“Good thing you heard the diggin’ an’ gruntin’, Barty m’lad. What d’you say we dig from this end, give those chaps a bit of help if they’re so anxious to come in?”

Sapwood considered this proposition, then shook his head. “Pers’nally Hi’m agin it meself, an’ Lord Urthstripe wouldn’t be too ’appy about us ’elpin’ vermin. Let ’em do their own diggin’. They should be through afore mornin’. We’ll just wait ’ere nice ’n’ quiet. Penny, you stand by. When I tips yer the wink, run an’ fetch ’is Lordship.”

Pennybright stifled a youthful giggle. “Righto, Sarge. I can’t wait to see what happens when the jolly old vermin break through.”

*   *   *

The two Captains, Doghead and Dewnose, were working like madbeasts. They had got about two spearlengths into the rock; the tunnel was going to work. Horde soldiers lined the narrow passage, passing back loose boulders and shields piled high with pebbles and shale. Outside on the moonlit beach, others were disposing of the rubble. Doghead and Dewnose labored hard with iron bars and spearpoints, levering away at the packed mass of stone that blocked the old kitchen drain. Both stoats knew that their lives depended on completing the tunnel; nobeast failed Ferahgo. Together they sweated and strained to prise out a big slab.

“Come on, mate. Pull. We’ve got it!”

“I’m pullin’. Owow! Me paw’s jammed—wait a sec!”

“Migroo, get yerself up ’ere. Squeeze in there an’ hold that bar while Dog’ead gets ’is paw loose.”

“Owch! OK, I’m free. Now get yer spearpoint in right about ’ere, Migroo. I’ll take care of the bar. Watch out, or it’ll slide down an’ trap yer paws!”

Crabeyes came crawling up the tunnel and pulled their tails. “Outside, you three. The Master an’ young Klitch wants to see yer.”

*   *   *

They crawled backwards out of the tunnel, scratched, bruised and covered in dust. The Assassin and his son awaited them on the sands. Ferahgo brushed aside their salutes, questioning them anxiously.

“Well, how is it going? Are you nearly through yet?”

Doghead wiped dirt from his eyes and licked his injured paw. “It’s just like you said it’d be, Master—all loose rock, none of it solid. We’re over two spearlengths in now, shouldn’t be too long before we break through.”

Ferahgo smiled scornfully, his crinkling blue eyes mocking Klitch. “That sounds like a fine mess, eh, young know-it-all?”

Klitch looked slightly taken aback. “But how did you know it was possible to tunnel at this spot?”