UNDERLANDWITHOUTTHEQUEENALLfeltthattheyhadearnedwhatScrubbcalleda"breather".TheWitchhadlockedthedoorandtoldtheEarthmennottodisturbher,sotherewasnodangerofinterruptionfor

    thepresent.Theirfirstbusinesswas,ofcourse,Puddleglumsburntfoot.AcoupleofshirtsfromthePrincesbedroom,tornintostrips,andwellgreasedontheihbutterandsaladoiloffthesuppertable,madeafairlygooddressing.Whenthishadbeenapplied,theyallsatdownandhadalittlerefreshment,anddiscussedplansforesgfromtheUnderworld.

    Rilianexplaihattherewerequitealotofoutletsbywhiecouldgettothesurface;hehadbeethroughmostofthematoimeoranother.Buthehadnevergoalone,onlywiththeWitdhehadalwaysreachedtheseoutletsbygoinginashipacrosstheSunlessSea.WhattheEarthmenwouldsayifhewentdowntotheharbourwithouttheWitdwithfourstrangers,andsimplyorderedaship,noonecouldguess.Butmostlikelytheywouldaskawkwardquestions.Oherhandthelet,theoheinvasionofOverworld,wasonthissideofthesea,andonlyafewmilesaway.ThePrinewthatitwasnearlyfinished;onlyafewfeetofearthdividedthediggingsfromtheouterair.Itwasevenpossiblethatithadnowbeenquitefinished.PerhapstheWitchhadebacktotellhimthisandtostarttheattack.Evenifitwasnot,theycouldprobablydigthemselvesoutbythatrouteinafewhours-iftheycouldoherewithoutbeingstopped,andifonlytheyfoundthediggingsunguarded.Butthosewerethedifficulties.

    "Ifyouaskme-"beganPuddleglum,whenScrubbinterrupted.

    "Isay,"heasked,"whatsthatnoise?”

    "Ivebeenwthatforsometime!"saidJill.

    Th