“Fresh air and freedom, Matti. It tastes better than strawberry wine and new bread!”

The ground beneath their paws started to tremble. They froze, hugging the earth as the whole copse began to shake.

Jube grasped his father’s spikes. “What is it, Pa?” he asked worriedly.

Jabez hugged his young one to him. “The earth is dancing, just as the cliffs once did!”

Jess and Sam dashed to the flight of steps that ran down to the underworld.

“Matthias, Orlando. Get out of there!” they called.

The steps shuddered violently. Jess peered into the gloom. “There’s somebeast coming. Make way, Sam!”

Little Vitch the rat scampered out as if demons were biting his tail. “Yaagh! My whole cell began moving and the door fell off. Help me!”

Mattimeo grabbed him by the neck. “My father and Orlando, did you see them?”

“No, no, I just ran. It’s falling in down there. Can’t you hear it!”

Basil Stag Hare flung himself upon Auma and dragged her back as she tried to get to the steps.

“Father, my father’s in there!” she protested.

A deep rumbling boom exploded from the bowels of the cavern. Trees started to sway crazily and the earth bucked like a tablecloth being shaken free of crumbs.

Mattimeo took hold of Auma’s paw, and they lay flat on the ground. “We don’t leave here until our fathers are out!” the mouse declared.

Basil buried his face against the trembling ground. “Well spoken, young un. I second that proposal.”

There followed a terrific bang.

The entire copse fell, creating a huge valley. From the hole in the ground where the steps started, a whooshing gust of air, white with limestone dust, flew high into the sky like a geyser.

Two round objects shot out like balls from the mouth of a cannon. Matthias landed high in the branches of an elm. Orlando hit the top of a rowan and came crashing to earth in a cloud of twigs and leaves. The axe and the sword stood quivering in the bole of a young beech.

Then the earth stood still.

Basil got slowly to his paws and guffawed. “Haw, haw, haw! Mattimeo, there’s a flyin’ white mouse up a tree over there. Looks a bit like your dad’s ghost, wot?”

Mattimeo could hardly believe his eyes.

Jabez Stump tapped Auma. “Your old pa looks like a lump of white dough ready for the oven, I reckon, missie. Hu-huh-huh!”

Jube patted his spikes to make sure they were all there. “Whew! That big hatchet nearly scalped me!”

Orlando rose, dusting himself off in a dignified manner. “Be careful how you talk of that weapon, young un. It’s a battleaxe, not a hatchet.”

Jess Squirrel and Sam went haring up the beech trunk.

“Stay where you are, Warrior. We’ll get you down, but only if you promise to do no more bird imitations.”

Matthias smiled at Sam’s impudent remark.