The young squirrelmaid winked at the apprehensive shrew. “That’s the Mighty Megraw. I have trouble understanding all he says, but since we went over the falls together we’ve become the best of pals. You’ll like him, Dipp. You will too, Burb, once you get to know him.”

The watervole glanced back at the fierce-eyed Megraw.

“Ah yiss yiss, missie, I’m sure I will, ’tis a fine powerful bird he is. We’ll have t’keep him well fed though, yiss yiss, I’d hate t’be around when that feller feels hungry!”

They halted before dawn at a hidden inlet, a screen of bushes and trees was pulled aside, and Dann, Dippler and Burble gave a delighted shout. “The Swallow!”

The beautiful little boat was in the process of being repaired. It stood upside down on the wide-planked deck of a sprawling hedgehog raft. Torrab and the hedgehogs were about to dash aboard when Gawjo held forth a javelin, barring their way. “Remember yore manners. We’ve got guests!”

Torrab made an impatient curtsy to the friends. “Prithee, come ye aboard an’ welcome!”

Once they were aboard, the hedgehogs charged on to the raft and fought to get through the narrow doorway of a big cabin built at the vessel’s center. Gawjo shook his head wearily. “Back! Get back all of you. Now, what’ve I taught yer?”

Sheepishly the big spiky beasts stood away from the cabin door, the males bowing reluctantly to the females.

“Marm, I pray thee enter.”

Once Torrab and the other hogmaids were inside, the males began fighting each other in the doorway again.

Gawjo smiled. “You’ll ’ave to excuse ’em. They’re fine hogs, but they love to fight. Huh, the trouble I ’ad rearin’ ’em was nobeast’s business. A squirrel dad with fourteen hedgehog sons an’ daughters, who’d believe it. Still, I got me a pretty young granddaughter now, so things are lookin’ up, eh, Song?”

Song hugged her grandpa, while Dann looked the Swallow over. “How did y’find her, sir?”

Gawjo stroked the sleek resin-varnished hull. “Swept downriver out o’ the mountain she was, full o’ holes an’ almost broke in two pieces. That’s why we were searchin’ round the watermeadow. I figgered if’n you were still alive, then that’d be the place you’d land in. Enough jawin’ now, you young ’uns. Time to eat, but first y’must jump in the creek an’ wash the dirt off. Y’ain’t comin’ to my table smellin’ the ways you do. Megraw!”

The osprey waddled up and dealt Song a buffet with his good wing, toppling her over the deckrail into the water. “Ah ken ye’ll get a guid scrub, lassie. Who’s next, eh?”

However, before he could raise his wing again, Dann, Dippler and Burble had thrown themselves into the water.