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Sincewecouldnotaffordtospendanyconsiderabletimeinstudy,weresumedouradvanceafteracursorylook;thoughfrequentlycastingbeamsoverthewallstoseeifanyfurtherdecorativechangesdeveloped. Nothingofthesortwasperceived,thoughthecarvingswereinplacesrathersparsebecauseofthenumerousmouthsofsmooth-flooredlateraltunnels. Wesawandheardfewerpenguins,butthoughtwecaughtavaguesuspicionofaninfinitelydistantchorusofthemsomewheredeepwithintheearth. Thenewandinexplicableodorwasabominablystrong,andwecoulddetectscarcelyasignofthatothernamelessscent. Puffsofvisiblevaporaheadbespokeincreasingcontrastsintemperature,andtherelativenearnessofthesunlessseacliffsofthegreatabyss. Then,quiteunexpectedly,wesawcertainobstructionsonthepolishedfloorahead—obstructionswhichwerequitedefinitelynotpenguins—andturnedonoursecondtorchaftermakingsurethattheobjectswerequitestationary.
