Malbun explained patiently. Brockhall was once the home of badgers, but it was used by Redwallers before the Abbey was ever built. It was so long ago that the exact location of the place has been lost. Crikulus and I read of it in some old gatehouse records. We’ve been researching it, trying to find out more about Brockhall. It’s a vitally important part of our Abbey’s early history. Now the Dibbuns have stumbled upon it purely by accident. Who knows what we might find inside that ancient place?
Memm twitched her long ears fussily. Indeed. Great monster serpents an’ snowy white giants, if Ruggum’s to be believed, wot?
Foremole Urrm brandished the jet-studded gold pawring. Hurr, an’ gurt wunnerful treasures loike this’n, may’ap!
All eyes were fixed on the pawring. It glinted in the firelight.
Gooch the squirrelcook gave voice to what they were all thinking. A store of’idden jewels’n’gold.’Twould be a treasure hunt!
Sister Vernal, normally a shy, austere mouse, leapt up, crying, A treasure hunt! That’s for me! When do we start?
7
The ketch Stopdog plowed her way merrily northward, westering a slight touch. Kroova, having shown Sagax the rudiments of tiller, ropes and sail, was taking a nap beneath the broad seat in the bows, which served well as a tiny cabin. Like a fish to water, the young badger had taken to the seafaring life. He enjoyed the freedom of wind and wave.
Scarum turned his back upon Sagax. Sitting on the bowseat, he began rummaging in the knapsacks, muttering to himself, Nutbread an’ cheese an’ apples, wot wot. That’s the stuff t’put the twinkle in a chap’s eyes. I say, what bounder’s gone an’ scoffed all the blinkin’ apples, eh, wot?
Keeping the ketch on a level keel, Sagax answered the hare. You have, you great stomach on legs. What’re you doing rummaging in those packs again?
Scarum looked up indignantly. Doin’? What’n the name o’ perishin’
barnacles d’you think I’m doin’, eh? I’m makin’ a meal t’keep jolly old body’n’fur together. A chap can’t survive on fresh air, y’know!
Sagax stared severely at his gluttonous friend. That’ll be your fourth meal today, and it’s barely noon. Go easy on those suppliesÑthey’re all we’ve got.
Scarum held up a wedge of thick yellow cheese. Oh, right, well, I’ll just have a smidgeon of this to tide me over until dinner. Hawhaw! Tide me over, wot. Now, there’s a nautical expression for you, me ole heartie, me old seadog, me old barnacle bottom, eh, eh, hawhawhaw!
Sagax quickly lashed the tiller arm to a sailrope. Bounding for’ard, he grabbed the cheese from Scarum’s paw and dropped it back into the knapsack. Then, taking both packs, he made his way aft and stowed them under the stern seat.
You’ve eaten quite enough for one day, mate. I’ll take charge of the supplies. You can just wait until dinner this evening, like me and Kroova.
The hare glared at him and flopped his ears indignantly. You, sah, are a flippin’ grubswiper, a pirate! Huh, de-privin’ a poor young’un like me of vittles. You’ll stunt my growth. I’m warning you, if I die, it’ll be your rotten fault!
His friend chuckled. If you can stay alive until dinner, there’s hope for you. But just put one thieving paw near these rations and I’ll bite it!
Scarum scuffed the deck dolefully. Does this mean I’m goin’ to starve t’death?
The badger hardened his expression. Aye!
The hare’s mood changed in an instant. He became tough and resolute.
Grabbing a coil of rope, he declaimed aloud, Right then, so bloomin’
well be it! I’ll fish for me food, that’s what I’ll jolly well do. Oh yes, us old sailin’ beasts can get along spiffingly on the bounty provided by the briny. Fish, that’s the ticket, whoppin’ great fat tasty fish, wot!
Tying an oversized hook onto the rope, Scarum searched about and came up with two apple cores, which he stuck on the hook. Whirling the lot around his head, he cast it out into the sea. Right ho, come on, little fishies. No, on second thoughts, come on, big fishies, you little chaps stay put. Well, come on, you big chaps, take the blinkin’ bait. I can’t sit around here starvin’, y’know, so get a flippin’ move on!
Wakened by the disturbance, Kroova came out on deck. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he took over the tiller from Sagax. Wot’s ole Scarum up to now, matey?
Oh, him, he’s got to catch a fish before he dies of starvation.
Haharr, him die of starvation, that’s a good’un. He ate more brekkist than both of us, an’ he’s scoffed two more meals since thenÑ
Three, Sagax corrected the sea otter.
Scarum cast a jaundiced eye over their smiling faces. Go on, laugh, you curmudgeons, but when I catch a whoppin’ great fish, you ain’t gettin’ any. Not a confounded morsel, so there!
Kroova’s keen eye caught a large dorsal fin homing in on the line. He leaped up, yelling, Pull that line in, quick! Heave it in, matey!
Scarum defiantly tied the line to the bowsprit. Shan’t! No point in gettin’ jealous an’ shoutin’ at me.
He fell over backward as the line was snapped taut and the ketch took off like an arrow, with Kroova roaring, Shark! We’ve been caught by a shark!
Whipping out a small knife, Sagax dashed to the bow. He raised it to chop at the rope, but Scarum struck his paw aside. The knife dropped into the sea and sank.
Kroova came running. He grabbed the hare by his tunic front. Ye blitherin’ fool, didn’t you’ear wot I said? That’s a shark towin’ us, a full-growed shark, too, by the rate we’re goin’.
Sagax dashed water from his eyes as the ketch set up a bow wave. Aye, and the only weapon we’ve got aboard you just knocked out of my paw!
Scarum fought free of the sea otter’s grip and sat down amidships. Good old mister shark, wot, givin’ us a fine ride, ain’t he? I vote we let him tow us along for a league or two, wot. When he gets tired and packs in pullin’ us, we’ll heave Mm aboard an’ cook him up into a good big scoff. Super idea, wot?
Bumping up and down, the ketch skimmed over the waves. Tt was difficult to stand. Kroova crouched close to the triumphantly grinning hare and berated him.
Belay, ye flop-eared, pot-bellied, wire-whiskered buffoon! Yore trouble is that y’don’t realise we’ve caught a big savage beast’ere, or rather it’s got us. We’re ridin’ the whirlwind an’ yore sittin’ there smilin’. You can’t see the danger we’re in! Ye don’t even know wot a shark looks like!
Scarum twanged the taut line with a carefree paw. Oh, don’t get your rudder in an uproar, old chap. I expect the jolly old shark’s enjoyin’
this as much as I am, wot? Huh, you two are just jealous I was the one who jolly well caught the fish. Anyhow, I bet we get to where we’re goin’ a blinkin’ sight faster’n we would twiddlin’ the tiller an’
tweakin’ those sail ropes. Our friend the shark’ll get worn out, you’ll see. Then all we do is pop the blighter aboard for dinner!
Sagax clung to the stern seat, blinking spray from his eyes. Though he hated to admit it, he was actually enjoying the sensation of speed, never having travelled at such a rate in all his life. The young badger tried to calm his otter friend.
Maybe Scarum’s right. No real need to panic, is there?
Kroova’s head banged the for’ard mastpole as they shot sideways onto a choppy wave. Ignoring the pain, he yelled furiously, I’m surprised at you, mate! That shark could turn any moment an’ smash this vessel to splinters, or it could suddenly dive an’ pull us all down with it.