Brian Jacques - Rakkety Tam

The Highlander drew his claymore, yelling to the voles, “Run for it, mates. Get intae the Abbey, now!”

Yoofus and Didjety paused a moment, looking puzzled. Then they turned and saw the vermin.

Doogy launched himself at the enemy, roaring, “Run! Run! Ye can do no good here! Hawaaaaay the Braw!”

Yoofus grabbed his wife and hustled her wildly along. One of the vermin broke away from the rest, attempting to cut the water voles off. Doogy whirled, slaying him with a sweep of his claymore and as he did so, the Highlander’s back was turned from the vermin for but a moment. That was all the time Gulo the Savage needed: he quickly grabbed a hefty rock and threw it at the Highlander. The missile made a clunking sound as it bounced off the back of Doogy’s head. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Hauling his wife along, Yoofus ran as he had never run before. Neither of the voles looked back as they sped across the commonland toward the south wallgate.

With Rockbottom bouncing around in his backsling, the volethief threw himself at the wicker gate, panting and roaring, “Attack! Attack! For the love o’ mercy, open the gate!”

Didjety joined him, wailing piteously, “Ah sure we’ll be completely destroyed if y’don’t let us in! Help! Heeeeelp!”

Fortunately, Ulba molewife was taking a group of Dibbuns for an evening stroll around the Abbey pond before packing them off to their beds. Brookflow the ottermaid accompanied them, lest any should fall into the water, a fairly common occurrence when Abbeybabes and ponds come into contact. The little party was skirting the south edge of the water when they heard the voles’ impassioned cries.

Brookflow acted promptly, shouting out a course of action. “Get the little ’uns back to the Abbey, Ulba. I’ll see what’s goin’ on out there. Send some help, just in case!”

The molewife had her paws full trying to keep the Dibbuns from following the ottermaid. “You’m h’infants cumm back yurr with oi. Miz Brooky, be ee vurry careful naow!”

No sooner had Brooky shot the bolts back and cracked open the wicker gate than she spied the voles, dancing up and down in agitation.

“Mister Lightpaw, it’s you! What’s goin’ on out there?”

Yoofus shoved the door fully open and dashed inside, pulling Didjety along behind him. He wiped a paw across his brow. “Sure, an’ who did ye think it was, a frog on a frolic? Quick, bar that gate! ’Tis teemin’ wid vermin out there!”

Before there was time for further discussion, Tam, Skipper and the Long Patrol hares came charging along.

Yoofus relaxed, quickly regaining his composure now that the danger was past. “Well now, Mister MacBurl, aren’t ye the grand ould sight fer me weary eyes! Oh, I don’t think ye’ve met me darlin’ wife. Say hello t’the good creatures, Didjety!”

Tam grabbed the volethief’s paw roughly. “Where’s Doogy Plumm, an’ what’s goin’ on here? Speak!”

Yoofus winced. “Ouch! Leave off crushin’ me paw t’bits an’ I’ll tell ye!”

Tam relaxed his grip. “Hurry up then, an’ make it fast!”

The vermin who had been chasing the voles were about halfway across the commonland when Yoofus and Didjety were admitted to the Abbey and the door slammed shut. Gulo looked down at Doogy’s senseless form. He eyed the great drum, an idea forming in his mind. Signalling the vermin to return, he waited on them, nodding with satisfaction.

The wolverine issued orders. “Get ye this captive an’ yon drum back into the woodlands. Move sharp now, I have a plan!”

37

Because of the failing daylight, Sergeant Wonwill suggested that they take the water voles indoors for questioning. In Great Hall there was much curiosity about the object strapped to Yoofus’s back.

Abbot Humble ventured to touch the hard shell. “What is this thing, Mister Lightpaw?”

Didjety unfastened the strapping and placed her pet upon the floor. “Why, that’s me darlin’ liddle Rockbottom!”

A gasp of surprise went up as the creature poked out his head and legs. He began crawling toward a group of Dibbuns. Squeaking and squealing, they leapt back.

Foremole Bruffy scratched his snout, expressing wonder at the sight. “Burr, oi never see’d ’owt loike that in moi loife, no zurr!”

Sister Armel knelt down by Rockbottom. He craned his head forward so she could scratch gently under his chin. The Sister obliged, smiling. “Friends, meet the Walking Stone!”

Recognition dawned in Humble’s eyes. “Of course, the Walking Stone! What a funny little fellow he is. Where did you find him, marm?”

Yoofus swelled his chest out proudly. “Sure, ’twas meself that found him, Father.”

Sister Armel interrupted Yoofus. “Wait, don’t tell me! You found this creature not far from a lake. It came out of a hole at the foot of an old sycamore, all thick and overgrown with ivy leaves. Am I right, Mister Lightpaw?”

For the first time he could remember, Yoofus was lost for words. He could only stammer, “Wha . . . Who . . . How?”

Sister Screeve took from her sleeve the copy of the poem which she habitually carried around with her and began reading.

“Where the sun falls from the sky,

and dances at a pebble’s drop,

where little leaves slay big leaves,

where wood meets earth I stop.

Safe from the savage son of Dramz,

here the secret lies alone,

the symbol of all power, the mighty Walking Stone.”

Yoofus stared at the Sister and the Recorder. “How did ye know all that?”

For the sake of manners, Tam had not cut in on Armel and Screeve, but he could hold his impatience no longer. “Mrs. Lightpaw, marm, I’m sure ye can explain all about yore pet to everybeast, but right now I must speak to yore husband on a matter of great importance.”

He nodded toward Cavern Hole. “Down there, Yoofus, now! Skipper, Cap’n Fortindom, Sergeant Wonwill, I’ll need you, too.”

The volethief was slightly put out by the fact that he had not eaten in a while, and he wasted no time in telling them so. “Ah, ’tis a sad thing t’be offered none of the famous Redwall hospitality, so ’tis. Decent vittles haven’t passed me starvin’ ould lips since I don’t know when!”

Captain Fortindom eyed him sternly. “Talk first eat later, laddie buck, wot! You tell MacBurl what he jolly well wants t’know, then we’ll feed ye!”

Yoofus stared around at the tough faces and shrugged. “Ah well, here’s wot happened. We were leavin’ the woodlands after many a hard ould day’s march—meself, the missus an’ Doogy. I was carryin’ Rockbottom an’ rollin’ that drum along. ’Twas me who stole it from under the vermins’ noses, y’know. Then suddenly, without a by yore leave, just as we made it out into the open, out charges a gang o’ vermin!”

Skipper halted him with a gesture. “A gang, ye say? How many is a gang?”

Lying, like thieving, was second nature to Yoofus. He squinted one eye and scratched his chin as if estimating. “Oh, I’d say there was at least a score that I could see, an’ the ould Gulo beast, too. Sure that’s one fierce-lookin’ creature! Have ye not seen the claws’n’fangs on ’im?”

Tam cut in. “Never mind how Gulo looked! Exactly how many fightin’ beasts were with him? Think!”

Yoofus pursed his lips. “Well, as I said, there was about a score, sure but I could hear lots of others, hidin’ amid the trees they must’ve been. I can’t give ye a number for certain. They was armed to the very teeth, though. . . .”

Tam was pawing at his sword hilt. “And Doogy, what about Doogy?”