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Chapters (50)
  1. TRAPPED
  2. Title Page
  3. Map
  4. BOOK ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. BOOK TWO
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. BOOK THREE
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44

Log-a-log’s boat had settled low in the water. Pikkle urged the crew on with false cheerfulness. “I say, you shameful shrews, wallop those paddles a bit faster. That’s the ticket! Keep goin’, chaps. Think of all that lovely land to wiggle your paws on.”

The lake was close to lapping over the boat’s sides as they nosed into a rocky inlet. Log-a-log jumped ashore and leapt onto a broad shelf-like ledge.

“All ashore, Guosssom! Nordo, loop a line over the stern. Rungle, get one round the bows. We’ll haul her up here and see if we can make the old tub shipshape again!”

*   *   *

It was dark by the time they had heaved the damaged logboat up onto the ledge. Both crews sprawled about on the flat rock, resting after the day’s labors. A small fire was built and food was shared out. Mara and Pikkle squatted around the fire with Log-a-log and Nordo. They ate shrewbread, yellow cheese and nuts and drank their portion of the remaining shrewbeer. The Guosssom leader settled his back against the cliff which reared up behind him.

“Ah well, we finally made it! In the morning I’ll search out some pine resin, wood and clay to repair the boat. Nordo, you’ll take a crew and forage for supplies. Don’t stray too far, though. Stay within hailing distance of here. Mara my friend, I don’t need to tell you what you and Pikkle have to do . . .”

The young hare spoke around a mouthful of cheese and nuts. “Spot on, old lad. We’ve got to go an’ have a chinwag with the bally ghost, I suppose. Honestly, the things a chap has t’ do! I don’t know which is worse, actually: gettin’ scoffed by old Deepthingy, or bein’ frightened to death by a spooky spirit.”

Mara emptied her beaker and lay back yawning. “No need to worry about that until morning, my old Pikkle. Get some sleep while you can.”

Tubgutt came over and lay curled up close to Mara’s footpaws like a faithful pet dog. “Where you go, I will too. I’ll be there to watch your back tomorrow. You can rely on me.”

*   *   *

The camp fell still as the fire dwindled to dying embers. The only sound was that of weary shrews snoring. A myriad host of twinkling stars surrounded the waning moon in the night sky, reflecting into the broad, still waters beneath. The peace that summer darkness brings fell over the slumbering earth.

It was some time shortly after midnight that everybeast on the ledge was dragged into wakefulness by a long echoing howl which boomed about cliff and lake like some sepulchral knell.

“Eeeee. . . . Yoooooo. . . . Laaay. . . . Leeee. . . . Aaaahhhhhh!!!”

Pikkle’s ears stood up like two pikestaffs. He leapt across to Mara and grabbed tight hold of her paws.

“Hellteeth and Darkgates! What was that?”

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