It was stinking, dirty work, but it had paid for
his education. He had become a good engineer and a Warlock in the
militia.
53 All of a sudden his eyes widened. "The tunnel!" he thought, "The
tunnel! If it's intact, if it isn't flooded, we can go right out under
them, come out through the refuse works, and be gone before they can
swing around to pursue us."
54 He ran back into the city and headed for the main junction where all
of its pipes ran into the tunnel. Gathering men as he went, they were
soon digging to uncover the passage. When it was open, a man
approached with a torch.
55 "NO!" cried Leaping Deer, "Get back! If the air passages have been
blocked, there could be gas!" He took the torch and threw it in the
hole.
Nothing happened. He got another torch, and descended. The refuse was
up to his waist, even on the walkways. And if you fell over the rail it
would be well over your head.
56 He pushed on. The smell was sickening, and once and a
while something would swim towards him in the water, and he would knock
it away. But finally he reached the end of the passage, and, to his horror, found it blocked.
57 Handing the torch to one of his men, he climbed up on the rubble.
Removing some stones, he saw light, and peeked through. What he saw
broke his heart. The refuse works was full of enemy soldiers! They must
be using it for sleeping quarters, and, a command post.
58 It would take them too long to clear the rubble. They would be
detected. "DAMN!" he thought, They made their way back out and he sat
up by the entrance in despair.
59 His Cannoneer, Singing Frog, came up