The big otter eyed Mossflower’s vast thickness. Not even a leaf was stirring on the still air. “There’s somethin’ brewin’ out there, Rus. Me whiskers are startin’ to twitch, an’ that’s a bad sign. My ole whiskers ain’t ever let me down yet!”

Janglur’s hooded eyes stayed intent on a new sling he was braiding. “I know the feelin’, mate. What are ye goin’ t’do about it?”

“A quiet liddle look around out there wouldn’t go amiss.”

Stretching the sling against his footpaw, Janglur nodded. “So be it, if’n that’s what y’want. We’ll let you out by the east wallgate an’ keep our eyes skinned for ye comin’ back.”

As the small door closed behind him the otter Chieftain slid off among the trees, armed with only his sling and stonepouch. He threaded his way southeast, using all his natural ability as a hunter, silent and capable.

Tragglo Spearback and Florian found themselves on dormitory duty. Tragglo was used to unruly Dibbuns, but the hare was losing patience with the wide-awake Abbeybabes. Stiffening both ears and squinching his eyes menacingly, he adopted his no-nonsense voice. “Listen here, you confounded curmudgeons, get t’sleep immediately. One more flippin’ squeak out of ye, an’ I’ll do a spot o’ tail-skelpin’, wot!”

“Hurr, wot be ee spotter tail-skelpen, zurr?”

“Never you jolly well mind, you young rip, just get t’sleep!”

“Will y’skelper my tail too, mista Florian?”

“Indeed I will, master Dwopple, double sharp if y’don’t pipe down!”

“D’you skelper tails too, mista Tragg’o?”

“Hoho, I’m known fer it, young ’un, worstest tail-skelper in Redwall, that’s me. Now git back into bed with ye!”

Immediately all the Dibbuns deserted their beds and clamored around the two bewildered dormitory helpers, pleading with them to skelp their tails. It all sounded like great fun to them. Florian and Tragglo were completely overwhelmed, being new to dormitory duty, and the hare threw up his paws in resignation.

“It’s all too bally much. How’re we supposed to cope with this savage mob of infants, wot wot?”

“Just leave ’em to me, sir. I invented skelpin’ naughty tails!”

At the sound of Cregga Badgermum’s booming voice the Dibbuns hurled themselves into the little beds and pulled the blankets over their heads. Cregga strode into the dormitory. “Right, let’s get started. Any particular one you’d like me to skelp, mister Florian?”

The hare shrugged carelessly. “Not really, marm. Mayhaps you could just dish out a good general skelpin’ all round, wot!”

Cregga’s huge paws felt their way around each bed as she recited:

“I’ll skelp their tails I’ll skelp their ears,

Then skelp some whiskers too,

Nobeast skelps like Cregga does,

An’ I’ve skelped quite a few!

I love to see ’em turnin’ pale,

Some’ll weep or some’ll wail,

Some’ll grow up with no tail,