Read Online Eulalia! by Brian Jacques - Free Book Online Page B

cooked to the greenstick, and sipping cordial. Maudie was a garrulous creature, and often held conversations with herself.
    â€œWonder if Corporal Thwurl’s nose is still swollen? Big, droopy-faced rule stickler, I should’ve jolly well given him a cauliflower ear, wot! I’ll bet some of the chaps back at barracks would go green if they could see me now. Assistant Cook, sent out on a blinkin’ secret important mission, eh. ’Strewth, if I make a bloomin’ good go at this, Lord Asheye’ll prob’ly promote me to Colonel Cook in Charge. Hoho, C.C.I.C. I’d liven ’em up a bit, wot?”
    Maudie put on what she imagined was a doddery commanding voice, issuing orders to all and sundry. “Hawhawhaw, you there, young feller me laddo, fetch me a bumpkin o’ Fine Fettle Olde Cider, there’s a good chap. I say, Corporal, wot’syourface, Thwurl, yes, you sah. Kindly slice me a scone, an’ bung some raspb’rry jam on it. Don’t stand there catchin’ flies with y’mouth, jump to it, laddy buck. Ah, this is the jolly old life, wot wot!”
    She chuntered on to herself as the evening sun dipped into the western horizon. It was comfortable, sitting by the little fire, taking supper in the warm afterglow. Maudie had been walking all day, apart from the few hours she had spent with Bungwen Hermit. The young haremaid let her eyes slowly droop shut. She was hardly aware of the two sand lizards, each holding the end of a rope. They scampered on either side of her, racing around the oak trunk, which Maudie had her back to. She blinked and sat up straight. “What the bloom…”
    The reptiles raced by her again, meeting up at the rear of the tree, where they swiftly knotted the rope. Maudie strained at her bonds, but her body and forepaws were bound tight to the oak. She was trapped. The haremaid’s first reaction tumbled forth indignantly. “I say, let me loose, you sneaky rotters, or it’ll be the worse for you. Flippin’ cads!”
    The rest of the lizards slithered out of cover to confront her. The largest of the bunch, the first one she had attacked earlier, came right up to Maudie. There was a blotchy swelling on the side of his jaw. He hissed viciously at her, pointing to the injury. “Sssee thissss? Now you will sssssuffer for it!”

7
    Orkwil Prink spent his first night away from Redwall beneath an overhang of bushes on a ditchside. It was the first time since his infancy that he had not slept in the Abbey. The young hedgehog’s former joyous mood deserted him as soon as night descended.
    He found himself flinching whenever anything moved in the breeze; imaginary shapes in the darkness frightened him. Even the nocturnal woodland sounds sent a shudder through Orkwil. Miserably, he crept along the northern path. Then he tripped and fell into the ditch.
    Luckily, there was very little water in it, but there was quite a bit of mud. Panicked, he floundered about, sloshing through the malodorous mire. Bush fronds, dangling down, tangled into his headspikes. Orkwil gurgled in terror. Had some hideous beast of prey caught him? He struggled to free himself, and then realised it was merely an overhanging bush.
    Sobbing with relief, Orkwil hauled himself up the ditchside and found shelter amid the dense vegetation. Perching between two thick branches, and plastered with smelly mud, he wished fervently to be back safe inside Redwall. But alas, that would not be possible for a full season. He wiped away a muddy tear, thinking, That’s if I live that long!
    Oh, for the dear old Abbey. Laughing and joking with friends, by the fireside in Cavern Hole, a delicious supper, maybe hot soup and toasted muffins. Then up to the dormitory, and his little truckle bed, for a peaceful night’s sleep, between lavender-scented quilts, with a soft pillow for his head.
    Orkwil licked at his salt tears, then spat away the mud. Here he was,