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

Saxtus averted his head from the foul-smelling mess that Slipp was piling onto the cold contents of his plate. “Youll excuse me asking, Slipp, but what do you put into this, er, skilly an duff? he asked. Slipp licked the ladle and winked. “Haharr, thats an ole seadogs secret; a bit o this an a touch o that, lashins of wild garlic, white dead nettle, some cleavers an just a smidgeon o dogwort.

Saxtus clapped a paw to his mouth and hurried from the table.

Slipp hooked a clawful of the steaming concoction from Saxtuss plate, straight into his mouth. “Wots wrong with im? Tastes fine fine.

Mellus s huge paw crashed down on the table. “Enough is enough! The only thing youve ever cooked up is roguish schemes. Clear this ... this ... garbage away, and bury it somewhere deep to let nature take care of it. Now!

Slipp drew himself up haughtily, about to protest when the badger seized him by one ear and shook him. “You are a cheat and a liar! Youve never cooked in your life! When youve cleared this lot up I want to see you out in the kitchens. Scrub all the pots and pans and spread rose-water round until every trace of skilly an* duff, sight or smell, is gone!

“Yowowow, lemme go, stripedog! Ooch ouch!

Brothers Fingle and Mallen took over cooking duties, and a satisfactory lunch of summer salad, cheeses, and apple pie with meadowcreain brought the Abbey back onto an even keel. The day wore on, warm, sunny and still; bees droned lazily from flower to flower. Redwallers went on with their daily chores, tending crop and orchard, harvesting honey, reading and studying, or helping with the upkeep of Abbey buildings. Tranquillity was the keynote, with the high green mantle of Mossflower shading the outer walls on three sides, leaving the west ramparts open to sunny flatlands where larks sang and grasshoppers chirruped.

Toward mid-noon Blaggut put the finishing touches to a pair of boats he had made by halving an old cider barrel lengthways. The searat was proud of a previously unknown skill he had discovered that dayboatbuilding. He had sawed the barrel neatly from top to bottom, making two butt-ended little vessels. A cask lid cut in half provided two keels for balance. Inside the boats he wedged short, flat planks for seats. Two big ash staves served as masts, with a third, cut in half, completing the cross spars, from which hung twin, much-patched sails. They had done sterling service as tablecloths and were donated by Sister Sage. The mousebabe and Furrtil the molemaid scurried round the searats footpaws, squeaking excitedly.

“Which uns mine, Blackguts, sir?

“Hurr, theym bootiful ships!

“Can us ave rowers to row with?

“Oim callen moi ship ee Daffydill

“Mine be called Watermouseyl

Blaggut sat dow.n on the pond edge sipping cider that he had drained from the barrel into a bowl before construction began. The searat was as happy as the two Dib-buns.

“Haharr, mates, Im a boatbuilder! All me life Ive been called stoopid an clumsy an thick as two short planks. But I aint, I got clever paws, I kin make boats, good uns!

“Write our ships names on em, Blackguts, sir. Oh, please!

Blaggut had hoped they would not ask him this. “Er, well, mebbe Sister Sage oughter do that, shipmates. I never learned no writin, bein a searaer, carpenter, there wasnt no need fer such things. Aye, well ask the Sister. Sides, she probly kin write proper fancy; I bet good ole mouseladies like er does writin a lot. But old ard, mateys. Wot about our bargainyou know, the secret treasure you was gonna show me?

The mousebabe planted his paws on tiny, fat hips. “Nono, first we wanna sail, see if these ships work right!

Blaggut finished his cider. “Yore an ard master, mousebabe. Come on then, lets launch em.

The boats were an instant success. They sailed wonderfully on the slightest breeze and in the absence of any wind could be rowed easily with the paddles Blaggut had made. All the Abbey Dibbuns gathered at the ponds edge, anxious to take their turn being ferried about on the Abbey pond. Both mousebabe and mole-maid were in their element, sailing, paddling, and roaring orders.

“Hurr, youm sit yurr an ee sit thurr. Old on naow!

“Two atta time, ony two atta time. Whos next?

“Oill take ee round yon bullyrushers!

“Watch out for big fishes an pirates!

Blaggut lounged on the bank, proudly watching his two new boats on their maiden voyages. After a while, Slipp came shuffling wearily along and slumped down beside his former boatswain. “Enjoyin* yerself are yer, avin a good time? he asked.

“Aye thankee, Capn. See the boats I made fer my Dibbuns!

Slipp cast a weary eye over the two sleek little craft. “So thats ow you been fritterin the day away. I mighta known, you great lazy loaf ead!

Blaggut had not expected Slipp to make any nice comments on his achievements. “Buildin boats aint fritterin time away, Capn. Wot ave you been up to all day?

Slipp waved airily as if it were no big thing. “Oh, they made me ead cook, Im in charge of all the kitchens. Did yer taste my skilly an* duff at brekkfist?

“Aye, Capn. It was orrible. Yew make a better Capn than a cook. The bread was nice, though. Did ymake that?

Slipp was no stranger to fibbing. “Baked the bread meself, he lied glibly. “It was those Abbey mice who made the skilly an duff; they ignored me instructions. Blaggut leaned close to SHpps ear and whispered, “Capn, we dont ave to go untin fer booty tonight, so dont you worry about that black shadder we saw.

SHpp felt the hairs on his nape rise with fear. “Shurrup, yfool. Shut yer mouth! I tol* you never to mention that black shadow again long as you live. It didnt appen, dye hear me? Theres no such thing as black shadows. Anyow, why dont we ave to go lookin fer booty tonight?

Blaggut told his Captain all, from the boatbuilding to the oath he had taken with the Dibbuns. He smiled slyly at Slipp and winked. Slipp cuffed him roughly on the nose. “Ymean to tell me that those two Dibthings know where theres secret treasure idden, an yore sittin ere like a loungin lobster watchin em sail round a pond? “Bargains a bargain, Capn, said Blaggut, rubbing his nose tenderly. “They gotta try out their new boats. Besides, I got to stay ere an keep an eye on the liddle rascals in case one falls in.

Tarquin L. Woodsorrel came strolling up and wagged an ear at Slipp curtly. “Cmon, Slippy ol rat, back to work, wot? Lots of sticky pots t be washed; theyve been making honey pudden an maple toffee apples. Sticks the pots n pans up frightfully, yknow. Mellus sent me, said if ydont come shell be down here an fetch you herself. Ydont want that, wot?

Blaggut stared nonplussed at his companion. “But, Capn, I thought you said you was the cook in charge?

Tarquin chuckled at the thought of Slipp ruling the kitchens. “Oh hes in charge all right, Lord of all the greasy dishwater. King of the pots n pans. Well, old thing, are you comin?

Slipp gnawed a sticky claw, his bravado shattered by the thought of the fearsome Mellus standing over him, inspecting each dish to see it was clean. He clung to Blaggut, whimpering, “Dont letim take me, mate. You wouldnt let them crooly use yer ole Capn as a galley slave, would yer?

“Leave the Capn ere, sir, Blaggut appealed to Tarquin. “Those young uns need watchin. Ive gotta take the molemaid an the mousebabe fer their afternoon stroll. Ahoy there, you two, come on now.

Tarquin winked at Slipp. “Righto, but dont forget those pots and pans or Mellus will remind you with a ladle, wot?

The two Dibbuns held Blagguts paws as they guided him around the back of the main Abbey building. As they went, he questioned them. “You shore that its the real secret idden treasure of Redwalls hAbbey?

The mousebabe gave an exasperated sigh at Blagguts ignorance. “Phwaw! Course we sure. Its the mos se-cretest treasure in alia world, innit Furrtil?