When the group returned to Redwall, no one mentioned that Columbine and Gonflet were still missing. Instead, they all chattered on happily. But the one creature who would normally be the main source of amusement was not at all content. Gonff kept a smile on his face and would sometimes force a laugh at the antics of the Dibbuns, but for once everyone saw through. Martin squeezed Gonff's paw and the Mousethief looked up, about to force another smile.

"Don't worry," Martin whispered. "We'll find them. And I'll help you every step of the way."

Gonff forced a brave grin. "I know, matey, I'm just..." The Mousethief had a haunted look in his eyes as he remembered the blood and the vermin tracks that they had seen on the ground. He smiled and almost real smile at Martin. "I guess I'm also a Prince of Worriers." He laughed weakly. Martin smiled back.

"I think you're going to find you're also a Prince of Recovering Pretty Wives And Mischievous Dibbuns. Now go on, show everyone how you're a Prince of Piescoffers!" Martin pushed a huge blueberry pie at his friend.

Gonff seemed better during the rest of the meal, and the others felt better, too. They decided he had come to his senses and realized he had the best chances of finding his family when it was daylight.

No one knew what he was really planning.

That night when Gonff went to bed, he was almost merry as he said goodnight to Martin and the others. He climbed into bed and feigned sleep. He was also a Prince of Pretenders. A while later he heard the Abbess and Martin as they crept not-so-silently towards his door. He sensed them poke their heads in as they made sure he was really asleep. He waited until he heard the Abbess retreat to her quarters and Martin to his. Then Gonff opened his eyes. He didn't dare go out through the door, as he was certain Martin was waiting there. He stuffed some clothes under the blankets, stepping back to admire his work. Even his good eyes could hardly notice that the form beneath the blankets was not Gonff. Martin would have to lift up the covers to realize it.

Gonff placed a note he had written earlier on the pillow, then carefully slung a prepacked bag over his shoulder and stepped cautiously towards the already open window. He vaulted out of it without a sound and landed outside. He crept along to the other side of the Abbey so that he would not be seen if anyone looked out their window. Then he blended into the trees and was gone, heading towards the river.

Martin waited by the wall of his room, but no one came out the door. He wasn't really expecting that, anyway. Gonff was too smart to exit by door. He sighed. He hoped Gonff was smart enough to not leave at all. The Abbess peered out her window, searching for any sign of a figure creeping along towards the river. But she hadn't counted on Gonff going the other way, so no one saw Gonff approach the river through the forest. Martin stepped from his room and walked carefully to Gonff's room. He saw the sleeping form resting beneath the blankets and turned away, breathing a sigh of relief. Maybe Gonff was finally figuring out what was sensible to do in these situations.

Oloe was perplexed. He was unbelievably happy at having captured his enemy's wife and son, but now that he had them in his grip, another problem arose. Should he sail away with the captives and content himself with knowing how distraught Gonff would be, or should he attempt to capture Gonff as well? He was tempted to get his paws on the mouse who had caused him so much trouble, but he didn't want to take the chance of losing his prisoners by staying in Mossflower any longer than he had to. Although he considered all woodlanders to be far beneath all vermin, especially himself, he had heard tales of seemingly foolish peaceful creatures getting the best of clever vermin leaders.

There was another problem, too. The sea rat wanted to cause Gonff as much pain as possible. Which would hurt his enemy more, to be a slave but still with his family, or to be free but without his wife and son? Oloe slammed his paws down on the armrests of his chair, frustrated by all the questions in his mind and the lack of answers. Immediately he heard paws dashing to his door. There was a pause, and then a hesitant knock on his cabin door. The sea rat leapt from his throne and yanked the door open, enraged at the interruption. His first mate Floptail stood before him, looking as though he would have dearly liked to run in the other direction. His voice deathly low, Oloe growled at the ferret. "What is it, Floptail?"

Floptail fidgeted slightly. "I heard noise in your cabin, sir, and..." The ferret's voice trailed off nervously. Oloe took a step toward him. In a move faster than lightning, he had the ferret by the neck. The sea rat snarled menacingly. "Oh, so now your captain is not allowed to make noise, am I? Not allowed to think---" Oloe stopped, and a slow grin spread across his face. He loosened his hold on Floptail's neck. "I'm sorry, Floptail, you were just concerned about your captain, weren't you, mate?" he said in a voice dripping false friendliness.

Floptail swallowed apprehensively. "Aye, sir," he said with a nervous laugh. "Wanted to make sure you were all right---"

Oloe pulled the ferret further into the room. "It's a good thing you came, my friend. I have a very important decision that I am going to leave up to you."

Floptail was both curious and wary. "Yes, sir?"

Oloe pulled up a chair in front of his own and beckoned Floptail to sit down in it. When the ferret had seated himself the sea rat slid into his throne. He leaned forward and focused on the creature. "Floptail, first of all I would like to congratulate you on the capture of our prisoners. I take it that you were responsible for them, of course?" the sea rat's voice regained its dangerous edge.

Floptail gave a nervous cough. "Yes, sir. I took charge of it, all right,"

The captain's tone became amicable again at once. "Good. I knew I could count on you, my good old first mate." He leaned closer to the ferret. "That is why I'm letting you make this decision. You see, it is quite an accomplishment to have captured our prisoners in the first place. Now we move on to step two. This is where you come in. You will decide whether we should stay to capture the other mouse, Gonff, or whether we should instead sail off with the two captives we already have without risking any more trouble." The sea rat leaned closer still. "Think very carefully, my friend," he whispered levelly. "If you make a decision that serves me well, you will be rewarded beyond your dreams. But if you make a bad decision..." Oloe shook his paw mockingly. "Let's just say that any rewards you would have otherwise gained would be totally useless to you. Think well, but fast. I will need an answer in ten... no, nine, seconds...eight..."the sea rat began counting down, silently and with an air of innocence.

Floptail's mind raced. Then alongside his fear of his captain another terror resurfaced. He recalled all the stories he had heard of fierce warrior woodlanders of the Mossflower area who took no mercy on vermin. His two fears combined, and just as Oloe was rounding off number three, Floptail yelled out his answer. "We sail away from Mossflower with our captives!"

Oloe paused. "I hope for your sake that your choice is a good one. That is all. You are dismissed."

Columbine was completely miffed as she and Gonflet were escorted from the cabin. Floptail stayed to talk to the captain, and Snaptooth and Droopear took the two mice below deck to a small room. It was musty, but at least it wasn't decorated with skulls and hides. There was a small table and chair that both appeared to have been built of driftwood, and a crudely made bed stood in the corner.

Snaptooth began to leave. Droopear followed him. "Someone will be comin' by with vittles later on."

As the door closed, a lock turned. Columbine took Gonflet by the paw and led him over to the bed. It creaked as she sat down, and she did her best not to cry.

Gonflet looked up at her, confusion in his wide innocent eyes. "What's going on, Mama? What's going to happen to us? Where's Daddy?"

Columbine sat her son on her lap. "I don't know, Gonflet. But everything will be all right. Everything will be all right."

Some time later, the door opened, and a frail-looking hogwife entered with a small tray of food. She gave Columbine and Gonflet a small smile. "How are you two doing?" she asked.

Columbine raised her head. "You cook for them?"

The hogwife sighed. "I'm a slave. I used to row, like the rest of them, but then the old cook died, so they recruited me. It's easier work than rowing, but sometimes I would do anything for a dose of poison to drop in their food." she said fiercely.

Columbine spoke hesitantly. "Do you think you could come by here later, and maybe just talk with us for a little? I'd like to learn as much as I can about this place, and if it's possible to escape."

The hogwife shook her head. "Well, I don't think I'll be much help with the escaping bit, but I can try to come by later. It gets lonely cooking for a bunch of filthy vile vermin. I can come by after I've fed the crew, which should be in about 2 hours."

Columbine smiled weakly. "Thank you."

A few hours later, there was a knock at the door. It was the hogwife. She came in and sat beside Columbine on the bed and smiled at Gonflet. "My name is Delpa. So, my friends, who are you?"

Columbine smiled. "I'm Columbine, and this is my son Gonflet."

Delpa frowned. "Gonflet, you say? That's strange. Is it short for Gonff?"

It was Columbine's turn to frown. "Yes, why?"

Delpa was hesitant about answering. "Well, you see, my room is at the back of the kitchen, which is quite close to the Captain's cabin. Almost every night, I hear him having dreams. At some point he always mentions the name Gonff. Sometimes he just mutters it, but sometimes he screams it, and yells things like 'I'll kill you Gonff, for what you did to me,' or 'I will find you, hunt you down, and make you wish you'd never been born, or---" She stopped at the look on Columbine's face.

"My husband," Columbine whispered. "Gonff is my husband."
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