Dinny gazed around at the masses of dusty scrolls littering the room. “Oi’d best lend a paw or winter’ll be upon uz afore ’ee foinds owt.”

* * *

The search was proving long and fruitless. Cupboards were turned out, the desk was emptied, shelves were scoured without success. The bulk of the scrolls were mainly old Brockhall records. Some were Bella’s recipes, others dealt with woodland lore—none of them filed in any system. Bella brushed dust from her coat and sighed.

“I’m afraid it’s all a bit higgledy-piggledy. I’ve been meaning to put them in order for some seasons now, but I never had time to get around to it.”

Martin banged his paw on the desktop in frustration. “If only we knew ex . . . oof!”

A secret drawer shot out from the desk, catching the warrior mouse heavily in his stomach. He sat down, surprised and winded.

Bella took the single yellowed parchment from the drawer and read its contents aloud.

To the mountain of fire where badgers go,
The path is fraught with danger.
The way is long and hard and slow,
Through foe and hostile stranger.
The warrior’s heart must never fail,
Or falter on his quest.
Those who live to tell the tale,
First must turn the crest.

Gonff looked bemused. “Is that all?”

Martin took the parchment and scanned it carefully on both sides. “Yes, that seems to be it.”

Bella sat in her chair with an air of resignation. “Well, there doesn’t appear to be much to go on.”

Dinny tapped the parchment with his digging claws. “Hurr, it be a start, tho’. This yurr’s a clue may’aps.”

Martin brightened up. “Of course, it tells us how to start. Look: ‘Those who live to tell the tale, first must turn the crest.’ Bella, you would know, what does it mean by, ‘turn the crest’?”

The badger pondered awhile. “I think it refers to the Brockhall shield—that’s the badger family crest. It takes the form of a shield with the great oak of Brockhall on one half and the stripes of a badger on the other. Beneath it is a scroll bearing our family motto: To serve at home or afar.”

“But where is this crest and how do we turn it?” Gonff asked, scratching his whiskers.

Bella stood up. “I know of at least two places where it may be seen. The first is on the door knocker of Brockhall, and the second over the hearth in the main hall. Come on, let’s try them both.”

The four friends trooped out to the front door, where Bella seized the rusty iron door knocker and twisted it sharply. The old metal snapped under the considerable strength of the badger, who stood holding it in her paw with a slightly guilty expression.

“Oops! I think I’ve broken it.”

Young Dinny shrugged. “Never moind, Miz Bell, moi granfer’ll fix it for ’ee. Whurr’s t’other un?”

* * *

The crest over the hearth was carved into the top lintel of the wide fireplace. Martin turned to Bella.