So what should he do? Screaming was out of the question, despite Porak’s orders. Sure, it would alert the others about the intruders. It would also alert the intruders about Jig. That was a problem. Humans had longer legs, and therefore longer strides, so Jig’s chances of making it back to the other goblins were slim.

He knew how long he would last against real warriors. About as long as the average fly lasted once Smudge trapped it in his web.

Speaking of Smudge, Jig didn’t know if the fire-spider could sense Jig’s own anxiety, or if he had heard the intruders down the tunnel, but the top of Jig’s head was growing uncomfortably warm.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry.” Jig backed away from the voices as quietly as he could. His free hand went up to pet the spider.

That turned out to be a mistake. Smudge apparently didn’t see Jig’s hand coming, and when his fingers touched the spider’s fuzzy thorax, Smudge curled into a frightened ball. With an audible whoosh, Jig’s hair lit up like oil-soaked rags.

The knife clattered to the floor. Smudge leaped away. Jig yelped and tried to beat out the flames. Crazy shadows danced on the walls and floor, and he spotted Smudge racing toward the opposite wall. “Stupid spider,” he shouted. He wasn’t worried about the intruders anymore. Not with his hair ablaze. If they caught him, maybe they’d at least extinguish his head before they killed him.

“Ow, ow, ow.” He smacked at the flames, trying not to burn his hands. The fire had died down when Smudge fled, and Jig soon managed to put himself out. Unfortunately the blaze had taken most of his hair with it. His scalp was tender and blistered, but he didn’t seem to be bleeding.

Jig leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain. “What’s the matter with you?” he whispered in Smudge’s general direction. “You have eight eyes. Eight! How could you not see my hand? I’m the blind one. What were you doing up there, daydreaming? I should let Golaka make a pot pie out of you.”

Smudge skittered back and climbed up his leg. As he reached Jig’s waist, Jig snagged him and lifted him to eye level. The spider waved his legs and pincers, almost like he had understood Jig’s halfhearted threat. Which was possible, Jig admitted. The spider was at least as smart as Porak. “That’s the last time I bring you along on patrol.”

Smudge’s head and legs drooped.

With a disgusted sigh, Jig set the spider on his shoulder. “Just try not to set me on fire again, okay?”