The badger answered the question with another question. "Does night follow day?"

Kurda was still perched on the Seascab's Seascab's bows, watching the smaller craft's progress. She turned anxiously to Plugg, who was standing nearby, draped in a blanket and swigging hot grog. bows, watching the smaller craft's progress. She turned anxiously to Plugg, who was standing nearby, draped in a blanket and swigging hot grog.

"Dey go straight 'head, sailink for der stream, you fink?"

She recoiled as the silver fox belched a fraction from her nose. He did not seem unduly worried. "Aye, that's their liddle game. At first I though they'd sail in among the reefs, but they couldn't stay there forever. We'd be circlin', waitin' for 'em to come out. You mark my words, missie, if n they plans on makin' a run up yonder stream, that'll dome just fine!"

Bladd pulled his blanket tighter about him. Taking a sip from a beaker of steaming grog, he coughed and spluttered. "How vill it do you just fine, Cap'n?"

s.n.a.t.c.hing the beaker, Plugg drained it at a gulp. "One o' two things, yer princeness: either they'll miss the channel an' run 'er aground, or else they'll smash the bottom out when they whacks into that burnt ole boat. Either way, we'll be in plenty o' time to lay paws on 'em. Though I 'opes they only runs my nice likkle craft aground. I don't like to see me property damaged, eh, yer 'igh royalness?"

Kurda sneered. "Long as ve capture dem, I don't care!"

Plugg pushed by Kurda and shouted out orders. "Lay south a point, Grubbage, take 'er in short o' that there stream an' drop anchor. Crew! Stand ready an' armed to jump ash.o.r.e an' grab those imperdent beasts. I'll h'eddi- cate that rabbit in the ways of me battle-axe when I lays paws on 'im. We'll see 'ow pretty 'e talks then!"

With a strong breeze at their backs and the tide running high, the two otters held the tiller dead onto the stream mouth, which drew closer by the moment. Sagax dashed up to the bow point, shouting aloud into the bright blue morning, "Let's give her a good old Salamandastron Eu-lalia to send her in, mates!"

Triss turned to the hare. "I like the sound of that what's a Salamandastron Eulalia?"

Scarum explained. "Somethin' to make the jolly old fur stand on end, marm, the battle cry of real warriors. Just yell it out loud and long. Right ho, chaps, altogether now."

They roared at the top of their lungs as the sleek vessel whipped head-on into the fresh water. "Eulaliiii-iaaaaaaaa!"

In the narrow mouth, wild following-wave swells drove them like an arrow up the channel.

Because of the time having been spent picking up Plugg and Bladd, the Seascab Seascab had lost ground, plus the fact that they had to haul in sail to stop them from running aground in the shallows. All this added up to slow the big ship's speed. Kurda was dancing with rage. had lost ground, plus the fact that they had to haul in sail to stop them from running aground in the shallows. All this added up to slow the big ship's speed. Kurda was dancing with rage.

"Look, look, dey vent right into der stream, straight in!" Plugg was donning another frock coat, even tattler-looking than the wet one he had cast off. He smirked confidently. "Don't fret yore pretty white 'ide, dearie, the wrecked boat'll stop 'em, won't it, Slitty?"

Slitfang nodded dutifully. "Aye, Cap'n." What he did not say was that the Freebooters had hauled quite a bit of it, still burning, to feed their fire the previous night.

Ripper raised a paw, but dropped it at a glare from Slit-fang, who muttered, "Shut yore gob or 'e'll skin us both!"

As the Seascab Seascab sailed in closer to land, Plugg went aft to question Grubbage, shouting down the deaf rat's ear, " 'Ow far up the stream d'ye reckon that wreck is?" sailed in closer to land, Plugg went aft to question Grubbage, shouting down the deaf rat's ear, " 'Ow far up the stream d'ye reckon that wreck is?"

Grubbage winced. "Ye don't need t'shout so loud, Cap'n. They're about right at that spot now."

"I'd say they've gone clear past it!"

Plugg looked sharply at Riggan the slavecatcher, who had just made the remark. "An' how d'ye figger that out?"

Riggan pointed overboard at the broken and burned struts of timber floating in the shallows. She observed drily, "I watched that float out o' the stream mouththat means they've broke through an' pa.s.sed the place. The fire prob'ly burned right through the ketch an' broke 'er up afore they arrived,"

A few of the crew standing about nodded guiltily. "Aye, yore right there, matey, she burned right through!"

Plugg kicked out at them and cuffed a few ears. "Then why didn't ye say, why didn't anybeast tell me, eh? Get over the side an' catch 'em, the useless lot o' ye!"

Several Freebooters promptly leaped overboard, but the water closed in over their heads. Grubbage watched them. "Water ain't shallow enough yet, Cap'n. We needs t'be closer in t'sh.o.r.e."

Kurda came running to berate the Captain. "Iz too deep 'ere. Ve need to be closer in!"

Leaning over the rail, Plugg buried his face in both paws. "You 'eard 'er, Grubbage, take the ship in closer to sh.o.r.e."

Grubbage manoeuvred the tiller, muttering darkly, "I ain't throwin' my clothes ash.o.r.e fer n.o.beast. I'll just take 'er in closer to the beach!"

Poling and paddling energetically, the friends took their vessel into the high, sandy canyon walls of the dunes. Scarum paused to swat at a curious fly.

"Shove off, you bounder, go an' eat somebeast who's fatter."

Triss could see the Seascab Seascab drifting to a halt, side-on, far down at the tideline. "Scarum, don't stop to argue with insects. Keep poling!" drifting to a halt, side-on, far down at the tideline. "Scarum, don't stop to argue with insects. Keep poling!"

Sagax could see overhanging tree foliage further ahead. "We'll be in the woodlands soonkeep going, mates. Kroova, have they left the ship yet? Are they ash.o.r.e?"

The otter took a quick glance. "One or two of 'em. Wait, they're lowerin' the ship's boat!"

Plugg sat in the jollyboat facing Kurda and Bladd as it splashed gently into the water. "Slitfang, git yoreself in 'ere, you'll be rowin'. Tazzin, Grubbage, Ripper, yore at the oars, too. Come on, move!"

"An' vot about mine captain and Ratguards?"

Plugg leaned back in the most comfortable seat. "Oh, them, they can run both sides o' the bank wid the rest o' my crew. If'n yew wants ter give up yore seat to another beast, you'll 'ave t'get out an' walk too. I ain't takin' on any more pa.s.sengers. Wot d'you say, Bladd, me ole mate, eh?"

The fat Prince snorted indignantly. "I not gettink out der boat for others, let dem valk!"

The silver fox toyed with his battle-axe, teasing Kurda. "Yew travel in style, me beauty, wid yore beloved brother an' yore dear old uncle Plugg. Don't fret now, we'll punish those naughty slaves an' get my nice likkle boat back."

Kurda smiled back at the Freebooter. "An' ven 'tis all over, you deliver me back to mine father?"

The Freebooter winked broadly at her. "Why, bless yore 'eart, pretty one, of course I will!"

Kurda's eyes went cold. "Gutt, den I vill see him hang you in chains over his gates."

3i Sunshine and shadow dappled through the trees onto the stream's surface. It was far more calm running in the woodlands. Shogg took down the sail and furled it. The others kept rowing and poling, with Scarum expounding his list of complaints.

"I say, my bloomin' paws are jolly well sore, must be worn down to the flippin' bones by now. Blisters on top of my blisters, that's what I've got!"

Sagax poled stoically onward. "Should have blisters on your tongue, the way you're yammering on there. Give it a rest."

However, Scarum was not to be deterred so easily. "A rest? Jolly good idea, if y'ask me. A rest and a whacking great feed. We're going to have to stop soon and eat, y'know. It's not fair, a chap starvin' to death, all because a few mangy vermin are chasing us. Can't one of you bright sparks think of somethin' to slow 'em up or put 'em off a bit, wot?"

Sagax snorted. "We could always chuck you overboard like we did those other two. That'd slow them up."

Kroova stumbled as his pole hit a root.

Shogg peered through the crystal-clear water. "Look! See that root running across the bottom of the streambed?

There's lots of 'em from the trees on the bank. Just the sort o' thing we need, mates."

Picking up the broken oarshaft that he had used as a weapon earlier, Shogg felt the broken end; it tapered down to a blunt point. The broken oar was almost as tall as he was. "Kroova, I think we need two otters for this job, matey."

They huddled together at the stern of the boat, whispering. Shogg had his knife out, whittling the broken end of the oar to a point until it began to resemble a sharp wooden stake. Kroova leaned over, peering steadily down into the stream.

"There, that's the place. Come on, we got work t'do. Sagax, keep 'er goin' upstream, don't stop. We'll join ye later, won't be long."

With scarcely a ripple, both otters slid overboard into the stream. Scarum glanced astern. "D'you think they've spotted a good fat fish? I'm famishedthe jolly old turn's making an awful noise, wot?"

The hungry hare was a constant source of amus.e.m.e.nt to Triss, who smiled as Sagax berated him: "Listen, twiddly ears, stop moaning about your stomach and get this vessel moving. We're deadbeasts if those vermin catch up with us. You don't hear Triss and me complaining all the time. Now, get on with it!"

Scarum poled away resentfully, chunnering to himself, "Huh, you don't complain, 'cos you're not a hare. We're n.o.ble beasts, with bloomin' n.o.ble appet.i.tes, too. Blinkin' badgers an' squirrels can live on a pawful of nothin', but not this mother's child. I need a good six square meals a day, at least!"

Triss whispered in his ear sympathetically, "I know they don't understand you, but don't fret. Keep working and I'll personally see that you get a good big feed as soon as we get time to rest."

As Sagax watched Scarum poling diligently away, he spoke out of the side of his mouth to the squirrelmaid.

"Look, he's stopped complaining. I could never get him to work like that. What did you say to him, Triss?"

"Oh, I just told him I'd get him something to eat as soon as we get the chance."

The badger shook his great striped head. "You might be sorry you said that."

The deck shook as Kroova and Shogg leaped aboard. Scarum noticed immediately that they had returned empty-pawed.

"Flamin' bounders, I thought you were bringin' back that big fat fish as a surprise for me!"

Shogg patted the hare's back. "Sorry, mate, we left the surprise back there for those vermin to find."

Plugg Firetail had the ship's jollyboat speeding like an arrow upstream. His method was simple; The moment his four rowers showed signs of tiring, he sent them ash.o.r.e to run along the banksides and chose four fresh vermin to replace them.

Princess Kurda sat stonefaced as the Freebooter harangued four of her own Ratguards scornfully. "Row, ye lily-livered swabscorne on, bend yore backs an' pull those oars. Youse rats've had an easy life, yore all fat'n'lazy. I'll show ye 'ow a Freebooter works. Row, ye slab-sided, bottle-nosed bangtails, yer not bowin' an' sc.r.a.pin' to a princess now, yore rowin' a boat!"

Bladd giggled. He liked the Captain's colourful curses, "Yarr, you row like de Capting say, bottle-nosed svabs! Yowch! Capting, Kurda pinch me vit 'er sharp claws."

The Princess glared hatefully at her fat brother. "Shut your s...o...b..rin' face, stupid, or I t'row you overboard!"

Plugg shook a paw at her, his voice dripping sarcasm. "Now, now, beauty, ye shouldn't be usin' language like that to yore dear brother. Come on, kiss 'im an' make up."

Bladd recoiled in disgust. "Yekk, she not kissin' me!"

The silver fox rounded on the four rats at the oars. "Who told you idle sc.u.m t'stop rowin', eh? Now put some en- ergy into it, afore I chop off yore tails an' make ye eat 'em. Row, ye pickle-pawed oafs!"

Oars dipped swift and deep as the jollyboat sped from the dune canyons into the sheltering shade of woodlands. Plugg reached up and snapped off a long green willow branch. "First one I spot idlin' gets a taste o' this!"

Vorto called across the bank to Riggan, who was trotting along the other edge, "Are we still on their trail?"

Plugg interrupted before the slavecatcher could answer. "No, matey, they've took to the sky an' they're flyin' south like the birds. Idjit! This is the only way they can go in a boat. Huh, an' I thought my crew was stupid!" He lashed out at the rowers with his willow withe. "We should be plunderin' an' loadin' up wid loot, instead o'chasin' a few lousy slaves.... Aaaaaargh!"

Without warning, the rowers had sent the jollyboat speeding straight onto the sharpened wooden stake that Shogg and Kroova had lodged tight between two roots on the streambed. It protruded upward at an angle, facing downstream, the point lurking fractionally below the surface. As the boat hit the stake, it smashed through the side of the prow like a huge spearpoint. Water came gushing in. Plugg's agonised scream was not without reasonthe stake had gotten him in the lower back, just short of his haunches.

Pandemonium reigned. Kurda seized two of the Rat-guards who had been rowing, screeching at them as the boat rapidly filled up, "Get me to de sh.o.r.e, quick!"

The two of them bore her to the bank, with the other two carrying Prince Bladd, who was wailing in terror, "Don't let me drop, I cannot svim!"

The crew of the Seascab Seascab hurled themselves into the stream. Cutla.s.ses and hatchets crashed into the sinking boat timbers as they hacked wildly, striving to free their captain. Plugg had pa.s.sed out with the pain, and Grub-bage held the silver fox's head above the waterline. hurled themselves into the stream. Cutla.s.ses and hatchets crashed into the sinking boat timbers as they hacked wildly, striving to free their captain. Plugg had pa.s.sed out with the pain, and Grub-bage held the silver fox's head above the waterline.

"Gerrim out, mates, 'urry, or the Cap'n will get drowned!"

Slitfang chopped away madly at the stake, which was holding Plugg in the boat. "Tazzin, lend a paw 'ere, bring yer dagger or we'll lose the Cap'n!"

They freed Plugg and carried him up to the bank. Sc.u.mmy the stoat and Grubbage, who both had experience in treating wounds, attended the fox's limp, wet form, whilst the rest of the crew looked anxiously on. Without a captain, the Freebooters were like lost creatures. Kurda watched them, a smile of pitiless cruelty on her face. "Dere is no need for de boat now, so I vill continue hunting der slaves mitt my Ratguards. Yarr, de fox does not have a lot to say now, does he? Tchah!"

She spun on her paw, only to find herself surrounded by Freebooters. Tazzin licked her dagger blade meaningly.

"Yew ain't goin' anywhere an' leavin' us wid a wounded cap'n. We all stays 'ere til Plugg's ready to move, see!"

Vorto came hurrying up, with his spear at the ready. "Back off, seasc.u.m, yew ain't orderin' our princess about!" Slitfang sneaked up behind and felled Vorto with a hefty blow of his cutla.s.s hilt. Placing a paw on the senseless rat, he leaned across and hissed in Kurda's face, "I'm cap'n while old Plugg's out of action, an' I says we stay. If'n ye wants to challenge my order, yer welcome to try. I'll fix it so you an' yore rats stays 'ere fer good, wid the insects to pick over yore bones. Well?"

Kurda dropped her eyes. There was no point in trying to argue with dangerous sea vermin. "Yarr, ve stay."

Midafternoon found the five friends taking a cutoff up a sidestream. Shogg rested his oarpole and listened to the stillness hanging upon the quiet sunny air.

"Wot d'ye think, Kroova, did our liddle plan work?" The sea otter leaped from the boat to the nearby bank. "I think it prob'ly did, mate. Don't seem to be a sound of anybeast followin'. Can you 'ear anythin', Triss?"

Bounding ash.o.r.e, the squirrelmaid shot up the trunk of a tall elm. She was back down directly. "Not a move anywhereI think we're safe for the moment, Right, let's get some vittles organised, I'm hungry!"

Scarum was at her side in the wink of an eye. "Well, thank me auntie's pinny for a handsome gel with a bit o' sense, wot, excellent suggestion, marm. Capital!"

They split up and went foraging into the woodlands, whilst Triss stayed behind to guard their boat.

Sagax was the first to return. He brought some wild berries and a few early plums, which, while sweet, were still quite hard. The two otters arrived next, followed by Scarum, who a.s.sessed the fruits of their search. He was, by turns, both critical and optimistic.

"Not bloomin' much, chaps, is it? A few measly berries, some hard-as-rock plums, a load of roots, dearie me! Still, I suppose we'll make somethin' of them once I start cookin', wot?"

Triss shook her head. "Sorry, no fires to give off smoke signals. Besides, what would you use for a cooking pot?" Scarum's ears drooped. "I thought you were on my side! What in the name of fiddlesticks d'you expect us to do, scoff 'em raw an' drink streamwater? It's not jolly well civilised."

Sagax pulled the boat into the land and moored it to a tree. "Sshh! Listen, can you hear singing?"

The strains grew louder and clearer as they listened. From round an upstream bend, four shrew logboats appeared. They were packed with shrew families, singing at the tops of their voices to the accompaniment of drums and tambourines. Stringed instruments blended with the harmonious melody. The shrews did not appear to have a single care in the world.

"Summer, summer, what a lazy afternoon, Music, laughter, sun a-waitin' for the moon, Twilight, my light, stream is all a-slumber, too, Babes a-sleepin', willows weepin', skies so blue.

Nothin' like a good ole river, On a sunny afternoon with you, Sittin' in a dear ole logboat, Plunkin' out a tune or two.

We'll sail off to a shady bower, Kettle will be boilin' soon, While we sport an' play, the livelong day, An' sleep beneath a golden moon.

I'll find a place so filled with mem'ries, Where the waters kiss the sh.o.r.es, When yore ma an' pa ain't watchin', You'll hold my paw in yours.