They splashed paws first into muddy water almost to their middles. Squelching to a low ledge at one side, the four friends slumped down together.

Covered in sludge and mud, they lay waiting until the sounds of the toad guards retreated. Martin immediately jumped up and tried to scale the slippery clay sides of the pit, but slid back hopelessly, falling into the water with a splash.

A voice murmured from the darkness, "You're wasting time and strength trying to get out. Don't try again."

Martin leaped back up to his feet. "Who are you, what are you doing here?"

The surface of the dim water parted with a whooshing upheaval and a giant eel appeared. "I'm Snakefish," said the eel. "I was the champion toadscoffer in this part of the country, until they laid a trap for me and I fell in here. I can't get out now. Still, they keep me happy enough by slinging the odd enemy in here. The occasional fish, maybe a dead bird… passing travelers too, of course. I wallop the lot down, doesn't bother me. But one day I will find my way out of here. Then I will taste the toadflesh again."

"Does that mean you're going to eat us?" Gonff asked.

"Well, you can give it your best shot, hombre, but you'll find warrior mice don't go down easy!" Speedy proclaimed defiantly.

Snakefish hissed, revealing countless teeth, pure white and needlelike. "The only reason I haven't eaten you already is because I'm not hungry right now!"

"Why don't ya just climb outta here an' have a nice toad supper?" asked Bugs. "That's what ya really wanna do, isn't it, Doc?"

Snakefish reared up, pushing his coils against the smooth walls of Screamhole. There was no purchase for the great eel. He slid back into the water.

"See, I have given up trying," he said sadly. "Each attempt only makes these walls more smooth and slippery."

Bugs had the glimmer of an idea forming in his mind. He decided to risk broaching the matter. "Listen, Snakefish, I have a proposition to put to ya. Supposin' we helped you outta here, would ya leave us to go our way in peace without harming us?"

"If you could free me, I would leave you to go at liberty where you will," the eel promised. "I would rather eat toad than mouse or hare. Besides, I need to take my revenge on the tribe of Marshgreen. But you had better decide quickly; before the passing of another day I will need to eat. Do you understand me?"

Bugs replied for them all. "We understand poifectly, Doc."

Martin looked at him, surprised. "I suppose you must already have a plan in your mind, if you said that."

Gonff giggled nervously. "Better be a good one, or it'll be mouse and hare pie for dinner tomorrow."

Bugs explained his idea. "I was thinkin' I could burrow through the side of this cave."

"What good will that do?" said Snakefish. "Even if you succeeded, you'd just be caught and thrown back in here."

Bugs wagged a paw at him. "I ain't finished. The ocean's right near here, right?"

Snakefish was taken aback. "Of course. The ocean is my home, but I don't see…"

"What if I could dig a tunnel to the ocean an' let the water fill up this hole? Then you could just float to the top."

Snakefish wriggled with joy. "Can you really do that?"

"Can I do it? Listen, Doc, I got to England by tunnelin' all the way from America, an' I didn't even realize I was doin' it. This'll be a piece of cake."

Without wasting any more time, Bugs began burrowing into the cave wall with his powerful paws.

Up above, King Marshgreen and his toads waddled around their swamp, unaware of the tunnel being dug right beneath their feet.