Bolts by Alexander Key Page B

much. W-what’s it like?”
    â€œOne never knows. That’s the awful part about it. Anything unknown is always terrible until you tangle with it. I’d advise you to proceed, for delay always makes it worse.”
    â€œWe can’t go back, so I reckon it’s gotta be done,” Bolts mumbled. “But I ain’t tangling with nothing till I scare it down to size.”
    Without the least suspicion of what its effect might be, he opened his mouth and loosened his Number Two growl.
    A thunderous echo roared back at him, and for an instant poor Bolts thought he had made a ghastly mistake and loosened his unspeakable Number Three. Had that happened, it is almost certain that the mountain would have caved in upon him. As it was, the mountain only seemed to cave in. Bolts flattened in his tracks and pressed his flexible paws over his hearing plates, trying to shut out the terrible roaring.
    The echoes died away at last, and now all he could hear were the squeaks of frightened bats. Quite shaken by his experience, Bolts got to his feet and looked around.
    The fox critter had vanished.
    â€œGuess he’s kinda high-strung,” Bolts muttered, just loud enough to hear himself talk. “Sure hope I didn’t un string him, ’cause this ain’t no place to be alone in.”
    He gave himself a little shake to stiffen his courage. His tail snapped up, and he heard Bingo’s voice again.
    â€œBolts, please answer!” Bingo was saying despairingly. “Oh, please, please answer!”
    Bolts gave a yelp of pure joy that sent echoes rumbling. Instantly he lowered his voice and said, “I’m right here, Bingo! Tried to call you before, but couldn’t. Sure been in a squeeze.”
    â€œHot diggity!” Bingo cried happily. “I thought we’d lost you for good. Why is your voice so low? Are you hurt?”
    â€œNaw, just kinda cautious. I’m in an awful cave sort of place, and every time I get loud the roof gets wobbly. Where are you?”
    â€œWe’ve come to rescue you in the Space Jumper, and we’re a half mile above the spot where you went underground. We saw the blast and were worried sick about you. There are men all over the place. They’re clearing out the hole and getting ready to blast again.”
    â€œLet ’em blast. A jet-powered mole couldn’t reach me now. How’d you locate me?”
    â€œPirate told us. He’s the commander’s parrot. He’s got second sight.”
    â€œTell him he’s a mighty fine bird. Wish he could figger some way to get me out of here.”
    â€œMaybe he can. Here’s Pops—he wants to talk to you.”
    â€œBolts,” said a new voice, “this is Commander Brown. Can you tell us how far down you are?”
    â€œPlenty far, Commander. A hop and a skip from China, seems like.”
    â€œHow big is the place you’re in?”
    â€œIt ain’t little. You could mighty near stuff a mountain in it.”
    â€œAre there bats around?”
    â€œBillions of ’em.”
    â€œCan you hear water running?”
    â€œAin’t heard none yet.”
    â€œH’mm. Your speech is disgraceful, Bolts. If we ever get you out of there, you’ve got to mend your ways and learn to be a proper robot—if that’s possible. Now listen to me carefully. You’ve become a spelunker, and you’ve got to use your head. Understand?”
    â€œW-what’s a spelunker?”
    â€œMy, but they’ve trimmed your brain close,” grumbled the commander. “I’m beginning to have more doubts about you. A spelunker is a cave explorer. You’ve got to explore that cave and locate running water. There’s a possibility it can lead you to another entrance. If that fails, watch the bats. They’ll fly out at sundown to hunt for food. Got that straight?”
    â€œYup, I got it.”
    â€œDon’t say yup to me! Say ‘Aye,