The cave was small and the light gray and dim inside. But Steve had no trouble seeing the large wooden structure that dominated it. A large, heavy pole rose fifteen or more feet above the ground, and from the top extended a wooden arm from which hung a long, heavy chain reaching halfway to the ground. As Steve continued to look at the structure, he noticed other details. He saw the iron band dangling from the end of the chain—a band like the one he had seen when he and Pitch had come upon the chamber of the dead! And he realized that the chain was used to support a suspended weight and that the structure itself was a derrick crane. He saw the tackle running along across the wooden arm, then down the large supporting pole until it came to what looked like a metal wheel with a handle for turning. Cautiously Steve moved toward the structure.

He was only a few yards away when he made out the black pool beneath the hanging chain. He reached the edge of it by going carefully down a rather steep grade that encircled the pool. The water was but a few inches beneath the rim and he saw that it just covered a brownish mud or sand. Immediately Steve remembered the quagmires back in the marsh and he felt sure it was a quicksand pit. Seeing a large piece of timber lying on the ground nearby, he picked it up and shoved it into the pool. Slowly the pole disappeared into the quicksand until it was completely covered over.

Steve turned away and didn’t stop until he had reached the level floor of the chamber. Nervously he removed his rope and transferred it from one shoulder to the other. He’d had enough of this place. He wanted to leave. But first he had to make sure Flame wasn’t in this cave. His gaze shifted about until it reached the depths of the chamber. The light was gray-black, and he would have to go forward to make certain Flame wasn’t there.

Steve passed the crane, walking cautiously and very much afraid. He was almost at the farthest end now. A few more strides and he would turn back to the lighter cavern beyond. Perhaps he had spent too much time here. Perhaps Flame already had gone back through the chasm.