The hapless pair scurried across, saluting.
"Yessir, Captain Ripfang sir!"
Ripfang adopted a serious face and a grave tone. "Did yew 'ear that Mirefleck? Shoutin' an' sayin' nasty 'orrible things about 'Is Mightiness, terrible things, things yer couldn't repeat. Did you two 'ear 'er?"
The willow cane pointed from one to the other as they answered.
"Yessir, Captain Ripfang sir!"
"We both heard her, Captain Ripfang sir!"
Ripfang shrugged and winked at his brother. "See?"
Doomeye grinned as recognition dawned upon him, then he was struck by another idea. "Aye, an' did you both see that 'un attack me'n'this other captain an' try to escape?"
The answers came back as expected.
"Yessir, Captain Doomeye sir!"
"We both saw it all, Captain Doomeye sir!"
The two captains tittered like naughty beastbabes who had wriggled out of being punished. Ripfang nodded toward the body of Mirefleck. "Tie that thing with rocks an' sling it in the pool, then git on wid yore searchin'."
Groddil bowed respectfully. "We need rope to do that, Captain Ripfang sir."
Doomeye looked at the stunted fox as though he were stupid. "Then go an' get some rope, lots of it. We needs to tie youse two up tight tonight. You'll be stayin' down 'ere. Us captains got to get some decent rest an' 'ot vittles. Well, don't stan' there lookin' gormless, move yerself!"
Groddil did get lots of rope, a great coil of line from one of the ships. That night, he and Fraul were bound together from tails to necks. Ripfang tested the knots, then pushed the two bound captives down.
"Make sure yer get a good sleep now, you'll be busy tomorrer. Hahahaha! G'night!"
When the two captains had gone, Fraul growled at Groddil angrily. "Why did ye bring so much rope? I can 'ardly move a whisker. We'll be no good fer anythin' in the mornin'!"
Groddil's reply was even angrier. "Then be still and shut your useless mouth. I didn't bring all this rope down here just to be tied with it. Those two mudbrains don't know it, but I've found where the longears made their escape from. There's a way out of here!"
"A way out? Where?"
"I'll tell you when you've chewed through this rope. Now get your teeth working, stoat. We'll need this rope to reach the placethat's why I brought so much!"
Groddil lay still. They were back to back, but he could hear Fraul gnawing at the rope. "And don't be all night about it. We'll be lucky to last another two days with no food and those cruel fools guarding us. Chew harder, Fraul. It's either get away tonight or we're both dead-beasts!"
Ungatt Trunn did not sleep that night either. His dreams were haunted by the shadowy form of a Badger Lord with a sword, a big double-hilted war blade, getting closer each night.
Early evening of that same day saw Brogalaw and Durvy returning to their cave. Stiffener and the hares were awake, eagerly awaiting any news the sea otters could disclose to them. But there was none.
Brogalaw stood before the fire, steam rising from his fur. "Rain ain't let up by a drop. I tell ye, the wind fair chases it 'round every rock on that mountain!"
Durvy joined his Skipper, and they both sipped bowls of broth. Not wishing to appear ill-mannered or impatient, Stiffener let a short time elapse before asking the question.
"Did you catch sight of any hares, Brog?"
"Sorry, matey, but we didn't. Searched high'n'low though, didn't we, Durvy?"
"Aye, we did that, but all we saw was foul weather, wet rock an' the odd glimpse of blue vermin. Nary a hare. Is Rulango returned yet?"
Frutch fed the fire with driftwood. "Oh, that ole bird'll turn up when it suits him. I'd wager he's out fishin'. Rulango likes to fish in the rain."
Thoroughly dejected, the hares lounged about, constantly looking toward the entrance to see if the heron would show up. Night fell and there was still no sign of him. Two younger otters took out a whistle and a small drum and began playing a pretty tune. The one beating the drum began to sing.
"Oh I am a sea otter I lives by the sea,
I knows every tide ebb'n'flood,
An' I'll never break free from the sea, no not me,
'Cos the sea's in a sea otter's blood.
Haul yore nets in mates an' let everybeast wish,
That tonight we'll be dinin' on saltwater fish!
Well I've seen 'er stormy, sunny an' calm,
An' I've tasted the good, briny spray,
Just show 'er respect an' she'll do ye no harm,
She'll send you 'ome safe every day.
Throw those pots in mates, down deep t'the sea,
Tonight you an' me'll 'ave lobster for tea!
Them waves come a-crashin' on out o' the blue,
Aye big rollers all topped white with foam,
I sees my ole boat prow a-cut 'em clean through,
An' I sings then a-sailin' back 'ome.
We're ashore now mates, let yore mains'l go limp,
I've brought my ole mum a great netful o' shrimp!"
Scarce had the otters finished singing when Rulango stalked into the cave. Brogalaw stroked the great heron's neck. "Well now, about time you showed up, mate. Did you 'ave a good feed o' fish out there?"
Rulango nodded several times. Brogalaw tickled his crest. "Yore an' ole scallywag, fishin' while these good-beasts are waitin', gnawin' their whiskers for news o' their mateys. So, what've ye got t'say for yoreself?"
Rulango tapped the sandy floor with his widespread talons. The sea otter smoothed out an expanse of the sand, winking happily at Stiffener. "Our friend's got news for us. Watch this. Right ho, me ole bird, tell these creatures what ye saw."
The heron began drawing in the smooth sand with his beak. Stiffener moved close, interpreting what he saw. "There's the coastline an' the sea . . . now he's sketchin' out our mountain. Look at this, Bramwil!"
The ancient hare joined Stiffener and watched admiringly. "I say, this bird is a good artist. That's Salamandastron sure enough, viewed from the seaward side if I'm not mistaken. What's that? Oh, I see, it's him, circling round the rocks, about three-quarters of the way up. Hmm, he's drawing a circle in the mountain. Wait, 'tis a window hole, near the top level. But I don't understandwhat are all those funny leaf-shaped things he's sketching inside the window hole?"
Stiffener stared hard at the leaf shapes. "Strange-lookin' things. I can't tell what they are."
However, Brogalaw identified them without hesitation. "Why, bless yore 'eart, matey, they're long ears, just like yours. Good bird, you've found where Trunn's keepin' the hares locked up. Is that right?"
The heron nodded his head emphatically, then retired to a corner, where he perched on one leg.
Blench viewed the sketch with dismay. "Oh lawks, we've no chance of climbin' up that 'igh. Wot's t'be done, Stiffener?"
The boxing hare bit his lip and scratched his whiskers. "Aye, what's t'be done? A difficult question, marm!"
Trobee slumped moodily by the fire. "Of all the rotten luck, chaps. The blinkin' bounder has locked 'em up in a place far too high for us to do any thin'. I mean, how in the name o' sufferin' salad are we supposed t'get up there, eh, eh, wot, wot?"
Brogalaw's mother, Frutch, looked appealingly at him. "Oh, say you can 'elp the pore beasts, Brog!"
The Skipper of Sea Otters closed his eyes patiently. "I'll give it a try, Mum, but don't go gettin' yore 'ankychief out an' weepin', or I won't be able to think of anythin'. Quiet now an' let me ponder this."
Frutch blinked back grateful tears. She avoided reaching for her kerchief as she smiled at Blench. "Don't ye fret, m'dear. My Brog'll find a way to 'elp ye!"
Silence reigned in the cave. Outside the wind whipped up the rain into a fresh assault on the cliff face, and waves could be heard breaking on the shore. Brogalaw nodded to himself a few times, as if confirming his thoughts. Then he opened his eyes.
"Right, mates, 'ere's the top'n'bottom of it all. 'Tis too 'igh for us t'climb up to 'em. But they could climb down with the right 'elp. This is my plan. We needs ropes, good long 'uns. Once we've got 'em, Rulango can fly the ropes up to yore mates an' they can lower themselves down!"