,,*APT] #BJ
          ,A ,BITT] ,4APPO9T;T

  ,,DUR+ A L;G1 L;G1 WE>Y H\R1 "! CROSS$
MY WILDLY DELIRI\S BRA9 ALL SORTS (
R1SONS Z 6:AT CD H >\S$ \R QUIET &
FAI?;L GUIDE4 ,! MO/ ABSURD & RIDICUL\S
ID1S PASS$ "? MY H1D1 EA* M IMPOSSI# ?AN
! O!R4 ,I 2LIEVE ,I 0 EI HALF OR :OLLY
MAD4
  ,SU45LY1 H["E1 "! >OSE1 Z X 7 F !
DEP?S (! E>?1 A VOICE ( -=T4 ,X 0 ! S.D
( FOOT/EPS6 ,HANS 0 RETURN+4
  ,PRES5TLY ! UNC]TA9 LI<T 2GAN 6%9E ^U
! WALLS (! PASSAGE1 & !N X CAME 9 VIEW
F> D[N ! SLOP+ TUNNEL4 ,AT L5G? ,HANSHMF APPE>$4                         #AHC
  ,HE APPROA*$ MY UNCLE1 PLAC$ 8 H& ^U 8
%\LD]1 & G5TLY AWAK5$ HM4 ,MY UNCLE1 Z
SOON Z HE SAW :O X WAS1 9/ANTLY >OSE4
  8,WELL60 EXCLAIM$ ! ,PROFESSOR4
  8,VATT510 SD ! HUNT]4
  ,I DID N "K A S+LE ^W (! ,DANI%
LANGUAGE1 & YET 0A SORT ( MY/]I\S 9/9CT
,I "U/OOD :AT ! GUIDE _H SD4
  8,WAT]1 WAT]60 ,I CRI$1 9 A WILD &
FRANTIC T"O1 CLAPP+ MY H&S1 & GE/ICULAT+
L A MADMAN4
  8,WAT]60 MURMUR$ MY UNCLE1 9 A VOICE (
DEEP EMO;N & GRATITUDE4 8,HV>80 78,":87
  8,N$AT40 78,2L407
  8,":8 2L60 ,I "U/OOD E ^W4 ,I _H CAU<T
! HUNT] 0! H&S1 & ,I %OOK !M HE>TILY1
:ILE HE LOOK$ ON ) P]FECT CALM;S4
  ,! PREP>,NS = \R DE"PURE DID N TAKE
L;G1 & WE 7 SOON MAK+ A RAPID DESC5T 96!
TUNNEL4
  ,AN H\R LAT] WE _H ADV.ED A ?\S& Y>DS1
& DESC5D$ TWO ?\S& FEET4
  ,AT ? MO;T ,I HE>D AN A3U/OM$ & WELL-
"KN S.D RUNN+ AL;G ! FLOORS (! GRANITEROCK- A K9D ( DULL & SULL5 RO>1 L   #AHD
T (A 4TANT WAT]FALL4
  ,DUR+ ! F/ HALF H\R ( \R ADV.E1 N F9D+
! 4COV]$ SPR+1 MY FEEL+S ( 9T5SE SU6]+
APPE>$ 6RETURN4 ,ONCE M ,I 2GAN 6LOSE
ALL HOPE4 ,MY UNCLE1 H["E1 OBS]V+ H[
D[NHE>T$ ,I 0 AG 2COM+1 TOOK UP !
3V]S,N4
  8,HANS 0 "R10 HE EXCLAIM$ 5?USIA/IC,Y2
8T IS ! DULL RO>+ (A TORR5T40
  8,A TORR5T10 ,I CRI$1 DELI<T$ AT EV5
HE>+ ! WELCOME ^WS4
  8,"!'S N ! SLI<TE/ D\BT AB X HE
REPLI$1 8A SUBT]RAN1N RIV] IS FL[+ 2S
U40
  ,I MADE NO REPLY1 B HA/5$ ON1 ONCE M
ANIMAT$ 0HOPE4 ,I 2GAN N EV5 6FEEL !
DEEP FATIGUE : HI!RTO _H OV]P[]$ ME4 ,!
V S.D ( ? GLORI\S MURMUR+ WAT] ALR
REFRE%$ ME4 ,WE CD HE> X 9CR1S+ 9 VOLUME
E MO;T4 ,! TORR5T1 : =A L;G "T CD 2 HE>D
FL[+ OV] \R H1DS1 N[ RAN 4T9CTLY AL;G !
LEFT WALL1 RO>+1 RU%+1 SPLUTT]+1 & /
FALL+4
  ,S"EAL "TS ,I PASS$ MY H& ACR ! ROCKHOP+ 6F9D "S TRACE ( HUMID;Y- (!    #AHE
SLI<TE/ P]COL,N4 ,ALAS6 9 VA94
  ,AG A HALF H\R PASS$ 9 ! SAME WE>Y
TOIL4 ,AG WE ADV.ED4
  ,X N[ 2CAME EVID5T T ! HUNT]1 DUR+ 8
ABS;E1 _H N BE5 A# 6C>RY 8 RESE>*ES ANY
F>!R4 ,GUID$ 0AN 9/9CT PECULI> 6!
DWELL]S 9 M.TA9 REGIONS & WAT] F9D]S1 HE
8SMELT0 ! LIV+ SPR+ "? ! ROCK4 ,/ HE _H
N SE5 ! PRECI\S LIQUID4 ,HE _H NEI QU5*$
8 [N ?IR/1 NOR BR"\ U "O DROP 9 8 G\RD4
  ,MOREOV]1 WE SOON MADE ! 4A/R\S 4COV]Y
T1 IF \R PROGRESS 3T9U$1 WE %D SOON 2
MOV+ AWAY F ! TORR5T1 ! S.D ( : GRADU,Y
DIM9I%$4 ,WE TURN$ BACK4 ,HANS HALT$ AT
! PRECISE SPOT ": ! S.D (! TORR5T APPE>$
NE>E/4
  ,I CD BE> ! SUSP5SE & SU6]+ NO L;G]1 &
S1T$ MYF AG/ ! WALL1 2H : ,I CD HE> !
WAT] SEE?+ & E6]VESC+ N TWO FEET AWAY4
,B A SOLID WALL ( GRANITE / SEP>AT$ U F
X6
  ,HANS LOOK$ KE5LY AT ME1 &1 /RANGE
5\<1 = ONCE ,I ?"\ ,I SAW A SMILE ON 8
IMP]TURBA# FACE4  ,HE ROSE F A /"O ON : 2 _H BE5    #AHF
S1T$1 & TOOK UP ! LAMP4 ,I CD N HELP
RIS+ & FOLL[+4 ,HE MOV$ SL[LY AL;G !
FIRM & SOLID GRANITE WALL4 ,I WAT*$ HM )
M+L$ CURIOS;Y & EAG];S4 ,PRES5TLY HE
HALT$ & PLAC$ 8 E> AG/ ! DRY /"O1 MOV+
SL[LY AL;G & LI/5+ )! MO/ EXTREME C>E &
ATT5;N4 ,I "U/OOD AT ONCE T HE 0 SE>*+ =
! EXACT SPOT ": ! TORR5T'S RO> 0 MO/
PLA9LY HE>D4 ,? PO9T HE SOON F.D 9 !
LAT]AL WALL ON ! LEFT SIDE1 AB ?REE FEET
ABV ! LEVEL (! TUNNEL FLOOR4
  ,I 0 9 A /ATE ( 9T5SE EXCITE;T4 ,I
SC>CELY D>$ 2LIEVE :AT ! EID]-DUCK HUNT]
0 AB 6D4 ,X WAS1 H["E1 IMPOSSI# 9 A MO;T
M N 6BO? "U/& & APPLAUD1 & EV5 6S"M HM 9
MY EMBRACES1 :5 ,I SAW HM RAISE ! H1VY
CR[B> & -M;E AN ATTACK ^U ! ROCK XF4
  8,SAV$60 ,I CRI$4
  8,YES10 CRI$ MY UNCLE1 EV5 M EXCIT$ &
DELI<T$ ?AN MYF2 8,HANS IS Q "R4 ,OH1 !
WOR?Y1 EXCELL5T MAN6 ,WE %D N"E H ?"\ (
S* AN IDEA40
  ,& NOBODY ELSE1 ,I ?9K1 WD H D"O S4
,S* A PROCESS1 SIMPLE Z X SEEM$1 WD MO/C]TA9LY N H 5T]$ \R H1DS4 ,NO?+     #AHG
CD 2 M DANG]\S ?AN 62G9 6"W ) PICKAXES 9
T "PICUL> "P (! GLOBE4 ,SUPPOS+ :ILE HE
0 AT "W A BR1K-UP 7 6TAKE PLACE1 &
SUPPOS+ ! TORR5T ONCE HAV+ GA9$ AN 9* 7
6TAKE AN ELL1 & -E P\R+ BODILY "? !
BROK5 ROCK6
  ,N "O ( ^! DANG]S 0 *IM]ICAL4 ,!Y 7
ONLY TOO R1L4 ,B AT T MO;T NO FE> (
FALL+ 9 (! RO(1 OR EV5 ( 9UND,N 0 CAPA#
( /OPP+ U4 ,\R ?IR/ 0 S 9T5SE T 6QU5* X
WE WD H DUG 2L ! B$ ( OLD ,OC1N XF4
  ,HANS W5T QUIETLY 6"W- A "W : NEI MY
UNCLE NOR ,I WD H "UTAK5 AT ANY PRICE4
,\R IMPATI;E 0 S GRT T IF WE _H ONCE
2GUN ) PICKAX & CR[B>1 ! ROCK WD SOON H
SPLIT 96A HUNDR$ FRAG;TS4 ,! GUIDE1 ON !
3TR>Y1 CALM1 R1DY1 MOD]ATE1 WORE AWAY !
H>D ROCK 0LL /1DY BL[S ( 8 9/RU;T1 MAK+
NO ATTEMPT AT A L>G] HOLE ?AN AB SIX
9*ES4 ,Z ,I /OOD1 ,I HE>D1 OR ,I ?"\ ,I
HE>D1 ! RO> (! TORR5T MO;T>ILY 9CR1S+ 9
L\D;S1 & AT "TS ,I ALM FELT ! PL1SANT
S5S,N ( WAT] ^U MY P>*$ LIPS4
  ,AT ! 5D ( :AT APPE>$ AN AGE1 ,HANS _HMADE A HOLE : 5A#D 8 CR[B> 65T]     #AHH
TWO FEET 96! SOLID ROCK4 ,HE _H BE5 AT
"W EXACTLY AN H\R4 ,X APPE>$ A DOZ54 ,I
0 GETT+ WILD ) IMPATI;E4 ,MY UNCLE 2GAN
6?9K ( US+ M VIOL5T M1SURES4 ,I _H !
GRTE/ DI6ICULTY 9 *ECK+ HM4 ,HE _H 9DE$
J GOT HOLD ( 8 CR[B> :5 A L\D & WELCOME
HISS 0 HE>D4 ,!N A /R1M1 OR R JET1 (
WAT] BUR/ "? ! WALL & CAME \ ) S* =CE Z
6HIT ! OPPOSITE SIDE6
  ,HANS1 ! GUIDE1 :O 0 HALF UPSET 0!
%OCK1 0 SC>CELY A# 6KEEP D[N A CRY ( PA9
& GRIEF4 ,I "U/OOD 8 M1N+ :51 PLUNG+ MY
H&S 96! SP>KL+ JET1 ,I MYF GAVE A WILD &
FRANTIC CRY4 ,! WAT] 0 SCALD+ HOT6
  8,BOIL+10 ,I CRI$1 9 BITT] 4APPO9T;T4
  8,WELL1 N"E M9D10 SD MY UNCLE10 X W
SOON GET COOL40
  ,! TUNNEL 2GAN 6BE FILL$ 0CL\DS (
VAPOR1 :ILE A SMALL /R1M RAN AWAY 96!
9T]IOR (! E>?4 ,9 A %ORT "T WE _H "S
SU6ICI5TLY COOL 6DR9K4 ,WE SWALL[$ X 9
HUGE M\?;LS4
  ,OH6 :AT EXALT$ DELI<T- :AT RI* &
9COMP>A# LUXURY6 ,:AT 0 ? WAT]1 :;E DIDX -E8 ,6U :AT 0 T8 ,! SIMPLE FACT   #AHI
WAS- X 0 WAT]2 &1 ?\< / )A T+LE ( W>M?
AB X1 X BR"\ BACK 6! HE>T1 T LIFE :1 B =
X1 M/ SURELY H FAD$ AWAY4 ,I DRANK
GRE$ILY1 ALM )\T TA/+ X4
  ,:51 H["E1 ,I _H ALM QU5*$ MY RAV5\S
?IR/1 ,I MADE A 4COV]Y4
  8,:Y1 X IS *ALYB1TE WAT]60
  8,A MO/ EXCELL5T /OMA*IC10 REPLI$ MY
UNCLE1 8& HI<LY M9]ALIZ$4 ,"H IS A
J\RNEY WOR? TW5TY 6,SPA40
  8,X'S V GD10 ,I REPLI$4
  8,I %D ?9K S4 ,WAT] F.D SIX MILES "U
GR.D4 ,"! IS A PECULI>LY 9KY FLAVOR AB
X1 : IS 0NO M1NS 4AGREEA#4 ,HANS MAY
3GRATULATE HMF ON HAV+ MADE A R>E
4COV]Y4 ,:AT D Y SAY1 NEPHEW1 AC 6!
USUAL CU/OM ( TRAVEL]S1 6"N ! /R1M AF
HM80
  8,GD10 SD ,I4 ,&! "N ( 8,HANSBA*0
78,HANS ,BROOK07 0 AT ONCE AGRE$ ^U4
  ,HANS 0 N A BIT M PR\D AF HE>+ \R
DET]M9,N ?AN HE 0 2F4 ,AF HAV+ TAK5 A V
SMALL MODICUM (! WELCOME REFRE%;T1 HE _H
S1T$ HMF 9 A CORN] ) 8 USUAL IMP]TURBA#GRAV;Y4                             #AIJ
  8,N[10 SD ,I1 8X IS N WOR? :ILE LETT+
? WAT] RUN 6WA/E40
  8,:AT IS ! USE10 REPLI$ MY UNCLE1 8!
S\RCE F : ? RIV] RISES IS 9EXHAU/I#40
  8,N"E M9D10 ,I 3T9U$1 8LET U FILL \R
GOATSK9 & G\RDS1 & !N TRY 6/OP ! OP5+
UP40
  ,MY ADVICE1 AF "S HESIT,N1 0 FOLL[$ OR
ATTEMPT$ 6BE FOLL[$4 ,HANS PICK$ UP ALL
! BROK5 PIECES ( GRANITE HE _H KNOCK$ \1
& US+ "S T[ HE HAPP5$ 6H AB HM1 TRI$
6%UT UP ! FISSURE HE _H MADE 9 ! WALL4
,ALL HE DID 0 6SCALD 8 H&S4 ,! PRESSURE
0 TOO GRT1 & ALL \R ATTEMPTS 7 UTT]
FAILURES4
  8,X IS EVID5T10 ,I REM>K$1 8T ! UPP]
SURFACE ( ^! SPR+S IS SITUAT$ AT A V GRT
HEI<T ABV- Z WE MAY FAIRLY 9F] F ! GRT
PRESSURE (! JET40
  8,T IS 0NO M1NS D\BT;L10 REPLI$ MY
UNCLE1 8IF ? COLUMN ( WAT] IS AB ?IRTY-
TWO ?\S& FEET HI<1 ! ATMOSPH]IC PRESSURE
M/ 2 "S?+ ENORM\S4 ,B A NEW IDEA HAS J
/RUCK ME40  8,& :AT IS T80                    #AIA
  8,:Y 2 AT S M* TR\# 6CLOSE ? AP]TURE80
  8,2C-0
  ,I HESITAT$ & /AMM]$1 HAV+ NO R1L
R1SON4
  8,:5 \R WAT] BOTTLES >E EMPTY1 WE >E N
AT ALL SURE T WE % 2 A# 6FILL !M10
OBS]V$ MY UNCLE4
  8,I ?9K T IS V PROBA#40
  8,WELL1 !N1 LET ? WAT] RUN4 ,X W1 (
C\RSE1 NATUR,Y FOLL[ 9 \R TRACK1 & W
S]VE 6GUIDE & REFRE% U40
  8,I ?9K ! IDEA A GD "O10 ,I CRI$ 9
REPLY1 8&) ? RIVULET Z A -PANION1 "! IS
NO FUR!R R1SON :Y WE %D N SU3E$ 9 \R
M>VEL\S PROJECT40
  8,AH1 MY BOY10 SD ! ,PROFESSOR1 LAU<+1
8AF ALL1 Y >E -+ R.D40
  8,M ?AN T1 ,I AM N[ 3FID5T ( ULTIMATE
SU3ESS4
  8,"O MO;T1 NEPHEW M9E4 ,LET U 2G9
0TAK+ "S H\RS ( REPOSE40
  ,I _H UTT]LY =GOTT5 T X 0 NI<T4 ,!
*RONOMET]1 H["E1 9=M$ ME (! FACT4 ,SOON
WE 7 SU6ICI5TLY RE/OR$ & REFRE%$1 & _HALL FALL5 96A PROF.D SLEEP4         #AIB