Spurges jaw dropped. There was Bowly, ambling around the big shale rock that marked their camp. Quivering with rage, Agric pointed with the cane to a wooden post driven into the ground with a heavy shackling rope attached to it.
“Yew liddle scum, Im goin to bind you t that post an lash the prickles offa yore hide. Cummere!
Spurge knocked the cane aside. “After brekkfist, matey. We want im fit t cook our vittles first. Get to it, yew lazy lump!
Obediently, Bowly stirred crushed mint leaves into the bubbling water, setting the pancakes on a thin shale slab which he balanced over the fires edge. As he worked, Mariel strolled into the camp, smiling foolishly. She waved a paw at the two weasels.
“Morning! Lovely day, isnt it? Any breakfast going spare for a hungry traveler?
Spurge and Agric could not believe their luck. Not only had the runaway surrendered, but they had suddenly got themselves a simpleton mousemaid traveling alone. It surely was turning out to be a nice day.
“Wot ygot in there, mousey? said Spurge, eyeing the haversack their new arrival was carrying.
Mariel winked and wrinkled her nose. “Oh, a bit of this V that, yknow.
The weasels went into a huddle, sniggering and whispering. After a while Agric turned to Mariel saying, “If yew wants to eat you gotta elp, see. Theres fresh fruit an water in that holler under the rock. Yew elp that lazy edgepig to ready the vittles, then well see yew gets somethin nice, wont we, matey?
Spurge gave a malicious chuckle. “Ho yerss, itll be a real surprise!
The food stock was good. Mariel busied herself preparing a fruit salad of strawberries, apples, plums, and pears. Pouring honey and water into a gourd, she crushed damsons in it and began shaking up a cordial. The weasels sat in the shade of the rock as the morning sun got up. They nudged each other, sniggering with ill-concealed mirth. Mariel winked at Bowly as she called out,
“Mornings risen and breakfasts here, Eat, my friends, and be of good cheer!
Flipping his long dagger from paw to paw, Dandin strode boldly into the camp, kicking the weasels foot-paws out of his way, instead of stepping over them.
“Well, well, Mariel the Gullwhacker, am I invited to eat?
Mariel gave a roar of laughter quite inappropriate for a simple traveling mousemaid. “Hoho! Dandin, you old warrior, welcome!
Mariel and Bowly laid the food down on the ground.
Dandin sat down between the two astonished weasels, calling out to Bowly, “Come on, little un, grab a plate and spoonjoin us.
Bowly obeyed with a will, helping himself to a hot apple pancake and a cooling beaker of damson cordial. As the weasels reached out for food, Dandin dealt them a couple of sharp slaps with the flat of his dagger blade and clucked disapprovingly at them. “Teh, tch! Wheres your manners? Guests and young uns first. Ill tell you when its your rum.
By this time, the two weasels were looking distinctly uneasy. A lone mousemaid was one thing, but this Dandin looked like a seasoned warrior.
Mariel, Dandin, and Bowly ate heartily, letting the mint tea cool as they sipped damson cordial and treated themselves to hot apple pancakes and fruit salad.
“Youd have to be a robber and travel wide to get stuff like this, eh, young un? Dandin said cheerfully to Bowly.
Bowly nodded sagely. “Aye, that ywould, Sir Dandy.
“Robbers must have to be good cooks. What dyou say, Bowly? said Mariel, sipping some mint tea appreciatively.
“No, marm, some robbers is slavers too. They catchers a liddle slave an makes im do all the work. Robbers is awful creaturesthey beats their slaves an ties em up nights to a post wi a big eavy rope, like thatn yonder.
The weasels were very nervous now. Dandin caught their attention as he slit a pancake neatly in half with the keen edge of his dagger. His voice was low and dangerous as he said, “I dont suppose honest creatures like you would know of two such slavers, would you?
Agric developed a sudden stammer. “N ... n ... no S ... sir! he squawked, his throat bobbing nervously.
Bowly gurgled, spraying mint tea as he tried to suppress an attack of the giggles. The weasels were robbers and bullies, but when faced with the two warriors they were cowards.
Dandin stared hard at the trembling slavers and, picking up the willow cane, he swished it under their noses. “Mariel, what dyou think, are these two telling the truth?
The mousemaid strode across to the wooden post the weasels had driven into the ground to tether Bowly. She unfastened the short, heavy rope from it. Winking at Bowly and Dandin, she began tying a solid, complicated 4 knot in the ropes end. “Oh I dont know, she said. “They look like fairly respectable beasts to me.
From the weasels food cache she produced half a dozen mixed beech and hazelnuts, still in their shells. Placing them in a line on a flat rock, she turned to Spurge and Agric.
“See this knotted rope? I used to own one like itcalled it my Gullwhacker. I could lay a big seabird flat with one blow. Now I cant see any gulls hereabouts, but there1 d be other things to whack if I thought certain creatures were lying to us.
Spinning the knotted rope in a skillful blur, Mariel dealt six lightning blows to the nuts on the rock.
Whack! Smack! Crack! Thud! Bang! Splat!
The weasels squeaked with fright. Trembling, they stared wide-eyed at the line of kernel and shell fragments, which was all that remained of the six nuts. Mariel dangled the Gullwhacker a fraction from their noses. “See what I mean?
Bowly grinned from ear to ear as he patted the weasels none too gently on their heads. “Nay, nay, youve made a mistake. I cn see these are two good vermints. Why, I wager given arf a chance theyd thank us for callin in to brekkist an give us water n vittles to elp us pore travelers on our way, wouldnt you?
Spurge and Agric took the hint swiftly. Leaping up, they loaded their food and drink store into the haversack. Bowly stood by, tossing the two hard oatcakes up and down.
“These be my throwin rocks. I been knowed to fetch foebeasts down at fair distances with em, cos I be a warrior too, see.
Dandin removed sufficient supplies for a day from the pack and laid them in front of the weasels. “You havent had breakfast yethere, take this with our compliments. Were traveling south. Which way are you bound? Spurge shrugged unhappily. “North, I think, sir. Mariel swung the Gull whacker expertly across her shoulders. “Well, keep an eye out for those two thieving robbers we mentioned, and be carefulits dangerous country out here.
Dandin spun his dagger in the air. Catching it by the hilt, he thrust it into his belt. “Aye, take care; never know who you might bump into.
And the three friends strode off calling cheerful goodbyes to the crestfallen weasels.
Thoroughly refreshed, they stepped out with a will. A mere half mornings walk brought them in sight of green, hilly scrubland and the promise of gentle, fertile countryside. Bowly trudged alongside Mariel, tossing his two oatcakes in the air.
The mousemaid caught one and said, “Now then, you young rip, what are we going to do about you?
The small hedgehog snatched the oatcake back indignantly. “Ive told ye my name be Bowly Pin tips; I aint no young rip. I be goin wi you an Dandy; I be a warrior from now on!
Dandin sliced an apple into three with his dagger and gave them each a piece, winking at Mariel over the small hedgehogs head. “What dyou thinkhas he got the makings of a warrior?
Bowly scrunched his face into a ferocious scowl to show that he had. Mariel returned Dandins wink. “Being a warrior doesnt always mean a fierce face; warriors are also renowned for their gentleness.
Bowly immediately changed his expression until he thought he looked gentle enough to charm baby birds from their nests. Stifling their smiles, Mariel and Dandin carried on extolling warrior virtues, while Bowly took note of all they said.
“Oh yes, warriors are handsome beasts. Bowly wobbled his head, fluttered his eyes, and tried hard to look handsome.