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Back Mattimeo Save as PDF
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?

Jess Squirrel wiped a paw across her brow. “Not a very good idea, Matthias. Haven’t you noticed it’s getting quite warm in here? That means we’re using up the air. If we start making fire we’ll use it up double quick and suffocate.”

Orlando slumped back against the cave wall. “You’re right, Jess. Those slavers meant this to be our tomb and they’ve done a good job of it, worse luck. Give me a moment or two to rest, then I’ll see if there’s any possibility of digging our way out, or at least making a small hole so that fresh air can come in.”

“It’s this dark I can’t stand, not bein’ able to see anything, all hot an’ covered in dusty muck with a whole hillside on top of us. I can’t even see me paw in front of my eyes!” Cheek’s voice sounded close to panic.

Basil patted him firmly. “Now then, young otter m’lad, chin up. There’s nothin’ to get in a funk over. When I was with the border patrol we were in lots of tighter places than this one, wot? Never say die, Cheek. Ha! I’ll betcha we’ll be out of here before the night’s over. Don’t worry young waterdog, you’ll be wallopin’ about in the river by tomorrow night.”

Cheek sat close to Basil and waited while Jess and Orlando took first shift to dig a way out of the landslide.

Around the friends the air seemed to grow darker and heavier as they lay trapped in the bowels of the hill.

*   *   *

On the outside, Mattimeo scrabbled furiously at the loose shale and earth, alongside Auma. The others dodged around the heap, trying to find a likely spot to dig. Auma grunted and strained as she tried to dislodge a huge boulder.

“It was my father, Orlando the Axe,” she told Mattimeo. “I’d know his battle cry anywhere. Oh, please let him be all right.”

Mattimeo stopped digging for a moment as he watched the loose earth slide swiftly in to take the place of the boulder Auma was moving.

“I saw my father, and heard him too. Even in the night, I think I recognized Jess and Basil. There were a few others too, but it was all over too fast to see who they were. Bah! We’re getting nowhere like this. Look, every time you dig out a bit, the earth slides in and fills the gap again.”

Cynthia Bankvole sat down and let the loose earth run through her paws. “It’s no use, what can we do against all this? It would take ten teams of moles a full season to move all this earth, and some of these boulders look as big as a cottage.”