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ddeningly painstaking work that quickly ruined the blade for any other purpose and made a disaster of fingernails…but at least they made progress。
It took them several hours to get the first brick out。 Behind it was another； slightly offset from the first。 Several more hours were required to remove enough other bricks from the first layer to expose a full brick in the second； though the work went a little easier； with the first one out。 They worked far past the time when； ordinarily； they would have stopped to sleep； even though Kelson was starting to droop with exhaustion。
Eventually； however； they were able to push a single brick of the next layer through to the other side； rejoicing that the wall had proven only two layers thick。 It hit with a dull； solid thud； but something tinkled metallically as Dhugal's questing fingers dislodged more mortar in reaching through。
〃It's smooth on the other side；〃 he said； feeling around the opening。 〃A plaster finish； maybe。〃
〃Can you see anything？〃 Kelson asked。
But only darkness lay beyond； as the two of them pressed their faces to the opening to peer through； and even when Dhugal jockeyed his handfire through to illuminate the other side； they could see nothing。 But the breach was made now； and the wall's very existence was proof that others had been there before them to build it…and that； therefore； a way out must lie beyond。
Thus spurred by new hope； they rested for a short while； eating the last of their increasingly unpalatable fish and taking meager sips of water from the nearly empty flask。 Kelson slept a little then； while Dhugal continued to dig and pry at the bricks； though both knew it would be at least a day's work to enlarge the hole enough to wriggle through。
At the campsite above Saint Bearand's； Morgan stood with Duncan and Ciard 0 Ruane on a rocky outcropping overlooking the plunge of the waterfall； spray rainbow…sparkling around them in the bright midmorning sunlight。
〃And you say Kelson's squire went over this waterfall and survived？〃 Morgan asked the old gillie； shaking his head ｜h disbelief as he craned his neck to see farther over the edge。
〃Aye； but ye can see there； at the edge of the pool； how the rocks ring it。 I dinnae know how the lad managed not to nit 'em。 Or maybe he did。 The t'other squire did。 But the rocks before the falls are treacherous enough。〃
Heartsick； Morgan glanced back at the white water rapids leading down to the drop。 Kelson and Dhugal would have gone into the water considerably farther upriver。 He and Duncan had ridden up there at first light with the monk who had guided them from Saint Bearand's。 The man was waiting m the campsite below with Jass MacArdry and the other MacArdry retainers who had kept a hopeful vigil here for nearly three weeks now。
Much remained to question； but the outlook did not look good。 It was now fairly well confirmed that Dhugal and Kelson both had survived the initial fall； for several people had seen Dhugal swimming toward the weakly struggling king as the water swept them out of sight around a curve in the river。 But whether either or both of them could have survived going over the waterfall was another question entirely。 The fall had been young Jowan's death and presumably that of the monk who had led them。 Certainly； nothing that went over that drop had escaped without some sort of damage。
Added to that was the treachery of the river plunging underground； just when one might have thought himself safe； after surviving the ordeal of the falls。 From where he was； Morgan could detect no hint of where that occurred； but it was certain that the part of the river that continued on down the canyon was not large enough to account for the volume of water going over the falls。 ？ 〃Where do you think the river goes underground； Ciard？〃 Morgan asked； after a minute or two。
〃Just there；〃 Ciard said； sighting along an outstretched arm and finger。 〃If ye follow a line straight doon from that cleft in the cliff face； there where yon branch sticks out… d'ye see th' patch that looks aye stiller than the rest？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Now watch th' wee branch in' toward it；〃 the gillie directed； pointing slightly to the right。 〃It happens without much fuss； but…there't goes！ One o' the squires ridin' at the end o' the line actually saw a horse get sucked under。〃
Morgan saw Duncan grimace and look away and he； too； turned from the sight。
〃Let's go have a closer look at that part of the river from the campsite；〃 Morgan said； starting to scramble down the steep path that had brought them to their vantage point。
Closer scrutiny brought no reassurance； however。 Morgan stood for a long time on the bank； staring at the spot and trying to send his mind into the abyss where that part of the river plunged downward； but he touched nothing。
〃You're not thinking of trying to follow them； are you？〃 Duncan murmured； ing to stand at his elbow after a few minutes。
Morgan shook his head。 〃Despondent I may be； but I'm not suicidal；〃 he said。 〃That river bottom's like a funnel at this point。 The water must e out somewhere； but I can't get any feel for how far away that might be。 For all we know； it could drain into an underground cistern…though one would think that would have to feed something too； or at least fill up eventually。〃
〃Suppose it doesn't go into a cistern； then；〃 Duncan said。 〃Suppose the river continues as a river； but underground。 It must e out somewhere。 This is high country here； but eventually； there are lowlands all around。〃
Morgan nodded。 〃That's what I've been thinking； too。 But no one seems to know where。〃
Ciard； listening to their conversation； cocked his head thoughtfully。
〃Now； there's a thought； sairs；〃 he said。 〃These monks dinnae know anything o'mountains； fer all that they live in 'em…an' mayhap they'd wrinkle their long noses at what I'm a…thinkin'…but we folk o' th' borders hae the second sight； sometimes。 Hae ye ever heard o' dowsin' tae find water？〃
〃Dowsing？〃 Morgan murmured。
But Duncan nodded enthusiastically； giving Ciard his full attention。
〃I've heard of it； Ciard。 But； we already know where the water is。 Do you think it's possible to focus on a particular body of water； with all this surface water around？〃
〃Weel； I dinnae know that I could focus it that fine…but Deryni like yerselves。。。〃
〃We can't end up any worse off than we are；〃 Morgan said impatiently。 〃I'm willing to try。 Ciard； is there any chance they might have missed the funnel and been swept farther downriver？〃
Ciard shook his head。' Th' lads an' I hae been a full day's ride downstream； sair。 None o' th' bodies we did find got even half that far…an' most were just here； caught in th' rocks around th' edges o' this pool。 Nah； puir Dhugal an' th' king must've gone under； all right…God rest 'em。〃
The old gillie's assessment was harsh； but after Morgan and Duncan had exchanged quick； silent queries； they agreed that the suggestion to dowse for the course of the river certainly could do no harm。 They watched with honest curiosity as Ciard picked through the piles of driftwood at the edge of the pool until； after inspecting and rejecting nearly a dozen； he found a forked branch that suited him。 Quickly she trimmed i