219

It takes half an hour for you to recover from your ordeal and to take in your new surroundings. You are standing at the edge of a huge slag-heap, which rises out of the dark waters of the underground river. Less than twenty feet from the summit, a dim light illuminates a long stone chute. You decide to take a closer look. You soon discover that the climb is long, slow, and arduous, and only after an hour of strenuous effort do you finally find yourself at the top in a small service tunnel. The tunnel is deserted except for a mine wagon parked near to the tunnel entrance.

If you wish to examine the wagon, turn to 167.

If you wish to ignore the wagon, begin to climb the steep tunnel by turning to 185.