Baltur and Gancho drew close to Rasconza's side. "Can we 'ave first crack at the timber piled be'ind the wall, Cap'n? That wood is worth its weight in gold!"
The fox threw his paws about their shoulders. "Harr, don't you fret, messmates, there'll be timber enough fer everybeast. Sagitar sez there's enough wood piled back o' that wall to build three ships."
Baltur's eyes shone longingly. "Never mind buildin' three ships, we'll 'ave enough timber to repair our own vessels, then we'll be a proper fleet agin. Corsairs an' searats, with their own island an' their own fleet!"
Rasconza laughed, hugging both beasts tight. "Haharrharr! I tole yer t'stick with me, mates .. . Ahoy, wot's that? Who's messin' about back there?"
Clecky had stolen up on the camp from behind. Lying on the slope of a sandy dune, he had heard all that went on between the fox and his captains. But the loose sand had shifted, and unable to stop himself, the hare had rolled down the slope and landed against the back of the canvas awning with a bump.
Hearing Rasconza calling, Clecky decided it was not a good place to be. Thinking quickly, the long-legged hare lashed out several times with his strong footpaws, knocking the canvas sunshade down on top of the corsairs. Then he scrambled upright, dug in his paws and took off east, with shouts ringing in his ears as Rasconza and his captains threw aside the fallen awning.
"Ahoy, mates, 'tis a big rabbitget 'im!"
Clecky paused indignantly on the hilltop for a fleeting moment. "Big rabbit? Cheeky blighter, must need his bally eyes seein' to, big rabbit indeed. Hah! If you weren't a fox I'd say y'were a frog's uncle, sir, wot?"
An arrow hissed into the sand close by. Clecky took off.
Groojaw and six others gave chase, panting to each other as they toiled uphill.
"I never knew there was rabbits 'ereabouts?"
"Me neither, mate. Look at 'im go, 'e kin run all right!"
"I 'opes that rabbit's got plenty o' family an' friends, rabbits is good eatin'. I'm partial t'roasted rabbit!"
Clecky was not especially bothered by the pursuers, who were slow and clumsy. He led them a merry dance over plain and hill, knowing that he was leading them away from Martin, Plogg and Welko, who had circled down to the harbor area.
Puffing and panting, the exhausted Wave Brethren pressed on doggedly after the strange beast. Groojaw held his aching side. "Ahoy, mates, 'old up, where's the lop-eared swab gone?"
Completely out of breath, they halted, looking about them.
Clecky popped up a short distance away. "I say, mind who you call a lop-eared swab, you carrot-nosed bilgeswiller. Come on, chaps, keep up, no laggin' behind, wot!"
A searat flung his sword, hoping to stick Clecky. It fell on empty ground; the hare had vanished again. He emerged a moment later, off to the left of the hunting party.
"You there, baggybelly, I'll bet your dear old mum'n'dad wouldn't be too proud of you, chuckin' your sword about like that!" He disappeared once more.
Groojaw wiped his slavering mouth. “Where in the name o' blood'n'plunder 'as that rabbit gone?"
Clecky materialized, this time to their right, and pointed an ear sternly at Groojaw. "I say, watch your language, sir, there might be maidens or young 'uns of a tender disposition in the area. Too much grog an' not enough healthy exercise an' clean livin', that's your problem. Right, come on, chaps, off we jolly well go again!"
Pawsore and panting, but thoroughly enraged, they chased after their elusive quarry. At one point Clecky appeared right in the middle of the group, running along with them. He tapped a searat on the back and issued instructions to him.
"You're running all wrong, old lad, more thrust on the back-paw and don't flail the tail about so much, keep it well tucked in. That's the style, well done, wot, two points to this feller!"
Dropping to the back of the group, he clipped another searat smartly across both ears. "Come on, laddie-buck, keep up, no slackin' now. Hup two three, hup two three, hup, hup, hup, that's the ticket!"
Vanishing, appearing, dodging, ducking and weaving, Clecky peppered the fuming Wave Brethren with alternate insults and advice as he led them where he pleased.
Chapter 48
High noon sun beat down on the weathered planks of the jetty. The harbor of Sampetra lay silent and shimmering under a blue tropical sky. Flanked by Plogg and Welko with their shrew rapiers drawn, Martin unslung his sword and hurried across the strand to where the ship bobbed calmly on a lazily swelling tide. Checking left and right and turning often to stare back at the palace upon the escarpment, the three friends made their way into the shallows.
"This is the ship," said the Warriormouse, keeping his voice low. "I remember its name, Waveworm. Either the Abbot is aboard here or somewhere on this island, probably in that big building up on the rock. Stay here and keep watch, I'm going aboard to take a look around."
Gripping the sword blade between his teeth, Martin began hauling himself paw over paw up a headrope hanging from the for'ard peak. Waist-deep in warm shallow seawater, the shrews waited. Plogg held up a paw to his ear, leaning inland.
"Listen, can you hear anything?"
Welko waded closer inshore, cocking his head. “Aye, sounds like shouting or fighting, I think maybe 'tis comin' from somewheres round that big buildin' up there."
Faintly the noise of warfare drifted on the still air. Plogg looked at Welko and shrugged. "Hmm, somebeast's havin' a tussle, that's plain."
"Hi, you two, come aboard, the ship's empty!"
Martin threw an extra ropeline over the side so the brothers could board more quickly. Sheathing their rapiers, they clambered onto the Waveworm.
Plogg pointed over to the palace. "Seems to be a bit o' trouble over that way, Martin."
The Warriormouse studied the palace a moment, then leapt into sudden action. "Aye, and there's a bit o' trouble headed this way! Grab some of them long poles there, you two, we're about to steal a ship and sail off. Hurry, there's no time to lose!"
Ublaz had watched Martin and the two shrews from his throne room window, puzzled by the appearance of strangebeasts upon his island, but not for long. When he saw them climb aboard Waveworm, the Emperor quickly summoned four Monitors. Ublaz had been keeping Waveworm as a standby, in the event that he had to leave the island in a hurry. Now, in danger of losing his vessel, he dashed down to the main door with the four lizards scurrying in his wake. They were just out of the door when the mouse who carried a great sword happened to look up and see them.
With Martin punting his long pole hard on the for'ard starboard and the shrews doing the same on the portside at Waveworm's aft end, the ship began swinging round to face seaward. Martin joined his friends at the stern end, noting that the tiller was lashed, holding the vessel to head straight out. Between the three of them they poled furiously, watching the land slip away as she caught the gentle swell.
"Well done, mates," Martin gasped. "See if you can loose some sail to catch the breeze further out. Good job I looked up and noticed those creatures, or they'd have boarded and taken us by surprise."
Ublaz dashed along the jetty. Shaking with rage he stood wordlessly, watching Waveworm coast by, safely out of his reach. At that moment the pine marten would have given anything for a bow and arrows. He glared at the mouse, a strange-looking creature, stern and solid, and obviously a warrior by the splendid blade he carried. Silently the mouse stared back at him, not the least bit afraid of the mad-eyed Emperor. The four Monitors stood watching dumbly as canvas billowed out and the sails caught the breeze.
Then something happened to the pine marten that had never occurred in all his seasons. He found that his hypnotic power had no effect on the mouse. Piercingly, wildly, he glared at the stranger, but the warrior never budged a fraction, just remained leaning coolly over the rail, staring back, matching Ublaz eye to eye until his adversary was forced to look away. However, Martin kept watching the receding figure of his enemy, knowing that this was the beast he would have to reckon with.