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Chapters (79)
  1. CHARGE!
  2. THE REDWALL BOOKS
  3. Dedication
  4. Map
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. ACT ONE
  7. 1
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 3
  13. 4
  14. 4
  15. 5
  16. 5
  17. 6
  18. 6
  19. 7
  20. 7
  21. 8
  22. 8
  23. 9
  24. 9
  25. 10
  26. 10
  27. 11
  28. 11
  29. 12
  30. 12
  31. 13
  32. 13
  33. ACT TWO
  34. 14
  35. 14
  36. 15
  37. 15
  38. 16
  39. 16
  40. 17
  41. 17
  42. 18
  43. 18
  44. 19
  45. 19
  46. 20
  47. 20
  48. 21
  49. 21
  50. 22
  51. 22
  52. 23
  53. 23
  54. 24
  55. 24
  56. 25
  57. 25
  58. ACT THREE
  59. 26
  60. 26
  61. 27
  62. 27
  63. 28
  64. 28
  65. 29
  66. 29
  67. 30
  68. 30
  69. 31
  70. 31
  71. 32
  72. 32
  73. 33
  74. 33
  75. 34
  76. 34
  77. Epilogue
  78. Epilogue
  79. What’s next onyour reading list?

The vixen stood, drawing her ax. “Well, they won’t get it done chanting and dancing here. What better time than now? ’Twill be full dark when we reach the Abbey. Our scouts report that they have been celebrating a victory. This is the time they’ll least expect us.”

25

25

Abbey bells boomed softly on the still warm air over Redwall. Grandma Ellayo, in company with Sister Sloey, halted their evening stroll by the northeast wallcorner. Janglur turned from the battlements, a half-smile in his lazy eyes. “Now then, ole Mother, don’t ye go breakin’ into a gallop down there. Supper’ll be about ready, time ye get to Cavern Hole.”

Ellayo shook her stick at her impudent offspring. “If’n my rheumatiz would let me climb yon wallsteps I’d tan yore tail for ye, Janglur baybelly!”

Skipper winked at Rusvul. He admired the feisty old squirrel. “Haharr, that’d be a sight t’see, mate. Stop there, marm, an’ I’ll come down an’ lend ye a paw. A spot o’ tannin’ wouldn’t go amiss on this son of yores!”

Ellayo shook her head, smiling up at the otter Chieftain. “Aren’t you three comin’ inside for supper? Me’n’Sister Sloey baked a great blackberry jam roly poly pudden this afternoon.”

Rusvul Reguba gnawed his lip regretfully. “With pear’n’honey sauce, too, I’ll wager. Trouble is, by the time we got down there, marm, ole Florian forkbottom would’ve scoffed the lot!”

Sister Sloey, normally quite a sedate old mouse, broke out into hoots of laughter. “Whoohoohoo! Florian forkbottom, that’s a good ’un. Whoohoohoo!”

Ellayo turned Sloey in the direction of the Abbey, lecturing her with mock severity. “Now now, Sister, that’s not very nice. Don’t you dare call that pore hare Florian forkbottom—leastways, not afore I do. Heehee!”

“Don’t forget us three ’ungry beasts up ’ere, ladies,” Janglur called after the retreating figures. “See if ’n ye can get supper sent out to us, please.”

Ellayo waved her stick in acknowledgment.

Skipper turned back to the wall, leaning his chin on it. “Hmm, it don’t look like there’s much doin’ out there t’night, mates. Quiet as a butterfly’s bedroom ’tis.”

Rusvul tested his javelin point lightly. “Makes me nervous when it’s this quiet. What d’ye say, Jang?”

“Y’could be right, messmate. I don’t like it meself, too silent.”

Skipper was not a creature who favored inactivity. Pacing restlessly up and down the ramparts, he checked his sling and javelin. Janglur and Rusvul were older than the otter, more used to biding their time throughout the long hours of sentry duty. Rusvul watched Skipper testing the longbow strings and counting the arrows for the second time that night. “Skip, will you stop hoppin’ about like you got a thistle under yore jerkin? What’s up, matey?”