and the multitude had been.

The lamas who had remained faithful to the teachings of Buddha labored
to build a new monastery, and as the years passed they heard mutterings
in the earth. Then one day a repentant lama, who had been one of the
multitude, came forth, an old man. The High Lama and the robbers still
lived, he said. But they lived in the blackness under the new mountain,
in vast caverns where no light ever came. And there were _things_ in the
darkness. Things they could not see, but of which they were terribly
afraid. As Lord Buddha had said, they lived in fear.

The little group was silent as Chahda finished reciting the legend. Then
the Hindu boy added, "Of course this is long ago. So very long. Maybe it
is only a story. And maybe not. The monks of Korse Lenken do know there
are big caverns, and they know of this Black Buddha. I know of it
myself. But more than that I do not know."

"And it is from the Caves of Fear that the heavy water is presumed to
come," Zircon finished. "That is quite a tale, Chahda. But how do we get
to the Caves of Fear?"

"The entrance is somewhere in the Cave of the Black Buddha," Chahda
said. "At least, that is what the monks have told me. Also, they showed
me how to get there. But I did not go in." He shuddered a little. "Who
knows if the old High Lama might not be waiting? I thought better I wait
for you."

Rick felt the weirdness of the tale, too, but he made a joke. "I didn't
think hobgoblins would frighten you away, Chahda."

Chahda didn't smile. "People who live in the East do not laugh at
hub-gubbles, Rick."

"I was just trying to be funny," Rick apologized. "Well, what do we do
now?"

"We look in the caverns for the source of the heavy water," Zircon
stated. "And the sooner we start, the better. Chahda, have you seen men
with water bags heading out of here? Men with anything at all suspicious
about them?"

The Hindu boy nodded. "I have seen such men. Once I saw ten men going up
the trail to the outside with such bags. The bags were all they had. I
am sure the bags had heavy water. If not, why so many?"

Zircon told him of the plastic-lined bags they had found and of their
suspicions.

Chahda saw the implications instantly. He grinned. "We find out plenty
more about these water bags, you bet! I think I go right now and find
out if any more men with bags go by today." He hurried off, getting into
his monk's costume as he went.

Rick watched him go, shaking his