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Back Mattimeo Save as PDF
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?

Mrs. Churchmouse stroked Rollo’s tiny ears. “Yes, bless him. D’you remember when your Mattimeo was this size? My Tim and Tess weren’t much older, and they were a trio of rascals, I can tell you.”

Cornflower smiled. “Aye, but we had happy times with them. I hope, wherever they are now, that they’re safe and well.”

“They’ll all come marching back up that road one fine day, I know it. Then the enemies of our Abbey will rue the day they were born.”

31

Stonefleck’s army was indeed a large one. Mattimeo had never seen so many rats. They swarmed through the bushes, trees and hillocks of the far shore, efficient and silent. Every rat carried a bow and arrows, and they gathered in groups, each under a leader who took his orders from Stonefleck the commander. The captives were secured among the trees, but Mattimeo could still see the river. He sat with Tim and Auma, listening to Stonefleck and Slagar conversing.

“Let us see if your pursuers can make it across the river, Slagar. They are a determined band, but they have not met my longtail army yet. All they have had to contend with is a few slavers.”

“I have a slave line to worry about,” the Cruel One sniffed. “Open warfare is not my business. Besides, you have a mighty army.”

“Aye, and every one of them an expert archer. I could deal with those woodlanders using only a quarter of my force.”

“Huh, then why don’t you?” Slagar challenged him.

“Because I never leave anything to chance. Are you going to stay and watch, just to make sure your enemies get slain?”

“No, I will carry on south. If your army is as good as you boast, I should have no need to worry about being followed. Threeclaws! Form them up into line, we’ve got a full day’s march ahead.”

*   *   *

Mattimeo and his companions were jostled and prodded by Vitch. “Say goodbye to your father and his friends, Mattimeo, they will be dead creatures before this day is through,” the rat taunted him.

The young mouse did not allow himself to be baited by Vitch, even though his heart sank at the thought of his father and the rest being caught out on the open water by the huge rat army that lay in wait on the shore of the river. He took a deep breath and smiled carelessly at the undersized rat.

“Your master Slagar could not kill my father, neither will Stonefleck and his vermin. The Warrior of Redwall has proved himself before now against rat armies, and he will live to free us. When that day comes, you and I have a score to settle. I’ll be looking for you, Vitch.”