“Of course. What a great idea!” Constance exclaimed. “Half of you stay here with the Abbot, I’ll take the rest through the tunnel to the nearest exit outside. If we’re sharp enough we can launch a surprise attack on those magpies, seize the tapestry, and go out of the Abbey and straight down the tunnel back to here. Come on, Winifred, Ambrose, Cornflower; and, Foremole, would you come too with some of your moles?”

“Surpintly, marm. Uz’ll give um boi okey, hurr that uz will!”

“I come, I come. Me too!”

“Nay, young maister Rollyo, you’n stay boi yurr an’ shoot arrers.”

*   *   *

Quickbill and his brothers were loosening the final fastenings, General Ironbeak and his fighters were on the floor of Great Hall, and they hid each side of the wall at the top of the stairs, waiting for another foray from Cavern Hole.

“Chakka! Block these stairs well next time, and we will have them out in the open. You, Grubclaw, and you, Ragwing, stay by me. Try to get the big stripedog in the eyes.”

Diptail and Brightback undid the last loop from its hook on the wall. The large tapestry slid down to the floor.

“Yaggah! We have it, brothers!”

*   *   *

“Redwaaaaall!”

Constance came thundering down upon them from the open doorway. Diptail lost his proud tailfeathers with one sweep of a blunt paw. Brightback and Quickbill shot into the air like startled flies. Cornflower, Ambrose and Winifred hurriedly rolled up the tapestry while Foremole and his crew stood whirling slings.

Mangiz spotted them. “Kragga! The earthcrawlers are over there, Ironbeak!”

The raven General sprang forward, followed by his rooks. Unwittingly they exposed their backs to the stairs. A hail of arrows and slingstones from the barricade behind them caught the birds unawares. Ironbeak dodged out of the line of fire, his eye smarting from a pebblestone.

“After them! This way, you wormheads, away from the stairs!”

They were halfway across Great Hall when the main door slammed and the tapestry rescue party were gone.

The fuming Ironbeak laid about with his hard yellow beak.

“Useless, stupid blunderers! Worthless, clumping idiots! Where are those chicken-hearted magpies? Quickbill, take those blockhead brothers of yours outside and see where the earthcrawlers have got to.”

*   *   *

The Abbot smiled with pleasure and relief as the long roll of tapestry was fed out of the hole by the moles.

“You acted courageously, my friends. Martin is certainly back among us.”

Cornflower turned to Foremole. “Is there a tunnel through to my gatehouse cottage?”

Foremole tugged his snout. “Aye, missus. Oi dug it meself.”

“Splendid. Sister May, would you come with me tonight? We may as well make use of the tunnels. I have an idea. It may not defeat Ironbeak, but it will certainly give him and those birds something to think about.”

Baby Rollo rolled himself in the tapestry and giggled as Gaffer mole tickled him. John Churchmouse looked severely over the top of his glasses.