"He'd never get here in his present state," said Fiver.
"It'll be quite a long time before he's recovered. A lot of rabbits wouldn't have survived what he went through."
"Let's have a run round your warren," said Hazel. "I'd like to see what you've all made of it. You're all comfortable, I hope?"
"Oh, very," replied Groundsel. "Plenty of room here, you know, and that makes a lot of difference. I've even taken one or two more from Efrafa--friends I knew last year, when I was an Efrafan myself. As you'd expect, they say it's much better there without Woundwort."
Hazel and Fiver slept with Groundsel in his burrow and were woken early next morning by a young rabbit bringing a message. "Captain Campion's here, Groundsel-rah," he said, "and he says he's ready to talk whenever you like."
"Where'd you get that 'Captain' from?" snapped Groundsel. "He's 'Campion-rah' to you, don't you know that?"
"I'm sorry, sir," said the youngster. "It's just that everybody speaks of him as 'Captain,' and I've got into the way of it."
They went out into a beautifully fresh, clear morning and found Campion sitting in the sun at the foot of the bank. He and Hazel greeted each other with embarrassment and a certain reserve. On the last occasion when they had been together, that terrible evening on Watership Down, Campion had asked Woundwort whether he should kill Hazel. Neither had forgotten that, though both were anxious that no mention of it should be made now. As Strawberry came up to join them, Hazel was able to cover the awkward moment by greeting him as an old friend and follower and by asking him how he liked life in the new warren. Strawberry replied for the most part with praise of his rabbits, who, he said, had worked hard and settled in very well, those from both Watership and Efrafa.
"Campion," began Groundsel, "although you've been Chief Rabbit of Efrafa for a long time now--ever since the disappearance of Woundwort last summer, in fact--you've been having a lot to do with this warren of mine, haven't you? You've been here a good deal."
"Yes, I have," answered Campion.
"He's too distinguished and proud to make any excuses or hold anything back," thought Hazel. "Whatever this is all about, at least we shan't have to squeeze information out of him or tell him he's lying."
"Anyone who wants to come," went on Campion, "I take them out on Wide Patrol."
Why don't you stick to taking out your own Efrafans?"
"Because they won't come," replied Campion without hesitation. "Not one of them."
"Why not, do you know?"
"Because they associate Wide Patrols with Woundwort." said Campion. "They don't want anything that they think has to do with Woundwort."
"Well, haven't Wide Patrols got a lot to do with Woundwort? Isn't that quite right?"
"Certainly," said Campion, and waited silently for Groundsel to go on.
"He invented them, didn't he?"
"Yes."
"Yet you come here and fill my rabbits up with Woundwort's ideas?"
"No, I don't. I simply take out on Wide Patrol any rabbits who want to come."
"And that's all? You don't tell them about Woundwort and what he did?"
/> "No. I never mention Woundwort."
"And you aren't planning to influence enough rabbits to fight for you so that you can take over this warren?"
"Certainly not."
"Well, I think you are."
"None of the rabbits I've taken out on Patrol can have told you that."
"Why not?"
"Because I always assure them that I've got no such plans. I haven't the least wish to take over Vleflain."