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Back Mattimeo
Chapters (64)
  1. CAPTURED!
  2. Other Books
  3. Title Page
  4. Map
  5. Introduction
  6. BOOK ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. BOOK TWO
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. BOOK THREE
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. What’s next onyour reading list?

That same morning saw Matthias and his friends marching shoulder to shoulder with Log-a-Log and the shrew army, south through the trees, upon the trail of Slagar. Orlando stopped in a clearing and pointed ahead with his axe.

“Is that a cloudbank on the horizon, or some sort of landrise?”

They halted and gazed in the direction he was pointing.

Matthias shook his head. “Could be anything. What d’you think, Log-a-Log?”

The shrew leader shaded his eyes. “That must be the Great South Cliffs. I’ve heard of them, but the Guosim have never wandered that far south before. Well, let’s press on and see for ourselves. I reckon we should make them by late evening if we march at the double.”

A short meal break was taken for shrew oatcakes and water. Keeping the cliffs ahead as a bearing, the searchers set out at a fast double pawstep.

*   *   *

Slagar had split his band in two, half in front and half behind the slave line as they began the ascent of the rope ladders hanging down from the top of the plateau. The masked fox snapped out instructions.

“Listen you lot, keep your paws tight on those rungs. Don’t look up or down. It’s a good drop, even from halfway up these ladders. You wouldn’t live through it, so if you want to reach the top in one piece then keep your wits about you. Threeclaws, you go first to show ’em. When you reach the top make sure the prisoners are well staked down until I get there. Stonefleck’s waiting up there. Do as he says. Right, get going!”

*   *   *

Mattimeo climbed stolidly, trying hard to keep some slack in the running line to make it easier for Tess and Cynthia, who were on the rungs below him. Auma climbed steadily. She was above Mattimeo. Young Jube would slip now and then, accidentally kicking the badger on her head, but she toiled upwards without complaint. Tim was above Jube and Sam was the top climber, being the more experienced. He chanced a look below when they were over halfway up. The drop was dizzying, even for a squirrel. The other slaves were way below, treading nervously on each separate rung as they were chivvied along by the slavers.

“Come on, dozypaws, or you’ll feel my cane.”

“Up, you stupid creature, don’t look down.”

“Hey you, get a move on up there.”

“Ow! You great lump, you’re treading on my paws.”

*   *   *