The Bellmaker - Jacques, Brian - Redwall 07 - The Bellmaker

“Squirrelqueens goin tget erself an the liddle un captured ifn she dont leave Southsward, mark my words, matey. That scum Nagru wont rest til theyre both slain.

“Aye, thats true. But you card er. Shes stayin put. Trouble is, wheres a good cove to ide em?

“Ifn we puts Nagru off their scent Iris should take em to ole Furpps dwellin in the mounds by the wastelands. Theyll be snug n safe enough there, I reckons.

Iriss head popped up between them. “Stow the gab and save your energy for pushin. Hear that!

Greenbeck blew stream water from his nostrils. “Sounds like moren rats in our wake ...

“Wonder whats makin that awful wailin din? Troutlad said as he began shoving the trunk faster. “Come on mate, put yore back into it an lets get movin!

Serena stared anxiously back over her shoulder, pulling little Truffen close. Her teeth chattered with fright at the unearthly, dirgelike wails of the pack that were on the trail of her and the babe.

It was a bright blue summer morn when the questers and a party of well-wishers left Redwall Abbey. Above the breeze the sky was ridged with high white clouds, patterned like rippled sand after the tide leaves a beach. Many Redwallers had turned out to march along with the five to the River Moss. They lined the banks, passing supplies from paw to paw to the shrews aboard four log-boats. Abbot Saxtus embraced the shrew Chieftain warmly.

“Log-a-Log, old friend, thank you for the warmth and help you have always shown to us.

Log-a-Log brushed aside the compliment modestly. “Aye, Guosim, the Guerrilla Union of Shrews in Moss-flower, thats us, always here to help our chums. But lets go over these plans again, Father Abbot. You say that Ive got to take your five to the sea in our logboats. Fair enough, but what happens then?

Saxtus hemmed and hawed as he filled a beaker with October ale for the shrew, knowing he was about to ask rather a lot from the Chieftain of the Guosim. “Er, well, haha, hmmm, its rather hard to explain ...

Log-a-Log sipped his ale, both eyes never leaving Saxtus. “Come on, spit it out, Saxtus. What dyou really want?

Plucking up courage, the Abbot ventured forth on his tale, from the night of Josephs dream. Log-a-Log sat swirling the ale in his beaker as he listened open-mouthed to the strange story. When Saxtus had finished he looked hopefully at the shrew, asking, “Well, my old friend, what do you say?

Log-a-Log sat silent awhile, watching his quarrelsome tribe of Guosim shrewssmall, spiky furred, each wearing a colored headband, broad belt, and short rapier. They argued and fought constantly, over who would sit where, which paddle was to be wielded by one or another, how best to stow the supplies and accommodate the passengers. Their gruff bass voices and aggressive manners marked them indelibly as Guosim shrews. Log-a-Log shook his head.

“Adventures, quests, battles, and the seasons knows what! Thats just what my tribe needs; theyre getting too fat and argumentative sittin on the riverbank fishin their days away. But Im afraid we dont have what you want, Saxtus. Let me explain. A shrew logboat is fine for rivers, streams, and big lakes, but you couldnt put to sea in one. Theyre not built big or strong enough to stand high seas, waves, or gales. A good stormd send our logboats straight to the bottom. Thats the truth, friend.

Saxtus was crestfallen. All the hopes and plans of Red-walls five questers had been dashed by Log-a-Logs announcement. Then the shrews eyes twinkled merrily, and he slapped the Abbots back soundly.

“Cheer up, old frogfeatures. I didnt say I wouldnt help, did I? Theres moren one way of shellin an acorn. Hah! Imagine trying to leave the Guosim out of adventures an battles and so on!

Saxtus immediately brightened up. “Youre going to help us, he said. “I knew we could count on you!

Log-a-Log stood up, resting both paws on his large belt. “Aye, what well need is a real ship, and I happen to know just the creature wholl get us one. Bear in mind, a ship needs a proper crew, watershrews, not landlubbers. Anyway, dont worry; me and the Guosimll be going along for the voyage. Now dont go pestering me with more questionsIve got work to do before we get under way. Hi, Bandle! What dyou think yore doin with those casks? Put em abaft of the bundles in the stern of my boat. Patch! Make that headrope secure or somebeastll fall in the water trying to get aboardtighten the back-spring, too!

He strode off issuing orders left and right, leaving Saxtus to join the rest in bidding farewell to the five travelers. Log-a-Logs shrews were getting more quarrelsome and impatient to be off, so most of the Redwallers good-byes were shouted as they ran along the banks when the log-boats paddled off.

“Youm taken gurt care of eeself, zurrs. Doant fall in ee hocean, burr no, tis vurry wetten!

“Have a super time, Rosie old gel. Dont fret over the young unsIll look after the blighters. Oh, an try not to laugh too much. Those shrew chappies, yknow, pretty short-tempered an not too jolly, wot?

“Ive packed October ale aplenty for ye Durry, think of yore ole pals when you sup it!

“Dont worry about the bellringing, Rufe. Well all take turns. Be good and come home safe!

“Joseph, ole mate, next time I see that grizzly gob of yourn Id like to see Marie! kissin it. Good luck, mate!

“Cheerio mater, pip pip an all that. Bring us back somethin tasty to eat, toodle pip!

Blind Simeon spread both paws wide, his reedy voice carrying on the breeze: “Fortune, fates and fair seasons be with you, may the spirit of Martin guide and guard you all!

The cries grew fainter and dimmer as the logboats picked up the center current and swept away, sped skillfully on by the paddles of Log-a-Logs tribe.

Joseph sat in the prow of Log-a-Logs boat, listening to the shrew Chieftain.

“Finnbarr Galedeep, theres a rogue for you. If any-beast can get us a ship, he can. You ever met a sea otter, Joseph?

“Never, though Ive heard tell of them. Whats this Finnbarr Galedeep like?

Log-a-Log dug his paddle deep, chuckling. “Oho, youll find out soon enough, my friend!

Day turned into night and back again twice as the four logboats sped downstream traveling seaward. Overhanging trees, resounding with Mossflower birdsong, cast speckled shade and gave way to shimmering water meadows and silent green fields. The fields changed gradually into high, sun-warmed banks where yellow-horned poppy, purslane, and pink-flowered thrift were visited by bees, as they danced gently with the breeze. Peaceful and ancient, the landscape skimmed quietly by. Guosim shrews were not so quarrelsome once they were waterbome and paddling awhile. Often they would break out into river shanties, gruff bass voices resounding into the countryside

“I was bom on a stream and fed from a paddle, Shrum a doo rye ey, shrum a doo rye ey, And here Ill stay til me tail dont waggle, See longweeds grow where the currents flow, Aye thats the way I like it soooooooooooo. Shrum a doo rye ey, shrum a doo rye ey, Ho run you river, run my way, Ho ummm, Ho ummmm, Ho ummmm!

The final daybreak of their voyage found Hon Rosie wakened from a cramped position. “Oohh! I feel like a jolly old frog in a jug, wot? I say, though, the old footpaws are rather warm n comfy.

“Burr aye, theym should be, marm. Ee ben sticken em daown moi ears all noight long. Hurr!

Foremole pulled himself up to enjoy the spectacle of dawn across the dunes. Powderblue skies were barred by rollers of pearl gray clouds, their tops tinged apricot and rose by a sun rising in the east. Sounds of waves and seabirds stirred Rufe from his slumber. He lay still as the logboats nosed aground in a sandy cove, twixt two high dunes at the shore edge. “Are we in the sea, Durry? he asked.

The hedgehog splashed over the side into the shallows. “Bless yer eart no, Rufe. This eres still the stream. Well ave to trek across the shore to reach seawater.