"Right. We've got you. Don't try anything funny or we'll skewer this bunny!"

Martin opened his eyes. Blacktooth and Splitnose were standing over Bugs, their spearpoints at his throat. The warrior mouse was about to jump instinctively for them, but Bugs discouraged him.

"Better do like they say, Doc. They've got us surrounded."

Splitnose got a rope and tied Bugs, Martin and Gonff up with it. "Hey, that came out of my pack!" Martin said. "They're tying us up with my own rope!"

Blacktooth kicked him. "Quiet. You're our prisoners now. You'll pay for breaking the laws of Kotir and leading us on a wild goose chase. Be still!"

Splitnose was emptying the supply packs out. "Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck. Look, apples, bread, cheese, mmfff. Pie!"

"Did you say pie?" Blacktooth came over to him. "By the claw, that'll do for me!" He grabbed the pie.

"Hey, I saw it first!" Splitnose tried to snatch it back.

"Look at 'em," Gonff whispered. "Like birds fighting over a worm." He and Bugs started to smile, despite their situation.

"Here, then!" Blacktooth snarled, pushing the pie into Splitnose's face. Gonff and Bugs burst out laughing.

"Now spray him with seltzer!" Bugs shouted.

Splitnose waved his paw up and down in front of Blacktooth's face, then hit him on top of the head.

"That's the stuff, matey," Gonff called out encouragingly. "You show him that stoats are the bosses."

Blacktooth was about to quiet Gonff by stabbing him with his spear when Splitnose jabbed the ferret in the bottom with his spear.

Martin took Blacktooth's side. "Don't let him do that to you, ferret. Get him."

Bugs supported Splitnose. "He's nothin' but a big ole bully. Jump on that ferret's tunnel, stoat."

Blacktooth cracked Splitnose across the head with his spear shaft. Splitnose retaliated by stabbing Blacktooth in the paw.

The three friends egged them on with loud shouts.

"You've got 'im now, Doc. Stab!"

"That's it. Keep him pinned down!"

"Get his throat with your teeth!"

Filled with blind rage, the stoat and ferret battled all over the cave, oblivious to everything except the desire to win.

"Grr, take that, stoat swine!"

"Argh, you won't push me around anymore, ferret face. Get this!"

Blacktooth fell, pierced by his opponent's spear. He died.

Splitnose dropped his weapon in horror. "Blackie, no. I didn't mean it! It was just a coincidence!"

His right eye started twitching. Then his right arm and leg started shaking uncontrollably. Suddenly he fell to the ground. Splitnose was having a stroke!

After a while he was still. "Is he dead?" Martin asked.

"As a doornail, Doc. Come on, let's set about thinkin' how to free ourselves."

Martin wrenched round to face Gonff. "Any ideas?"

Gonff smiled in the darkness. "Stay still. I can reach my dagger. Didn't I ever tell you, matey? I'm a prince of escapers."

"I thought you were the prince of thieves."

"I have many talents."

As the ropes fell away under Gonff's keen blade, Road Runner came into the cave. "Beep-beep?" he asked.

Bugs stood up. "Oh, we got into a little scrape, but we're okay now."

"Sorry about the mess," Martin said to the bird.

Road Runner's tongue darted out of his mouth and flicked across his lips. "Beep-beep!"

"He says he'll take care of the mess himself," Bugs translated. "Ya see, Road Runners are kinda like buzzards- when they find a dead animal, they…"

Martin threw up his paws. "I don't want to hear it. Let's go."

Bugs picked up the two spears. "Maybe we should take these along with us, just in case."

They stepped out into the desert night. "Good bye, and thank you!" they called to Road Runner, who waved his wing and called "Beep-beep!" back to them.