Grumbling to himself, he shouldered his spear and lurched dozily along the corridor. “Wot is it now? Will you three in there give your gobs a rest! Soon as I can, Im goin to ave yous gagged! He appeared at the spyhole waving his spear. “Shut that noise up, wots the matter ... ?
Dashing from the far side of the cell the three prisoners hurled themselves bodily at the door.
Crash!
The staple holding the bolt flew from the wall as the door thudded flat into the corridor with the guard beneath it. Reaching under the door, Meldrum retrieved the guards spear and unfastened the keys from his belt. Marie! twirled her new Gullwhacker.
Dandin motioned them to be silent. “Sshh! Lets wait a moment to see if the noise has alerted anybeast ...
They stood stock-still for a short while. There was no response or indication that anyone had heard. Meldrum stole softly down the corridor, spear poised, to see if rats were on their way. As he passed one cell, a hoarse voice called him. “Meldrum the Magnificent, is it really you?
The hare had to look twice through the spyhole before he recognized the cells occupant. “Seasons of slaughter! King Gael!
Swiftly unlocking the door, he hauled forth a squirrel, thin to the point of emaciation. Mariel and Dandin hurried forward to help support the frail figure of the Squirrelking.
A raucous cackle issued from the next cell. “Gwaw! Norra nuff to mayka dinna thirr!
Dandin peered through the spyhole, but withdrew hastily as the tip of a pointed beak sought his eye. Meldrum drew him to one side and, using the speartmtt, the hare rapped the beak sharply until it withdrew. Standing a cautious distance away, he looked through the spyhole.
Mariel was filled with curiosity. “What is it? Whats in there? she said.
“Kchakchakcha! Glokkpod inna hirr! “By the ancient ears of me grandsires, said Meldrum, turning to Mariel and Dandin, “its a shrike! “Whats a shrike? both mice chorused together. The hare pointed to the cell with his spear. “A maniac killer, thats what a shrike is. Butcher Birds some call em! Not as big as some owls, biggern most hawks hereabouts, but more dangerous than the lot of em! Stab yto death with that beak an hang you out on a thombush like some cob o meat, thats why theyre known as Butcher Birds. Very rare, stremely dangerous!
There was a flap on the bottom of the door to allow food to be pushed in. Meldrum held it up to let his friends see the shrike.
Gael sat against the far wall of the corridor breathing heavily.
“Hes called Glokkpod, said the Squirrelking. “He flew in there when they were replacing the old bars, and they blocked the window. Poor birds been living in the darkthey torment it with spears just for ftm.
Mariel and Dandin could see the strange bird. It was indeed a great, red-backed shrike. The mousemaid murmured in a kindly tone to it, “Hello there, dont be afraid of us. Im Mariel and this is Dandin, Meldrum, and Gael.
Obviously crazed through captivity, the shrike laughed. “Kchakchakcha! I Glokkpod, fraida nothin, Glokkpod killa! Watcha me alltime, badbird!
Dandin looked away from the wild glittering eyes. “Whew! Wouldnt like to meet him on a dark night.
Glokkpod inched closer to the flap. “Wouldan like meet me anytime, mousa!
Meldrum shoved the shrike back with his spearbutt, saying, “This is gettin us nowhere, chaps. Weve got to make good our escape an take poor ol Gael with us. I say there, Glukkpuddle, or whatever ycall yself, listen! If you aint with us, youre against us. Fraid I havent time t bandy words with you, understand?
He received a swift reply. “Openna door longears, Glokkpod witcha, killa rats, lotsa rats!
The hare unlocked the cell and, standing to one side, be shoved the door open with his speartip. Glokkpod hopped out, eyes glittering, beak flicking from side to side. “Glokkpod badbird, killa anybist!
Mariel whispered to Dandin, “Looks like weve caught a whirlwind by the tail! Swinging her Gull whacker, she brought it within a hairbreadth of the shrikes eye. “Try killing this bist, and youre a loser!
Completely unafraid, Glokkpod winked one beady eye at her. “Glokkpod make jokah, kchakchakcha! Ony killa rats!
“Help! Help! Murder! Escapin prisoners, rouse the guard! The rat sentry had crawled out from under the fallen doorhe scampered off down the corridor in the opposite direction of the escapers, shrieking full blast. He was too far away to be caughtMeldrums spear bounced harmlessly off the wall, and he threw up his paws in disgust.
“Tchah! Thats blown it; theyll be on us in force soon. Which way now. We cant go down, theyll be comin up!
Mariel shouldered her Gullwhacker. “Like I said yesterday, theres only one way to go. Up!
The sound of masses of hordebeasts dashing toward them clinched the issue. Supporting Gael, the three friends sped along the corridor and up the flight of stairs at the far end. Glokkpod brought up the rear.
It was a stone spiral staircase, and it did not take them long to realize they were in a narrow round tower. The stairs seemed to continue endlessly upward, terminating in a small circular chamber. Sounds of guards pounding their way upward reached them. Dandin shut the door and barred it from the inside. Crossing to a narrow slit window he looked out.
“Were twice as high up as we were before; it makes me dizzy just looking down. Were as high up as anybeast can go in this castle. Lets face it, weve trapped ourselves good and proper this time!
As he spoke, the first spearblades and axeheads came crashing through the door.
15
Late afternoon found Pearl Queen riding dangerously low in the water. Heavy, swelling seas and an overcast sky were causing Finnbarr Galedeep problems. He muttered from between clenched teeth to Joseph as they fought to push the tiller hard over. “Were shippin too much water, mate. Got to get er out o this Roarnburn current an find land where we can make the Queen shipshape agin!
A fork of lightning crackled across the western horizon. Joseph glanced up at the storm-bruised clouds. “Aye, and wed better make land soon, Finnbarr.
Durry and Rufe stood in line, passing basins, bowls and bucketsanything the crew could lay their paws on to pass down the forard locker, where Log-a-Log and Rosie were bailing out furiously.
Foremole felt useless. Stricken by a severe attack of seasickness, he sat in the scuppers moaning softly. “Hurr, oi must be the furst ever green mole t put t sea. Burr, shame on oi! Ow be it goin, maister Quill?
Durry staggered on the bucking deck as he emptied a bucket over the side. “Not good at all, Foremole; the waters coming in so fast an the seas so heavy that its making the hole bigger! Thunder boomed directly overhead, causing the crew to jump.
Finnbarr yelled orders as he clung gamely to the tiller. “Slack sail afore were driven under. Slack sail! Keep balin below decks there, messmates ... Whoooooooaaah! Pearl Queen lurched mightily as she stewed out of the Roaringburn current to eastward. Rain came in torrents, lashing and stinging, wind-driven curtains of it, until it was difficult for the crew to see one another. Night set in without warning, aided by the dark stormy skies. Pearl Queen was driven scudding sideways across the face of the deeps, sails torn and flapping, lines and ropes whipping viciously, and masts creaking as she settled lower in the water.
“Belay the bailin, Finnbarr bellowed. “ Tis doin no good; were in the paws o fate now, mateys. Lash yerselves fast to anythin that wont be washed overboard!
Rosie and Log-a-Log were hauled out of the locker. They grabbed ropes and made themselves fast to the rails with the rest of the crew. Several of the shrews trapped Foremole as he came rolling past, a wet, furred ball of misery. “Wohurr, let oi be drownded zurrs, loif baint gudd no mores furr the loikes of oi. Buhurr!
Drenched as he was, Durry could see that Rufe was weeping from the way his body shook in the ropes that held him fast. The good hedgehog clutched his friend tightly. “Bad luck fer us all, Rufey, but you stick by me and well go down tgether. I wont leave ye to sink alone, Rufe Brush.