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I kept waiting for echoes as we moved, but none came. Periodically, I
raised the light. The darkness would recede a bit then, but nothing came
into view beyond an . additional area of floor.
Coral seemed to be slowing now, and I felt a certain tension in her arm
as she hung back. I plodded on and she kept moving, however.
Finally, "It shouldn't be too much longer," I said, as the echoes
began, very faintly.
"Good," she replied, but she did not increase her pace. At last the
gray wall of the cavern came into view, and far off to my left was the dark
opening of the tunnel mouth I sought: I changed course and headed toward it.
When we finally reached it and entered, I felt her flinch.
"If I'd known it would bother you this much-" I began.
"I'm really all right," she answered, "and I do want to see it. I just
didn't realize that getting there would be this . . . involved. "
"Well, the worst of it is over. Soon now," I said.
We came to the first side passage to the left fairly quickly and went
on by. There was another shortly thereafter, and I slowed and extended the
lantern toward it.
"Who knows?" I commented.. "That could take you through some strange
route back to the beach."
"I'd rather not check it out."
We walked for some time before we passed the third opening. I gave it a
quick glance. There was a vein of some bright mineral partway back in it
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