Who rules o'er the Kingdom of Night,/where all is not what it seems?/'Tis I, the Weaver of Tales,/for I am the Dreamer of Dreams!
"Hoolawhey! Hoolawhey!/Hurry to the slaughter./Hiyaree! Hiyaree!/Meet us in the water./Come back here, do not fear,/come and grant our wishes./Join your friends in this sea,/come and feed the fishes./Hoolawhey! Hoolawhey!/We will meet another day./Hiyaree! Hiyaree!/Flee, cowards, flee!"
When Mowlag had gone, Razzid whispered to Shekra, "When will I be fit enough to move about again?"
The vixen bowed respectfully. "Why ask me when you already know, Lord?"
A faint chuckle rose from the bandaged figure. "I would have slain you for answering falsely."
The volemaid asked that question which all little ones ask. "Why?"
"We'll sleep all the day whilst the chaps drill away./Aye, we'll snore just like hogs down a hole,/firm comrades let's stay until our dyin' day,/in the ranks of the great Long Patrol!"
"Ho round an' round an' round ee floor,/shutten ee window, close ee door,/moi likkle beauty take ee charnce,/join Oi en ee molebabe darnce!/Clappen ee paws a-wun, two, three,/twiggle ee tail roight merily,/moi ole granma carn't do thiz,/a-'cos she'm got ee roomatiz!/Jump ee h'up naow gurtly 'igh,/watch thy 'ead, doan't bump ee sky,/jumpen 'igher than ee trees,/hurr, wot 'arpy childs uz bee's!"
"Who can flippin' well say? The tracks are plain, an' what don't speak don't blinkin' well lie, as my pa used t'say."
"Sing rum-toodle-oo, rum-toodle 'ey,/an' splice the mainbrace, matey,/roll out the grog, ye greedy hog,/'cos I ain't had none lately."
"Have ye ever tasted yer ain blood? Well, ye will if ye dinnae answer mah questions, vermin. Now, speak!"
Shekra stood over her charges, snarling. "Git back, ye seascum. These two ain't t'be touched or hurt-cap'n's orders, so stay yore distance!" She whipped out a thin, keen-edged blade, menacing them.
A slobbering weasel gave her a look of mock alarm. "Ho, deary me, ye've got us all frightened, marm!"
The vixen jabbed her blade, making him stagger back. "Better t'be frightened than dead, grogsnout."
Tears sprang to Drander's eyes; his sturdy frame shook. “Cap'n, sah, don't say that, I blinkin' well beg ye! Put me on a fizzer, lock me in the guardhouse, feed me on weeds'n'water, anythin' but chuckin' me out o' the Patrol. 'Tis my whole life, sah!"
Rake Nightfur's attitude took on an unexpected change. He winked at Drander and smote his back heartily. "Och, yer a great gormless galoot, but ye have a guid heart, laddie. Now, how are ye at breakin' doon walls?"
Drander sniffed, wiped his eyes and saluted smartly. "Sah! Just show me the flamin' wall an' I'll break it, sah!"
Rake nodded toward the far section of the wall. "Take Wilbee's spear an' let's see ye do a wee bit o' damage tae that. Smartly, now!"
Big Drander grabbed the spear and charged the wall, his bellows ringing out over the din of javelin rattling. Everybeast leapt aside as he stampeded past. "Eulaliiiiaaaa! Blood'm'vinegaaaaar!" He hit the composition of sand, limestone and reed grass so hard that he went clear through it.
Captain Rake stepped through the huge, ragged gap and shook his paw. "Well done, bucko! All charges dropped, Ah think, eh!"
Drander's face lit up like a summer sunset. From flat on his back, where he had landed, he saluted. "No more sleepin' on duty for me, sah. Tank ye, Cap'n!"
The pretty hogmaid reached out in the darkness, finding Uggo's paw. "Then we'll have to think of something to tell this vermin Razzid."
Uggo muttered hopelessly. "Huh, like wot?" He winced as Posy tweaked his nose. She berated him angrily. "Like something that'll save my life! Look, I know you're frightened of the vermin
—I am, too. But it's no good sitting and moaning here. We've got to do something. Make a plan, try some sort of escape, anything except wait here to be slain!"
