Now, one at a time. What’s this all about? Pellit, you first.”
The dormouse adopted an air of injured innocence. “Mother Abbess, all I said was that the bird shouldn’t be
allowed to live in our kitchens, ’taint right. For one thing, we need the space in that cupboard for storage, there’s little
enough room fer that down ’ere as it is ...”
Tansy’s hard stare and upraised paw halted Pellit. “You’re speaking in riddles, sir. Butty, begin at the beginning!”
The young squirrel explained as best he could: “Well, marm, ’tis the owl Orocca. She’s been lookin”round the
Abbey for somewheres t’put her nest an’ eggs. She searched high’n’low but nowheres suited her until she discovered
our kitchens an’ that big corner cupboard where we store apples. Anyhow, me an’ Shad shifted her in there, owl,
eggs’n’nest. Then before y’know it, old whinin’ whiskers Pellit is moanin’ an’ complainin’ an’ reportin’ the matter to
Sister Viola.” Redwallers gave way as Tansy swept regally across to the cupboard. She opened the door and was
confronted by the great golden eyes of Orocca. The owl snuggled down righteously atop her nest on the middle shelf,
and said, “Hmph! You’ve already wrecked one homesite where I lived, now I suppose you’re going to eject me from
this one?”
With a wry smile hovering on her lips, Tansy turned to Pellit. “D’you know where an auger or a drill can be
found?”
The dormouse answered her hesitantly, “Er, yes, marm, Gurrbowl an’ Foremole Diggum keeps ’em in the wine
cellars for borin’ bungholes in barrels, marm.”
Tansy tapped the cupboard door. “Good! Then go and get some form of drilling tool from them and bore lots of
holes in this door, so that our guest has plenty of fresh air to breathe in her new home. Well, don’t stand staring, Pellit,
hurry along now!”
Turning back to the owl, Tansy bobbed a small curtsy. “I hope you’ll be comfortable here. If you need anything at
all, just ask. I’ll detail Mother Buscol to take care of you; should you want to leave your nest, I’m sure you’ll be able
to trust her to keep an eye on the eggs until you return.”
Orocca blinked rapidly, her head bobbing up and down. “My thanks to you, Abbess. This will be a good warm
home for my eggchicks when they break shell. If any of your creatures sees my husband, Taunoc, perhaps they would
tell him where I am.”
Craklyn, who had witnessed the quarrel, patted Tansy’s paw admiringly as they made their way down to Cavern
Hole. “Well, you took care of that wonderfully, but poor old Pellit’s got a face on him like a fractured tail. Did you see
him?”
Tansy folded both paws into her wide habit sleeves. “Actually I’m glad Orocca caused that disturbance. For some
time now I’ve been thinking of making certain changes in the kitchens. Mother Buscol is a bit old to be in charge of
all the cooking, and young Butty is a good hardworking creature and a fine cook. I think he’ll make an excellent Friar
given the chance.”
Craklyn agreed with Tansy, though she had reservations. “What about Pellit? He’s older and has worked in the
kitchens longer than Butty. Won’t it cause bad feelings if you promote fee young squirrel over the dormouse’s head?”
But like a wise Mother Abbess, Tansy had a reason for everything she did concerning her beloved Redwall. “I
don’t think so, Craklyn. The trouble with Pellit is that he’s fat, getting on in seasons, and of course he’s a dormouse.
That’s why he’s always nodding off in the warmth from the ovens. If I left him in the kitchen he’d injure himself
someday. So I’ve decided that he shall be Viola Bankvole’s new assistant—he’s always chatting to her and hanging
about the Infirmary, and the job’s an easy one, so he’ll have plenty of time to rest. Mother Buscol can look after
Orocca and the eggchicks when they arrive. That way she’ll be in the kitchens a lot to keep an eye on our new Friar,
Butty.”
Tansy spoke to Mother Buscol and Viola, and then to Butty and Pellit, before taking her seat in Cavern Hole.
Everyone seemed happy with the new arrangements. Craklyn sat with the other creatures, very impressed with the
know-how and wisdom the seasons had bestowed upon her old friend.
Word had passed around regarding the chasm beneath the outer south wall, and now everybeast was familiar with
the news. Arven opened the discussion.
“So now we know what was causing the wall to collapse. I suppose the continuous action of the water wore the
ground away and formed the big hole. What d’you think, Diggum?”
“Well, zurr, oi thought the same as ee at furst. But me’n’moi moles, we h’explored ee sides o’ the gurt ’ole, an’
guess wot? Us’n’s found that part o’ ee sides o’ yon pit wurr square stones. Aye, they’m been builded thataway boi
summ-beasts long gone, hurr!”
This announcement caused a buzz of speculation. Tansy hid her surprise and silenced the gossip.
“One moment, please! Thank you. I was about to say that this casts a whole new light on things, but it only seems
to deepen the puzzle. Let us not get carried away with wild speculation, friends. Has anybeast a sensible suggestion to
offer?”
Skipper of Otters ventured an idea. “Supposin’ me’n’my crew put some long ropes together an’ went down there
to-morrer, marm. We might find where all that water’s flowin’ to, an’ who knows wot else?”
The mole Bunto scratched his nosetip with a hefty digging claw. “Gudd idea, zurr, an’ may’ap ee’Il take a lukk at
ee carvens on yon stones.”
Foremole Diggum donned a tiny pair of glasses and peered over the top of them at Bunto. “Yurr, ee never told oi
abowt no carven on walls!”
Bunto smiled disarmingly, saying, “Probberly ’cos you’m never arsked oi, zurr!”
Foremole took Bunto’s answer quite logically. “Hurr, silly o’ me. No matter, next toim oi’ll arsk ee!”
That seemed to settle the matter. Tansy looked around the assembly. “Right then, Skipper and his crew will look
into it tomorrow. Any more questions, suggestions, or business? Good, then I’m off to my bed. It’s been a long day.”
An amazingly cultured voice rang out from the doorway: “Excuse me, I do beg your pardon for interrupting, but
does anybeast know the whereabouts of an owl named Orocca, last seen perched on a nest containing three eggs?”
A trim and very dignified-looking male Little Owl opened the door wide and bowed courteously to the Redwallers.
Tansy had long ago given up being surprised by anything; she simply returned his bow with a polite nod of her head.
“Ah, I take it your name is Taunoc, sir. Welcome to Red-wall Abbey. This is our Foremole, Diggum, he will take
you to your wife. Main kitchen, far corner, right in the apple cupboard. You’ll probably find a dormouse there drilling
holes. If he disturbs you, then please send him away.”
The Little Owl bowed once more. “My thanks to you, marm. I bid you a pleasant good night!”
When he had departed with Foremole, there was a moment’s silence. Then both Tansy and Craklyn burst into
helpless laughter. “Whoohoohoo! Oh, hahahaha! Great seasons, did you see the face on him, and such beautiful
manners. Hee-heehee! Oh, dear, what next?”
Craklyn widened her eyes and did a perfect imitation of Taunoc. “‘Last seen perched on a nest containing three
eggs?’ Hahahaha!”
Tansy rose, supporting herself weakly on the chair arm. “Heeheehee! No more business! No more questions! No
more anything, please! I need my bed! Oh, whoohoohoohaha! Sorry!”
Leaning against each other, Recorder and Abbess left Cavern Hole, tears streaming down their faces as they