The Bellmaker by Brian Jacques

Author:Brian Jacques
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Animals, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Fiction, Fantasy, Mice
ISBN: 9781439516010
Publisher: Firebird
Published: 1994-01-02T02:00:00+00:00

BOOK THREE

Southsward

26

Rosy-hued dawn flooded through the guest room window at Redwall Abbey as Mellus and Tarquin stirred the snoring searat Captain from a tangle of sheets.

"C'mon, Slipp, rise and shine, old rat. Let's see if you were Muffin* when you said you could cook."

Slipp tried burrowing deeper into the bed linen, as Tarquin turned him none-too-gently onto the floor. "Go 'way, s'only just dawn, beat it!" he grumbled.

The hefty paw of Mother Mellus scooped the searat up onto his paws. "Less of your insolence! You said you were a cook, so let's see you up and cooking!"

Blaggut poked his head from beneath the pillow, giggling dozily as he watched the proceedings. "Show 'em what yore made of, Cap'n. Burn up a mess o'skilly an' duff; that'll warm the cockles of their 'earts, hahaharr!"

The badger turned as she propelled Slipp through the doorway. "I wouldn't laugh too much if I were you, Blaggut; there's two friends outside want to see you. Go in and wake the nice rat up, my Dibbuns!"

267

268

BRIAN JACQUES

The mousebabe and the molemaid came dashing in and threw themselves upon Blaggut, buffeting him unmercifully with Slipp's pillow. "Cummon, mista Blackguts, Ma Mellus said you was a carpenter, we wanna see you carp!"

"Carp, y'say. Well, I dunno," said Blaggut as he sat up and scratched himself absently. "Let's see, mates, wot d'yer want ole Blaggy ter carp for ye?"

Furrtil the molemaid was in no doubt at all. "Ee lickle boat to sail on ee Abbey pond, zurr, so's us'n's can set in it. Can ee carp a boat, zurr Blackguts?''

Blaggut sensed a chance to help Slipp achieve his desire. "Mebbe I kin, mebbe I cain't. Boats don't git carped fer nothin', mates. D'you know where the secret treasure of this 'ere Redwall h'Abbey is 'idden?"

The mousebabe looked furtively about, then drawing close he whispered in Blaggut's ear, "A course we does!"

The searat brightened up; his ruse was working. "Right then, you show me the treasure, an' I'll make ee an' 'and-some liddle boat t'sail round the pond in, eh?"

"No, Zurr," said the molemaid, stroking her digging claws solemnly. "Furst you carp ee boat fer us'n's, then we tell ee whurr secret treasure be 'idden, hurt!"

Blaggut considered the offer, peering closely at the two well-scrubbed faces radiating honesty and trust at him. "Haharr, you drive an 'ard bargain, but it's a deal, buckoes. One thing though: swear you won't tell anybeast about this?"

The mousebabe shook his paw vigorously in Blaggut's face. "We don' swear.

S'not nice t'swear, y'get sent t' bed."

The BeUmaker

269

' 'Bless yer 'eart, messmate.'' The dullard searat grinned. "I don't mean swear 'n' curse, I means we gotta take a vow t'getner, a solemn oath."

The three conspirators placed their paws together, and the Dibbuns repeated the words that Blaggut recited:

"I take this oath."

"We take an oaf."

"That me liver 'n' lights be ripped out if'n any of us breathes a word of our secret to anybeast, so 'elp ee!"

"Hurr e liver be gripped when ee lights be out an' ee

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