More bickering and backbiting ensued. Scratch ended the dispute by banging their heads together. “Look, it’s nearly dark now and I’ve gone and lost ’em, thanks to you two oafs!” He gritted his teeth in frustration.

* * *

Martin and Gonff prepared the evening meal while Dinny enlarged a small hole on the far side of the final hill. In a short while they were happily installed in a superb little cave. Dinny had even dug a ledge halfway round for them to rest on. The three friends lay on the ledge, eating their supper and watching the crimson underbellies of purple cloud rolls as night took over from the long, hot day.

* * *

Scratch and his minions sat out in the open on top of the highest hill, hoping that they might catch sight of the others at next daybreak.

Night on the open lands was both cold and windy.

* * *

Chibb paced the mantelpiece at Brockhall, relating all he had heard at Kotir.

The Corim were worried by this new threat to Ferdy and Coggs. “Hmm, this is an unwelcome development.” Lady Amber waved her bushy tail anxiously.

The robin ruffled his crimson breast feathers importantly. “Ahem, harrumph. On the surface it would appear to be so. However, our wildcat ally in the prison said to tell you that he may be able to forestall Tsarmina’s plans awhile.”

Bella looked up to the mantelpiece. “How will he manage that, Chibb?”

The robin folded his wings behind as he explained. “Well, ahem, ’scuse me. Gingivere has taken a stone from the walls on each cell, as you know. He proposes to hide both Ferdy and Coggs in his own cell, after sealing the wallholes up. That way, if the enemy do not think of searching his cell too closely, they will naturally suppose that the two prisoners have escaped.”

There was wholesale approval for the clever plan.

Skipper had an additional idea. “Hark, now. What if we was to pretend that Ferdy and Coggs were safe with us? That’d take suspicion off Gingivere.”

“How will we manage that, Skip?” Bella was curious to know.

“Easy, marm. We’ll find two other little hedgehogs and disguise ’em, then let ’em be seen by someone from Kotir.”

“Good thinking, Skipper,” Bella said with approval. “But now we’ll really have to think of how we can rescue Ferdy and Coggs. Gingivere’s plan is brave and daring; however, it puts all three at great risk.”

Lady Amber shook her head. “Where do we get two little ones that look like Ferdy and Coggs?” “You may lend my liddle Spike an’ Posy,” Goody said from the doorway. “Long as they don’t come to no ’arm. Though I must say, they don’t look a smidgeon like my Ferdy an’ Coggs. I can tell my liddle ones apart like apples from nuts.”

Abbess Germaine tapped a paw to her nose. “Two blanket cloaks, two saucepan helmets, a piece of stick each, like the swords of make-believe warriors. I think that would fool anyone from a distance, Goody. But what about a rescue attempt? Have we any kind of firm plan?”