When I’m done skelpin’ here!

So hush my naughty dear,

Go fast asleep till morn,

That’s if you wish to waken up,

With tail unskelped by dawn!

One more word, just one more peep,

Woe betide those not asleep,

They will call out, Mercy! Help!

When the badger starts to skelp!”

Silence reigned in the dormitory, apart from one or two false snores, from those trying to prove they were really asleep. Tip-pawing out, Cregga closed the door. Florian gulped visibly. “I say, marm, that did the trick, wot wot? I think a Marlfox’d take a swift snooze rather’n be skelped by you!”

Cregga smiled as she felt her way downstairs. “Bless their liddle hearts, the only beast I’d skelp would be one who tried to put a paw near my Dibbuns. ’Tis the sound of my big voice puts ’em in their place, that’s all.”

“So your roar’s worse than your skelp, wot? Jolly good idea!”

Cregga bared her teeth and growled menacingly. “But only to Dibbuns. I come down extra hard on braggarts and salad fork wreckers!”

Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop nipped smartly behind Tragglo, placing the hedgehog between the badger and himself. “Indeed, quite right too, marm. Can’t stand those types m’self!”

At the bottom of the spiral stairwell they met Bargle. The shrew was scratching his head. “Did a mouse pass by you on his way upstairs?”

Tragglo shook his head. “Which mouse? What was he like?”

“Well-built, strong-lookin’ feller. Can’t say where I’ve seen ’im afore, but ’e looked familiar like. Wearin’ armor an’ carryin’ a sword, too, fine weapon . . .”

Bargle found his paw enveloped by Cregga’s huge mitt. “What did he say? Did he do anything? Speak?”

“Er, no, not really, marm. ’E smiled at me an’ sorta nodded as if ’e wanted me t’foller ’im. Went up these stairs.”

Cregga pushed the shrew in front of her. “Right, up y’go, let’s see where your footpaws take you, Bargle. That could only have been the spirit of Martin the Warrior!”

On the floor above the dormitories Bargle halted, glancing down the passage. “There ’e is, by that window. Hi there, matey!” He dashed off down the passage.

“Can you see him?” Cregga muttered to her friends.

The stolid Tragglo shrugged slowly. “I don’t see nothin’, marm. Ain’t nobeast there.”

Florian started after Bargle. “Chap must be puddled, wot! Scoffed too much supper, I think.”

Cregga could not help remarking, “Huh, if that were the case you’d be seeing visions day and night.”

The window was merely a long, narrow, unglazed slit in the wall. Bargle stood by it, rubbing his eyes and blinking. “I’d’a took me oath ’e was ’ere a moment ago, an’ now ’e’s gone!”

Tragglo stepped up to the window. “Well, ’tis clear that Martin wanted us to look out of this window. Why else should he lead us up here?”