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efully walked back upstream across the smoothly textured rocks as he removed his air tanks。
Giordino did the same before he began dismantling the canister。 He looked up at Pitt with a look of profound acplishment。 〃Nice place you've got here。〃
〃Sorry for the mess；〃 muttered Pitt； 〃but the seven dwarfs are on a break。〃
〃Does it feel as good to you as it does to me that we've e this far？〃
〃I'm not sad to be alive； if that's what you mean。〃
〃How far have we e？〃
Pitt tapped in a mand on the puter strapped to his arm。 〃According to my faithful wonder of technology； we have traveled two kilometers through damnation and dropped another two meters toward hell。〃
〃Twenty…eight to go。〃
〃Yes；〃 Pitt said； smiling like a magician about to bedazzle an audience。 〃But from here on； we go in style。〃
Five minutes later the eight air chambers of the Wallowing Windbag were filled and the hull fully inflated； deployed； and ready to do battle with the river。 Known as a water rescue response vehicle； the ungainly Hovercraft could ride on a cushion of air effortlessly over boiling rapids； quicksand； thin ice； and polluted quagmires。 Vehicles in use by police and fire departments around the country had saved countless victims from death by drowning。 Now this one was going on an endurance trial its builders never conceived。
Three meters （10 feet） in length and 1。5 meters （5 feet） wide； the pact craft mounted a four…cycle； 50…horsepower engine that could propel her over a flat surface at 64 kilometers （40 miles） an hour。
〃Our engineers did a fine job of modifying the height；〃 said Giordino。
〃Adopting a horizontal engine and fan was a stroke of genius；〃 Pitt agreed。
Amazing how much equipment they crammed inside the canister。〃
Before they cast off； they stowed and tied down ten reserve air tanks； extra air bottles to reinflate the Hovercraft； a battery of lights including two aircraft landing lights built into waterproof housings； spare batteries； first aid equipment； and three additional breathing regulators。
From a watertight container Pitt retrieved his battered； old 。45 Colt automatic and two ammo clips。 He smiled as he also found a thermos of coffee and four bologna sandwiches。 Admiral Sandecker never forgot the details that make for a successful operation。 Pitt put the thermos and sandwiches back in the container。 There was no time for a picnic。 They had to push on if they were to reach the treasure chamber before it was too late to save Loren and Rudi。 He inserted the gun and extra ammo clips into a plastic bag and sealed the opening。 Then he unzipped the front of his wet suit and slipped the bag inside next to his stomach。
He stared for a moment at the black collapsible Hovercraft。 〃Oh； Circe； who will guide us on this journey；〃 he quoted。 〃To Hades no man ever went in a black ship。〃
Giordino looked up from coupling a pair of steering oars to their locks。 〃Where did you hear that？〃
〃The Odyssey by Homer。〃
〃Verily among the Trojans too there be men that dive；〃 Giordino recited glibly。 〃The Iliad。 I can quote Homer too。〃
〃You never cease to amaze me。〃
〃It's nothing really。〃
Pitt climbed aboard。 〃Gear stashed？〃
〃All buttoned down。〃
〃Ready to shove off？〃
〃Start her up。〃
Pitt crouched in the stern just ahead of the engine fan。 He engaged the starter and the air…cooled engine sputtered to life。 The small engine was well muffled and the exhaust sounded only as a muted throb。
Giordino took his position in the bow of the craft and turned on one of the landing lights； illuminating the cavern as bright as daylight。 He looked back at Pitt and laughed。 〃I hope no one fines us for polluting a virgin environment。〃
Pitt laughed too。 〃A losing proposition for the local sheriff。 I forgot my wallet。〃
The Hovercraft moved off the shoreline； suspended on its self…produced 20…centimeter （8…inch） cushion of air into the mainstream of the river。 Pitt held the vertical grips of the control bar in each hand and easily steered an arrow…straight course over the flowing current。
It seemed strange to be skimming over the water surface without a sensation of contact。 From the bow； Giordino could look down into the remarkably transparent water that had turned from the cobalt blue of the sinkhole to a deep aqua green and see startled albino salamanders and small schools of blind cave fish darting amid the spherical boulders that carpeted the river bottom like fallen ornaments。 He kept busy reporting the river conditions ahead and snapping photos as Pitt maneuvered and recorded data on his puter for Peter Duncan。
Even with their rapid motion through the large corridors； their sweat and the extreme humidity bined to form a halo like mist around their heads。 They ignored the phenomenon and the darkness behind them； never looking back as they continued deeper into the river…carved canyon。
For the first 8 kilometers （5 miles） it was clear sailing and they made good time。 They skimmed over bottomless pools and past forbidding galleries that extended deep into the walls of the caverns。 The ceilings in the string of river chambers varied from a high of 30 meters （98 feet） to barely enough room to squeeze the Hovercraft through。 They bounced over several small； shallow cascades without difficulty and entered a narrow channel where it took all their concentration to avoid the everpresent rocks。 Then they traveled through one enormous gallery that stretched almost 3 kilometers （slightly under 2 miles） and was filled with stunning crystals that glinted and sparkled beneath the aircraft light。
On two different occasions； the passage became flooded when the ceiling merged with the water surface。 Then they went through the routine of deflating the Wallowing Windbag until it achieved neutral buoyancy； returned to breathing from their air tanks； and drifted with the current through the sunken passage dragging the flattened Hovercraft and its equipment behind them until they emerged into an open cavern and reinflated it again。 There were no plaints over the additional effort。 Neither man expected a smooth cruise down a placid river。
To relieve the stress they began giving nonsensical names to the galleries and prominent features。 The Fun House； the Wax Museum； Giordino's Gymnasium。 A small spout from a cavern wall was labeled Postnasal Drip。 The river itself they called the Old Sot。
After traveling through a second submerged passage and reinflating their boat； Pitt observed that the current's pace had quickened by two knots and the river gradient began dropping at a faster rate。 Like leaves through a gutter drain； they rushed into the eternal land of gloom； never knowing what dangers lurked around the next bend。
The rapids increased frighteningly as the Hovercraft was suddenly swept into a raging cataract。 The emerald water turned a boiling white as it cascaded through a passage strewn with boulders。 Now the Wallowing Windbag was rearing up like a rodeo bronco as it surged between the rocks and plunged sickeningly into the next trough。 Every time Pitt told himself the rapids couldn't possibly get more violent； the next stretch of river slammed the Hovercraft into a seething frenzy that buried it pletely on more than one occasion。 But the faithful little craft always shook off the froth and fought back to the surface。
Pitt struggled like a madman to keep the boat on a straight course。 If they swung halfway around broadside to the tumult； all chances for survival would have been lost。 Giordino grabbed the emergency oars and put his back into keeping the boat steady。 They swept around a sharp curve in the river over massive rocks； some partly submerged and kicking up great waves shaped like rooster tails； others rising above the turbulence like menacing monoliths。 Several boulders were skinned by the little vessel。 Then one rose out of the trough that seemed certain to crush the boat and its occupants。 But the outer hull sideswiped the unyielding stone without a puncture and was carried past。
Their ordeals never ceased。 They were caught in a swirling eddy like a cork being sucked down a drain。 Pitt braced his back against an air…filled support cell to stay upright and pushed the throttle to its stop。 The howl of the racing engine was lost in the roar of the rapids。 All his will and concentration were focused on keeping the Hovercraft from twisting broadside from the force of the speeding current as Giordino assisted by pulling mightily on the oars。
Lost when Giordino took up the oars； the landing lights had fallen overboard into the froth。 Now the only light came from the lamps on their hardhats。 It seemed a lifetime had passed before they finally broke clear of the whirlpool and were hurled back into the rapids。
Pitt eased back on the throttle and relaxed his hands on the grips of the control bar。 There was no point in fighting the river now。 The Wallowing Windbag would go where the surging water threw it。
Giordino peered into the black unknown ahead； hoping to see calmer water。 What he saw was a fork in the river that divided the mainstream into two different galleries。 He shouted above the tumult； 〃We're ing to a junction！〃
〃Can you tell which is the main conduit？〃 Pitt yelled back。
〃The one on the left looks the largest！〃
〃Okay； pull to port！〃
The Hovercraft came terrifyingly close to being smashed against the great mass of rock that split the river and only missed turning turtle by a hair as it was overwhelmed by a giant backwash。 The little vessel dug into the turbulence and lurched forward sickeningly； burying its bow under a wall of water。 Somehow it regained a level keel before being thrown forward by the relentless current。
For an instant Pitt thought he'd lost Giordino； but then the burly little man rose out of the deep pool filling the inside of the boat and shook his head to clear the dizziness brought on by being spun around like a ball in a roulette wheel。 Incredibly； he cracked a smile and pointed to his ears。
Pitt understood。 The continuous roar of the rapids seemed to be slackening。 The Hovercraft responded to his control again； but sluggishly； because it was half…full of water。 The excess weight was making it impossible to maintain an air…cushion。 He increased the throttle and yelled to Giordino。
〃Start bailing！〃
The boat designers had thought of everything。 Giordino inserted a lever into a small pump and began shoving it back and forth； causing a gush of water to shoot through a pipe over the side。
Pitt leaned over and studied the depths under his headlamps。 The channel seemed more constricted； and although the rocks were no longer churning up the water； the river seemed to be moving at a horrifying speed。 Suddenly； he noticed that Giordino had stopped bailing and was listening with an apocalyptic look on his face。 And then Pitt heard it too。
A deep rumble boomed from the black void downriver。
Giordino stared at him。 〃I think we just bought the farm！〃 he shouted。
The vision of going over Niagara Falls returned。 This was no spout from above they were approaching。 The sound that reverberated through the cavern was that of an enormous volume of water rushing over an immense cascade。
〃Hit the inflator on your buoyancy pensator！〃 Pitt roared above the chaos。
The water was sweeping them along at a good twenty knots and appeared to be funneling into a concentrated surge。 A million liters of water sucked them toward the unseen precipice。 They rounded the next bend and sailed into a maelstrom of mist。 The thunderous rumble became deafening。
There was no fear； no sense of helplessness； no feeling of despair。 All Pitt felt was a strange numbness as if all power of intelligent thought had abruptly evaporated。 It seemed to him that he was entering a nightmare where nothing had any shape or form。 His final moment of clarity came when the Wallowing Windbag hung suspended for a moment before soaring into the mist。
With no point of reference； there was no sensation of falling； rather； it seemed as if they were flying through a cloud。 Then his hold on the control bar was lost and he was hurled out of the Hovercraft。 He thought he heard Gior