Rok and Old Ledo at his heels, Toka raced the length of the tunnel. It opened onto a small red ledge overlooking a shifting haze shot through with varicolored light. Columns of brilliant shadings thrust massively from it only to vanish again into the yellow vapor. Pale green moss hangings swung lazily and the musky stench of reptiles was heavy on the steamy air. Rok and Old Ledo following, Toka was fleeting down the narrow path that dropped from the ledge in a great curve. Hissing laughter and voices drifting thinly through the eddying haze now, Toka and comrades slipped behind a huge moss drape and peered carefully about. The path spread away onto the floor of the pit. Through crusty cracks in the red rock, vapor spiraled up to form the shifting haze. Stretching away right and left, the pit's moss-hung walls towered from view. Rok and Old Ledo with him, Toka stepped from the moss drape and strode swiftly for a mighty column. _Covered by the haze and taking advantage of these columns_-- Around that column darted a redly mottled black Dragon Boy. His snaky features gaped. Also startled, Toka flashed his battle-ax to kill him. But the boy scrambled too agilely and raced away into the haze--his tail vibrating the warning! * * * * * Toka's gaze leaped to a nearby door. Battle-ax swinging, he stepped in. Old Ledo shut the door. In the pale green light given off by the low ceiling the storage den was unoccupied. "To the back!" Toka was scrambling over the springy moss heaps, Rok and Old Ledo with him. At the back the men burrowed from view. The den's door clanked open and the raucous sounds of the great search came clearer. "How would they know where to hide!" a searcher hissed. The moss transmitted the weights and movements of the searchers--directly over-head now. Toka could even hear them breathing. "King Ophid is right!" a disgruntled searcher hissed. "The boy has been drinking too much moss dew!" The clamor in the pit suddenly sharpened. "Now what!" an exasperated searcher hissed. "The tunnel dragon is gone without trace!" another deciphered. "The thing is probably only out looking around!" the exasperated searcher reasoned. "Why doesn't King Ophid call off this looking," he hissingly whispered, "so we can eat some of our moss and go to nest." "Fool!" the disgruntled searcher hissed softly. "The moss supervisor is watching us!" He spoke in louder hiss, "Come on--there's nothing here!" The searchers scrambled away, the door slammed and Toka rifled his gaze over the moss heaps. The den was deserted. Rok and Old Ledo with him, Toka was to the door. The search in the pit fast subsiding, Toka eased the door a crack. The hazy stalagmited scene deserted, Toka slipped out with battle-ax ready. Rok followed lightly. Old Ledo came along and closed the door cluelessly. Rok and Old Ledo at his heels, Toka stole swiftly for the center of the silent pit--and the cages. But every one was empty!