"Ahoy, mate, go'n' tell the Cap'n we'll be droppin' anchor soon. Move yerself, Princeness, Cap'n don't like t'be keptwaitin'!"

Bladd, who had got used to being bullied by Freebooters, staggered upright, scratching his midriff. "I go, but den I take another shleep in mine nice soft bed."

Grubbage, whose hearing had not improved, waggled a grubby paw in his ear and nodded. "1 allus said you 'ad a nice soft 'ead. 'Op along now, mate!"

Slitfang ran down to the sea and waded in, shouting up to Plugg, who was standing in the bows. "This is the place, Cap'n, I found it. An' I got three prisoners for ye, too!"

Two of the crew lowered Plugg down on a rope. On reaching Slitfang, he boxed the weasel's ears soundly.

"Three prisoners, eh? Then why aren't ye back there guardin' 'em? An' why did yer let that ketch git burned down?" Stumping up to the burned-out campsite, he glared at Sagax, Kroova and Scarum distastefully.

"A streamdog, a stripedog, an' a rabbit, wot good are they t'me? Why didn't ye destroy them an' save the ketch, instead o' savin' them an' lettin' the craft get ruined?"

The crew got out of Plugg's way. It was obvious he was in a bad mood. Grubbage came up the beach, followed by Prince Bladd and the rest of the Seascab's Seascab's crew. A sudden thought struck Grubbage. crew. A sudden thought struck Grubbage.

"Cap'n, 'ow's the Princess an' those Ratguards goin' to find us again, now that ye've moved the Seascab Seascab down the coast?" down the coast?"

Plugg sighed. "I forgot about that lot."

Bladd giggled. "I hope dey are losed forever, 'specially mine sister. I not vant to see her again, dat's for sure!"

Scarum had been listening with interest to the conversation. The talkative hare could not resist taking part. "I say, old chap, that's a bit heartless, wot, not wantin' to see your sister again. I bet she misses you terribly!"

Plugg waggled his axe threateningly under the hare's nose. "Who asked you, rabbit? 'Ere, Tazzin, gut these three an' toss 'em in the sea fer fishfood!"

Tazzin twirled her knife, smiling eagerly. "Aye aye, Cap'ri!"

Sagax decided it was time for him to speak up. ''Only a fool would do that. D'you know who we are?"

The young badger tried to look as regal as he could, which was not easy, lying dumped and bound on the sand. "I am the son of a great mountain Lord. The hare, Bescarum, is from a very wealthy family. Our otter friend is the son of an emperor of sea otters. If you slay us, think of the ransom you'd miss out on."

Scarum interrupted. "He's right, y'know, old lad. Our families would prob'ly swap a jolly great shipload of treasure t'get us back. No sense in slayin' us, wot wot?"

Plugg sat down on the sand beside Scarum. "Haharr, 'tis long seasons since I 'eld anybeast to ransom. Righty ho, rabbit, we'll let you'n yore mates live, but you'd better 'ope yore rich pappas an' mammas stump up plenty, or ye'll be fed to the sharks, one at a time. D'ye unnerstand?" Scarum shook his head in mock admiration of the Freebooter. "I say, sir, you're a born genius, what jolly clever thinkin'. I'd shake your paw heartily if I weren't tied up at the moment!"

Slitfang placed a paw on his hip and swaggered about, trying to imitate Scarum's speech. "Ho I say, wot wot, jolly ole rabbit! Don't 'e talk pretty?"

Plugg fetched Slitfang a whack that sent him sprawling. "That's 'cos 'e's a gentlebeast, not like you, slabnose. That there rabbit's 'ad a h'eddication, more'n wot we've ever 'ad. My old uncle was a gentlebeast wid a h'eddication. I liked 'im. My old uncle could sing wunnderful h'ed-dicated ditties, too!"

Plugg whirled on Scarum, shoving his double-headed axe under the hare's chin. "Kin yew sing h'eddicated ditties?"

Scarum gulped. "Educated ditties, sah, I was brought up on 'em, could sing ditties before I could talk!"

Plugg aimed a cheerful kick at the floored Slitfang. "See, I told yer, that 'un come from the quality. Go on, then, h'eddicated rabbit, sing us a ditty."

Scarum bobbed his ears politely. "These ropes are pretty tight."

The silver fox raised his axe meaningly. "Never mind tellin' us the name o' the ditty, just sing it!"

Scarum pulled a wry face at Sagax and Kroova, then launched into his song.

"O 'tis marvellous what an education docs for a chap, His eyes light up when he puts on the old thinkin' cap, His brain begins to whirr an' click, Ideas pour in fast an' thick, 'Cos that's what an education's for!

If it takes one mole to dig a hole, Ten seasons and a bit.

How many moles could dig that hole, If they were fat an' fit?

Then if two squirrels helped them, As deep as they could reach.

If those two squirrels made a pair, The answer is a peach!

That's what an education does for a chap, It leaves the blinkin' duffers in a bit of a flap, For learnin' facts you may depend, One spouts out answers without end, So hearken now an' I'll astound you more!

If two sparrows had six arrows, And set out to shoot a duck, Just how long would it take them, Before they had some luck?

The answer's jolly simple, As clever types will know, To bag that duck they had no luck, Because they had no bow!

'Cos that's what an education does for a chap, When learnin' dawns upon him like a big thunderclap, As they hear his knowledge flow, The clods will cheer and shout what ho, Now that's what an education's for!

If I had two an' you had two, And she had two as well, If they had two, just like we two, The truth to you I'll tell, If one knew far too little, Those facts would be too few, But if one had education, One would find the answers, too!"

The Freebooter crew, who had gathered around to listen, sat slack-jawed with wonderment at Scarum's rapid delivery of the song, for he had sung it at an alarming rate, without a single stumble.

Kroova could not help smiling. "Well done, matey, I'd clap ye if'n me paws was free!"

The hare sniffed. "Think nothin' of it, old lad. Huh, you'd wait a long time expectin' applause from these vermin oafs!"

Plugg swiftly cuffed a few ears and kicked some tails. "Come on, ye dimwits, if'n ye ain't got a h'eddication, the least ye can do is to show the rabbit you've got some manners!" He strode among his crew, making sure they all cheered.

Sagax moved closer to Kroova and murmured quietly, "Good old Scarum. While he's keeping them amused, they're not talking about slaying us, eh, mate?"

Kroova looked at the cheering vermin, knowing that their mood could change in the blink of an eye, depending on their captain's good or bad humour.

"Aye, mate, but it'll only last as long as ole Scarum can keep 'em entertained."

Sagax watched his friend. Scarum was launching into a funny story about a rhubarb pie fight between two frogs. The young badger shook his striped head.

"I know he's the world's worst glutton and we've had to yell at him from time to time, but we'd be in a bad way right now if we didn't have him along. To think that our very lives are depending on Scarum keeping a crew of vermin amused."

Kroova had to raise his voice to make himself heard above the guffawing crew of the Seascab. Seascab. "Yore right, mate, I'll never shout at 'im again for robbin' vittles. If'n we gets out o' this lot, ole Scarum can stuff 'is face to 'is 'cart's content!" "Yore right, mate, I'll never shout at 'im again for robbin' vittles. If'n we gets out o' this lot, ole Scarum can stuff 'is face to 'is 'cart's content!"

Sagax shot the sea otter a warning glance. "Not too loud, mate. Keep your voice downhe might hear us!"

26.

After wading through the small stream they had been following, Triss felt as though the one it flowed into was almost a riverbroad, deep and fairly swift-running. Almost up to her neck, she clung to Shogg's paw, which supported her stoutly. Arvicola went ahead with them, his watervole tribe bringing up the rear, no strangers to overhanging foliage and a night-darkened waterway.

Triss peered anxiously into the gloom ahead. "Are we anywhere near the sh.o.r.e yet?"

Arvicola answered in his slow, rustic drawl. "If n you do berleev that yon vermin are sure to track ye, then I do think it be time to divert 'em, missy."

Shogg shook his head doubtfully. "There's one among 'em, Riggan the slavecatcher, she's clever, matey. Ye'd 'ave trouble bluffin' 'er from a trail."

Arvicola pulled a reed and chewed reflectively on it. "Mayhap she's smart, but I berleev you'll find us not t'be fools. This be our territory, we knows it like no other beast. Hop out of this water now an' I'll tell ye my plan."

They pulled themselves up onto the bank, Arvicola and his tribe following suit. The watervole Chieftain issued orders in an unhurried manner.

"All of ye now, circle an' mill. You two as well, friends."

Obediently they joined the watervoles, milling about in circles, stamping the ground hard until Arvicola called a halt. He inspected the ground, satisfied with the result.

"I do berleev it be nicely flattened an' well marked now. Look you, friends, see where my paw be a-pointin'."

Triss nodded. "Over the water to the far bank."

The watervole's homely face broke into a brief smile. "Well said, missy. Now, yonder there is an overgrown ledge, I do berleev 'twill fit ye both snug. You jump in the water an' make your way across to it, an' we'll bide 'ere till you be goodly hidden. Hasten now, waste not the time."

Shogg took Triss by the paw and the two leaped into the broad stream. He guided her across and felt around in the dark until he had located the ledge beneath lots of hanging gra.s.s and fern. They ducked under the water and surfaced beneath it. Taking care not to touch the screen of vegetation, Triss peered through. She could barely make out Arvicola standing on the far bank.

Shogg called across to him, " 'Tis a good 'idin' place, mate. Wot now?"

Arvicola chuckled. "Stay put there, friends. My voles will mill around a bit more, then go south through the woods. We'll be leavin' a fine ole messy trail for your vermin foes to follow. Whatever ye do, stay there silent. Wait until they leave the waterway to follow us. When they be well clear, ye can both carry on through the water. Tis not a great distance to the sh.o.r.es and the sea. Fare ye well now, I do berleev we'll be off!"

Milling and stamping away, Arvicola and his watervoles crashed off through the woodlands.

After a while, the silence and darkness began making Shogg feel edgy. He murmured uneasily, "I don't like it, Triss, sooner be on the move than stuck 'ere stannin' still. What if Riggan spots us?"

The young squirrelmaid clasped her friend's paw. "This is the best chance we've got, believe me. [ trust Arvicola. He looks like a woodland b.u.mpkin, but that watervole has got a crafty old head on his shoulders!"

Shogg was forced to agree. "Aye, I know 'e wants to take Kurda an' the vermin away from both 'is own camp an' us as well. Looks like we'll just 'ave to bide 'ere an' 'ope we don't get spotted."

It was easier for Shogg than it was for Triss, standing neck deep in their watery hideout. For what seemed an interminable age, the broadstream flowed silently by. The young squirrelmaid bit down on a pawf ul of reeds to stop her teeth chattering as Shogg murmured, "At least it ain't as bad as bein' in a cage at Riftgard's fjordnow that was real cold. Hush, somebeast's a-comin'!"

Kurda waded alongside Riggan. The slavecatcher had deployed half of the Ratguard behind them and the other half walking either side of the banks. The Pure Ferret Princess was still not convinced they were on the right course, complaining regularly to Riggan.

"You sure dey vent dis vay? Dere are no signs."

Peering ahead, the slavecatcher growled confidently, "Don't ye fret, marm. We're 'ard on the trail, I knows it!"

Vorto, who was up on the bank, called out excitedly, "Up 'ere, tracks all over the place!"

Riggan hopped out onto the bank. "Back off, I want those prints clear! Keep the others away from 'em an' keep yore voice down. No need to shout all over the woodlands."

Kurda halted in midstream, with the rest of her Rat-guards catching up to her. She was directly opposite the hidden ledgeTriss could see her clearly through a slight gap in the reeds. Both she and Shogg remained completely still. At one point, when Kurda turned to maintain her balance, Triss looked directly into the wicked pink eyes of the Princess, convinced that Kurda was staring straight back at her. Mercifully, the Princess turned around to face Riggan.

"You see der tracks, yarr, tell me!"

Riggan was down on all fours, inspecting the area. "Ho, I sees 'em sh.o.r.e enough, marm. They mostly belongs to a crowd o' voles, but I kin make out the otter an' squirrel marks, very faintly. They've cut off south through the trees, not so long back, either."

Kurda allowed Vorto to a.s.sist her up onto the bank with his spearhaft. The rat Captain saluted smartly.

"No need t'move slowly now, 'ighness, this trail's easy to follow. They prob'ly figgered we went upstream an' east."

Kurda released the spear pole. "Gutt, den vot you vait-ing for, Vorto? Go and capture dem. Riggan and I vill follow."

Riggan protested. "But, marm, I should be up front, trackin'."

Kurda fixed the slavecatcher with a haughty glare. "I give de orders. You track too slow. Der trail is clear, yarr, let dem get hot onto it. Go, Vorto, hurry. Ve vill be behind you, making sure der slaves haven't cut off to left or right. Riggan vill know if dey have."

When the woodlands were still and quiet once more, Shogg poked out his head and sighed. "Phwaaaw! Good ole Arvicola! That riddle dodge worked well."

Triss climbed up onto the bank, flexing her cold limbs. "Come on up here, mate, we'll travel much faster to the sh.o.r.e on good dry land!"

Plugg Firetail was immensely proud of his new boat and wanted to show it off. He winked roguishly at the three prisoners sitting bound paw and limb on the sands. "D'ye see the big ship? That's me ole Seascab. Seascab. But I'm cap'n o' two ships now. Wot d'ye think o' that likkle beauty lyin' moored astern of the big 'un?" But I'm cap'n o' two ships now. Wot d'ye think o' that likkle beauty lyin' moored astern of the big 'un?"

Kroova knew they had to keep the Freebooter happy. "She's a beauty, no doubt o' that Cap'n, pretty as a picture. I never seen one nicer!"

Plugg stood and thumped his swelling chest. "Aharr, an' she's all mine, though she ain't got a sail fer the moment. Some runaway slaves made off with it."

Scarum played along, shaking his head sadly. "Teh tch, can't trust anybeast these days. So then, sah, what's the name o' that handsome craft, wot?"

"I ain't thought of a name yet. Wot would you call 'er?" Sagax could not help admiring Scarum's crafty reply. "Hmm, difficult to say, sah, not havin' seen the vessel close up, bein' aboard her an' so on. If you were to untie us, an' I promise we won't run away, perhaps we could go and look the craft over and decide on a well-educated name." Plugg closed one eye, letting the other rove over them. "Untie ye? I ain't no fool, that's why I'm a cap'n. But I'll tell ye wot I'll do. I'll get me crew to carry the three of ye down an' put ye aboard o' me new ship. I'll sit with ye an' we'll 'ave an eddicated talk about namin' 'er!"

As they were carried down the sh.o.r.e by the Seascab's Seascab's crew, Sagax managed to whisper to Scarum, "Nice try. Pity it never worked, but don't give up." crew, Sagax managed to whisper to Scarum, "Nice try. Pity it never worked, but don't give up."

Plugg had them propped up in the bows. He ordered extra ropes and had them lashed securely to the seat. The silver fox sat astern, leaning on the tiller of the beautiful slave-built ship. He peered over the side, where his crew stood, waist-deep, waiting patiently.

"Belay there, wot d'you thick-'eaded lot want, eh?" The rat Ripper looked rather hurt at this remark. "We wants to 'ear wot the eddicated rabbit is goin' to name yer pretty ship, Cap'n."

Plugg adjusted his tattered coat hem haughtily. "That's private. Youse git back ash.o.r.e, go on. Huh, I'm a cap'n an' I got eddicated things to discuss wid these gentlebeasts. Slitty, yore in charge, take 'em back to the fire, will ye? Oh, an' keep an eye out fer Kurda an' those rats of 'ers. If'n we're still 'ere come dawn, then, Grubbage, you bring us some brekkist."

As the crew waded sullenly to the beach, Grubbage muttered, "Wot's all that about rubbish gettin' kissed? Huh, they'll prob'ly sit out there the rest o' the night, an' I'll 'ave t'bring 'em some brekkist!"

Plugg rubbed a paw fondly along the tiller and smiled happily at his three prisoners. "See, I told ye. Pretty as a painted c.o.c.klesh.e.l.l, ain't she? C'mon now, which of ye is eddicated about ship names?"

Sagax and Scarum hesitated, so Kroova volunteered. "1 think that might be me, Cap'n."

Plugg produced a flask of grog from his voluminous coat. He took a long swig, belched and pointed at Scarum. "That there riverdog don't talk as nice as you."

The young hare hastened to a.s.sure him. "Beg pardon, sah, but Kroova is a boat-namin' expert!"

The silver fox took another long pull at his flask. "An expert, y'say? Go on then, riverdog, do yer stuff!"