Flogga turned to his crew and gave them a "wait here" sign. He nodded and winked at them, outwardly confident, but inwardly apprehensive as he strode off after the Searat King.

Gabool fitted the spear through the iron ring and heaved. As the stone lifted he slid it to one side. Flogga stood in the doorway of the chamber, still wary of a trap. The Searat King pointed to the black hole in the center of the floor.

"Down there 'tis, me old matey. More booty than you could wink an eye at. Come an' get your half, Graypatch-or are you afeared?"

Flogga remained in the doorway. "I don't know ..."

Gabool strode over and grasped his paw tightly. "Then we'll go down there together, eh? Tell you what, 283.

matey; we'll take a run an' jump in at the same time, both o' us. Haharr, just think, Gabool an' Graypatch, down there midst all that booty!"

Flogga gnawed at his lip. "Together at the same time, both of us?"

"Aye, matey. That's the way, come on. One t' be ready, two t' be steady, three t' be off!"

Clutching Flogga's claw, Gabool rushed him at the hole. Flogga, finding Gabool running eagerly alongside him, felt confident. They leaped together: Flogga down into the hole, Gabool right across it onto the other side, where he landed chuckling.

"Hoho, Skrabblag, I told yer I'd bring Graypatch 'ere for a visit!"

Flogga screamed with horror. Something was rustling and clicking in the darkness. As Gabool held a flaring walltorch over the pit, Flogga moaned in despair. A fully grown black scorpion was stalking him in the close confines of the pit. Claws clicking, armored hide rustling against the floor, it advanced upon him, the venomous needle-pointed sting in its tail held high, ready to strike. Gabool laughed insanely.

"You remember Skrabblag, don't yer, matey? Hahah-aharr!"

Thick fog had dropped upon the sea, and the waters ran smooth, almost waveless. From her point at the tiller, Mariel could not make out the other end of the ship. One thing became apparent: they were becalmed, lying on the unrippled waters in the midst of the heavy dripping mist.

Tarquin brought food to her side. "Absolutely dreadful this bally fog, wot? Shouldn't bother us though, old gel. As soon as we move again at least it'll be in the right direction-the jolly little swallow feller'll see to that."

"Right, Tarquin. Where's Dandin and Durry? I haven't seen them for a while."

284.

"For'ard -I think that's the right nautical jargon. They've found some line an' fancy their paws as fish-erbeasts."

Mariel leaned on the tiller, gnawing at a cold oatcake as she stared about her into the blank whiteness. "Funny, isn't it-the fog seems to be ten times thicker at sea than on land. If you stare into it long enough you begin to see all sorts of odd shapes looming up on you."

"Hmm, quite eerie. I never liked it when I was at Salamandastron, y'know. Beastly stuff. It's like bein' surrounded by steam from a kettle, 'cept that it's all chilly an' clammy. Brrrr!"

"Hsst, Tarquin. Did you hear something?"

"No, unless it's those other two up at the front of the boat-beg pardon I mean the for'ard end."

"Yaaaaah look out!"

Crrrraaa.s.sshhh!!!

The burned-out hulk quivered as the high prow of the searat galley Seatalon rammed her amidships, heeling her high out of the water. The burnt timbers shattered under the impact as the hulk overturned and smashed completely in two pieces. Mariel grabbed the metal swallow before being hurled off into the fog. She hit the waters with a dull splash. All around she could hear shouting and confusion.

"Cap'n Catseyes, we've struck a vessel!"

"Then board 'er, you bilgeswillin's. See if there's any pickin's t' be had. Where away is she now?"

"We've rammed 'er in the fog, Cap'n. She's broke in two. Can't see a thing in this cursed fog!"

"Is Seatalon damaged, Fishtail?"

"No, Cap'n. We're all right. The other one broke right easy, though. Must've been some sort o' wreck, eh?"

"Aye, it'll be sunk by now."

"Cap'n Catseyes, there's two beasts in the sea!"

"Well, hook 'em out. Don't stand there dreamin'!"

285.

"Look, it's a mouse an' a hedgepig!"

"Haul 'em aboard, pump the water outta them an'

bring 'em t' my cabin."

Mariel trod water, holding the swallow between her teeth, the Gullwhacker about her neck weighing heavily in the sea. Cries from the searat ship died away into the fog, and now she was alone on the deep, shrouded by the all-enveloping mists and without her companions. Suddenly something grabbed her footpaws and pulled her under. Kicking madly she wriggled and fought underwater. The mousemaid lashed out, connecting hard with something. Whatever it was had let go of her. Mariel fought her way to the surface, and emerged next to Tarquin, who was spitting water and gurgling.

"Gwaawhg! I must've gone right t' the bottom then. I say, was that your paws I grabbed hold of?"

Mariel was overjoyed to see her friend. "Tarquin, it's you!"

"I'll say it is. Who did you expect, a fish with fur an' ears?"

"It was a searat ship that rammed us. They've got Dandin and Durry aboard. I heard them call it the Seatalon."

"Oh, corks. Dandin 'n' Durry captured by searats! WhatTl we do?"

"What can we do?"

"Which way did this Seatalon go?"

"Over that way, I think-though it's hard to tell in this fog."

"Then there's only one thing for it, we'll have to swim after it and see if we can get our friends back. Come on."

They struck out into the fogged sea, swimming as hard and as fast as they could. After a while, Tarquin halted, treading water as he floated.

'"Sno use, Mariel. Whew, I'm out of breath!"

286.

"Me too. We could be going in circles in this fog."

"Then I vote we just float here until it clears. D'you want my harolina? It makes rather a good float."

"We'll both use it, then."

Together they rested their paws on the instrument. It buoyed them slightly, and they kicked their legs slowly to keep afloat.

"Well, this is a pretty mess we're in and no mistake."

"How far do you suppose we are from sh.o.r.e, Tarquin?"

"No idea, old scout. It's sink or swim from here on in. I say, I'm famished. You don't happen to have any tucker on you . . . ?"

"Sorry, all I had was that cold oatcake, and I lost that in the wreck."

"Ah well, at least we won't make a nice fat meal for any fishes that are feelin' peckish. I suppose there are fishes around here."

"Could be, might be one or two big ones with huge mouths and sharp teeth ..."

"Steady on, miss! You could scare a chap out of a season's growth, talkin' like that."

Mariel and Tarquin lost all reckoning of distance or position as they floated for what seemed like endless hours. Gradually the fog began to thin, giving way to slightly choppy water and mists, which were soon dispelled by a stiff breeze. There was not much to see - no sight of the searat galley, nor of land; they were completely surrounded by rising waves. Helping each other as best as they could, the two friends conserved their energy by floating, only swimming when the seas became too rough. Mariel looked up at the sky; evening was not far off.

"It gets cold on the sea at night."

"Hmm, y'don't say. It's blinkin' cold enough now. My paws have gone all dead an' shrivelled with the salt water."

287.

"Mine too. Tarquin, I'm sorry I got you into this. I should have traveled alone. Now Dandin and Durry are the prisoners of searats and we're not going to last long out here."

"Oh, nonsense, old miss mousy. I wouldn't have had it any other bally way. None of it was your fault. We'd have come along whether you liked it or not. Now stop that kind o' talk an' save your breath."

"You're a good friend Tarquin L. Woodsorrel. I won't forget you."

"Should jolly well hope not. Rosie too. Hope she thinks of old Tarkers feedin' the fish now an' then. Oh, Rosie, you'll never find another as devil-may-care an' handsome as me, poor old thing!"

Mariel draped her Gullwhacker across the harolina. Her limbs were beginning to tire; seawater lapped into her mouth and she spluttered.

"I say, why don't you take the swallow out of your mouth an' tie it round your neck?"

"Good idea, Tarquin. Thank you."

"Oh dear, there's the jolly old sun beginnin' to set."

"I'm so tired, I could lie back in the water and go to sleep."

"Steady on there-don't start talkin' like that. Here, I'll hold you up for a bit."

"No, Tarquin, you need all your energy to stay afloat yourself."

"Fiddle-de-dee! I've got energy I haven't even used yet. There, how's that, Mariel Gullwhacker?"

"That's fine, Tarquin. But you won't be able to keep us both up for long."

"S'pose not, but when that time comes we'll sink together, wot?"

Clinging to each other, they bobbed on the open sea, oblivious of the glory of the setting sun and the many-hued sky which reflected in the waters all round. Night closed in on the hare and the mousemaid.

288.

Two ma.s.sive paws shot down into the water and grabbed them both, hauling them effortlessly out of the night sea and onto a heaving deck.

"Woodsorrel, I might have known it would be you!"

Semiconscious and shivering uncontrollably, Tarquin peered up into the huge striped face of Rawnblade.

"I s-s-say, m'Lord, d-d-didn't know you'd taken t' b-b-boatin', wot?"

"You young rogue, I suppose you've brought this poor mousemaid along with you just to get her drowned!"

"Quite the c-c-contrary, s-s-sir."

"Hmm, we'll discuss that later, after you're both fixed up."

When Mariel regained consciousness she was in the cabin of the Waveblade. A charcoal fire burned in the small stove, and she was clad in cast-off searat garments. Lord Rawnblade made her drink some heavy dark wine and eat a little dried fruit.

Tarquin was fully recovered. Mariel could not suppress a smile at the comical figure he cut, dressed in searat silks with a cloak of yellow chenille draped about him. Tarquin admired the daggers and swords he had stuffed into the wide-sashed belt of orange satin, and earrings and bangles jangled as he twirled about dramatically.

"Haharr, me booties, 'tis only I, Tarquin the Terrible!"

Rawnblade sniffed away a smile threatening to steal across his face. "I'd say awful was more appropriate than terrible."

The badger Lord turned to Mariel.

"So tell me, mousemaid, what were you doing bobbing about on the high seas in company with this addle-brained creature?"

Mariel sipped more of the wine, feeling its dark 289.

warmth comfort her. "Well, it's a long story, sir, but I'll start at the beginning."

Outside, wind keened the darkness, scouring the face of the sea as rain began to spatter the decks. Waveblade cut her course northward, her tiller lashed in position by the sodden Gullwhacker as the ship plowed on through the night, guided by a small metal swallow.

290.

Abbot Bernard watched the two young shrews as they attacked the Abbey breakfast board like hungry wolves, swigging pear cordial, stuffing plum and greengage tart and grabbing hot elderberry m.u.f.fins dripping with honey.

"My word, Mother Mellus, those two young ones can put it away!"

"Aye, bless them, you'd think we were facing a ten-season famine."