A slow smile crept across the face of Grandma Ellayo. “Hmm, mebbe we’ll finish the job an’ serve it up t’that great lump of an otter. He’s always puttin’ ideas into the young ’uns’ ’eads. ’Twill serve ’im right if’n y’ask me!”

Out on the south wall, Skipper was scanning the woodlands, in company with Janglur and Rusvul.

“Haharr, ’tis too quiet, mates. I don’t like it, they’re up to somethin’. I’d take me affidavit on that!”

Janglur twirled his sling idly, the longbow resting at his side. “All’s we can do is t’keep our eyes peeled, Skip. Ahoy, mister Florian, how’re things over yore side?”

The Noonvale hare was guarding the east wall center with Borrakul, both of them crouching down behind the battlements. When he heard the squirrel hailing him, Florian beckoned the three comrades over with a silent wave. Curious to know what was going on, they hastened across.

“Keep your heads down, you chaps,” Florian whispered. “We’ve hit on a super wheeze. See this long pole? My troupe use it for their tightrope-walkin’ act. Now pay attention. As y’see, me’n’the sturdy Borrakul have tied this dagger to one end. Matter o’ fact, we’ve just finished sharpenin’ the jolly old knife on the battlements. Feel that edge an’ tell me what y’think.”

Skipper tested the blade, pulling his paw away and sucking it. “Phwaw! That’s wot I calls sharp, matey. Wot’s the game?”

With a nod Florian indicated an unusually tall ash, growing not far from the wall. It was a huge, stately tree. “See that ash? No, don’t gawp an’ stare like frogs at a fry-up! Merely take a peepette, quickly. Good. Now what did y’see?”

A peepette, as Florian called it, was all that the sharp eyes of Janglur needed. The squirrel saw it right away. “There’s a rope tied up there near the top!”

The lanky hare chuckled. “Well done that squirrel! Let me tell you, I’ve been watching that since midmornin’. Blinkin’ water rat climbed up an’ tied the rope there. Hawhawhaw! Confounded oaf was slippin’ an trippin’. Took the blighter an absolute age to get the bally rope fastened in those top branches. Now they’ve led it off, back a few trees. Good job you chaps’ve got me on your side, wot! I’ve twigged the whole blinkin’ plan, of course—didn’t take long for a great mind like mine. Now, lay low an’ watch like good chaps. Wait for the fun t’start, wot!”

Three trees back, a rat named Stukkfur perched on the highest limb of an elm. Gelltor and Ascrod stood gripping the heavier branches below him. Gelltor called up to the water rat in a loud whisper. “Is the top of the wall empty, nobeasts there?”