held an animated conversation until they are lifted aboard the Waveblade by Lord Rawnblade. They arrayed themselves in the searat regalia and landed at Terramort without being identified, despite a harrowing encounter with two pirate ships. Last Stand of the Long Patrol In the meantime, Colonel Clary, Brigadier Thyme, and the Honorable Rosie had run out of options. With Greypatch reaffirmed as leader, the remaining captive oarslaves and Pakatugg were secured in a cage made of branches. The hares decided that the only way to free the oarslaves would be at the cost of their lives. Heavily armed, they approached Greypatch’s camp and ordered Oak Tom, Treerose, and Rufe Brush to spirit away the oarslaves at their signal. Upon entering the camp, the hares loosed shaft after shaft into the charging corsairs from their deadly longbows. Clary tossed Pakatugg a knife, and the lean squirrel bravely volunteers to die with the hares. When the hares finally exhausted their supply of arrows, the hares and Pakatugg brandished their lances and charged straight into the middle of the pirate crew with one last cry of “Eulaliaaaa!” Weeping, the three squirrels made their way to Redwall with the last of the oarslaves. Upon hearing the news of the long patrol's last stand, Mother Mellus and Flagg set out in the direction of the searat camp. They stumbled upon two searats preparing to deal the killing blow to Hon Rosie, but killed them before they had a chance. With the aid of Oak Tom and Rufe Brush, they carried the gravely wounded Hon Rosie to Redwall. Left with eighteen corsairs out of his former hundred, Greypatch finally decided to pack up and return to the Darkqueen. At Terramort, Gabool and his captains saw the large form of Lord Rawnblade from afar. Three searat crews were dispatched to slay the badger. Once ashore, Rawnblade, Mariel, and Tarquin spotted Dandin and Durry. They met up, with the hordes of searats just behind them, and ran among some large rocks. Durry pushed aside a massive boulder, revealing the tunnel to Joseph's secret hideout. The Final Battle As Durry broke the news to Mariel that her father was alive, the exuberant mousemaid, thrilled beyond measure, snatched the party's sole torch and rushed down the tunnel only to be met with the hundreds of Terramort Resistance Against Gabool fighters. Joseph related his story and the two organised a large