You stringy oF rascal,

A short while later he was seated happily on a fallen tree, eating a candied chestnut from the otter's haversack as he watched Thrugg tying the snake in an intricate knot around a sapling. "You stringy oF rascal, 'ow dare you try ter choke my liddle matey? Y'can stay there till you learn some manners!" Dumble chuckled. "Thatsa way, Mista Thugg. Tie d'ser-pink up!" Thrugg narrowed his eyes severely and squatted in front of Dumble. "Never mind the serpink, matey. What in the name of jib booms are you doin' followin' me?" "Wanna come wiv you to norf mountings, Mista Thugg." "Do you now! Well, you lissen ter me, young dormouse. It's back to yer bunk in Redwali Abbey for you. Now come on!" Dumble burst into floods of tears. "No no, don't wanna go! Dumble get sick an' die wiv feeva. Me fright'ned." Thrugg shouldered his haversack and stood undecided with the tearful Dumble gazing beseechingly up at him. "You my matey, Mista Thugg. You not let Dumble get sicked inna Habbey. We find niceflowers together. Yeh?" Thrugg picked up the infant in one paw and set him atop the haversack. "All right, you liddle rogue. I couldn't think of ye lyin' sick back there. I'm as feared of the fever as you are. Shove your paw through the straps up there an' get some sleep, then we'll find these Iceflowers t'gether." Off they went up the path, the big otter having his patience sorely tried by the infant dormouse. "Good oF Mista Thugg. You're my bes' matey, aren't you?"