Granspike shooed them off with her apron waving. "Ho no yore not, liddle sir, time for you lot t'get washed up for dinner. Folura, Glingal, tend to these Dibbuns will ye."
The two identical otter sisters began herding the Dibbuns to the Abbey pond. The babes squealed and ran off, in an attempt to escape. They stood little chance against the swift ottermaids. The Redwallers around the gatehouse had duly dispersed.
Daucus smiled approvingly at his companions. "Good. Shall we go in now?"
Orkwil Prink's usually sunny disposition had deserted him. He sat on the floor of the gatehouse with Rorc, Skipper of Otters, and Benjo Tipps, the big hedgehog who was Redwall's Cellar Keeper, standing either side of him. There was a rope tied about Orkwil's waist, each of his custodians held an end. Also in attendance were Fenn Bluepaw, the Abbey's squirrel Recorder, and an old watervole lady, Marja Dubbidge, Redwall's official Bellringer. The hubbub from outside had ceased, creating a silence inside the little gatehouse, which was heavy with foreboding. The young hedgehog's head drooped miserably, he stared at the floor, not daring to raise his eyes as the new arrivals entered.
Abbot Daucus pulled up a stool, and sat facing the miscreant, studying his demeanour, before turning to Benjo Tipps. "I understand from Granspike that he was discovered hiding in your cellars, is that correct?"
The stout Benjo tugged his head spikes respectfully. "Aye, Father Abbot, 'tis where he was. Though I don't know why I never knew it afore today. My ole eyes ain't all they was, an' my hearin' could be a lot better. Young rip! Must've been comin' an' goin' as he pleased, an' all without my knowin'."
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Daucus consulted Foremole Burff and Skipper Rorc. "So, Granspike says you found him hiding inside an old barrel, was any of his hoard there?"
Orkwil raised his eyes and spoke for the first time. "I never kept any of it in the barrel, sir, all's I had there was a few vittles, a lantern an' my notebook."
Daucus made a gesture at the rope around Orkwil's waist. "Remove that thing, Skipper, I don't like it. He isn't going to run anywhere now. What's all this about a notebook, Orkwil, why did you need to keep a notebook?"
Fenn Bluepaw glared over her small spectacles at the young hedgehog. "So that's where my season songbook disappeared to! I bound it myself, specially, and I hadn't written a single song in it yet. You rogue, I wager you helped yourself to my best charcoal writing sticks, too. Rest assured I'll count them, when I get back to my study. I know exactly how many I had!"
The Abbot interrupted his Recorder. "Miz Bluepaw, this isn't getting us anywhere, kindly hold your peace. What was the notebook for, Orkwil?"
Freed of the rope halter, Orkwil felt better, some of his former easy manner returned. "Oh, the notebook, Father, that was to keep track of everything I borrowed...."
"Huh, borrowed?" Marja Dubbidge snorted. She was immediately silenced by a glare from the Abbot, who beckoned Orkwil to continue. The young hedgehog warmed to his subject.
"Aye, borrowed. I never meant to keep anything for good, after awhile I'd return it. Like your silver belt buckle, Foremole, sir."
Foremole Burff wrinkled his velvety snout. "Boi okey, oi never h'even knowed et wurr stole'd, oi found it t'uther day, unner moi pillow!"
Orkwil spread his paws magnanimously. "You see, I give it all back, sooner or later. What I do is, when I borrow something I list it in my notebook. Then when I return it, I cross it off the list. Though one or two things I hold on
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to for a long time, because I like them so much. Sorry, Father."
Daucus continued his interrogation. "And where, may I ask, are all these missing items, if they're not in your barrel?"
The young hedgehog twiddled his paws, grinning mischievously.
"Riddle me ree don't read my mind, inside my book your goods you'll find!"
Skipper's rudderlike tail clipped Orkwil's ear. The big otter warned him with a growl, "Mind yore manners, Master Prink. Speak proper to the Abbot, an less o' yore gob-bledygook!"
Granspike still had a soft spot for Orkwil. She tut-tutted at Skipper, and placed a paw about the young one's shoulders. "I think wot he means, Father Abbot, is that there's writin' in his book, tellin' us where t'find all the goods he took. Ain't that right, Orkwil?"
The grin reappeared on Orkwil's face, he nodded. "That's right, clever old Gran!"
The old hogwife suddenly snapped. She smacked him hard on the cheek, shouting, "Don't ye start gettin' smart with me, young hog! Clever ole Gran, indeed. Who was it found ye half-starved an' weepin' out in the woodlands, after yore no good ma'n'pa had run off on ye, eh? Who was it brought ye to Redwall an' begged to get ye taken in? An' this is all the thanks I gets for it!"
Orkwil broke down then, he sobbed and hugged Granspike. "Oh Gran, Gran, I'm sorry!"
She took his tearstained face in both paws. "Why, Orkwil, why? Wot made ye do it?"
Abbot Daucus passed him a kerchief. "Come on, young 'un, blubbering doesn't solve things. This isn't the first time you've been caught thieving. Now don't give me that injured look, you know as well as anybeast here, thieving is
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the only name for it. Sneaking away the property of good, honest Redwallers, and holding on to it for as long as you please. What other name is there for it? Why do you do it?"
Orkwil Prink shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't know, Father, whenever I see anything I like, well... well... I just have to have it, so I take it!"
Fenn Bluepaw was heard to mutter, "It's in his blood. From what I've heard his parents were both the same, shifty, feckless robbers!"
Skipper interrupted her. "Yore wrong, marm. Robbers are those who hurts others to take wot they wants. Orkwil never hurt nobeast."
Marja Dubbidge was on Fenn's side, she argued back, "Mebbe he didn't beat us up t'get our goods, but he still hurted us. I was very hurted when he took my best knitted mittens. You did, didn't you?"
Orkwil nodded. "But I was going to give 'em back."
The watervole pointed an accusing paw at him. "Then where are they, eh? Yore a nasty, young sneak thief!"
At this point, Abbot Daucus felt things had gone far enough. He stood up, kicking the stool aside and raising his voice. "Silence! This is not the way Redwallers are supposed to behave, stop all this bickering right now!" There were shamefaced murmurs of apology from some, then the peace was restored. Daucus waited until he had calmed down sufficiently to continue. "You will all receive your possessions again in good time. Orkwil, speak truly now. Is there anything you took which cannot be returned? Tell me."
The young hedgehog shook his head slowly. "Not that I can think of, Father, only food from the kitchens, and some cider from Mister Benjo's cellar."
Benjo Tipps recalled the two flagons of Special Pale Cider, which he had been storing for the Midsummer Feast. He bit his lip, and held the silence. Then Daucus put the question to them all.
"Orkwil Prink has admitted what he has done, it isn't the
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first time he's been caught stealing. We've never had any Redwaller thieving from his friends before. Now, what do you say we do about it? Other times I've put him to scouring pots in the kitchens, or confined him to the dormitory, but it seemed to have no effect on him. So I ask you, what is his punishment to be?"
There was a momentary pause, then Marja Dubbidge was heard to whisper to Fenn Bluepaw, "I'd send that young villain packin', away from our Abbey, 'tis all he deserves!"
Granspike Niblo uttered a strangled sob. "Oh no, don't say that, give 'im a chance!"
Foremole Burff spoke, contributing his sensible mole logic. "Oi'd send 'im aways from ee h'Abbey, but only furr wun season. May'aps 'twill teach ee young 'un a lessing."
Abbot Daucus shook his mole friend's paw heartily. "Thank you, Burff, that's the ideal solution. Are we all agreed on that?"
Everybeast held up their paws, with the exception of two, Fenn and Marja. The Abbot stared levelly at them, Skipper and Benjo glared at the pair, Granspike gazed pleadingly at them. For a moment, nothing happened. Then bit by bit, the Recorder and the Bellringer raised their paws. The Abbot gave a beaming smile.