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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?

Only Sam Squirrel was totally fearless about the bridge. At one point Tim had to remonstrate him for making the structure wobble with his jaunty walk.

“Hey, go easy, Sam,” he called nervously. “There’s others on this bridge not as clever as you at crossing gorges.”

“Oops! Sorry, Tim. Never mind, we’re nearly over now.”

Mattimeo tried not to glance down into the bottomless depths. He dearly wished he had his paws on firm ground again.

*   *   *

The crossing was made without incident. Safely on the other side, everybeast breathed a huge sigh of relief. Slagar led them a short way into the bushes.

“There’s the pool. Drink as much as you like. Threeclaws, see they’re fed and watered, then secure the line. Halftail, come with me.”

Slagar walked back to the edge of the gorge. While Halftail watched, he crossed back over the bridge. Then the masked fox got out flint and steel. It did not take long to get the dust-dry ropes burning. As soon as they were alight he bounded onto the bridge and crossed back with surprising speed and agility. Chuckling to himself, he watched the ropes burn through. The bridge swayed and collapsed with a clatter of wooden slats as it struck the wall of the chasm beneath them. Slagar took Halftail’s dagger and sawed through the taut ropes which held the weight of the bridge. He leapt back as the whole structure slipped away with a creaking, groaning snap. They waited awhile, but there was complete silence from the depths of the abyss.

Slagar smiled. “See, completely bottomless. Nobeast can follow us now!”

36

A full-scale council was in progress at Cavern Hole. Winifred the Otter winced as Sister May applied poultices and herbs to her deeply scratched back.

“Aaahh! Go easy, Sister, that’s the only back I’ve got. Ouch!”

Sister May went about her task, ignoring the protests. “Hold still, you silly otter! You were told not to cross Great Hall, but you would not listen. Stop wriggling while I attend to this scratch on your ear.”

“Ow! What are you trying to do, pull me lug off? That ear’s got to last me the rest of my life, you know!”

Constance pointed to Winifred. “As you can all see, she was injured merely trying to cross Great Hall. You must stay down here. Ironbeak and his birds are waiting in the galleries, and if one of us so much as shows a whisker outside Cavern Hole he or she will be slain. Winifred was lucky, she was swift enough to get away. Under no circumstances must you try to leave here. Besides, where would you go?”

“Well, I for one would go to my little gatehouse cottage,” Cornflower answered. “Or I might gather fresh fruit and vegetables and water. It seems to me we’re letting this Ironbeak have it all his own way.”

There were shouts of agreement.