Prologue
Hazel was checking around the warren one day when he saw a metal object poking up from the ground.
"Fiver!'' he called'' I've found something!".
"What is it?" said Fiver hopping up.
"Look at this thing" said Hazel "what do you suppose it is?"
"I don't like the look of it Hazel, I had a dream with this in it. And cats, there were lots of cats. I do suppose we should dig it up."
"Bigwig!" called Blackberry, who had been listening from nearby "come over here. And bring one or two of the does over there as well."
After the does had dug it up they ran off to a nice patch of clover.
"I wonder if men made it," said bigwig.
"If men made it" said Dandelion, who had wandered up to them along with Pipkin, Hyzenthlay Vilthuril, and Clover "then how'd it get here?"
"I don't like it,'' said Fiver.
"What does this thing do?" said Campion who was visiting the warren with Vervain at the time to show the young rabbits what a wide patrol was.
Campion made the mistake of pawing the thing as he spoke. Suddenly it started to whirr. Then the rabbits began to shimmer and twirl and expand. In a blinding light they disappeared and the only trace of them or the machine was a voice calling out "Campion you embleer! Why the Frith did you do that!" It was Bigwig.