BooksBarbecue
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?

Ironbeak and his fighters retaliated instantly. They were on Constance, pecking, scratching and tearing. Winifred and Ambrose ran to her rescue. Belaboring furiously, they whacked away at anything feathered with their stout staves.

The fight did not last long. Ironbeak and his fighters were driven back by the fast onslaught of the Redwallers. They retreated to a boxroom, slamming the door and locking it from the inside.

Constance shook blood from her muzzle as she banged on the door. “You in there, Ironbeak or whatever you call yourself, get out of this Abbey and take your birds with you. We do not allow trespassers at Redwall.”

The reply was instant and bold. “Yaggah! I am General Ironbeak, greatest fighter in all the northlands. This is my redstone house, and I will slay you all if you do not leave.”

The Abbot came hurrying up, accompanied by Brother Dan and Sister Agnes. He motioned Constance to be silent. Though the badger was obviously fuming with temper she bowed to the Abbot’s wish.

The old mouse rapped lightly on the door. “Hello in there. I am Mordalfus, Abbot of Redwall. I’m sorry if there’s been a misunderstanding. We mean you no harm, we are a friendly order of creatures. If you wish to stay the night then you may. We have food and treatment for any creature who is sick or injured. Hello, can you hear me?”

This time it was Mangiz the crow who replied. “General Ironbeak’s word is the law. This place is his now. We are in your roof spaces, and there are many of us, all seasoned warriors from the north. There were some sparrows when we arrived, but they have all been slain. You too will be slain if you do not leave the redstone house.”

The Abbot shook his head sadly as Constance pulled him gently away. Foremole struck the door with his staff. “Yurr, burdbags, Redwall be ours. Better wurriers than you’m ’as troid to take it offen us an’ failed mizzuble, so they ’ave.”

There was no sound from the other side of the door.

Winifred shouldered her stave. “Sounds as if they’ve gone. We’d best get back to Cavern Hole and decide what we are going to do.”

*   *   *

There was a loud hubbub and clamor in Cavern Hole, and sleep was forgotten. Sister May was the heroine of the hour after Cornflower and Mrs. Churchmouse told how she attacked the big bird single-pawed to rescue Rollo.

Sister May was a simple and modest mouse. “Well, mercy me, I may be only the infirmary Sister, but I couldn’t let that great bully harm our Rollo,” she told them. “Poor little mite, he was frightened clear out of his wits, and so was I. Do you know, I’m still not sure it was me who attacked that bird.”

There was general laughter and a rousing cheer for Sister May.