' "No, no!" said Rowsby Woof. "I will save you, Fairy Wogdog, and my dear master too. Leave it to me!"
'Rowsby Woof began to bark. He barked to raise the dead. The windows shook. The coal fell in the grate. The noise was terrifying. They could hear the man upstairs, shouting and cursing. Still Rowsby Woof barked. The man came stamping down. He flung open the window and listened for thieves, but he could hear nothing, partly because there was nothing to hear and partly because of the ceaseless barking. At last he picked up his gun, flung open the door and went cautiously out to see what was the matter. Out shot Rowsby Woof, bellowing like a bull, and tore round the house. The man followed him at a run, leaving the door wide.
' "Quick!" said El-ahrairah. "Quicker than Wogdog from the Tartar's bow! Come on!"
'El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dashed into the garden and disappeared through the laurels. In the field beyond they paused for a moment. From behind came the sounds of yelping and woofing, mixed with shouts and angry cries of "Come 'ere, damn you!"
' "Noble fellow," said El-ahrairah. "He has saved his master, Rabscuttle. He has saved us all. Let us go home and sleep sound in our burrow."
'For the rest of his life Rowsby Woof never forgot the night when he had waited for the great Dog-Queen. True, it was a disappointment, but this, he felt, was a small matter, compared with the recollection of his own noble conduct and of how he had saved both his master and the good Fairy Wogdog from the wicked Rat-Spirit.'
42. News at Sunset
You will be sure to prove that the act is unjust and hateful to the gods?
Yes, indeed, Socrates; at least, if they will listen to me.
Plato Euthyphro
As he came to the end of his story, Dandelion remembered that he was supposed to be relieving Acorn as sentry. The post was a little way away, near the eastern corner of the wood, and Hazel - who wanted to see how Boxwood and Speedwell were getting on with a hole they were digging - went with Dandelion along the foot of the bank. He was just going down the new hole when he noticed that some small creature was pattering about in the grass. It was the mouse that he had saved from the kestrel. Pleased to see that he was still safe and sound, Hazel turned back to have a word with him. The mouse recognized him and sat up, washing his face with his front paws and chattering effusively.
'Is a good a days, a hot a days. You like? Plenty for eata, keepa warm is a no trouble. Down in a bottom a hill is a harvest. I go for a corn a but is a long a way. I tink a you go away, is a not a long a you come a back, yes?'
'Yes,' said Hazel, 'A lot of us went away, but we found what we were looking for and now we've come back for good.'
'Is a good. Is a lots of rabbits a now, keepa grass a short.'
'What difference does it make to him if the grass is short?' said Bigwig who, with Blackavar, was lolloping and nibbling close by. 'He doesn't eat it.'
'Is a good a for get about, you know?' said the mouse in a familiar tone which made Bigwig shake his ears with irritation. 'Is a run along a queek - but is a no seeds a from a short a grass. Now is a warren a here and now a today is a new a rabbits a come, soon is another warren a more. New a rabbits is a your friends a too?'
'Yes, yes, all friends,' said Bigwig, turning away. 'There was something I wanted to say, Hazel, about the new-born rabbits, when they're ready to come above ground.'
Hazel, however, had remained where he was, looking intently at the mouse.
'Wait a momen
t, Bigwig,' he said. 'What did you say, mouse, about another warren? Where is there going to be another warren?'
The mouse was surprised. 'You not a know? Not a your friends?'
'I don't know until you tell me. What did you mean about new rabbits and another warren soon?'
His tone was urgent and inquisitive. The mouse became nervous and, after the manner of his kind, began to say what he thought the rabbits would like to hear.
'Maybe is a no warren. Is a plenty good a rabbits 'ere, is all a my friends. Is a no more a rabbits. Not a for want other rabbits.'
'But what other rabbits?' persisted Hazel.
'No sir, no sir, no other rabbits, is a not a go for soon a rabbits, all stay 'ere are my friends, a save a me a very good a my life, zen 'ow can I if a she mek me?' twittered the mouse.
Hazel considered this lot briefly, but it beat him.
'Oh, come on, Hazel,' said Bigwig. 'Let the poor little beast alone. I want to talk to you.'
Hazel ignored him. Going close to the mouse, he bent his head and spoke quietly and firmly.
'You've often said you're our friend,' he said.' If you are, tell me, and don't be afraid, what you know about other rabbits coming.'