Prologue

 

 

          “Dashed uncomfortable this, eh Balderthump?” grumbled Lord Wrinklebottom. He squirmed a little on the cold sand he was lying on.

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          “Indeed, m’lord,” replied Balderthump in a whisper, “but we must be patient.”

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          “Patience, patience. Of course,” he muttered and dropped his head onto his arms. He was soon snoring softly.

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          Balderthump continued to gaze alertly into the darkness below. In the faint starlight he could see many dark shapes, but nothing moved. The cool night air of the desert settled on him and began to seep into his bones. He lifted himself from the sand to find a more comfortable position, but nowhere was comfortable. He settled down as best he could and once more scanned the desert below. There was nothing but darkness and silence.

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          But wait! What was that? From far to his left came a muffled cough. He reached across and gave Lord Wrinklebottom a gentle shake.

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          “M'lord,” he whispered, “someone is coming.” Lord Wrinklebottom did not respond.

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          Balderthump strained his eyes in the direction from which he'd heard the cough, but still could see nothing. “M'lord,” he whispered again gently shaking his arm. Lord Wrinklebottom snored on.

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          Balderthump peered into the darkness again. This time, he could just make out a dark shape moving slowly across the sand. As it came closer, it resolved into a line of smaller dark shapes, each shuffling one after the other. “M'lord,” whispered Balderthump a little more urgently. “M'lord, it is as we thought.”

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          Lord Wrinklebottom woke suddenly. “Eh?!” he said in far too loud a voice. “What's that, Balderthump?” A whip cracked below and the line of dark shadows stopped instantly.

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          “Shhh!” whispered Balderthump fiercely and shrank back behind the rock where they were hiding. “It is as we thought, m'lord. They are here, down below,” he whispered.

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          “Oh. Oh dear,” whispered Lord Wrinklebottom in a somewhat befuddled tone. “I do hope they didn't hear me.”

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          “As do I, m’lord. As do I.”