Diggs recognised the young hedgehog. "I say, that's young wotsis spike. I know his family."
Ambrevina clapped a paw over Diggs's mouth. "Sshh, not a sound!"
Triggut watched as the pike began gathering. "Heeheehee! Maybe I'll let my pets have a nibble at him, just t'make sure yew pays 'eed t'my orders!"
The pike began leaping as he bobbed Diggla up and down above their predatory snouts.
The mousebabe was yelling, "Lemme go, ya bad naughty stinkybeast. Put Diggla onna shore!"
Ambrevina readied her sling, loading it with a sharp lump of shale. Diggs voiced his alarm.
"What are you up to? Don't sling that rock. If you hit that barmy-lookin' hog, he might fall into the drink an' take the little chap with him!"
Rising slowly, Ambrevina began whirling the huge sling. "Trust me, I know what I'm doing. It's not the hog I'm after."
Placing one paw straight out, she squinted along it, whirling the sling until it thrummed. Then she threw.
The largest of the pike was halfway out of the water in a leap at the mousebabe. With deadly accuracy, the shale
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chunk hit it like a thunderbolt, completely ripping off its lower jaw. The fish flopped back with a splash, thrashing and crimsoning the water. Tasting blood, the rest of the pike shoal hurled themselves upon the dying fish. The water boiled and bubbled red as the voracious pike cannibalised their leader, rending it to shreds.
Reloading her sling, Ambrevina jumped into the water. She started wading toward the island, whirling the weapon and roaring thunderously, "Put that young un back on dry land or my next one will smash your skull. Put him back ... now!"
Midda raced forward, grabbing Diggla from Triggut's grasp.
Diggs seized the badgermaid's paddle, poling the willow trunk energetically toward the island. "What ho, little chaps. Fear not no flippin' more, we're here to save you. Pretty nifty, wot wot!"
The young creatures were laughing and crying at the same time, leaping about wildly and cheering. Triggut stood stock-still, shocked by the sudden turn of events.
Ambrevina strode swiftly ashore, batting away at the pike with her loaded sling. She smiled at the captives, towering over them. "Don't worry. You're all safe now!"
Triggut made an attempt to cut and run, but Tura tripped him. The freed captives threw themselves upon the mad hog, pounding at him with their paws. Diggs picked Diggla up, chucking him under the chin.
"Good day to you, little sir. Any eats around here? You know, vittles, scoff, tummy treats, food!"
The mousebabe spread his tiny paws wide. "Lotsa lotsa vikkles all over d'place onna trees!"
The tubby hare sniffed. "Huh, I'm the last chap t'say he doesn't mind livin' off the blinkin' land. The odd apple, ramsons, an' a few berries are better 'n nothin', wot! But, dash it all, I'd give my left flippin' ear for some properly cooked vittles again. Er, I wonder what that rascally old scruffbag fed himself on?"
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Midda, Tura and the rest were still dealing out rough justice to Triggut Frap when Diggs strolled across. He nodded to them. "I say, chaps, don't knock the blighter's block off just yet. I've a question or two for him, y'see, so pardon me, an' leave off kickin' the villain's bottom for a while, if you'd be so kind. Thank ye!"
No sooner had the young ones ceased beating Triggut than mousebabe Diggla hurled himself upon the miscreant, squeaking shrilly as he pummelled him. "Yarr, bad naughty villin, t'row Diggla to d'pikes would ya? Take dat'n'dat'n'dat'n'dat____"
With one paw, Ambrevina lifted the still-kicking mousebabe off his victim. She was shaking with mirth. "Oh, you great fierce warrior, spare him. Allow Diggs to talk to the rascal."
Distastefully, the young hare hauled Triggut up by one dirt-crusted ear and commenced his interrogation. "Now, then, y'foul smellin' brute, where's your cookin' gear? Oven, cauldron an' whatnot, eh?"
The mad hog spat out a loose tooth, mumbling, "Don't need that sorta thing. I eats everythin' raw!"
Diggs nodded understandingly. "Hmm, I can see 'tis doin' you a power o' good. What sort of things d'you eat raw, wot?"
Spines fell from under Triggut's shabby cloak as he shrugged. "Anythin'--fruits, roots, fishes, frogs, worms."
Diggs held up a paw. "Stop right there. I've heard enough, thank you! Huh, fat chance of a decent feed here, chaps. What d'you suggest we do with this curmudgeon, wot?"
Midda had taken the knife from Triggut's belt. She brandished it. "Kill him--that's what he deserves after the way he made us suffer. Kill the scum, I say!"
Diggs wrested the knife from the shrewmaid. He smiled wanly at Ambrevina. "Typical Guosim, eh? Not very bloomin' maidenlike. I know one just like her, name o' Flib."
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Midda grasped the hare's paw. "She's my sister. Is she still alive?"
Diggs nodded. "Aye, missy, an' just as jolly well feisty as you, if I ain't much mistaken." He pointed the knife at Triggut. "Well, then, me stinky old scout, looks like you ain't too popular this season."
The crazy hog grovelled at Diggs's footpaws, wiping at his leaky eye as he wailed, "Waaah haaah! Don't kill me, kind sire. I never meant to 'urt 'em. 'Twas all a joke. Spare me, I beg yew!"
Diggs, whose mind was still on food, posed a question. "Right, I'll see what I can do if you can tell me this. The mainstream yonder--does it run twixt some high rocky banks where a good old water vole has her home, wot?"
Triggut's bare head bobbed up and down furiously. "Aye, sir, I've seen 'er, though we ain't never talked together. Ole water vole, wears frilly aprons an' bonnets. Just follow the stream down a ways. Yew'll see 'er place. On the right bank it is, sir. Now, will yew spare me?"
The chubby hare grinned cheerfully. "Why, of course, my dear chap! I say, young uns, wait'll you taste old Mumzy's vittles, real first-class scoff!"
Tura gave Triggut a none-too-gentle shove. "An' what do we do about this rotten thing?"
Triggut began giggling insanely. "Heeheehee! Don't yew fret, missy. Jus' leave pore Triggut Frap 'ere. I won't never 'arm another creature. Yew kin take me word on that! Heeheehee!"
Ambrevina uncoiled the rope which the mad hog had used to restrain Diggla. She began binding Triggut until he could not move a paw. Tossing the rope over a branch growing midway up a nearby hornbeam, she hoisted him into the air. Securing the rope's end around a lower limb, she left him dangling.
Jiddle yanked on the rope, watching the unfortunate beast bounce up and down. The Witherspyk hog smirked. "There now, laugh that off!"
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Having reinforced Triggut's old raft with the willow trunk, the entire party boarded it. They pushed off onto the watermeadow, in full view of their former tormentor, waving mocking farewells.
"G'bye now, don't forget an' finish that nice big house off someday after you're loose!"
"Aye, an' don't go paddlin'. There's still some pike left. They aren't too fussy about what they eat!"
"Haha, nothin' worse than hangin' about, is there?"
Diggs was in such high spirits at the prospect of good food that he composed a shanty right there and then.
"A-sailin' off on the watermeadows
fills us coves with glee, think of all those hot baked scones, an' dainty things to scoff at tea!
"Yo hoho let the wild winds blow, as we roar hungrily,
Belay, cast off, set a course to scoff, for my little mates an' me.
"A pasty'll do an' a tart or two, served by a maiden fair, but long as the tuck keeps comin' fast, by golly, we don't care!
"Yo hoho let the wild winds blow, an' fish swim in our wake,
Ahoy, set sail for nutbrown ale, an' a chunk of ole fruitcake!"
Jinty fluttered her eyelashes at the tubby hare. "Did anybeast teach you to sing, Mister Diggs?"
Diggs puffed his chest out proudly. "No. Why d'you ask?"
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She smiled innocently. "Oh, nothing, really, but it might've been nice if they had."
Diggs thought about this for a moment, then gave the hogmaid an icy glare. "See here, marm, I've seen creatures thrown overboard for remarks like that. It's bloomin' mutiny, y'know!"