Eulalia! - 19 by Brian Jacques

Author:Brian Jacques [Jacques, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

As dusk darkened to night, lanterns were lit on the ramparts. Down on the lawn some of the elders lit a fire, to roast some of last autumn's chestnuts, which Marja Dub-bidge had stored in the bel tower.

Skipper Rorc was helping Barbowla and Kachooch to carry sleeping Dibbuns up to the dormitory, when they met Maudie and her two friends hurrying down the stairs into Great Hal . The otter chieftain

stood aside to let them pass. "Where are ye off to in such a rush, missie?"

The haremaid's jaw was set in a grim line as she explained. "We're looking for Gorath, he's not in his room."

Barbowla shrugged. "It's a warm night, Maudie, yore big badger might've chose to sleep out in the open. Maybe the orchard, or over by the pond."

256

Orkwil shook his head. "Then why would he want to take Tung, his big pitchfork, with him? It ain't in the room, an' Gorath's not in his bed. I'm worried!"

"Owow, git yer paws off me, I ain't done nothin'!"

Benjo Tipps pushed the surly watervole through the doorway. The burly Cel arhog had him tight by one ear.

Skipper Rorc eyed him with dislike. "Ahoy, Benjo, where'd ye come across this mis'rable sneak?"

The Cel arhog gestured with his free paw. "By the little north wal gate, Skip, he tried t'run off but I col ared him smartish."

The vole, who had his head bandaged due to his fal from the wal top, squealed unmerciful y. "Yeek, yowch! Lemme go, yore 'urtin' my wound!"

Benjo gave his ear an extra tweak, and spoke severely. "If'n ye don't tel us wot you were up to at the wal gate, yore in danger of losin' a lug. Now speak!"

The vole's explanation was a mixture of indignation and self-pity. "I went up t'the healers room, to see if'n that Atrata mouse'd change the dressin' on me injury, but she wasn't there. Suddenly I was grabbed, by that giant stripedog. He 'eld a big pitchfork to me stummick. I thought he was goin' to kil me!"

Orkwil had not liked the vole from their first encounter. He expressed this in no uncertain terms. "Listen, sourface, I'l kil ye meself if'n ye don't tel us where Gorath went. Get on with it!"

Hanging on to Benjo's paw, to ease the pressure on his ear, the vole explained rapidly. "The stripedog said he had business with the golden fox. He made me take 'im t'the north wal gate, said I wasn't to tel nobeast, an' told me to lock the gate after he'd left. So I did, an' that's when this fat spikepig laid paws on me. Yeeeek, yore draggin' me ear off, leggo leggo!"

Benjo squeezed the ear harder. "Tel me, slutchface, who was the fat hedgepig that laid paws on ye? I can't see no fat hedgepig round here, can you, Skip?"

257

The otter chieftain scratched his rudder thoughtful y. "We ain't never had a fat 'edgepig at Redwal , only a fine, big, 'andsome Cel arhog!"

The vole caught on fast. "Please sir,

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