Viewing the scene from his upside-down position, Burble winked at Dann. “Ah well, isn’t that decent of the young missie now, she’s gettin’ round to releasin’ us. If’n she don’t put a move on with it we’ll both have great fat purple heads with hangin’ this way!”

The irony of the watervole’s remarks was not lost on Song. Smiling mischievously, she crouched with her face level to Burble’s. “Hmm, then again I might just leave you to ripen and drop off like two damsons in the orchard. How long is it till autumn, Dann?”

Struggling upright, Dann swung Dippler in so that Song could cut his bonds, and together they lowered him onto the moss. The Guosim shrew had not said a word throughout his ordeal. Now he sat rubbing circulation back into his footpaws as he spoke. “Sleepin’ again, I was, same as last time when the Marlfoxes stole my tribe’s logboats. Huh! Haven’t learned much, ’ave I? Same puddle-’eaded beast as ever I was, that’s me!”

When they had cut Burble down, Dann sat by Dippler and put a friendly paw about his shoulders. “Don’t blame yourself, Dipp. We were all asleep—it wasn’t yore fault. Next time you’ll be ready, wait’n’see. I think you’ll surprise yourself when the time comes. I certainly did. After what took place here t’day I’ll never be afraid of any creature livin’. What d’you say, Song?”

The squirrelmaid tossed her Leafwood in the air and caught it deftly. “Don’t think ’tis a question of you being afraid anymore, Dann. In the seasons to come, any foebeast facing you will be the one who feels the fear, of that I’m sure!”

As the afternoon wore on the four friends sat on the bank discussing their next move. Burble was not happy about going back to the river. “’Tisn’t the thing t’do, y’see. That ole Gray One an’ the River’ead tribe’ll scour that open water fer days yet. Yiss yiss, we’ll only be like a butterfly flyin’ into the mouth of a hungry crow, goin’ straight inter trouble, so we will!”

Song glanced up from the scroll that contained Friar Butty’s rhyme, which she had been studying carefully. “You could be right, Burb, the river might be a dangerous place for us. You say we weren’t far off some rapids when your tribe were chasing us, is that correct?”

“Oh yiss yiss, missie, the ould rapids are fast an’ fierce. ’Tis a good job we never had t’face them so ’tis, yiss yiss.”

Song tapped the parchment thoughtfully. “Hmm, it doesn’t say anything in this rhyme about going over rapids on the river this early. All it says is:

“Just follow as I run away.

Discover the speechless hidden mouth,

Alas, my friends, our ways part there,