Free Trek to Kraggen-Cor by 1932- Dennis L. McKiernan Page A

it. An electrifying note rang out, clear and bell-like, its pure tones carrying far across the countryside. A great cheer went up from the small crowd, and everyone there on the knoll stood straight and tall. The gloomy mood was lifted from the occupants of the waggon, and they waved to the gathering. A youngling Warrow broke from the ranks and ran down toward the wain; others saw this and also ran down the hillside and onto the road, joining him; soon all were thronging around and keeping pace with the van.
    "Where you headin', Cotton?" cried a voice from the mob.
    "Out east and south, Teddy," answered Cotton, his eye falling upon the one who had called forth.
    What for? shouted several at once.
    "The King says there's trouble in the mountains and we're fixin' to help set it right," replied Cotton, which brought forth a great cheer; for the folks living at Budgens, being near the Monument and all, thought that Warrows were the greatest resource that the King could draw upon. Why, it was only natural, only right and proper, that the King call upon a Warrow or two to help settle his troubles, whatever they might be.
    Persons in the crowd continued in this fashion to shout out questions or give encouragement to the travellers as the wain slowly trundled through the village. And Cotton was aglow with it all: He introduced Lord Kian and Anval and Borin to the citizens, and much to their delight the Man actually stood up in the rolling waggon and gracefully bowed 'round to all, though the Dwarves merely grunted. Then Cotton reminded the Budgens folk as to just who Mister Perry was; and the Ravenbook Scholar stood and bowed to the crowd, too. At each introduction, or reply to a question, or statement made by the wayfarers, the villagers cheered. And in this festive atmosphere the voyagers were escorted through Budgens. At the town limits they were given a hip, hip, hurrah/ send-off, and soon were out of sight and hearing of the hamlet by the Rillmere.
    "Well, now," said Lord Kian, white teeth smiling through yellow beard, as he turned upon the driver's seat to look back at his passengers in the van, "that was quite a lively band of citizens."
    "Ever since the great battle, the folks of Budgens have had a reputation for being spirited," replied Perry. "Did you see that monument back there on the knoll? Well, that's a memorial not only to the nineteen Warrows actually killed in the Battle of Budgens in the Winter War, but also to the thirty wounded and the nearly three hundred others who took part in the fight to overthrow the reavers—evil Ghuls who were trying to usurp the Bosky, to steal our homeland during the days before the fall of Gron. And we were successful; we Warrows slew many of the corpse-foe, and later, with the help of the Men of Wellen, we drove them from the Bosky. But it was in Budgens where it really got started. Oh, the Warrows of that time had been in a lot of

    skirmishes with the Ghuls back when the reavers first invaded the Bosky, but it wasn't until Danner and Patrel came that the Warrows were organized properly. The first big battle of the Struggles took place in Budgens, a War-row name of honor: Brave as Budgens, we say these days. The people of Budgens know that, and they see the Memorial every day, and carefully tend the garden there at the foot of the stone monument. The glory of those Warrows' bravery is with the folk of Budgens always, and they take pride for their part in history."
    Borin looked at Perry. "So you Waerans have already dealt with usurpers, as we Chakka have yet to do," he rumbled, a new respect showing in his eye at the thought of these Wee Ones driving back a great gang of the reaving-foe, driving them out of Budgens—each Khol twice Waeran size—and doing it while suffering a loss of only nineteen. "You are a small but mighty adversary."
    Then Borin turned a curious eye to the other Warrow. "Cotton, show me that silver horn upon which you blew the clarion call that stirred my spirit