large/10361/astoundingstories18_1605_librivox_64kb_mp3/astounding_stories18_14_various_64kb_42
large/10361/astoundingstories18_1605_librivox_64kb_mp3/astounding_stories18_14_various_64kb
English
10361
It was very narrow and irregular, so that often he was barely able to squeeze through. The roots of trees choked the passage for a dozen feet or so, requiring the vigorous use of a knife. Bathed in sweat, his uniform a filthy mass of rags, Olear at last saw light. IT WAS VERY NARROW AND IRREGULAR SO THAT OFTEN HE WAS BARELY ABLE TO SQUEEZE THROUGH THE ROOTS OF TREES CHOKED THE PASSAGE FOR A DOZEN FEET OR SO REQUIRING THE VIGOROUS USE OF A KNIFE BATHED IN SWEAT HIS UNIFORM A FILTHY MASS OF RAGS O'LIER AT LAST SAW LIGHT
ar again plunged into the odorous underbrush and traveled parallel to the trail. It was well he did so, for several Mercurians passed swiftly, intent, so it seemed, in answering a shrill call that at times came faintly to the ear. They carried slender spears. Several more Mercurians passed. The growth was thinning out, and Olear did not dare to proceed further. However, from his hiding place he could discern a number of irregular cave openings, apparently leading downward. They were apparently the entrances to one of the native cavern colonies, or possibly of a meeting place. No Earthman had ever entered one, but it was thought they had underground openings into the river. As the cave openings were obviously natural, Olear conjectured that there might be others that were not used. After an anxious search he found one, narrow and irregular, well hidden under the broad, glossy leaves of some uncatalogued vegetation. As it showed no evidence of use, Olear unhesitatingly slid down into it. A GRIMACE OF DISGUST OLIER AGAIN PLUNGED INTO THE ODOROUS UNDERBRUSH AND TRAVELLED PARALLEL TO THE TRAIL IT WAS WELL HE DID SO FOR SEVERAL MERCURIANS PASSED SWIFTLY IN TENT SO IT SEEMED IN ANSWERING A SHRILL CALL THAT AT TIMES CAME FAINTLY TO THE EAR THEY CARRIED SLENDER SPEARS SEVERAL MORE MERCURIANS PASSED THE GROWTH WAS THINNING OUT AND ELIA DID NOT DARE TO PROCEED FURTHER HOWEVER FROM HIS HIDING PLACE HE COULD DISCERN A NUMBER OF IRREGULAR CAVE OPENINGS APPARENTLY LEADING DOWNWARD THEY WERE APPARENTLY THE ENTRANCES TO ONE OF THE NATIVE CAVERN COLONIES OR POSSIBLY OF A MEETING PLACE NO EARTHMEN HAD EVER ENTERED ONE BUT IT WAS THOUGHT THEY HAD UNDERGROUND OPENINGS INTO THE RIVER AS THE CAVE OPENINGS WERE OBVIOUSLY NATURAL O'LIE CONJECTURED THAT THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS THAT WERE NOT USED AFTER AN ANXIOUS SEARCH HE FOUND ONE NARROW AND IRREGULAR WELL HIDDEN UNDER THE BROAD GLOSSY LEAVES OF SOME UNCTALOGUED VEGETATION AS IT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF USE O'LIER UNHESITATINGLY SLID DOWN INTO IT
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