The Bellmaker

15

Late afternoon found Pearl Queen riding dangerously low in the water. Heavy, swelling seas and an overcast sky were causing Finnbarr Galedeep problems. He muttered from between clenched teeth to Joseph as they fought to push the tiller hard over. “Were shippin too much water, mate. Got to get er out o this Roarnburn current an find land where we can make the Queen shipshape agin!

A fork of lightning crackled across the western horizon. Joseph glanced up at the storm-bruised clouds. “Aye, and wed better make land soon, Finnbarr.

Durry and Rufe stood in line, passing basins, bowls and bucketsanything the crew could lay their paws on to pass down the forard locker, where Log-a-Log and Rosie were bailing out furiously.

Foremole felt useless. Stricken by a severe attack of seasickness, he sat in the scuppers moaning softly. “Hurr, oi must be the furst ever green mole t put t sea. Burr, shame on oi! Ow be it goin, maister Quill?

Durry staggered on the bucking deck as he emptied a bucket over the side. “Not good at all, Foremole; the waters coming in so fast an the seas so heavy that its making the hole bigger! Thunder boomed directly overhead, causing the crew to jump.

Finnbarr yelled orders as he clung gamely to the tiller. “Slack sail afore were driven under. Slack sail! Keep balin below decks there, messmates ... Whoooooooaaah! Pearl Queen lurched mightily as she stewed out of the Roaringburn current to eastward. Rain came in torrents, lashing and stinging, wind-driven curtains of it, until it was difficult for the crew to see one another. Night set in without warning, aided by the dark stormy skies. Pearl Queen was driven scudding sideways across the face of the deeps, sails torn and flapping, lines and ropes whipping viciously, and masts creaking as she settled lower in the water.

“Belay the bailin, Finnbarr bellowed. “ Tis doin no good; were in the paws o fate now, mateys. Lash yerselves fast to anythin that wont be washed overboard!

Rosie and Log-a-Log were hauled out of the locker. They grabbed ropes and made themselves fast to the rails with the rest of the crew. Several of the shrews trapped Foremole as he came rolling past, a wet, furred ball of misery. “Wohurr, let oi be drownded zurrs, loif baint gudd no mores furr the loikes of oi. Buhurr!

Drenched as he was, Durry could see that Rufe was weeping from the way his body shook in the ropes that held him fast. The good hedgehog clutched his friend tightly. “Bad luck fer us all, Rufey, but you stick by me and well go down tgether. I wont leave ye to sink alone, Rufe Brush.

The young squirrel buried his head against Durrys chest where the spines gave way to softer fur. “Will they remember us for a long time at Redwall, Durry? he wept.

The hedgehog gagged as he spat salt spray from his mouth. “Always, Rufe, thats how long theyll recall us. Father Abbot11 put up a marker stone with our names on, an Mother Mellusll teach young Dibbuns about us an how bravely we perished. Well be famous, I bet.

Chain lightning lit up the whole eastern horizon as Joseph looked up. Suddenly he smiled through the torrential gale and cried out, “Land ho!

Finnbarr Galedeep grabbed Josephs paw in a viselike grip. “Land ye say, Bellmakerwhere away?

“Due east. Were headed straight for it; thats if we dont fill up and sink first. Keep looking east, Finnbarr. Next lightning flash will light it up.

All the sea otter could see was black night, rain, and spray in front of him. Suddenly there was a roll of thunder and sheet lightning illuminated everywhere, revealing a rocky coastline jutting up less than a league away! The realization that he could save his ship and crew sent Finnbarr roaring out commands again. “Untie yerselves, mates. Start bailin agin! Log-a-Log, get yoreself in the bows an watch out for reefs! Hoist forard sails to keep er stem up! Lively nowjump to it, me lucky buckoes!

Pearl Queen became a hive of activity amid the storm. Even Foremole picked himself up at the mention of land and began bailing furiously. While Joseph supervised fleck operations, Rosie took several creatures up into the rigging to set the sails. Rufe and Durry scurried raid to the highest sails, Rosie ahead of them. The vessel heeled perilously as a towering wave struck her broadside on, and there was a piercing squeal.

The shrew named Patch had been swept from a lower yardarm, and now he hung upside down, one footpaw snarled in a rope line. Rufe Brush was the only one who could see Patch, dangling wrong way up, his head dipping under every time the ship swayed to port. Leaving Durry and Rosie to deal with the topsails, Rufe climbed back down to help the shrew. Battered by the blinding spray Rufe inched out along the low yardarm, calling to the shrew, “Hang on, matey. Im comin!

The entire yardarm dipped deep below the seas boiling surface. Rufe locked both footpaws and tail around the timbers and reached out, catching Patch by his ears. He pulled and hauled, the shrew alternately screeching in pain and swallowing water, but Rufe tugged savagely, knowing if he let go, Patch was lost. With a mighty effort he hauled the shrew right side up, draping him across the yardarm. Rufe snatched the rapier from Patchs belt and hacked loose the rope that had trapped the shrews foot-paw. Then, fastening the unconscious shrew close to him with his own belt, Rufe clambered down into Finnbarrs waiting paws and collapsed with Patch in a heap on the deck.

The sea otter blew stormwater from his whiskers, shaking his head in admiration at the plucky rescue. “Yore a brave liddle beast, Rufe. I never seen a creature so game in all me born days, an thats a fact!

Suddenly a single clap of thunder rang out directly above Pearl Queen, followed by an immense lightning bolt that struck the ship. An eerie blue light enveloped every creature aboard, as their fur stood out straight from their bodies. There was a rending crack; the foremast snapped like a twig and was hurled off into the darkness.

“Durry! Rosie! Theyve gone! Rufe Brush screamed. “They were up the mast!

Joseph had to grab Rufethe young squirrel was about to dive over the side and swim to find his friends. The Bellmaker held the kicking, struggling squirrel fast. “Rufe, Rufe, have ygone mad? Youd be drowned in a trice out therewe cant even see where the mast went!

But there was no reasoning with the squirrel. He fought Joseph wildly, striking him with all paws. “Let me go! Ive got to save Durry, hes all Ive got!

Joseph flinched as Rufes paws battered his face. He held on grimly until there was nothing else for it.

Whack!

The sturdy Bellmaker laid Rufe senseless with a single blow to the squirrels jaw, then he laid him down safe. “Poor Rufe, I wish you hadnt made me do that.

For what seemed endless hours the crew of the Pearl Queen battled with the elements, fighting to bring their vessel to the land, which now appeared temptingly close, but so difficult to reach. Windblown and soaked they moved with frozen paws and numbed minds, automatically forcing themselves to go about their tasks. Log-a-Log was standing far out on the prow, watching for hidden rock shoals, and he did not have time to brace himself when Pearl Queen shuddered and ground to a halt. The shrew Chieftain was thrown overboard. Fore-iinole saw him go; he ran to the bows yelling, “Shrew woverbooooooard! *

The crew dashed forard in Log-a-Logs wake, stop-sharply as they reached the bows.

“Hohohoho, lookit me! It was Log-a-Log, standing only waist deep in the water.

Finnbarr Galedeep drew both his swords, brandishing them at the storm and the heaving seas. “Haharr, we beat yer; you never got Galedeep an the Queen that time!

Carrying Rufe on his back, Joseph called everybeast to abandon ship and make their way to shore. Foremole moved with a speed not associated with his kindhe fairly scooted through the shallows to the dry land, where, lying flat on the beach, he kissed it fervently. “Oo urr, oi luvs ee gudd furm urth!

The remainder of the night the crew spent miserably, crouching behind a rocky outcrop, as the storm spent its fury over the heaving seas, driving Pearl Queen even farther up onto the tideline. Without food or drink they huddled together, utterly spent and fatigued. Through the gray dawn they slept, unaware that the storm had abated and the tide had slipped silently out leaving Pearl Queen high and dry, listed over at a crazy angle. High, rolling clouds drifted westward on a calming breeze while the skies turned deep blue.

The warm sun beating down on his back, mingled with the plaintive cry of seabirds, gradually brought Joseph awake. He sat up stiffly and looked around. They were on a wide sandy beach, backed by huge brown cliffs dotted with greenery. Pearl Queen had been washed up only paces away from where the BeUmaker sat. Sometime before dawn Rufe Brush had regained consciousness, only to cry himself back to sleep with the realization that Durry had been lost at sea. Joseph drew quietly away from his slumbering form, seeing Finnbarr up and about.

The sea otter had boarded his vessel and found food for breakfast, and now he was busy building a fire from dry driftwood he had gathered above the tideline. Smiling kindly, he greeted Joseph. “Mornin tye, BeUmaker. Lend a paw ere. Well get vittles goin fer the crew atween us.

They mixed oatmeal with dried fruit and a little fresh water to make flat moist cakes, which they laid on a metal shield from the ships armory and placed over the fire. Taking dried mint leaves and honey, Joseph put them in a pan Finnbarr had brought from the ship and soon had a fine brew of mint tea boiling.

“Mmm, is that mint tea an oat scones I smell? Log-a-Log came to squat by the fire, followed by the others as the rest of the crew came awake.

Breakfast was taken thankfully. They sat on the sun-warmed sands, glad to be alive after their ordeal on the deep. Finnbarr retrieved a batch of fresh-baked scones from the shield, nodding toward his ship. “Straight after brekkist, wed best take a look at the Queen, shes in need of a new foremast an a repair job to er hull fer starters. No tellin wot else needs doin.

Joseph sat with a comforting paw about Rufe. The young squirrel was eating: hunger and thirst had driven lum, with the BeUmakers urging, to take some breakfast. ;.,. Joseph indicated Rufe with a nod of his head. “Finn-, the first thing we must do is to remember our two lends who were lost in last nights storm.

“Aye, right you are mate, said the sea otter, putting his breakfast. “Lets do that here an now!

A small stone cairn was built on the shore above the tide-line soon afterward. With Josephs help, Rufe had taken a piece of flat timber and burned a message upon it with a heated knife. The crew of Pearl Queen stood around the neat heap of stones as Rufe fixed the wood securely between the top stones facing seaward. Log-a-Log read the simple message.

“To the memory of Rosie Woodsorrel, warrior and mother. Also Durry Quill, Cellarmaster. Two Redwall friends.

Still with his paw about Rufes shoulder, Joseph recited some words he had put together for the ceremony:

“Friend is a very small word, A little sound we make, For one who is true, one who will do, Great deeds for friendships sake. So while I grieve for you, my friends. Who gave all that you could give, Youll be my friends in memory, For all the days Ill live.

Tears ran openly down Foremoles honest face. “Oi doant be knowen wot zurr Tarquin an ee Hddle uns be a doin wiout miz Rose; theym be gurtly sad!

Log-a-Log patted the stones. “I know it sounds funny, but I miss that laugh of Rosies.

The shrew Patch took Rufe earnestly by his paw. “Lis-sen, young un, some good always comes out o misfortune. Ifn youd been up that mast, then youd have been lost with em. But you aint lost, an I aint neither, cos you risked your life an saved mine. Rufe, Im your friend for life now!

Though Finnbarr Galedeep was a tough-looking otter, he was deeply touched at the sight of Rufe and Patch shaking paws together over the cairn. The sea otter turned away, gazing at the high cliffs to forestall a tear dropping. But he soon forgot his sorrow.

“Stand by, crew, git yoreselves armed! Weve got visitors, an theyre a-comin fast!

Loud war whoops split the summer morning air as masses of creatures poured down from the cliffs, heading straight for the crew of Pearl Queen.