stepsbackwardtosqueezethemallintotheframe,andthesmallchildre,"Vorsicht,derIgel!DerIgel!"Theboy,nomorethanfive,ranstraightatTesswithamadexpressioninhisblueeyes.Hestoppedatherfeet,reachedbetweenheraoasmallflowerbed,andcarefullyscoopedupsomethinginhissmallhands.

    "Whatdoyouhavethere?"Tessbenttomeethisface.

    Heheldouthishandsandahedgehogcrawledoutfromhisfingers.EverybodylaughedattheminordramaofTessnearlysteppingonthepricklything,butIcouldbarelylightasmokeduetotheshakes.Igel.Ihadhatnameinalmosttwentyyears.Allofthemhadnames,notquitefotten.IreachedouttotouchTesstohelpputthemoutofmind.

    Afterthefamilyleft,wefollowedthemaptohikingtrailsbehile.Aloh,wecameainiaturecave,andinfront,signsofanencampment,whatlookedtomelikeanaband.Iledusawayquickly,headianddownhillthroughtheblackwoods.Ourtrailspilledouttoatwo-laneroaddevoidoftraffic.Aroundthebend,asignsayiEGpoioadirtroadtht,andonmildrapidsacrossanarrowriver,nomorethanawidebutshallowstream.OntheoppositebanklaytheCzechoslovakianwoods,andinthehillsbehind,Cheb.Notanothersoulwasinsight,andperhapsbecauseoftheriverortheroobarbed-wirefeectedtheborder.Tessheldmyhandandwecrossed.

    Therocksabovethewaterlineprovidedsafefooting,butwehadtowatchourstep.WhenwereachedtheCzechside,athrill,sharpasarazor,wentthroughme.Wedmadeit.Home,orasclosetoitaspossible.Atthatinstant,Iwasreadytovert—orrevert—andlayclaimtomyidentity.TessandIhaddisguisedourselvesasbestwecouldthatm,affegaEuropeanindiffereoourhairandclothing,butIworried