continues making its way across. Finally, the bow comes to within a foot of the other side. Yern lets go of the rope as he steps to the edge and reaches out to help get it up over the lip of the chasm. Pulling with the help of those behind him, the boat finally slides onto the other side.
James can hear a groan of relief as the men on his side release the rope. Hollering over to the other side, he says, “Pull the rope the rest of the way across.” Jiron waves back at him as he goes to the boat and begins reeling in the rope that is tied to its rear.
“Just need to get the rest of us across now,” he says to Illan.
“You go first,” he tells James. “Then I’ll send them across one at a time.”
“Very well,” he says. Shouldering his pack, he moves to the bridge and works his way across to the other side. “You guys alright?” he asks Jiron and the others when he gets there.
“Arms are sore, but otherwise fine,” Fifer tells him.
Jiron’s there, rubbing his shoulder, the one that had been hit by the crossbow back in Lythylla. “Shoulder hurt?” he asks as he comes over to him.
“A little,” he admits with a grin. “Too much strain I guess. It’ll be fine in a few minutes.”
“We’ll have a break when everyone else gets over here,” he tells him. Over on the bridge, Jorry is making his way across while Uther and Illan stand on the other side waiting their turn. One by one they make their way across until they’re all together once more.
“Let’s take a few minutes to rest and have a bite to eat,” he suggests.
“Good idea,” Jorry and Uther say at the same time which makes the others start laughing.
As they break out their rations, Yern asks, “What’s up ahead?”
“Up ahead is another small passage which opens up on a vast cavern,” he explains between bites. “That’s where it gets interesting.”
“You mean, more interesting than what we just went through?” asks Jorry.
Nodding, James finishes a mouthful of food before continuing. “At the end of the passage, a narrow stairway leading down has been carved out of the rock. It descends for several hundred feet before coming to a stone platform next to an underground river.”
“Is that where you’ll be needing the boat?” asks Illan.
“That’s right,” he tells them. “You’re going to hold the rope against the rushing of the water, preventing Jiron and me from being sucked along with the torrent. I’ll hide the box somewhere in the tunnel, and when I’m done, you just release the rope and let us go.”
“Isn’t that going to be dangerous?” Fifer asks.
“Some,” he admits. “But Miko and I came through here earlier this summer and survived.”
He can see those around him have their doubts about his plan, but he can’t think of anywhere that would be as good a place to hide it as here. Who would even think to look in such a place?
“You all must swear to keep the secret of where this is hidden all the way to your graves,” he says. Looking from one to another, they nod saying they’ll never tell. “I’d hate to think what would happen should this ever be found.”
“You can trust us,” Illan says. Glancing at the others, he says, “Right?”
“Sure.” “Right.” “You can count on us.”
When everyone is through having a small bite to eat, they shoulder their packs and the four again lift the boat. With Jiron in the lead, they cross the remainder of the cavern until they come to the narrow passage.
Flipping the boat again on its side, they carry it into the passage. The floor of the passage is slick with slime, water runs along the bottom in the same direction they’re going. At the end of the passage, the roar of a waterfall can be heard from somewhere in the distance.
Jiron goes to the edge and says, “I’ll go down and help with the boat as you lower it down.”
“Good idea,” agrees James.
Nodding, Jiron takes the stairs and soon all that can be seen is the glowing of the orb as it descends into the darkness below. As the men with the boat approach the end of the passage, they suddenly hear Jiron’s voice holler from below. “James! You need to see this!”
“Wait here,” he tells the others before he descends the stairs to see what Jiron is talking about.
Before he reaches the bottom, he sees Jiron still standing on the stairs. His breath catches in his throat when he sees what it is that Jiron is talking about. There is no longer a stone platform. The water level has risen from the rains and now has completely covered the platform.
“What are we to do now?” Jiron asks over the thunderous roar of the waterfall.
James stares at the water a moment then throws the orb toward where he and Miko had left through the tunnel on the boat last time. The orb arcs through the air and before it hits the water, they can see the opening where the water is rushing out.
There’s barely enough room for the boat, in fact, there may not be enough at all.
“What do you think?” he asks Jiron. “Can we make it through in the boat?”
“Man, I don’t know,” he says shaking his head. “It could be possible. Depends on how much our weight will cause the boat to sink into the water.”
From up above, they hear Illan holler, “What’s wrong?”
“We better go up and tell them,” James says. Jiron nods his head and they begin to climb back up. Once up there, they explain the situation to Illan and the others.
“Do you still mean to go through with this?” he asks.
“I have to,” he stresses. “This is more important than I can say.”
“Alright, what do you want us to do?” he asks.
“Fifer, you and Yern make your way down to the water lever,” he explains. “Take the last eye ring and a sledge hammer. As close to the top of the water as you can, pound in the eye ring then return here.”
“You got it,” he says as they get the equipment and head down the stairs. Jiron hands Fifer his glowing orb for light before they go. They watch as the orb makes its way down into the darkness. Soon, the sound of them pounding the eye ring into the stone wall can be heard. Shortly after the sound stops, they return back up to the others.
“All done,” Fifer tells them as he hands the orb back to Jiron.
“Thanks,” he says. “Now, to get the boat down there.” He thinks for a bit before continuing. “We’ll lower the boat gently until it rests upon the water. Then well put the rope tied to the stern through the eye ring. The rest of you will have to remain on the stairs holding it while Jiron and I get in.”
“Once we’re in, slowly let out the slack in the rope until we’re within the tunnel and I give you a signal to hold it still. At that point, I will be placing the box within its hiding spot.”
“What’s the signal?” Uther asks.
“I’ll make one of my orbs appear,” he explains. “When the orb disappears, that’ll be the signal to let the rope go. After that, you make your way back out. Make sure you allow the secret door to close, no sense announcing to anyone coming in there that it’s there.”
“Alright,” Illan says. “How long will it take you to make it back to The Ranch?”
Shrugging, he says, “I can’t even begin to guess on that. But if we’re not back in a couple weeks, start worrying.”
Illan just nods.
“Everyone ready?” he asks.
When everyone nods their head, he has Jiron move to the bottom of the stairs to aid the boat in reaching the water safely.
Once they get his holler saying he’s ready, they start lowering the boat over the edge. It seems like they’re lowering it forever before tension in the rope slackens and they hear Jiron holler up that it’s on the water.
“Secure it to the eye ring while we come down!” he hollers down to him.
“Okay!” they hear back in a second. “Come on down.”
They make their way down to where Jiron stands on the step just above the water, the boat resting on the surface near him. The rope attached to the front of the boat is secured to the eye ring.
Giving Jiron the rope tied to the back, he waits while Jiron switches the rope securing the boat to the eye ring. When he’s finished, the boat is now pointing in the correct direction.
Handing his pack which contains the box to Jiron, he has him put it into the bottom of the boat. Jiron is about
