“I think I’d better try this one. My paws aren’t as heavy as yours. Could you lift me up there, please?”

Bella obliged by picking the warrior mouse up as if he was a feather and placing him on the broad lintel.

Martin leaned over, gripping the protruding crest that had been carved on the fire-blackened oak-root beam. He tried turning it without success. Gonff climbed nimbly up beside him.

“Here, matey, let me try. Maybe you haven’t got the magic touch.” From his pouch the mousethief drew a piece of cheese and rubbed it around the edges of the crest.

“Give it a moment for the grease to work its way into the cracks. It shouldn’t take long—this mantel’s quite warm from the fire.”

Gonff’s talents had not been wasted. After a short interval he wiped his paws upon his jerkin and gave the crest a skilful twist. It moved!

“Here, matey, lend a paw. Jiggle it from side to side with me, like this. Pull outward as you do.”

Martin assisted Gonff. The entire crest started to move outward. Bella stood ready to catch the hollow wooden cylinder—it dropped into her waiting paws.

Martin and Gonff eagerly clambered down from the lintel.

Dinny danced about excitedly. “Gurr, do ’urry, Miz Bell. Is it the map of Sammerlandersturm?”

The badger looked gravely at the young mole. “Haste will only put us on the wrong track, Dinny. Let us take each step carefully.”

Bella upended the cylinder and peered into its open end. “Here, Gonff, there’s a scroll inside. Your paws are a lot more nimble than mine—see if you can get it out without damaging it.”

The clever mousethief had the parchment out and opened in a twinkling. They studied the writing; it was a bold and heavy old-fashioned style. Bella smiled.

“The paw of my grandsire old Lord Brocktree did this. You must understand that only male badgers went to Salamandastron. Each one left clues for his son to follow. This was written for my father Boar to solve. Unfortunately, Boar had no son to leave a map for, so after he had solved Lord Brocktree’s riddles he carefully replaced everything in the hope that one day another young son of our house would find them.”

Bella sniffed and looked away. “Alas, maybe my little one Sunflash might have followed these clues, had he been here today.”

Young Dinny rubbed the back of his velvety paw against Bella’s coat. “Hurr, doant fret ’eeself Miz Bell, us’ns foind it furr ’ee.”

Martin had been toying with the wooden cylinder. He shook it and tapped the sides. Some leaves fell out.

“Look, Bella. What do you suppose this means?”

The badger shrugged. “They’re just old leaves. Let’s see what the parchment says.”

Boar is badger, named after wood,
Not after forest but trees.
Where did you play on a rainy day?
Where did I eat bread and cheese?
Search inside, stay indoors,
Look up and find the secret is yours.
Your castle your fort,
Or so you thought.
The way is in four trees.
The way is in Boar in Brockhall
Under ale, under bread, under cheese.