Matthias pushed away the overgrown grass from the side of the step, exposing a standing line of carved mice. The middle one was missing. He drew from his belt the talisman that the old rabbit had given him. It fitted neatly into the center space.

“See, here’s the missing one. That fuddled old rabbit knew where old Loamhedge once was, and he gave me this because it was the only thing of value he possessed. Maybe he too was a slave one time and managed to escape from here, who knows. Great Abbot Mortimer used to say that Loamhedge was a building that was nearly as large as Redwall Abbey.”

Orlando tapped the step with his axe handle. “What’s it doing down there? Are they the cellar steps?”

Jabez Stump looked about the copse. “No, they couldn’t be. If this Loamhedge place had been destroyed, the land would have been covered in debris and great buildin’ stones. This must have happened at the dancin’ of the cliffs.”

Orlando scratched his stripes. “I’m completely baffled now. An Abbey called Loamhedge that was here but isn’t now, and dancing of the cliffs. What’s it all about?”

“We Stumps lived in South Mossflower by the cliffs longer than anybeast,” Jabez explained. “My old grandpa used to tell me about the days of Josh Stump, his great-great-great-grandpa. They say one day long ago our family lived atop of that cliff, but it started a-shakin’ an’ tremblin’ as if the whole cliffs were dancin’. When it stopped, old Josh Stump he said, ‘I won’t live atop of no dancin’ cliffs no more,’ and he took the family to live down in Mossflower Woods. Never a Stump went up ’em again, until I did to search for young Jube.”

Recognition dawned upon Matthias. “Of course, it must have been an earthquake long ago. That was what caused the great gorge we crossed. Yes, and those gardens we passed through. No creature ever had gardens and orchards on such bumpy land. The earth had shifted! You see what happened? Loamhedge Abbey must have been swallowed up when the ground moved. These steps would be dormitory stairs or attic steps, and the whole building must have just dropped straight down into its own cellars. Maybe even further, with the great weight of it all.”

*   *   *

Ironbeak was determined to confront the ghost. He gave the sentries a night off. Taking Mangiz with him, he stood at the sentry post in the galleries as the last crimson sunburst hit the windows of Redwall Abbey, bathing the floor in a glorious deep rose-colored light. Mangiz watched it through swollen eyelids.

“Mayhap the mouse in armour will not walk until the middle of the night, my General,” he said wearily.