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

Benjy was completely taken in; wide-eyed, he asked, “Does that mean well have to eat one of the big uns? Hope its not Mr. Joseph; I like him!

Rufe thought for a moment. “Hmm, Foremole might taste all right, or maybe one of the shrewsLog-a-Log, hes plump enough.

“I couldnt eat them, theyre nice creatures! Benjy said, horrified.

Rosie and Figgs were parading round the deck. Rosie was so amused by the little ottermaid that she had joined her in the game. They both went about waving their paws, calling aloud together, “Lack a day, no tucker, tuckers gone, lack a day!

Passing by the four on the bowsprit, Rosie gave them a wave. “Toodle pip, chaps! Whew, this is hot work. Lack a day ...

Patch cast a sly glance at Rosie and rubbed his paws gleefully. “At least we wouldnt have to put up with Mrs. Woodsorrel laughin all the time, he said.

Rufe had not really taken part in the grisly joke, and now, unable to stand any more of it, he put a comforting paw around Benjy. “Dont worry, mate, therell be no-beast cooked aboard this ship. Huh, Id like to see anyone try to eat miz Rosie!

Figgs heard the remark and thought it was the signal for a new game. She grabbed the hares footpaw, crying, “Lack a day, eat miz Rosie, lack a day!

Rosie Woodsorrel was highly amused, at first. “Whoo-hoohahahooh! I say, thats a good un young Figgs, eat miz Rosie, wot? Yowch, ylittle villainshe bit me!

The four youngsters nearly fell off the bowsprit laughing. Benjy stood up and grasped a rope to steady himself. When the laughter subsided, he pointed west.

“Look, whats that? The waters all ripply out there.

In a trice Finnbarr was across the deck and up on the bowsprit alongside the squirrel. “Show me, Benjy, mate?

“There, see, Mr. Finnbarr, the sun glitters on it!

“Aye, I sees it, messmate. Joseph! Bring that tiller about; it could be a shoal of small fishes. You young uns, go an elp Log-a-Log rig up some nets. Mebbe our luck is back. Well done, Benjy!

Joseph and Log-a-Log watched the strange rippling water as Pearl Queen sailed toward it. The shrew Chieftain was plainly puzzled. “Never seen nothin like that before. Hope its not rocks under the surface or anythin dangerous. What dyou spose it is, Joseph?

“I dont know enough about the sea to say, friend. It certainly is odd, though. Our best bet is to follow orders and trust Finnbarr. Are the nets ready?

“Aye, Ive posted Patch an the rest at the stern. Well do a spot of trawling if it is small fish.

Figgs had given up trying to eat Rosie. Now she sat on the hares shoulders, gazing out over the flurrying, rippling strip of sea that came out of nowhere and vanished into the distance. It was about twenty boatlengths wide.

The nets were cast over as soon as Pearl Queen entered the disturbed patch of water. Finnbarr Galedeep hung over the stern peering into the meshes at the gray, wriggling swarms trapped in them. Pulling himself back on deck, he clapped Log-a-Logs back with a paw that was as hearty as it was heavy, and shouted, “Shrimp! We sailed into shoals of shrimp!

A cheer went up from the crew. Rosie and Figgs headed swiftly for the galley. “Whoohahahooh! Dyou hear that Figgs? Shrimp! Now, Im sure I spotted some mushrooms and spring onions. Aha, leeks! Its shrimp stew all round for tea, what dyou say, Figgs?

“Thrimps? Lack a day, tucker gone, Figgs want thrimps!

Finnbarr helped the crew pull in the nets that bulged with gray, wriggling shrimps. “Haharr, theyll soon be all pink an tender when they gits cooked, the sea otter chortled. “I wonder, is there any pepper about? Great seasons, theres a dish twarm the cockles of yer eart, shrimp stew with hotroot pepper aplenty. Ahoy there, Bandle, steer us out o this lot now, we got enough!

A panicked cry rang out from the shrew at the tiller. “I cant hold er, Finnbarr. Were bein pulled into the ripplin water. I cant get er out!

Finnbarr dropped the nets and dashed to the tiller. “Give it ere, mate. This ship aint goin nowhere I dont want it to. Come over, Pearll The sea otter fought with all his strength against the tiller, trying to get the vessel back into calm seas.

Joseph strolled up and stood grinning at him. Finnbarr Galedeeps face was a picture of disbelief. “Joseph, what ails yer, matey? Dont stan there grinnin like a witless woodypecker; lend a paw ere an quick!

The Bellmaker shook his grizzled head saying, “Seems like your luck is back, Finn, you old wavedog. Shrimp stew for supper, and youve found Roaringburn again.

The sea otters jaw dropped in amazement. “Roarin1-burn?

Joseph flung out a paw at the rippling waters. “Aye, Roaringbura. Look at the speed were traveling, and headed due south, too. What else could it be?

Finnbarr gave over trying to control the tiller; he put it on a rope holder, due south. “Well, swoggle me whiskers an rot me rudder, if I aint a bottle-nosed son of a barnacle. Roarinburn! Come ere, young Wincey, an give yer ole uncle Finn a great big kiss fer more luck!

Wincey obliged, then ran off scrubbing at her lips. “Phtooh! Sea otters whiskers, yukk, tough an salty!

As evening fell, Rosie wiped a paw across her brow, weary of serving up helpings of Figg n Rosie shrimp-stew. She filled Foremoles bowl saying, “Mercy me, Figgs, how many more to come?

The tiny ottermaid was seated on a stool, helping out. She glared at a shrew who was shuffling in in a guilty manner. “Lack a day, Figgs seen you afore, two timesno more fyou! Mercy me, lots more wants more, miz Rosie.

Figgs was a proper little tyrant. She rapped Finnbarr with a ladle as he held out his bowl. “None fyou til you singasong. Figgs wants a song!

The sea otter shook his ottercordion at her. “If you wasnt so lucky Id a cooked ye along with those shrimps, young Figgs.

Figgs narrowed her eyes and brandished the ladle. “I cook you if you dont singasong, young Finnbars!

Finnbarr Galedeep riffled off a jaunty chord. “Im too young t be cooked. Ill sing for ye, Figgs.

Pearl Queen sped south into the night with the merry strains of singing hovering in her wake. The small galley was packed with crew, firelight from the stove flickering on their faces as they ate supper and listened to Finnbarrs song.

“Well there aint a dish in all the world,

As good as ole shrimp stew,

An this is the best Ive ever ad,

An Ive ad quite a few,

You kin keep yore big sea biscuits,

That duff an* skilly too,

Ill scrape me bowl an lick me spoon,

An sing to you by the light o the moon,

Theres better days a comin soon,

But none quite like tonight!

It was still dark when Wincey shook Joseph. He sat up on the hatch covers rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Whats the matter, little one? he asked.

“The ships stopped, Joseph. The Bellmaker sat quite still, holding his head to one side as he listened for the familiar noise of rigging, sail, and wind. Taking Winceys paw he rose. “Youre right, the ship has stopped. I wonder why?

Together they made their way up to the prow. Joseph f lifted her onto the bowsprit as he peered over the forard end. The Pearl Queen lay in shallow water, nosed deep into a broad sandbank. To the west the Roaringburn current could be seen, running off into a distant arc. A movement close by caused Joseph to turnit was Finnbarr.

“Looks like the current dont want us no more, matey. Shes drifted us off on to this ere sandbank; weve run out oluck again.

Joseph lifted Wincey down. “Go and get Benjy, little maid, and bring him here, quickly. Hold hard a moment, Finn. I think our luck may still be running good.

Benjy came pattering along paw in paw with Wincey. Joseph boosted him up so he could see over the rail. “Tell me, Benjy, these sandbanks, those little islands yonder and that shoreline behind them, do you recognize them?