Canna ran through the torrid heath, perused by a four score of vermin. She had been secretly watching a vermin ship about three hours ago when she was spotted. She was giving them a hard time at her swift pace. She felt her legs turn to lead as she stumbled through the heath. The vermin were gaining on her. As she hastened her pace the vermin did as well. She finally fell from exhaustion. The vermin closed in on her and tied her up. She was in no condition to object at the moment. She felt dazed and fell over as the vermin were tying her up.

When she came-to she was in shackles, chained to an oar. Obviously she had been made into an oar slave. Smiling to herself she thought how stupid those vermin were. She had been in that situation many a time before. Sailing the seas and spying would make you more liable to get caught, doncha know. Mostly when this happened she would be able to bribe the slave driver, steal the key, or something of that sort. Her thoughts were interrupted by a crack of a whip.
"Git ta work, ya scurvy mouse!" A big, ugly sea rat glared at Canna. The poor, timid dormouse beside here coward as far away from the rat as possible. The rat looked at the mouse in disgust. You could tell he loathed the sight of the little dormouse. The rat gave one more nasty snarl and wandered off. Canna felt sorry for the mouse and promised herself that when she had gotten free she would free the mouse as well. Canna fell deep in thought about how to get out. The rat came by them again and frowned. "Still refuse to row, eh?" He whipped out at Canna and the mouse. Canna felt a stinging and looked at the tears in the little mouse's eyes. The sea rat gave a horribly satisfied grin. "That ought to git you moving!" He swaggered off laughing and chortling. Canna started to row and she growled as fur on her back bristled. She once again growled through her clenched teeth to herself.
"Promised to free this poor dormouse... and now I'm vowing to repay your hospitality."