Underground Rivers - University of New Mexico

Chapter 23 -- Girls, Too!
She called to Wanna, who came over. The geologist was excited.
"Nancy, I think you've figured out the direction of the underground stream. Apparently it wasn't
straight."
Nancy discovers the river.
When the young sleuth reached the bottom she spotted an object in the wall of the watery
tunnel opposite her. Wondering what it was, she tried to reach across. This was impossible.
"I guess the only way I can get there is to let myself out of this sling and reach over," she told
herself, and slipped from the ropes.
Nancy was in the midst of wading across, when there was a rush of water through the tunnel
toward her. It knocked the girl over, and the .current swept her along into the foaming tunnel.
Nancy never panicked, but now she knew she was in serious trouble. If the tunnel remained as
wide as it was, she might be carried outside and be able to save herself.
"But if the passageway gets too narrow to carry me through-" she thought. Nancy closed her
eyes and prayed.
And what does he find?
Meanwhile Nancy had been swept along the tunnel. She had managed to keep her flashlight
on and kept looking for a place where she could stop of find something she could cling to. At
first she found nothing, and went on. The tunnel curved and was so narrow at times that she
had to duck under the water to avoid being hit.
"I mustn't drown!" she kept telling herself.
Presently the tunnel widened and the roof sloped upward again. Her flashlight revealed a large
square niche on one side. It was slightly above water level, and the young detective managed
to drag herself up into it. To her delight and relief, the opening was high enough so she could
stand up straight.
"Thank goodness!" she murmured.
Instead of wondering how she was going to get back, Nancy beamed her flashlight around the
opening.
"What are these?"
At the back of the opening was a smaller niche, which formed a sort of shelf.
"Something's lying on it!" Nancy thought, excited.
A couple of steps brought her to the spot. On it lay a bundle made of tightly woven twigs.
Nancy lifted the fagot. It was small, but very heavy.
Though it's a post-Keene Nancy and we'll discuss computer games in Chapter 27, as any modern
Girls Club would play Nancy Drew video games, we'll mention Nancy Drew, The Phantom of
Venice. Nancy enters an underground room, dimly lit and lined with rusted pipes, gauges and
dials. The door slams behind her and there's rushing sound of water pouring into the room.
She's trapped! Has, after all these years, our heroine’s luck finally run out?
DRAFT 1122//66//22001122
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