Constance came in mopping her brow. “Still hot out there. Where’s the big bird? Asleep? What a size! I’ll bet she could almost lift me. D’you think she’ll ever fly again, Abbot?”

“I don’t know, Constance. Maybe if we could look at her wing we’d be able to tell. However, big red kites aren’t our present worry, it’s ravens, crows and rooks I’m concerned with. Cornflower, you must stop this masquerade as Martin the Warrior. I know it annoys Ironbeak, but it isn’t getting us anywhere. There’s another reason also. That raven is no fool, and sooner or later he’ll be a bit quicker than us and he’ll catch you. There’s too much risk involved, you’ll have to give it up.”

Cornflower became indignant. “But Father Abbot, when I get dressed up as the ghost I know it upsets Ironbeak, and that’s why I must continue. It has also started to demoralize his rooks. They’re scared, and the crow – wotsisname, Mangiz – he’s frightened of me too, I can tell. That crow is a very superstitious bird and the others take notice of him. Let me do it just one more time tonight. Please!”

Mordalfus polished his glasses. “Cornflower, you’re a bigger mischief-maker than your son and a fighter as brave as your husband. Make tonight the last time that you haunt our Abbey.”

Baby Rollo had dozed off, and Cornflower placed the sleeping infant in the Abbot’s lap.

“I will, thank you, Father Abbot. Sister May, come on, we have work to do if the ghost is to walk again tonight. Come on, Constance, we need you for the voice of Martin.”

The Abbot stroked Rollo’s head. “And I’m left holding the baby, as usual!”

*   *   *

Ironbeak sat at the broken dormitory window and related his troubles to Mangiz.

“Warrior mouse ghosts, big red birds; what next, my seer? The earthcrawlers are down in that Cavern place where we cannot get at them. I have conquered nearly all this great redstone house from the roof down and I cannot let it slip away from me. If I were forced to leave here, we would have to go back to the northlands. They are cold and hard, Mangiz, and it is all fight and no food. We are getting older and could not face many more winters in the north. Tell me, Mangiz, have your visions come back? Are you seeing anything in the eye of your mind again?”

“My General, you were right,” Mangiz said readily, glad that he was back in favor. “I see the ghost mouse was only a trick of the earthcrawlers to frighten us from here. As for the great rustybird, kachah! It was only the imagination of scared rooks. The heatwaves shimmer and dance in this country, and you could see more strange things than on a dark night in the northlands.”