'Forget it, pal,' said Gaspode. 'Anyway, the only other way must be down those steps. They connect with the sea, right? All you have to do is swim down there and hope your lungs hold out.'
Laddie barked.
'Not you,' said Gaspode. 'I wasn't talking to you. Never volunteer for anything.'
Victor continued his burrowing among the rocks.
'I don't know,' he said, after a while, 'but it seems to me I can see a bit of light here. What do you think?'
He heard Gaspode scramble over the stones.
'Could be, could be,' said the dog grudgingly. 'Looks like a couple of blocks have wedged up and left a space.'
'Big enough for someone small to crawl through?' said Victor encouragingly.
'I knew you were going to say that,' said Gaspode.
Victor heard the scrabble of paws on loose rock. Eventually a muffled voice said, 'It opens up a bit . . . tight squeeze here . . . blimey . . . '
There was silence.
'Gaspode?' said Victor apprehensively.
'It's OK. I'm through. An' I can see the door.'
'Great!'
Victor felt the air move and there was a scratching noise. He reached out carefully and his hand met a ferociously hairy body.
'Laddie's trying to follow you!'
'He's too big. He'll get stuck!'
There was a canine grunt, a frantic kicking which showered Victor with gravel, and a small bark of triumph.
'O'corse, he's a bit skinnier'n me,' said Gaspode, after a while.
'Now you two run and fetch help,' said Victor. 'Er. We'll wait here.'
He heard them disappear into the distance. Laddie's faraway barking indicated that they had reached the outside air.
Victor sat back.
'Now all we have to do is wait,' he said.
'We're in the hill, aren't we?' said Ginger's voice in the darkness.
'Yes.'
'How did we get here?'
'I followed you.'
'I told you to stop me.'
'Yes, but then you tied me up.'
'I did no such thing!'
'You tied me up,' repeated Victor. 'And then you came here and opened the door and made a
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