Dominic edged up to the bars. 'I hear it, some sort of chant. Sounds like a lot of people
coming this way!'
Ben joined his friends at the grille as the chant grew louder. The two brothers Rawth and
Ligran passed the junction at the corridor's end. By squinching his face sideways against the
bars, Ben could just see them from the corner of his eye. They were followed by a host of
Razan men and women. Gizal led the eerie chant, between beats from four gongs.
'Maguda ... Maguda!
The underworld rings to thy name.
Maguda ... Maguda!
Widespread thy fear and fame.
Razan, Razan, Razaaaaaan!'
This was repeated over and over in the same monotone as the entire clan marched by, in lines
three abreast. At the rear of the procession, twelve sturdy robbers bore a long trestle with the
body of Maguda set on her throne on top of it.
Karay watched in silent dread as the macabre cavalcade passed. 'They must be taking
Maguda down to her tomb. Best place for the evil old hag, that's what I say!'
A message from Ned came to Ben. 'Ahoy, mate, we're in a great big cavern, horrible place,
filled with coloured smoke and lots of huge strange statues. But there isn't a living soul to be
seen anywhere!'
Ben interrupted the dog's thoughts. 'Good! You've come at just the right time. The Razan are
attending a funeral ceremony on the floor below this one. If you can get to us, we can break
free while the Razan are attending the ceremony in the lower caves. Hurry up, pal!'
The bear, who had been whining and moaning continually, now began howling and rattling its
neck chains.
Ned's thought winged its way to Ben. 'Is someone blowing a horn down there? What's all that
racket I can hear?'
Ben answered with frantic speed. 'It's the bear, he's started kicking up a right old row. His cell
is only three doors from ours. If you can find him, we're only yards away, mate!'
Ben clearly discerned the determination in his dog's reply. 'Hang on, pal... We're coming!'
Ned tugged at Arnela's sleeve. Without a word she followed him at a rim—around the empty
throne dais, through the noxious clouds of multi-coloured smoke and into a downward-sloping
tunnel. She paused a moment, frowning. 'Are those villains making a human sacrifice?
What're all those dreadful noises, Ned?'
The black Labrador tugged the goatherd's sleeve so hard that it ripped. She nodded furiously.
'Alright, alright! Lead on, boy, I'm following you!'
Together they pelted along the narrow, downsloping tunnel, taking a sharp left turn into the
prison corridor. Ben's voice rang out joyfully, as he heard their footsteps. 'Ned, Ned. I knew
you'd find us!'
Arnela arrived at the cell's entrance, panting alongside the dog. 'Hah, there ye are!'
Karay sobbed. 'Oh, you made it, you're here at last!'
Ever the practical soul, Arnela silenced them. 'Time for that later! Let's get you out of there!'
Dominic shook the bars frantically. 'They took everything from us except our clothes. We
have nothing to work on the padlock with. And we vowed to free the bear if we got out. Just
listen to the poor beast howling!'
Arnela pushed him away from the bars. 'Step back, young 'uns, leave this to me!'
Taking a musket from her shoulder, she bashed at the old padlock with great force—once,
twice! The tumblers of the ancient mechanism fractured under the impact, and the big padlock
fell open.
The bear had fallen silent; still chained to the wall, it was at the bars of its cell. Karay hurried
to it. Before anyone could shout out to warn her, she put her hand between the bars and
stroked its huge face. 'Poor old fellow, we'll get you out.' The big beast laid its head
sorrowfully against the girl's hand.
Arnela gasped in amazement. 'Well, will ye look at that, a tame bear. Stay clear of this lock,
girl—and you, too, bear!' Again she raised the musket and crashed it down on the side of the
antiquated padlock. Once, twice...
broke open.
Dominic ran to the end of the corridor, calling back, 'Hurry up! That shot will've given the
game away—they'll be after us in a moment!'
Ben spotted the wooden door on the opposite wall. It was the armoury cave where Maguda
had interviewed him. 'Arnela, look, this cave is full of gunpowder kegs!'
The big goatherd shook her head. 'Don't even think about exploding gunpowder around here,
Ben. We'd bring the mountain down upon us all. Here, take my ice pick and loosen those
staples holding the bear's chains to the wall. I've got an idea.'
The wooden armoury door was held to the rock by thick leather hinges. These were attached
to timber wedges, which formed the doorposts. Arnela whipped out a small hook-bladed
knife. It was so sharp that it sheared through the leather as if it were butter. She caught the
door as it collapsed outward. Carrying it into the passage, she walked downward until she
found a place where the rough-hewn tunnel narrowed. That was where Arnela wedged the
door. She listened for a moment before hastening back to her friends.
'You were right, Dominic. I can hear them coming. We'd best move fast. Have you loosed
those staples, Ben?'
The boy had already extracted one. He shoved the pointed end of the ice pick through the eye
of the other one and levered. It popped out and the bear stood free. Karay took the big beast's
paw and led it outside. It followed meekly.
Ben could not resist smiling at the sight. 'Well, you've certainly found a friend there, Karay.
Let's get out of this place, pals!'
They followed the passage upward, emerging into the main cavern. Arnela handed them each
a pistol, which she had taken from the armoury. 'These may come in handy. Careful now,
they're primed and loaded. I can hear them hammering at that door, listen!'
Sounds of the Razan battering against the door that was wedged across the passage below
echoed out clearly.
Crossing the cavern, the friends made their way up to the exit tunnel. Ned ran ahead. He was
waiting at the entrance as Ben reached it. The dog shot him a thought. 'Look, another door. I
hadn't noticed that. Tell Arnela to shut it after us and wedge it tight—that might buy us a bit
of time.'
Ben immediately passed on the dog's idea to the big goatherd. She looked at the door
thoughtfully. It was obviously a stronghold door open inward, standing flat against the wall.
Its timbers had been painted and hung with grey cloth, disguised skilfully to resemble the
surrounding rock. An enemy would have difficulty finding the cave entrance with the door
closed.
Ned's thoughts became urgent. 'Is she going to stand there all day thinking about it, Ben? I
can hear the Razan, they've freed the tunnel of the armoury door. There's a lot of 'em, and
they're coming fast. We'd better do something quickly, mate!'
Arnela produced her knife again. 'Right, here's what we do!' She slashed through the leather
hinges—there were four of them. The leather was extra thick and well greased but was no
match for the big woman's keen blade. Leaping forward, she held the large door, taking the
weight of it on her back. Arnela gasped. 'Help me get this outside!' The two boys gripped
either side of the thick timbers. Ben was surprised when the bear joined Arnela to share the
