Raphael was bitterly disappointed at this lack of news, and again called for volunteers. This time a crow cawed louder than the others: ‘Let me go, Master. I can fly over the city, and who would suspect a black thief of a crow? Now a proud eagle or a hawk might be killed by our enemy. And,’ he concluded, slyly looking at Empyrean, ‘what is more cunning than a crow?’ So it was decided that he should go. When the crow returned, he said that he had flown a great way, but that he had little to report. ‘I saw,’ he said, ‘a great city below me with streets many miles in length, and on each side of them huge buildings that took up many acres of ground. In one place only I saw trees and green growing things. By the river there is a tower surrounded by a walled garden.’ ‘Do you think Cassandra might be there?’ asked Raphael, excited. ‘Perhaps,’ agreed the crow. ‘There is nothing so cunning as a crow,’ said Empyrean sarcastically, stretching the talons of his foot. ‘I wonder if we could reach the tower by the river,’ Raphael mused aloud. ‘I’m afraid not, Mr. Raphael,’ spoke up a voice. The company parted about the speaker and Raphael saw the sleek body of an otter with his dark snake-like head. ‘I was down in the river among the trout,’ he confessed, ‘and I know the river is dammed in many places so that one cannot pass to and fro.’ ‘Thank you,’ said Raphael. ‘In that case the river would be out of the question.’ ‘Yes,’ replied the otter. ‘I hunt and see strange things. I have watched the river turn great wheels.’ ‘It is those wheels,’ explained Raphael, ‘which make electricity for lights and heaters and for running power motors.’ ‘That may well be,’ said the otter. ‘As for me, I do not understand man things. They are best left to men.’ ‘I agree with you,’ squeaked the mouse in a flash of spirit. ‘I do not like boxes that run on wheels.’ ‘Nor,’ joined in the birds, ‘great insects that fly through the air.’ ‘We have been caught in traps and poisoned,’ bayed the wolves. ‘We are shot at with bullets for our horns,’ belled the moose. All the animals began to cry out in their languages. ‘Peace,’ said Raphael. ‘We must spy out the city of the Sorcerer if we are to destroy him and bring back my sister.’ ‘You had better go,’ counseled Empyrean. ‘These creatures are fools. We shall wait here for you.’ ‘I’ll go,’ agreed Raphael. ‘Perhaps that will be best. People of the Woods, will you circle the city of the Sorcerer so that he may not slip away from us? I shall spy on him myself.’ ‘We will,’ came back the answer. ‘We are of one mind in this.’ ‘I may be gone a week. Will you guard faithfully?’ ‘If we do this, Mr. Raphael,’ said a hare timidly, ‘who will save us from the wolves and the foxes?’ ‘You need not worry,’ said Raphael confidently. ‘We are here for one purpose, the freedom of all from the Sorcerer and his creatures, and so have declared a universal truce.’