The mouse looked confused. Then he said, 'I not a see other rabbits, sir, but a my brother 'e say a yellow-hammer say is a new rabbits, plenty, plenty rabbits, a come to combe over on a morning side. Maybe is a lots a rubbish. I tell you a wrong, you no like a mouse for more, not a friend a more.'
'No, that's all right,' said Hazel. 'Don't worry. Just tell me again. Where did the bird say these new rabbits were?'
' 'E say is a come a justa now on a morning side. I not a see.'
'Good fellow,' said Hazel. 'That's very helpful.' He turned back to the others. 'What d'you make of this, Bigwig?' he asked.
'Not much,' answered Bigwig. 'Long-grass rumours. These little creatures say anything and change it five times a day. Ask him again fu Inle - he'll tell you something else.'
'If you're right, then I'm wrong and we can all forget it,' said Hazel. 'But I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Someone must go and see. I'd go myself, but I've got no speed with this leg.'
'Well, leave it for tonight, anyway,' said Bigwig. 'We can -'
'Someone must go and see,' repeated Hazel firmly. 'A good patroller, too. Blackavar, go and get Holly for me, will you?'
'I'm here, as it happens,' said Holly, who had come along the top of the bank while Hazel was speaking. 'What's the trouble, Hazel-rah?'
'There's a rumour of strangers on the down, on the morning side,' replied Hazel, 'and I wish I knew more. Can you and Blackavar run over that way - say as far as the top of the combe - and find out what's going on?'
'Yes, of course, Hazel-rah,' said Holly. 'If there really are some other rabbits there, we'd better bring them back with us, hadn't we? We could do with a few more.'
'It depends who they are,' said Hazel. 'That's what I want to find out. Go at once, Holly, will you? Somehow it worries me not to know.'
Holly and Blackavar had hardly set off when Speedwell appeared above ground. He had an excited, triumphant look which attracted everyone's attention immediately. He squatted in front of Hazel and looked round him in silence, to make sure of his effect.
'You've finished the hole?' asked Hazel.
'Never mind the hole,' answered Speedwell. 'I didn't come up to say that. Clover's had her litter. All good, healthy kittens. Three bucks and three does, she says.'
'You'd better go up in the beech tree and sing that,' said Hazel. 'See that everybody knows! But tell them not to go crowding down disturbing her.'
'I shouldn't think they would,' said Bigwig. 'Who'd be a kitten again, or even want to see one - blind and deaf and no fur?'
'Some of the does may want to see them,' said Hazel. 'They're excited, you know. But we don't want Clover disturbed into eating them or anything miserable like that.'
'It looks as though we really are going to live a natural life again at last, doesn't it?' said Bigwig, as they browsed their way along the bank. 'What a summer it's been! What a - what a desperate lark! I keep dreaming I'm back in Efrafa, you know; but it'll pass off, I suppose. One thing I brought back out of that place, though, and that's the value of keeping a warren hidden. As we get bigger, Hazel, we ought to take care of that. We'll do better than Efrafa, though. When we've reached the right size, rabbits can be encouraged to leave.'
'Well, don't you leave,' said Hazel, 'or I'll tell Kehaar to bring you back by the scruff of the neck. I'm relying on you to produce us a really good Owsla.'
'It's certainly something to look forward to,' said Bigwig. 'Take a pack of young fellows across to the farm and chase the cats out of the barn to get an appetite. Well, it'll come. I say, this grass is as dry as horse-hair on barbed wire, isn't it? What about a run down the hill to the fields - just you and I and Fiver? Corn's been cut, you know, and there should be good pickings. I expect they're going to burn off the field, but they haven't done it yet.'
'No, we must wait a bit,' said Hazel.' I want to hear what Holly and Blackavar have to say when they come in.'
'That needn't keep you long,' replied Bigwig. 'Here they come already, unless I'm much mistaken. Straight down the open track, too! Not bothered about keeping hidden, are they? What a rate they're going!'
'There's something wrong,' said Hazel, staring at the approaching rabbits.
Holly and Blackavar reached the long shadow of the wood at top speed, as though they were being pursued. The watchers expected them to slow down as they came to the bank, but they kept straight on and appeared actually to be going to run underground. At the last moment Holly stopped, looked about him and stamped twice. Blackavar disappeared down the nearest hole. At the stamping, all the rabbits above ground ran for cover.
'Here, wait a minute,' said Hazel, pushing past Pipkin and Hawkbit as they came across the grass. 'Holly, what's the alarm? Tell us something, instead of stamping the place to pieces. What's happened?'
'Get the holes filled in!' gasped Holly. 'Get everyone underground! There's not a moment to lose.' His eyes rolled white and he panted foam over his chin.
'Is it men, or what? There's nothing to be seen, heard or smelt. Come on, tell us something and stop gibbering, there's a good chap.'
'It'll have to be quick, then,' said Holly. 'That combe - it's full of rabbits from Efrafa.'
'From Efrafa? Fugitives, do you mean?'