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

Whoooosssshhh! Whooomph!

The entire top curve of the high dune fell with an almighty avalanche of weeds, grass, and sand. It seemed to hover in midair a fraction, then down it came like a thunderbolt, with the old warrior perched atop still yelling his war cry. The Dirgecallers and at least a score of the rat horde never knew what happened to them. Countless tons of sand wiped them out instantly.

Nagru came dashing up, pushing and kicking his way through the awestruck masses. He made his way to the front and gaped in amazement at the scene. Mariel and Dandin had escaped the worst, but they were trapped, buried almost to their necks in sand. Meldrum had fared little better; being immersed to his ample waist, he could only struggle helplessly and hurl insults at his enemy.

“Good wheeze, eh? Wished we couldve got the crummy lot of you under there with your stinkin rotten ermine and some of your other pals. Well, whatre ygaw-pin at?

The Foxwolf glared at the bold veteran. “My Dirge-callers, you killed them!

Mariel spat sand from her mouth and yelled defiantly. “Aye, dig me out of here and Ill give you a run for your acorns, too, you great two-headed, slop-mouthed, ring-tailed excuse for a toad!

Dandin joined in hurling imprecations. “Now then, scabby skin, just imagine if we had been an army? Hah! You and those other gray slime wouldnt be around to tell the story. Dig us loose, and youll find out that were not a couple of helpless squirrels!

Nagru controlled his rage. “Oh, well dig you out all right, but after a good spell of starvation in my dungeons youll find yourselves dangling by your footpaws as target practice for my archers. Then youll wish you had been a couple of squirrels. Wetchops! Go and get those squirrels. Take fifty archers and finish those otters off, then bring the Queen and her brat to me. The rest of you, dig those three out and bind them tight!

The three companions were dug out and tightly pinioned with ropes, though they continued their verbal abuse of Nagru and his horde.

“Hey, lily liver, tie my paws tighter, because if I get them around your filthy neck Ill throttle you!

“Zounds! Takes six of yeh to truss me up, eh? So it should, you frog-swampin, mud-scoffin, fly wallopers!

They were lugged down the hill and bound to carrying poles. All three lay in the sand as Nagru circled them, aiming the odd kick at their prostrate forms as he spoke.

“Youll wish youd never crossed trails with the Urgan Nagru when Im done with you. Two bold little mice, eh. Maybe well give you to the cooks after my archers have finished with your carcasses. Hmm, and a big fat hare. Ive never tasted hare. What dyou say, hare, will you be tasty enough to be served at a conquerors banquet?

Meldrum sniffed in disgust. “If its the last flippin thing I do, Ill stick in your rotten throat an choke you. Blaggard!

Wetchops came dashing back yelling, “Theyve gone! Theres not a sight nor sound of otters or squirrels anywhere! Theyve vanished into thin air!

Mariel winked cheekily at the Foxwolf. “Bit of good news, eh? How dyou feel about that, lumpbrain?

Nagru kicked the mousemaid savagely. “Not half as bad as youre going to feel, mousemaid!

10

Sighing restlessly, the boundless sea broke large rollers into white cream which hissed hungrily up to the tideline. A sea breeze, with no clouds to chase around the moonlit vault of the skies, spun dry sand into dancing spirals. Midnight laid its cloak over the Mossflower coast. The four logboats, propelled on muffled paddles by Log-a-Logs Guosim shrews, slid silently out over the remainder of the stream that stretched across the shore from dune to sea.

Finnbarr Galedeep and Log-a-Log sat in the prow of the leading vessel. Between them lay a mallet and a broken sword which would serve well as hammer and chisel. Hon Rosie and Joseph perched in the stern, both armed with strong throwing slings and satchels of sturdy pebbles. The female hare wriggled her ears delightedly, scarcely able to contain her excitement.

“I say, what a jape! Whoo ... Umff!

Joseph clamped strong paws about Rosies mouth, his voice stern and low. “Not one single giggle, dyou hear me, Rosie Woodsorrel?

Rufe, Durry, and Foremole wielded paddles in the second boat, the mole muttering darkly to himself, “OS doant moinds liddle boaters an streamwater, but those gurt shippers as sails on waves, boo hurr, no zurr!

Rufe mispaddled and splashed himself. “Wish I was back in Red wall. He sighed. “Id kiss the grass an never have aught to do with water again, not even to wash!

Durry Quill smiled across at the timid squirrel. “Acorns! By the end o this voyage youll be as big an old seadog as ever stood afore a mainmast. Keep yore tail up, Rufe, an dip that paddle deep.

The prows of all four boats bucked as they struck the first waves from the sea. Finnbarr turned to the crew sitting abaft of him, his single eye shining wildly, and shouted, “Now dig those paddles strong n deep, cullieswere on blue water!

Capn Slipp of the Pearl Queen sat alone on the shore beyond the headland toasting whelks over an open fire. He had been arguing with his brother, Capn Strapp, again. Though Slipp was the larger and stronger of the two searats, he did not possess Strapps eloquent tongue. Tonight they had argued over whether to sail north or south. Slipp wanted to sail north, but Strapp painted such a glowing picture of southern sun and easy pickings that both crews sided with him. They had all gone aboard his ship, the Shatloo, to celebrate, leaving Slipp alone to sulk over a small fire on the shore. Slipp was not worried; tomorrow he would continue the argument, escalating it into a fight, and he could always beat his brother hollow in a hard scrap. Then he would humiliate Strapp and rein gain command. Perhaps he might even imprison him aboard the Pearl Queen and have Rappsnout, his first mate, take over as Captain of the Shalloo. Slipp smiled to himself. Yes, that would teach Strapp to keep his high-flown opinions to himself.

Log-a-Log looked worried. He knew something was wrong with the plan as soon as he spotted the tiny fire on the shore, then his view was obscured as the hulks of the two ships loomed large in the dark.

“Finnbarr, did you see? Theres hardly anybeast on shore.

The sea otter thumped the prow with his paw. “Barnacles n bilgewater! I shoulda knowed twouldnt be all plain sailin. Hark though, mate, they must be all aboard the Shalloo. See the lights shinin from er ports an lissen to that racket. Theyre avin some sort o feast below decks. All the better for us, they wont ear the mallet.

Log-a-Log stared at him incredulously. “Youre not still thinking of scuttling the Shattool

Finnbarr was already slipping over the side into the inky seawater. “Course I am, messmate! I aint leavin no searat ship afloat to come chasin after us. Pass me those tools, he said as he stretched out a paw. , With a grunt of resignation, Log-a-Log grabbed the implements and dived over the side into the sea. He bobbed up beside Finnbarr and passed him the heavy mallet.

“Youre right, of course. Lets get it done!

As they swam off, the four boats hoved to on the seaward side of the Pearl Queen. Joseph seized hold of a rope that trailed down from the deck high above. “Come on, lets steal ourselves a ship!

Blaggut, boatswain of the Pearl Queen, was lying half asleep beside the mainmast, consoling himself with a flagon of seaweed grog. There were only himself and six crew left aboard while the others feasted and roistered aboard the Shalloo. Still, a ship had to have a watch, and at least the bad-tempered Capn Slipp was ashore. He took a pull at the flagon. Wiping a grubby paw across his lips, he blinked twicewas that a mouse and a big rabbit just come aboard? Blaggut staggered upright. “Ahoy, you two, whatn the name of fishes are ye do ...