built for climbing and climbed down quickly and graceful-
ly, while others had a more difficult time with the descent,
but all made it safely. She dropped clear of the tree and
rushed toward the building. The cubs largely ignored her
as they ran off in different directions, small dark shapes
swallowed by the shadows.
The prepubescent exodus continued for some time. Fi-
nally Jon-Tom, Mudge, and Folly appeared at the open
window.
At the same time, lights began to wink on throughout
the orphanage complex.
XI
So the otter’s suspicions had been well founded, she
decided. That was the only possible explanation for the
mass escape in progress. She waited anxiously as Mudge
slipped down the rope. Folly followed closely.
Jon-Tom had just stepped through the window opening
and was climbing over the iron grate when something
whizzed past his head. It struck the street below. Roseroar
picked it up, found herself inspecting a small club. The
knobbed end was studded with nails. Not the kind of
disciplinary device one would expect a dormitory supervi-
sor or teacher to carry.
The last fleeing cub vanished down a narrow alleyway.
Within the orphanage, bells were clanging violently. Mudge
reached the bottom of the rope and jumped clear. Folly
slipped, fell the last five feet, and almost broke an ankle.
The reason for her fall was clear; a pile of pink linen
spiraled down on top of her.
“Bloody ‘ell!” The otter looked upward and cursed. “I
‘ad the other end tied to a bedpost. Someone must ‘ave cut
it.” He could see Jon-Tom hanging on to the grating with