Chapter 2
The kitchens were always in a flurry before a coming feast, and the Fall Jubilee Feast of old Abbess Avelle was no exception. Friar Gringle moved around the kitchen hurriedly, opening ovens and pots and pans at will, stopping only to wipe his brow with his favored companion, an old green dockleaf. It was tiring work overseeing all the cooking for the Abbess' fall feast, but Friar Gringle was not one to slow down when there was work to be done.
"You there, young bankvole, whatsyourname, take out that trifle from th' oven and put it out t'cool. That one, no, over there, th' one next to your paw, yes, that's th' one. No, Dribber, get off'n those scones an' save 'em for th' feast tomorrey, there'll be plenty t' eat then, that's a good mole."
"Hurr, Froir, oi's jus' testen ee scons, no need t'be yellin' at ee Dibbun loik that. Taste noice'n'tasty, they do, hurr aye!" Before anybeast had a chance to escort the mole out, he hopped off his stool, grabbing a scone as he did, and made his way to the door. Just as he was about to make his exit, the door came open and Dribber was nearly bowled over by a squirrel and mousemaid who came flying in. Friar Gringle was quick to reprimand the pair of miscreants.
"Now 'old on, you young 'uns, quit your runnin' an' come into my kitchen like civilized beasts! Go on, go back an' try it again." The two returned to the kitchen door, closing it behind them. There followed a soft, timid knock on the door.
"Yes, come in," the Friar called from a pan of meadowcream without looking up. Lingen the squirrel and Leslie the mousemaid slowly walked back into the kitchen, still panting from their race from the orchard. The old hedgehog addressed them cordially. "Good afternoon, Leslie, young Reguba. So nice t'see you again."
Politely but still out of breath, Leslie handed the basket of apples to Friar Gringle, saying, "Sister Polly sent me to give this to you for your pie."
"Yes, Friar Gringle, she told us to bring them right away for fear you might not make your wonderful apple pie for us. She also said with much confidence that she hoped that you would make some of those marvelous scones you're so famous for. Oh, are these your scones here cooling?"
"Oh, yes, those are my scones," the hedgehog blushed modestly. "Would y'like t'try some? I made them 'specially for th' Jubilee." Squirrel and mouse quietly made their way out of the kitchen, holding a scone apiece. Once they had closed the door to the kitchen, however, they both burst out into helpless laughter, clutching at their sides.
"Oh, Lingen, you should be ashamed of yourself, hahaha, you little villain, you're as bad, oh hoohooohaa, as the Dibbuns when it comes, oh dear, teeheehee, to sneaking food from the kitchens," Leslie snorted, holding the wall for support. "'Oh, Mr. Friar sir, Sister Polly was just talking to me about your excellent, delicious scones, oh, are these some of your scones over here? They look so tasty and- oh, you want me to have one? No really, I couldn't dream of it, but if you insist I guess I could have just one,' " she imitated.
"Did you see the look on ol' Gringle's face before we left?" Lingen said with tears nearly coming down his face as he tried to control himself. "He was red from nose to tail, setting about with that dockleaf of his in front of his face so nobeast would see!"
As they went to Great Hall from Cavern Hole, they met Mrs. Cindy Vole, who was walking by on her way to the dormitories. Leslie and Lingen quickly regained their composure and addressed the volewife politely.
"Good day to you, ma'am," Lingen said with a bow and flourish of his bushy tail.
"Oh, hello, Lingen! What a surprise to see you again. It's been nearly a whole season, you rascal, I'll bet you smelled your way here because of all that cooking Friar Gringle's been supervising for the Jubilee Feast."
Leslie, who had to stifle giggles at the mention of the Redwall Friar, straightened up and replied, "Yes, he's quite a fiend when it comes to food, Mrs. Vole. I suppose you'll be looking for that little villain Dribber?"
"Yes, it's not all that hard to tell, I see. You wouldn't happen to have seen him? He seems to have disappeared the minute the Badger Mother Brilla mentioned his bathtime, and I've been enlisted to help look for him."
"As a matter of fact, on our way to the kitchens, we saw him,..." Leslie bit her lip and closed her eyes, as if in deep thought, then looked up at the vole mother and said, "Oh yes, we saw him heading for the dormitories, Mrs. Vole."
"Thank you, Leslie, Lingen. I was rather certain that's where the rascal was going myself."
"Yes, well, you never know what mischief those Dibbuns are getting into. If you'll excuse us?"
"Of course, be about your business you young 'uns, don't mind me. I hope you'll be staying for the feast tomorrow, Lingen?"
"Yes ma'am, as long as I'm welcome, which I'm not sure how long that will be once I get started!"
After the vole mother had left, Lingen, who had stayed virtually silent for the better part of the conversation, finally had to ask what was on his mind. "Leslie, I'm not questioning you, but when you told Mrs. Vole that Dribber had gone to the dormitories,..."
"Well?" Leslie pretended to be puzzled.
The young squirrel scratched the side of his ear with his tail and pondered a bit just as Leslie had done a moment before with Cindy Vole. Then he continued. "But didn't we see him go outside with that scone he got from the kitchens?"
"Yes, we did."
"Then why did you tell her that he went to the dormitories?"
"Tell me, Lingen, would you betray one of those poor Dibbuns to that big bathing Badger Mother? Besides, they'll find him soon enough; he usually finds his brother Grubo and tries to get him into some kind of mischief with him."
As they made their way outside from Great Hall, Lingen asked his companion, "So what's this feast I've been hearing so much about?"
"It's Abbess Avelle's Fall Jubilee Feast. Isn't that what brought you here?"
Suddenly the squirrel's face became serious for the first time since he had come to the Abbey that day. He quickly covered the sudden change of emotion up with a smile and shrugged, saying, "Of course. Have you seen the Abbess?"