Perigold followed Martin, Gonff brought up the rear. When they got to the Abbey, Martin help open the wide gate for Perigold and followed her in awe, leaving Gonff the hold open the door for himself. The Redwallers were astounded with Perigold and Abbess Germaine ordered a small feast in the honor of her joining them. Gonff scowled in the background.

"C'mon, Gonff, what do you have against her?" asked Columbine, who immediately took to the maid. Gonflet chuckled at his dad.

"Yeah, Daddy....I know what'll cheer y'up! Let's go pinch'a pies!" Gonff allowed his son a smile and ruffled his ears.

"Aye, not now, matey. Got some rogue business to attend to....Tell you what, I got a top secret job for you, you guard your mother, get a sword and guard her with your life, all the Redwallers' lives depend on you son!" Gonflet swelled his check and grabbed a twig from the ground to be a dagger.

While Gonflet paraded arounded Columbine, waving his "dagger" in the air and yelling for the "villyuns" to try to get past him, Gonff left to find Martin.



"For the last time Gonff, I won't believe it. She hasn't done anything to you, she's barely even been here!" Martin scolded. Gonff could see he was hopeless. Most of the Redwallers were hopeless. But there had to be someone.

During the whole feast, Gonff kept silent, which was highly unlike him. Bella seemed to notice his silence, though all the others were too busy talking to Perigold, who couldn't stop talking to Martin.

After the feast, Coggs pulled out his Hogtwanger, and began strumming a song, at once Perigold pulled Martin to dance, who shyly declined. She persisted until he agreed. After that song was over, all the other male Redwallers wanted to dance with Perigold, so she was kept busy dancing all night.

Gonff would have used this opportunity to talk to Martin, but he knew if he persisted one more time, Martin would have his tail. Bella slowly eased herself up and sat down next to Gonff.

"Do you get a funny feeling about that maid?"

"Why do you ask?" replied Gonff, astounded. Was Bella the other one who could tell this maid was trouble? Bella laughed at the questiong, her hearty, barking laugh helped Gonff feel better.

"Ha! You're probably the only male who is not dancing with the maid, married or not. Whatever her real name may be. Even the dibbuns are dancing with her, though they dance ten at a time."

"Aye, matey," added Skipper, who had appeared on the other side of the mousethief. "The Perigold girl gives me a quesy feeling in m'bread basket, and that doesn't happen offen, mate." Skipper's good-natured humor never seemed to leave him. The burly otter winked at Gonff.

"Well, Bella m'badger. What do y'reckon we should do?" Gonff turned his nose hopefully up at the giant.

"We call the hares," she nodded. Gonff's face lit in a smile. The hares. The Long Patrol, they could help them. The hares.

"My thoughts exactly, 'old gel.' " Bella smiled at Skippers impersonation. Gonff had just one thing to say.

"When do we leave to go find them?" Bella and Skipper seemed to consider that for a second. They seemed to be remembering that it had taken a whole season for Martin, Gonff, and Dinny to find Salamandastron.

"We send a runner," replied Skipper. "The hares will come." Gonff swallowed his excitement. The hares would solve it.

For a little while longer, the trio watched the festivities before Bella rounded up all the dibbuns and advised the older beasts to go to bed also. Martin showed Perigold to her room, but she said she would like to stay up longer and talk with him. Martin agreed and everybeast went to bed. For a moment the two mice just sat there in Cavern Hole, next to the fire. Then Martin ventured to ask a question that had been bothering him.