finnbarr's scarred face was grim as he grabbed Joseph's paw. "Trust me. The Galedeep knows wot *e's about! It's not my ship that'll be pulled over the edge o' the Green Maelstrom. No, that's where Shalloo's bound for!"

Joseph was horrorstruck. "Shalloo has two crews aboard her!" he cried.

The sea otter's face quivered with emotion. Joseph was not sure whether it was sea-spray or tears he saw running 134.

down from Finnbarr's single eye.

"Aye, two crews of murderin', torturin', fate-forsaken searats. I was the only one escaped when they captured Pearl Queen-they killed my 'ole crew, wife an' two sons as well. Left me fer dead, but it takes more'n searats to finish Finnbarr Galedeep. You can lay t'that! Now git below an' foller me orders to the word, or we'll all find out what the earth below the 'igh seas looks like!"

Cap'n Strapp was laying about with the flat of his cutla.s.s at the rats crowding the bows. "Git back, yer sh.e.l.l-brained slackers, wait'll I gives the word. Go an* shove on more sail-yore slowin' the vessel by all pilin' up 'ere. Belay an' git back, I say!"

Rappsnout came scurrying forward, still grinning. "Cap'n, Cap'n, looks like Pearl Queen's flounderin'. She's limpin' like a lame duck with all sails on the starboard side slack!"

Strapp was jubilant at this sudden stroke of luck. "Har-arr, she ain't goin' nowheres. Ahoy, where are you lot off to? Git back up for'ard 'ere. Stan' by with weapons an' grapplin' "ooks! Runnin' with this gale, we'll hove alongside 'er in no time!"

A rat in the rigging on lookout began shrieking, "Waaah, Cap'n! There's a big 'ole in the seas!"