18?

The twins, Tare and Turry, ragged Tammo unmercifully.

“Heehee! Lookit the long face on ole Tamm!

“Bet he wishes hed been wounded, just sos Pasque could bandage him up an bathe his brow a bit!

“If I were him Id chop me nose off, thatd get her attention!

“Aye, shed say, Goodness nose, whatve they done to your handsome hooter? Hahahaha!

Pasque joined in the fun. Grabbing Turry she began reban-daging his ear fiercely. “Hello, whats this ear? Goodness knows, your bandage has come loose. Here, let me tie it a bit more snugly!

Turry squeaked as he tried to get away. “Ow ow! Youve cut off all the blood to me ear! Stoppit!

Sergeant Torgoch loomed over the playful young ones. “Now then, young sirs an miss, Ill cut off all yore ears an cook em for me supper if yore not all formed up an ready tmarch two ticks from now. Up on yore paws, you idle lot! Where dyou think yareon an oliday for ares? Move y selves!

Pasque marched at the rear with Tammo. She smiled and waved to the Sergeant. To Tammos surprise, he smiled and winked at her.

Tammo scratched his ear, completely puzzled. “Is he always like that, shoutin one moment an smiling the next?

“Sergeants are all the same, the young hare chuckled. “Barks worse than their bite. Torgoch is my favorite Sergeant, hes always there to look out for you if you get in any trouble.

The remainder of the day went smoothly enough, with the patrol following the vermin track steadily. Late afternoon brought them to the banks of quite a sizeable river. Major Perigord halted them within sight of it.

They crouched in a patch of fern, viewing the scene ahead. Through a screen of weeping willow, elder, sycamore, and holm oak, the river made a welcoming sight, with patches of sun-burnished water showing amid cool islands of tree shade. Tammo was wondering why they had halted and concealed themselves, when he heard Perigord and Twayblade discussing their next move.

“Looks very temptin indeed, eh, gel?

“Exactly, good spot for an ambush, Id say. Tammo remembered the last time he had rushed forward to water. The hares were right, this time he would be on his guard.

The Major issued orders in a whisper. “Sergeant Torgoch, take young Pasque an scout the terrain downstream. Capn Twayblade, do likewise upstream, take one with you.

“Permission tgo with you, Capn. Please, marm, Id like a chance tbe a real part of the patrol!

Twayblade could not help smiling at the eager Tammo. “Stripe me, but youre a brightnbrisk un. Still, one volunteers worth ten pressed creatures. Cmon then, young Tamm.

Leaving the edge of the fern cover, Twayblade drew her deadly long rapier and stooped low. “Follow me, Tamm, duck an weave, take advantage of any cover, keep your eyes open an do as I do. That is until I give you an order, then its do as I say!

Tammo enjoyed learning from an expert. He kept low, rolling behind mounds, bellying out to crawl over open spaces swiftly, then stopping dead and remaining motionless, disguised among bushes. Never traversing in a straight line, they headed east, keeping with the outer edge of the tree fringe until Twayblade decided they had gone far enough. She flattened herself against a gnarled dwarf apple tree, and for a moment Tammo tost sight of the Captain. She blended in with the tree bark until she was almost invisible to the casual observer, and only by staring hard could the young hare make her out.

“Great seasons, Capn, he chuckled admiringly, “you nearly vanished altogether then! Mayhaps youll teach me that trick, marm?

Twayblade shook her head vigorously. “Not me. Little Midge Manycoats is the chap, hell teach you all about disguise an concealment, hes the best there is. Righto, lets make our way to the riverbank an follow it back down twhere we left the patrol. Everythin seems to be safe enough hereabouts, but lets not get careless, Tamm. Keep that splendid blade o yours at the ready, wot!

They took a drink at the rivers edge; the water was cold and sweet. Splashing through the shallows, they cooled their footpaws as they went. Tammo noticed a good patch of watercress, fronds streaming out around a limestone rock beneath the water. He did not stop to gather it, but noted the spot and carried on in Twayblades wake. The rest of the journey back was pleasant and uneventful, and they arrived at the ferns as noontide shadows lengthened.

The Captain made her report: “Well, well, I see you lotve had a nice little nap whilst we were gone, wot! Notnin to report, the coasts clear up that way.

Torgoch and Pasque returned; the Sergeant threw a brisk salute. “River narrows downstream, sah, lots o rocks stickin up. Thats where the vermin made their crossin, still wet paw-prints on the stones. Wed catch em up by midnight if the patrol got Under way smartlike, sah.

Perigord judged die suns angle. “I think well make camp here, Sergeant. No sense in chasm our tails off, wot. Early start tomorrow, good fast march, an Ive little doubt well encounter em about high noon. Camp down, troop.

Insects skimmed and flitted on the river surface in quiet twilight, and the campfire flickered warmly. Tammo and Russa opened their haversack. The squirrel dug out the last of her pancakes and distributed them, saying, “Warm these over by the fire, toast em up a mite, theyre good!

Rockjaw spitted his on a willow twig and held it over the flames. “Hows the soup a comin along, Rubbadub?

Corporal Rubbadub pulled a wry face as he took a sip from his ladle. “Brrrrumbum dubadub!

Lieutenant Mono raised an eyebrow. “As bad as that, eh? Nothin hereabouts we can add to it?

Tammo rose and winked at them. “Wait there. I spotted some fresh watercress earlier on. Wont be a tick!

It was slightly eerie being alone in the gathering gloom as Tammo made his way back upriver. Once or twice he thought he heard noises, and each time he drew his blade and halted, listening, but the only sounds he could make out were those of the flowing water. The young hare gripped his weapon tightly, chiding himself aloud, “Not very good form, sah, be-havin like a ditherin duckwife!

Squaring his shoulders, he loped onward until the limestone rock showed pale and ghostly through the gloom. Wading out to it he gathered pawfuls of the fresh watercress, lopping it off below the waterline with his dirk. Carrying the delicious treat back to the bank, Tammo stuck his blade in a sycamore trunk and began tying the cress in a bundle, using his shoulder strap to secure it.

Four dark shapes dropped out of the branches overhead, making Tammo their target. Footpaws whamming onto his back, shoulders, and head drove Tammo flat, stunning him. Before he had a chance to recover and fight back, a cruel noose slid over his head, pulling tight about his neck. Cords were whipped skillfully around his paws. Tammo was unable to cry out; groggily he tried to head-butt one of the wraithlike figures, but a heavy stick struck him in the midriff. Doubled up and fighting to suck air through his wide-open mouth, Tammo was shoved roughly into a cradle made from woven vines. In a trice he was hoisted up into the tree foliage, high among the leafy branches. A dirty gag was bound around his mouth, and the noose loosened.

Savage green-black faces came close to his, lots of themthey seemed to be everywhere.

“Mayka move! Goo on, beast, mayka move! Choohakk! Cutcha troat an eatcha iffya mayka move!

A paw stroked Tammos long ears, and a deep grating voice chuckled, “Choohoohoo! Dis a nicey wan, dis wan ours!