“Kaah! You worry too much, Mangiz. Let them waste their energy. It is a fine summer day and the sun will grow hotter. We will stay here and let them try to redouble their efforts. When they are tired out, we will strike. I have a plan. Listen, my fighters. When you see me spread my wings, then dive as fast as you can and go in pairs. Kill if you must, but try to pick one or two up. I want to see what the others do if we are holding some of them hostages. Maybe then they will see it is no use trying to defy General Iron—”

Bong! Boom! Clang! Bongggggg!

The Matthias and Methuselah bells directly beneath the bell tower roof tolled out vigorously. The noise was deafening to Ironbeak and his birds, separated from the bells by only a single layer of slates. Taken completely off guard, they flapped off in all directions, cawing loudly.

*   *   *

Below in the belfry, Cornflower and Mrs. Churchmouse heaved and tugged furiously on the bellropes, their paws leaving the floor at each recoil.

Bongdingboomclangbangbong!!!

*   *   *

Ironbeak was last to leave the roof. He tried calling to his warriors, but his voice was lost in the clanging melee. With his head resounding to the metallic cacophony through to his very beaktip, the raven flapped off heavily into the air.

*   *   *

John Churchmouse clapped Ambrose upon the back.

“That’ll teach ’em to laugh at our army, eh, my old Spike!”

Constance opened the Abbey door. “Come on inside, I’m closing the door now. I hope we gave Foremole and his crew time to set their surprise up.”

*   *   *

With his head still ringing from the bells, Ironbeak flew under the eaves to the roof space in a black rage.

“Mangiz, take four with you and see if you can pick up any lone stragglers outside. The rest of you follow me. Get that roof trapdoor open quickly. We’ll fly inside to the upper gallery and beat them to the stairs.”

“Beat what chairs, Chief?”

The crow had not recovered his hearing properly. Ironbeak buffeted him flat with a hefty wing blow.

“I said ‘beat them to the stairs,’ antbrain. Now get that trapdoor up and follow me.”

*   *   *

Halfway across Great Hall, Abbot Mordalfus bumped into Constance. The badger glanced up.

“Dust!” she exclaimed. “They’re opening up the ceiling trapdoor. Quick, clear the Hall. Let’s get upstairs. By the way, Abbot, well done with the bells.”

As they pounded up the stairs, the Abbot called to Constance. “I thought the bells were your idea. I knew nothing of it until I heard them ringing.”

“Well, whoever it was, they struck just the right note, hahaha.”

Both parties reached the barricade area at virtually the same time. The Redwallers stopped behind the barricade. Ironbeak could not fly on the spiral stairwell, so he came hop-skipping round the stairs in front of his fighters and hit the first tripwire.