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ill there。 It has a few hidey…holes I know about。〃
Along the spine of the island； the rock outcrops formed stout pillars； two to three meters tall； in ragged rows that wobbled along parallel to the crest like rotting teeth。 Between the rows； the hollows were unevenly filled with soil and overgrown with thorny vines and bushes。 A winding thread of trail had been hacked clear at the very crest； Bubbles could not tell if it had been cut by hunters or hunted。 It didn't really matter。 They would have to get off it quickly； because the hunters certainly knew about it。
She counted the pillars。 If only she could remember the pattern。。。 three tall ones； a short； two tails and then two … three？ … short ones。。。 there。 She squeezed between two of the shorter rocks … had she been that much thinner five years ago； or had the rocks shifted？ … and then crouched to wiggle beneath the huge briar that lay over what had always been her own special hiding place。 The hooked thorns scraped on her knapsack as she slithered further in； her nose hardly off the dark； dank…smelling soil。 It hadn't felt this small the last time。。。。 She called back to Raffa。 〃You have to go under this thing … you can't go through it with anything short of power tools。〃
〃Give me a steppe pony any day；〃 Raffa said； but she gave only one muffled yelp when the thorns caught her hair； and slithered very efficiently for someone who often pretended disdain for physical exertion。 〃Do you want me to do anything about the way we came in？〃
〃Nope。〃 Bubbles edged past the cluster of woody stems and felt around the far side of it。 She had had a little hole there； once； with a box in it； but she couldn't see。 It was dark under the briar's canopy after the brilliant sunlight on the trail； a warm brown gloom lightened by freckles of sun。
〃As much as we've shaken it； the outer branches will go back down。 I used to do this all the time； and the guys never found me。〃 The little hole in which she'd tucked a boxful of handy items years before had grown into something a handspan across and deeper than her fingers。 Burrow。 Something was living here。 She tried to remember just what did live on this island。 Nothing venomous； nothing particularly large or dangerous。 Except the hunters。 She realized she'd forgotten them for a few minutes； here where her safe childhood was so real； and the hunters hardly believable。
On the far side of the briary tangle； lodged in fallen leaves against another standing stone； Bubbles found her box。 She blessed her younger self for insisting she wanted a real expedition box； the kind that was supposed to last through anything。 She dragged it out of the leaves and scrunched sideways so that Raffa could e up beside her。
〃I forgot this the last time we were here；〃 she said。 〃We were in a hurry to leave … I was going to St。 Eleanor's for the first time … and by the time I remembered I'd left it； there was no time to go back。〃 The box had no lock； only an L…shaped catch； now crusted with dirt and time。 Bubbles broke a fingernail on it and muttered。 Probably nothing in it … a decayed sandwich； some childish bauble … but something drove her to open it。
〃Let me try；〃 said Raffa。 Bubbles slid the box over to her； and sucked her bruised fingertip。 Raffa had picked up a twig； and used that to prod out the caked dirt around the latch； then spit on it。 When she pushed； the latch moved with a minute squeak。 〃Here；〃 she said； handing the box back。 〃You open it … it's yours。〃
Bubbles felt a curious reluctance to open it； as odd as the determination a moment ago to make that latch move。 Silly； she thought。 There could be nothing really useful in this box … not as useful as the things in the survival packs on the flitter。 Just junk that would remind her what a silly child she had been。 She struggled for a moment； having forgotten the exact movement it took to pry the lid up … the box had a good seal on it。 Then it lay open； a time capsule from her childhood； her forgotten treasures rattling a little from the movement of her hand。
A seashell； one of the purple cone…shaped ones。 A bracelet woven of dune…grass … she blushed； remembering who had woven it； and why。 A little black blob； smooth all over。。。 raked from the fire the time Kell had melted the handle from the frying pan。 A single sheet of photocells； ready to be spread in the sunlight again。。。 if she had anything to recharge。 A bit of faded ribbon。。。
she remembered clearly the shade of purple it had been。 A whistle； a foil…wrapped ration bar； a tube of first…aid ointment and a packet of bandages； a length of fine fish…line； neatly coiled； with two hooks and a handful of differently shaped sinkers。 And the pact silvery locator beacon； with the lanyard still looped through the ring on top。
〃Isn't that a … ？' Raffa started to ask。
〃Yes。 And it will work。〃 She looked at the charge level on the side； as she'd expected； it had held its charge。。。。 The good ones did； and her dad had always provided them with good ones。 Besides； she had the photocells to top it up with。 〃We can get help；〃 she said； and sat up cheerfully only to ram her head into the nest of thorns close above。 Her eyes watered； and she held very still。 It was the only way with these island briars： jerk away and she'd lose half her hair and part of her scalp。 In the time it took Raffa to work her free； she was able to think why they couldn't use the locator yet。 There would be no easy rescue； any more than easy extrication from the briar。
〃But if we could get to Bandon；〃 she said。 〃If we could steal their flitter； maybe； while they're hunting the others。。。 this will override anything。〃
〃There's more of them on Bandon；〃 Raffa reminded her。 〃Hold still； yet。 You've got a thorn right in your scalp。 Do these things leave the husk in？〃
〃Sometimes； and it festers if they do。 Get it all if you can。〃 She was a little surprised at how deft Raffa's fingers were； and how calm she was staying。 Was this the same Raffa who had seemed an obsessive worrier？
〃There；〃 Raffa said finally。 〃I don't think there are any husks； but if you'll hand me that tube of gunk … thanks … I can put a dab on a few places。。。
yes。。。 they were bleeding a bit。 Keep the flies off； eh？〃
〃How long has it been？〃 Bubbles asked； putting everything back in the box and latching it。 They had left Petris and the others before noon； and she realized they had better think about where to spend the night。 Light came to them between the stones； sideways； the slope below； on the west side of the island； would still be in daylight for awhile； but where would the hunters go？ Up here； along the high trail？ Along the slopes？
〃Should we stay here？〃 Raffa asked； as if she were seeing the thoughts in Bubbles's head。 〃We're out of sight； but if they have any kind of sensors …〃
〃I don't know a better place； not without time to look for it。〃 Bubbles peeked out the west side of the tangle； they were high enough that she could see out over the lower forest to the sea。 The few clouds drifted past； their shadows sliding up the slope like vast hands caressing the trees。 〃The main thing is to keep well away from Petris and the others。。。。 Someone has to get back。。。。〃
〃Oh。。。〃 Raffa's bre