There was a ledge overhead. Song reached it the only way she could. With a bound she was on Burble’s shoulders, thrusting herself into an upward leap. Her paws grasped the ledge and she hauled herself upward, scrabbling to find holds in the rifted stone. She pulled and struggled until she was lying flat on the ledge, hanging over the edge. She held out her paws. “Burble, throw me the stern rope!”

The river vole threw the rope into her waiting paws, then made the other end fast by looping it around the rear seat. Song knotted the rope around a spur in the side of the rift while the others tossed their paddles up onto the ledge. Dippler was first up the rope. He and Song leaned over to help Burble, with Dann following in the rear. As soon as they were safe from the thundering waters, the four companions hauled the Swallow up to the rocky platform, with their supplies intact.

Dann sat panting, his back against the sunwarmed rocks. He patted the hilt of the sword. “Whew! Thanks to Friar Butty’s rhyme an’ this sword we made it. See that haze down yonder, beneath the rainbow? I’d take me oath that I saw a vision of Martin the Warrior hoverin’ there. ’Twas he told me to shove the sword into the crack.”

Song looked from the misted haze to the sword. “I don’t doubt that you did, Dann. That blade must be some powerful kind of steel to hold a boat and us four safe from those waters. I dread t’think what would’ve happened to us if we’d been swept away between those two big rocks. I wonder what’s down that way?”

Dippler was setting out a makeshift meal of scones and fruit. “Let’s ’ave a bite to eat first. Then we’ll toiler these ledges downstream an’ see where the current leads.”

Burble found a flask of dandelion and burdock cordial and swigged thirstily at it, massaging the back of his neck. “Aye, you three go off an’ explore awhile. Yiss yiss, I’ll stay ’ere an’ guard our gear. Me ould neck’s a bit sore. You didn’t ’elp matters by leapin’ all over me head’n’shoulders to get up on this ledge, missie, you serpintly didn’t!”

Song helped the watervole to rub his neck. “Ah, poor old Burb. Never mind, mate, you’ll live, but don’t doze off now. Keep an eye on everything while we’re gone.”