The Bellmaker Part 12

16.

The two Dibbuns huddled together in terror as the ugly heads of Slipp and Blaggut poked into their makeshift tent. The searat Captain snarled at them. "Give us vittles, or we'll eat yer!"

Blaggut was horrified by Slipp's p.r.o.nouncement. "O, Cap'n, you wouldn't eat two pretty liddle babbies like them, would yer?"

Slipp bit Blaggut's ear and punched his snout. "Will you shuttup an' let me do the talkin', doodlenose!"

Despite his smarting ear and throbbing nose, Blaggut winked chummily at the Dibbuns. "Never fear, me liddle chicks, ole Cap'n Slipp won't eat yer. He's got an 'eart of gold!"

Slipp yanked Blaggut out of the tent and began booting his rump soundly. "I told yer once already, scrummit-chops, keep yer stupid mouth shut until I tells yer to speak ....Yowch!"

The mousebabe had regained his confidence and was **jabbing his "sword" stick in Slipp's back. "You leava .

'im alone, big bully!" he squeaked.

"Ooh, me liver 'n' kidneys!"

Slipp sat down nursing his back. Blaggut was all concern. ' "Aye aye, liddle feller, that was a naughty thing ter do. You've gone an' 'urted the pore Cap'n's livers 'n' kidney. 'Ere, let me 'elp yer up, Cap'n. Are you shipshape?"

Slipp drew his cutla.s.s, raging, "I'll slice that cheeky snippet in arf afore Vs much older. Let me at the swab!"

Blaggut placed himself between the mousebabe and Slipp. "You kin cut me in three arfs if'n yer like Cap'n, but don't yew lay a blade near that there h'infant!"

Funtil had regained her composure by now. She attached herself to Blaggut's leg, chuckling, "Oi loik ee, zurr. You'm a funny vurmint!"

"D'yer 'ear that, Cap'n? The liddle molemaid likes me!" The searat's face was a picture of delight.

Slipp's voice dripped sarcasm that was lost on the unwitting Blaggut. "Ho, she likes yer, does she? Well, ain't that nice. Why don't we all siddown an' 'ave a picker-nick?"

The big, slow searat patted his Captain affectionately, nearly knocking him flat. "Arr that's the spirit, Cap'n. 1 knew you'd see tilings my way."

Slipp's sea-booted footpaw began moving in the direction of Blaggut's behind. Hie mousebabe brandished his stick, squeaking, "You kickim, an' I stick your livers 'a' kiddies ... !"

Slipp stamped his foot down and glared at the mousebabe. "Don't yew 'ave no vittles at all?"

The mousebabe thought about this for a moment, then replied, "Wot's vikkles?"

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Blaggut sat down next to the Dibbun, chuckling. "Hoho, bless yer liddle 'eart, matey. Vittles is food!"

"Hurr, food!" Furrtil nodded understandingly. "Loik pudden an' pie an' cakes an* soop?"

"Yes, yes, that's the stuff," Slipp said, nodding eagerly. "Pudden'pie'cake an' soup. Where is it? 'Ave you got any?"

The mousebabe thought quite deeply about the question, then stated matter-of-factly, "No!"

Blaggut laughed until tears rolled down his ugly face. "That babbie mouse is a cool un, Cap'n!"

Funtil trundled off into the woodland. Slipp looked after the molemaid curiously. "Where does she think she's off to?" he asked.

The mousebabe curled his lip scornfully at Slipp's ignorance. "Vurmint your size shoulda know tha*. She gone to get food vikkles for ya, shoopid!"

The searat Captain brought his face close to the Dibbun, sneering nastily. "Don't call me stupid, and I'm a rat, not a vurmint!"

The mousebabe sat himself on Blaggut's lap in a businesslike manner and explained patiently to Slipp, "Rats is vurmints. Anybeast know tha', an1 if you not shoopid then don' ask shoopid questions."

Slipp began drawing his cutla.s.s, then thought better of it, blew a snort of exasperation, and glared at Blaggut.

"Why did yer 'ave t'go an' find this wisemouth? Why ^didn't yer just bring back vittles like I told yer to?" he .growled.

Blaggut stroked his new friend's head fondly. "'E don't mean nothm', Cap'n. You leave the liddle tyke t'me; I wager we kin chat like ole messmates. Avast,'ere's .

179.

the molemaid back wid vittles."

Furrtil ambled up and emptied her ap.r.o.n. Two apples, some wild plums, and a small pile of blackberries tumbled out. The searats began wolfing down the fruit.

"Tsk tsk, you'm maken eeselfs sick piggen et all daown," she chided them. "Chew ten toimes an' swaller more slow. Ee m.u.t.h.e.r Mellus allus sayin' that to Dibbuns."

Slipp spat out a plumstone. "Wot's a Dibble?" he asked.

"Hiur, us'n's Dibbuns, zurr, b'aint Diddles."

Blaggut polished an apple on his stomach, saying, "An* where does Dibbuns live, in liddle tents like yonder one?"

The mousebabe popped a blackberry into his friend's mouth. "Norra tent, on'y a blanket. We come from a h'abbey, name a Redwall, bigga place than this high." He held a tiny paw as far over his head as he could, to indicate the size of the Abbey.

Slipp whispered to Blaggut, "Find out where it is."

The mousebabe shook his head despairingly and pointed an accusing paw at Slipp. "No whisp'rin', s'bad manners. We take you to Redwall inna morain', if we c'n find it."

An hour later the two Dibbuns were sound asleep in their tent. Slipp scoffed at Blaggut, who sat at the entrance watching them. "Ahoy, nurseymaid, d'yew reckon they'll want a drink o' water in the night?"

The searat took off his tattered jerkin and carefully covered the two small creatures. "Aye, well, if they do, Cap'n, I'll get it for 'em!"

Slipp tossed an apple core at Blaggut. "Well lookit yew, the bold searat, yew b.u.t.terbrained brute. 'Ave y'gone soft all of a sudden?"

"Don't cost nothin' t* be nice to babes." Blaggut shrugged. "May'ap if somebeast'd been nice to me when I was a liddle shrimp I wouldn't 'ave growed up t' be no -searat, might've been good an' respectable. Who c'n tell, Cap'n?"

Slip leaped up and grabbed Blaggut by the throat. !." "You 'ave gone soft!" he snarled. "Well lissen, softrat, ;_. when we gets ter this Redwall place there might be plun-r der an' killin', so don't yew go soft on me then, or else p y'll feel my cutla.s.s across yore gizzard. Do y'hear?" Blaggut gulped and nodded. He knew only too well Ikwhat his Captain was capable of. When there was loot to pbe had, murder and treachery became a mere formality to avaricious searats like Slipp. Blaggut took one last look H at the two Dibbuns before settling himself down to sleep the tent entrance, hoping in his heart that the tiny pair so lost that they would not know the way back to Jwall Abbey on the morrow.

y sunrays filtered through the si it ted windows of the tower room onto the besieged friends. Nagru's gray packed the narrow winding stairway outside, with the .wolf exhorting them on to slaughter. "Come on- '$ enough of you! Hack that door to splinters and them off. Sourgall, you and Wetchops go and fetch ring ram. That'll speed things up!" chamber was home to one piece of furniture, an wooden bench. Me I drum and D and in held it wedged i8o .

The BeHma/eer 181.

against the door as a temporary measure. The old hare looked worried.

"Hear that? The blaggards have gone t'get a batterin' ram. They'll smash this door t*smithereens! Look out!"

Dandin hopped to one side at Meldrum's warning, as a spear plowed through the damaged woodwork, protruding almost half its length. Nipping in smartly, Mariel grabbed the haft and tugged the weapon through, then began jabbing through the slits in the door at the enemy outside.

"If I've got to go, I'm taking a few with me!" she shouted.

Gael Squirrelking stared despairingly round the small tower chamber. "There's nowhere else for us to go. Once they're through that door, we're finished!"

The red-backed shrike Glokkpod had been hopping about excitedly, waiting to give good account of himself when the rats came through the door. At Gael's announcement he ceased his dance, flicking hither and thither with his head as he searched for an avenue of escape. "Good littil nest uppa thirr!" he croaked.

Gael followed the shrike's eyes upward. "Of course!" he cried out. "This is a tower with a pointed top; there's a small cone-shaped attic up there!"

Meldrum the Magnificent grabbed the crosshilts of a long pike that came thrusting through the door, wrenching it forcibly from its owner. "Any port in a storm, wot? Let's give it a try!"

It was a simple cross-planked ceiling, resting on thick wooden beams. Using the b.u.t.t of the pike, the hare soon knocked two of the center planks loose. "C'mon birdie, do your stuff; up there an* push those planks t'one side!" he shouted.

There came a cry from Nagru out on the stairway. "Out the way, you four. Get on that battering ram with Sourgall an* Wetchops! Give them s.p.a.ce there!"

Anxiously, Mariel watched Glokkpod flap awkwardly upward. "Hurry, bird-there's not a moment to lose. < they're="" going="" to="" start="" battering="" the="">

The shrike shoved and pulled until he had moved one plank aside. Wedging himself in the narrow s.p.a.ce he had created, Glokkpod used both talons and beak to shift the ,*' other ceiling plank. Suddenly it shot aside with a clatter, and he disappeared through the opening, cackling, ft "Kchakcha, eazy, wa.s.sa eazy, good nest uppa hirr!" fe Meldrum shot an irate glance at the attic. "Glad you've found yourself a good nest, old chap. Now d'you mind Jlioppin' down here an' helpin' out?" J ; Surprisingly the shrike did hop down. Flashing his bright savage eyes at the hare, he demanded, "Wharra it, longirrz?"

'I say, less of the 'longears.' See if y'can help our ids up into the attic, mattressback!" The shrike's feathers bristled dangerously as he glared Meldrum. "Don'ta call Glokkpod mattrissback!" With a boom and a crack the battering ram struck the >r, sending splinters flying. Mariel placed herself be-sn Meldrum and Glokkpod. "Are you two going to here insulting each other," she said, her voice tight anger, "or do you feel like helping out around here re we're all killed?"

shrike made a circular movement with his beak, uppa thirr, leave thizz ta me!"

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183.

The ram thudded against the door a second time. Meld-rum took the now-useless bench and, laying it ladder-fashion against the wall, he scrambled ponderously up into the attic. Leaning out, Meldrum thrust both paws down to a.s.sist the other three. Helped by Dandin and Mariel, Gael climbed quickly into the small conical room.

The ram struck the door a third time, creating a gaping hole at its center. Backing out of spear-thrust range, the great red-backed shrike stood in full view of the rats outside. Glokkpod's mad eyes shone with joy as he gave vent to his battle cry.

"Kachakachakiiirrrrr! Hirrs a butcha bird, ratzz!"

There was an immediate scramble as the horderats retreated from the door at the sight of the Butcher Bird. Nagru was almost knocked flat. He pulled himself upright, raking wildly with his metal wolfclaws, and screaming, "Charge the door, or I'll flay you alive. Charge!"

Urged on by the claws of Nagru, they rushed the door. Riveneye kicked aside the loose door timbers; swinging a sword, he rushed into the tower room. Death was on him in a blur of feathers, talons, and stabbing beak. Nagru pushed two more rats through immediately-they were slain before they had time to draw breath. Glokkpod's talons rattled against the floor as he spread his pinion feathers in a war dance. One wing had been badly torn by a rat's spear, and several feathers were missing. Glo-kkpod was infuriated by this injury.

4'Kirrchakkachirrr izza good day to fearrrrr me!"

Silvamord pushed her way through the rats on the spiral staircase. She whirled on Nagru, berating him. "Fool! Can't you see that bird can hold the doorway as long as it likes while you send in hordebeasts a few at a time?''

"Well, there's the Butcher Bird, my dear," said the Foxwolf, his voice dripping condescension. "What's your bright idea?"

Ignoring his patronizing tones, Silvamord gave her orders: "Back out of sight, all of you. Hooktail, pick out ten good archers, get on the third and fourth steps down, and keep firing heavy volleys until you've made a pincushion of that bird!"

The friends in the attic had heard Silvamord's commands. Mariel called out urgently to Glokkpod, "Quickly, fly up here before they start shooting!"

But the shrike continued his dance, challenging the rats. "Kirrchakachirrr! Glokkpod fear no ratzz!"

"It's no good talking to that one." Dandin sighed wearily. "He's going to get himself killed. Save your breath."

Meldrum solved the problem with a few barbed insults. "I say there, y'great flyin' featherbed, d'you keep your brains in your beak or your bottom, nestnoddle!"

With a lurch and a flapping leap the shrike was up in the attic with them, standing eye-to-eye with Meldrum. Quickly, Mariel and Dandin slammed the attic floorboards back in place. Not a second too soon-the planking quivered to the thud of arrows.

"Hullo, that's a bit much," Meldrum called out to them moodily, "leavin' a chap in the dark with a bally Butcher Bird. Shed a bit o' light on the subject, someone. jit's pitch black in here!"

Dandin had brought a spear up with him. Using the itt he knocked a few of the rooftiles aside, dodging as flhey fell in. Sunlight streamed in, flooding the attic. Mar-rfel looked around at their reftige. It was the inside of a 184.

conically tiled towertop and through the broken roof she could see a tiny flagpole flying a gaily colored pennant.

The commanding voice of a rat sounded from the room below. "My Lord and Master, Urgan Nagru, King of all Southsward, Foxwolf Supreme and his Queen Silvamord send this message to you! Be it known that if you surrender yourselves to his mercy, the Urgan Nagru will spare your lives, all save that of the Butcher Bird-the creature is too dangerous to live. Hear this and know these are the words of the Urgan Nagru, all powerful in battle and ruler of all he sees!"

Hefting one of the red pottery rooftiles, Meldrum shifted aside a floorplank. He flung the tile accurately, laying the rat low.

" 'All merciful* indeed. Poppyc.o.c.k! Did y'hear that, Glokko?"

The shrike bowed, deferentially. "Nize shot, Meld-erin!"

"Oh I dunno, you could've prob'ly done as well y'self, old lad." The hare shrugged modestly. "By the way, it's Mel-drum, as in boom boom. Drum!"

The shrike nodded understandingly. "Derrin, b.u.m b.u.m, like in drim!"

Gael stared up at the cloudless patch of blue sky that could be seen through the hole in the roof. "Well, we're free in a way I suppose," he said, "free to stay up here and starve until the Foxwolf and Silvamord find a way of winkling us out and killing us all."

Mariel removed a few more tiles until she could see farther outside. "If we could only find a way of getting down there," she mused.

Meldrum took a peek and covered his eyes. "Great seasons, it makes me go all of a dither just thinkin' about it Now I know why birds always look dizzy!"

"Birds, there's a bird here, he could do it!" They all turned to look at the Squirrelking, pointing at Glokkpod as if seeing him for the first time. "There's the bird!" : Dandin shook his head, totally nonplussed. "But what ; ase is Glokkpod to us?"

V Gael was shaking with excitement, "Maybe he can't ''.. fly us down with that injured wing, but he can go and get ; help for us! He can find the otters; they'll be able to help fas!"

~'*V...

'"^i fcSilvamord had tired of watching Nagru commanding rarchers to shoot ceaseless arrows into the tower room ceiling. She wandered off to her chamber, which was on the floor as the banqueting room. There she sat dis-iing the situation with Sicant, a female horderat who 50 doubled as the vixen's maid. They took wine and a sted fish together, and Sicant was careful to agree with Silvamord's views.