Old Friar Butty had passed a restless night in the gatehouse. It was close to dawn when he guessed the reason he had only slept half the night: he had dozed off and missed supper. The Recorder never slept well on an empty stomach. He decided to have a good early breakfast while helping in the kitchen. The ancient squirrel left the gatehouse and began walking across the lawn toward the Abbey, but he had scarce gone a score of paces when there was a dull thud and the gate bar hit the ground. Friar Butty turned and found himself peering through the half-light of dawn at six creatures, two Marlfoxes and four water rats, one of whom was waving a long spear. Dark shapes poured out of the ditch and into the open gateway. Butty ran as fast as his aged limbs would carry him toward the main building, shouting, “Attack! We’re being invaded! Sound the alarm!”

Rusvul was up and about early, helping the breakfast cooks. He was coming out of the door with an apple basket in one paw, heading for the orchard, when he heard the cries. The water rat carrying the spear was chasing Butty, trying to cut him down before he reached the Abbey. Racing hard, he was barely a paw’s length behind the old Recorder when he drew back the spear, ready to stab forward. Rusvul’s apple basket caught him full in the face at the same instant that the squirrel warrior’s flying kick struck his stomach. Rusvul grabbed the spear and flung it, bringing down a ferret who was leading the charge. Seizing Butty’s paw, he dragged him headlong into the Abbey and slammed the door shut. Rusvul’s roaring boomed through Great Hall as he shot home the bolts on the big door.

“Wake, Redwallers! It’s an attack! They’re inside the grounds!”

Janglur Swifteye came bounding downstairs, furious. “First night we’re not on watch, Rus, an’ they’re in!”

Guosim shrews, Redwallers and the Noonvale players came hurrying into Great Hall, some half dressed, others still in night attire. Janglur pushed them this way and that, yelling, “Shove the tables over to the windows an’ defend ’em! Tragglo, you an’ Melilot get all the weapons you can muster! Florian, take yore creatures an’ barricade the door, guard it! Sister Sloey, see the Dibbuns stay upstairs out of the way! Rusvul, get to an upstairs window an’ see wot’s goin’ on out there, mate!”

Cregga Badgermum felt blindly about her until she touched Janglur. “What can I do to help?”

Ellayo and Rimrose took the blind badger’s paws.

“You come upstairs with us. We’ll see what we can do from the upper windows!”

An argument had broken out on the front lawn between Ascrod and Raventail. Dawn was up, the rosy glow illuminating the two quarreling creatures.

“Barbarian oaf! I said to come silently when the signal was given!”