“Yer right, it’s orful, wicked an’ orful.” Dingeye dunked the pastie into a bowl of trifle. “Ooever our mothers was, they shouldn’t never ’ave brought us up in starvation an’ poverty. Life’s crool when yer can’t stop scoffin’, ain’t it.”

*   *   *

Equipment for the evening games was being set up on the west lawn. Targets, poles, ropes, hoops and other sporting paraphernalia were laid on the pitches where the games would take place. Arula and Samkim were helping Tudd Spinney to knock quoit pegs into the ground when Mrs. Faith Spinney came bustling over, shaking her head with worry and concern.

“Mercy me, they two stoats is still eatin’. You should see ’em, the dreadful gluttons. I’ve tried stoppin’ ’em twice, but they just ignores me. Do somethin’, Tudd, afore they kills themselves wi’ overfeedin’!”

*   *   *

A party headed by Thrugg strode round to the orchard. He wagged a paw at Arula and Samkim. “Shirkin’ yore duty, mateys? Abbess said you was responsible fer those two rascals. Not ter worry, though. Me an’ Thrugann will scupper ’em!”

Dingeye and Thura were moaning pitifully, while still pushing food down their overgorged mouths.

“Aaaaoooow! Reach that cheese fer me, mucker!”

“Phwaaaw! It’s agony tryin’ ter finish all this pie an’ custid!”

With a sweep of his paw, Thrugg cleared the remaining food out of their reach, and Thrugann grabbed them by the ears as they strove to climb onto the table.

Bremmun closed his eyes in disgust at the sight of the two bloated stoats. “You stupid greedy beasts, have you not got a grain of sense between you? Remove them to the Infirmary, please.”

“Bless yer, kind sir, it’s poverty’s done this fer us. Aaaaah, me stummick! Don’t carry me like that, marm, I beg yer!”

Thrugann slung Dingeye across her shoulders. Thura belched and pleaded with Thrugg as he was treated likewise.

“Don’t take us to the ’Firmary, sir. Be a good riverdog an’ leave us ’ere ter die peaceful like. Owooo me achin’ guts!”

Brother Hollyberry patted them sympathetically. “There there, you can both have a nice lie-down on two soft beds—after I’ve physicked you, of course.”

Two dismayed stoat faces spoke as one. “Fizzicked?”

“Aye, physicked.” Hollyberry grinned mischievously. “I’ve got a compound there made from wild garlic, slippery elm bark, bitter aloe root and squashed dockleaf mixed with nettlejuice and blackweed compound. Two large ladlefuls each and you’ll be right as rain!”

“Yaghabarragaroo, ’elp! Oh mercy, sir!”

Sister Nasturtium winked at Samkim. “Oh, I don’t know if two large ladlefuls will be enough—by the condition of these poor creatures I’d say three!”

Thrugg kicked open the Infirmary door. “Three it is, then, marm. You knows best. Tudd, Bremmun, you sit on their back paws, me an’ Thrugann’ll hold the front paws. Samkim, Arula, pinch their noses tight so they opens their mouths proper.”

“Yowhooo! Murderers! ’Ave pity, kind Redhallers. ’Elp!”