BooksBarbecue
Back Mattimeo
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?

“Ooh, where am I? Take these chains off me. Boohoohoo, I want to go home, boohoohoo!”

It was Cynthia Bankvole. She had just awakened, chained to the other side of Auma.

Threeclaws came hurrying over. He thrust his villainous face right up against Cynthia’s tearful whiskers.

“One more peep out of you, missie, and I’ll really give you something to cry about. Now cut out the whimpering.”

Cynthia was struck dumb with terror.

*   *   *

Slagar came bounding in through the broken south window, the silken hood plastered wetly against his muzzle. He shook himself vigorously, showering rainwater about him.

“By the claw, it’s bouncing down in torrents out there. Still, all the better for us. If we get going fast then there’ll be no tracks to cover. They won’t know which direction we’ve taken. On the other side of the leaf, that lot at Redwall will have been wakened by this downpour, so we can’t afford to hang around. The false trail to the north should keep them busy for a while. Deadnose and Fengal have taken the cart up that way, then they’ll circle around and meet us in the forest south of here.”

Bageye lounged in a pew. “What if they don’t, Chief? Suppose they miss us? That wood out there is a big place, y’know.”

The face beneath the hood seemed to grin. “Well, hard luck on them. It’ll mean bigger shares for all of us.”

Bageye had to think about it for a moment, then he gave a slow smile.

“Oh aye, huh huh, so it will.”

*   *   *

A long running chain was brought out, and the prisoners were made to stand as it was run through their manacled front paws and locked at either end. Mattimeo found himself standing between Auma and Tess; Tim and Sam were behind them. Slagar paced the line, checking links and shoving the captives into place. Satisfied that everything was in order, he pulled forth a strange-looking weapon and began twirling it about. It was a short wooden handle, from which ran three braided leather thongs, and at the end of each thong hung a round metal ball. They whirled and clacked sharply as he manoeuvred them expertly.

“I am Slagar the Cruel. You are my slaves now.” The silk sucked against his face as he spoke. “When I say walk, you walk. If I say run, you run. If I decide you may live, then you will live. If I take it into my head that you may not live, then I will see to it that you die. If ever you should get the chance to escape or make a run for it, my little toy here will bring you back.”