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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?

Slagar scratched moodily in the sandy soil. “Your mob had better be ready as soon as the sun sets.”

Stonefleck’s expression did not change. “They will be.”

*   *   *

Mattimeo moved restlessly in his sleep. Dreams of the dark forest they had left echoed through his mind.

*   *   *

Matthias and his friends ate as they marched across the plateau with the shrews. Log-a-Log pointed out the slavers’ tracks.

“Nice and clear, still travelling due south.”

Orlando’s face was grim. “Aye, the fox didn’t suppose we’d be following him.”

Basil shaded his eyes. “I say, that looks like a gloomy old forest we’re heading towards. Any more shrewcake left?”

Jess absentmindedly passed him one. “It’s a pine wood. I don’t like the look of it.”

“Nor do I,” Jabez Stump agreed. “Just a feelin’ in my spikes, I s’pose, but it looks as if it’s sittin’ there a-waitin’ for us.”

Cheek laughed nervously. “Ha ha, old doom’n’gloom. Funny, I haven’t got a feelin’ in my spikes. Maybe ’cos I don’t have any.”

Basil slapped him heartily on the back. “That’s the spirit, Cheek m’boy. Chin in, chest out, good straight back and a stiff upper lip, wot. Look out, pine trees, here we come!” The woods looked deceptively close. Even though they stepped out briskly, it was past noon when the party arrived at the beginning of the pine fringe.

Log-a-Log called for cooks to make a meal. “We’ll eat and rest awhile here, because we won’t be stopping once we get among those trees; we’ll do a straight march through until we’re clear of them. Is that all right with you, Matthias?”

“Good idea, Log-a-Log. A rest and some food will set us up nicely and we’ll be fresh for the march.”

*   *   *

A short while later they formed up into close marching order. Weapons at the ready, they set off into the trees with Log-a-Log and Matthias up front, while Orlando and Basil guarded the rear. The first thing that struck them was the absence of daylight filtering through the thick foliage of the close-growing pines, then the complete, awesome silence of the place.

“No use trying to look for tracks among these thick pine needles on the ground. And that strong scent from the trees blocks out everything.” Log-a-Log’s voice was muted and hollow.

“Waaah! Look, up there!”

Log-a-Log grabbed the wide-eyed shrew who had called out.

“What are you shouting about?”

“Skeletons, bones. Can’t you see them hanging in the trees? It’s a warning. We’d better go back!”

Orlando came rushing forward. “Bones are bones, shrew. Nobeast is turning back. They can’t bite you, see.”

The badger whirled his axe and crashed it with stunning force deep into a tree trunk. The reverberation of the mighty blow caused bones to come clattering down to earth. Orlando tugged his warblade free.