Chapter 5. Digging Out

The trail wound around the base of the big hill and up the backside in a zigzag until it reached a flat area halfway up, a kind of doorstep for the abandoned silver workings dug into the hillside. Here five hobbled ponies cropped away at the grass, not seeming to mind the steady drizzle.

'Aha,' Ferdibrand said, pulling his pony to a stop. 'Methinks we are on the trail.'

'Methinks we have arrived,' Tolly said, 'and not a moment too soon. Looks as if another downpour is about to start.'

'Let us seek shelter, then, within yonder hole,' Ferdi said.

'No need to talk like a storybook,' Hilly grumbled. 'Let us get out of the rain, and gather up the errant lads, and restore them to the bosom of their families.'

'Now who's talking like a book?' Ferdi wanted to know.

'Hah,' was Hilly's rejoinder, as he kicked his pony into motion. They reached the opening, with its posted warnings: "Danger! Abandoned mine! Do not enter!" and a red-painted hand, the time-honoured symbol to tell illiterate hobbits to halt, and go no further.

'Faramir!' Ferdi called, peering into the darkness. Strange that there was no sign of the lads; perhaps they'd heard the riders pull up and were hiding. But what was the point? Their ponies were in plain view outside. 'Faramir! Adelgrim! Palangrim! Odobard! Hildibald! Lads! Time to come home!'

A slight rumble answered him, a sliding of small stones and dirt.

'Stay back,' he told the others. He advanced into the mine, tripping upon something on the floor. Stooping down, he found a bag, and reaching in, found the remnants of a picnic. The bread was still fresh, packed that day, it seemed.

Ferdi waited, though it took patience, letting his eyes grow accustomed to the dim light. He was careful to keep his back to the opening. When he fancied he could see somewhat, he cautiously made his way further into the mine, calling softly. He didn't go far before he ran up against obstruction: putting his hands out, he felt dirt, rock, broken boards. The dirt was soft and crumbly, a fresh fall, then.

Spinning, he ran back to the entrance. 'Ride for the engineers,' he said to Tolly. 'There's a fresh fall in there. I suspect the lads are on the other side of it.'

'Trapped?' Hilly gasped, as Tolly swung aboard his pony and kicked it into a run across the plateau, to where the trail began its meandering descent.

'I hope they are trapped,' Ferdi said grimly. 'Better than being under it all.'

***

They weren't all that far from the Great Smials, and the engineers came relatively quickly, accompanied by the fathers of the missing lads, including Thain Peregrin. 'There are waggons coming, with shoring timbers, and more hobbits with mattocks and shovels,' Aldebrand, the chief engineer told Ferdibrand. Looking towards the Smials, Ferdi could see the waggons in the valley below.

'What are the chances they are still alive in there?' Pippin said.

'Good,' Aldebrand answered thoughtfully. 'As long as they didn't get caught in the fall. The workings go back quite a ways; they'll have plenty of air. I doubt they went very far in; there's a large crack about fifty paces from the door where the floor fell in some years back.' He scratched his head. 'And, from what you say, they've only been gone a few hours... since breakfast, at the earliest?'

'That's right,' Redibard Took said. 'Odo said he was going to Adel's hole to play for the day, and that was right after second breakfast.'

'Right,' Aldebrand said. 'Well, it's pretty unstable. We'll have to have some shoring timbers in place before we start to dig. You might as well make yourselves comfortable until the waggons get here.'

The four fathers settled uneasily, jumping up as soon as the jingle of harnesses was heard outside. Shouting hobbits jumped down, pulling boards from the first waggon. Willing hands helped to set them in place under the direction of Aldebrand, and his chief assistant Samenthal, while Everard Took organised the diggers, some to loosen the dirt and rock, others to scrape it aside, and a last group to shovel the loose dirt into buckets and empty them outside.

The work was going smoothly, when Ferdibrand noticed, in the torchlight, the Thain's pallor. 'Cousin?' he said. 'Are you well?'

'Just a little stuffy in here, is all,' Pippin said, his eyes on the progressing tunnel.

Ferdibrand had noticed a tingle in his nose, something he associated with mold and mildew, and he wondered how the Thain's lungs might be affected by such a thing.

'Perhaps we should go outside, seek some fresh air,' he said, eyeing Pippin keenly. He half expected a refusal, but to his surprise, the Thain agreed.

'Yes,' he said, 'I could use some fresh air.' Ferdi trailed him out of the mine entrance, catching him when he staggered on the threshold.

'Pippin?' he asked.

'Just... having a bit of trouble catching my breath, is all,' his cousin answered. His breath came in gasps, and he leaned against Ferdi as they stood in the rain.

'Steady,' Ferdi said, easing him down. 'Tolly!' he snapped. Tolly came quickly, seeing the Thain sitting on the ground.

'Get some shovels and a canvas out of the waggons,' Ferdi said, 'and send Hilly for a healer, right away. I'm surprised one didn't come with you when you fetched the engineers.'

Tolly dispatched Hilly to collect his hobbled pony and put the saddle back on, then fetched the wanted items. Ferdi jammed the shovels into the soil, laying the canvas over the top to make a makeshift shelter from the rain, then he crouched to address Pippin. 'Pip,' he said. 'Is the air out here any better?'

'It might be,' Pippin answered, 'if I could just persuade my lungs to take it in.' Ferdi nodded, worried.

'It seems there is a spate of babes aborning this day,' Tolly said, also crouching. 'All the healers are already occupied.'

'Babes?' Ferdi said sharply. 'What of my Nell?' he asked.

Tolly shook his head. 'Happily, she's still waiting.' Or unhappily, as it were. Ferdi's wife had been ready to have it over with for more than a fortnight, according to Ferdi.

Hilly came up then, to say he was ready. 'Get a healer,' Ferdi told him, 'preferably Woodruff, but I'll settle for Mardibold. Perhaps they can have their patients hurry things along, or else hold off a bit...'

'It's clear you've never been a father,' Pippin said.

'No,' Ferdi snapped, 'I'm just a da to Nell's children. Rudivacar was the children's father; he was at all their births. But I've a birth to be attending any day now.'

'Just don't tell Nell to hurry things along or hold off a bit,' Pippin gasped.

'You save your breath to cool your porridge and let me worry about Nell,' Ferdi said shortly.

'I'd save it if I could get a breath,' Pippin said. Hilly gave his shoulder a squeeze and turned away to mount his pony and take off at a run across the plateau, and on down the switchback trail, across the plain, around the back of the Smials, and on to Tuckborough.

Ferdi took off his own heavy wool cloak and eased it under Pippin. 'Shouldn't be sitting on the damp ground,' he muttered.

'And you shouldn't be standing in the rain, you'll catch your death,' Pippin retorted, but his words turned into a cough, which constricted his breathing even more. At the end, he whispered, 'Everything's closing up, Ferdi, I can't...'

'Hold on,' Ferdi said. He watched the workers bringing their steady stream of buckets out of the mine, emptying the dirt to the side. Quite a nice pile was growing. 'They're making good progress, it seems, Pip,' he said, to take their minds off the problem of breathing. He sat down next to Pippin, holding him upright to help his breathing, remembering how the healers kept him propped in a sitting position whenever he had a bad spell.

'Hold on, Pip,' he said again, and his cousin turned to look at him blearily.

'Air everywhere,' Pippin said, waving vaguely at the panorama below them, 'but none for me, it seems.' He closed his eyes, the better to concentrate on drawing each new breath. Ferdibrand could hear the air whistling in and out, an ominous sound.

'Where are those blasted healers!' he snapped, and Tolly looked at him in astonishment. It was even more worrisome, that Pippin did not open his eyes and reprimand him for swearing. Suddenly, Tolly pointed. 'There,' he said. Ferdi looked, and saw two ponies, crossing the plain at a gallop.

'They're coming, Pip,' he said encouragingly, but the Thain gave no sign of hearing.

It seemed to take forever, but was really not much longer before Healer Woodruff pulled up her steaming pony before them and jumped down, running the few steps to the Thain and kneeling on the wet ground. 'Thain Peregrin,' she said urgently. 'Are you with us?'

She spoke to Ferdibrand as she pulled up Pippin's shirt, smearing pungent ointment over his chest, and then over his back for good measure. 'How long ago did he speak last?' she asked.

'It was awhile,' Ferdi said. 'When you were perhaps halfway across the plain.'

She nodded, calculating, then pulled out a flask. 'It's not hot anymore,' she said to Pippin, 'but it's been steeping a good long time, so it's good and strong.' She viciously pinched an earlobe between thumb and finger, digging in her nails. 'Come on, Thain, rouse yourself, don't make me use a feeding tube.'

Pippin groaned and lifted his head. Woodruff released his ear, saying, 'That's right. Come now, drink up.' She held the flask to his lips and tilted. Pippin made a terrible face and she said, 'I know, it's awful stuff, but it'll open things up for you. Drink!'

After she got the contents of the flask down, she took his wrist in her hand and sat back on her heels. 'His heart is strong,' she said. 'Now if we can just get those air passages opened up...' She looked at Ferdi again. 'Mold, was it?'

'I think so,' Ferdi said. Woodruff nodded and turned her attention back to Pippin. It seemed to Ferdi that he was already breathing easier, and soon he opened his eyes and tried to sit up on his own.

'That's better,' Woodruff said. 'Let us get you back to the Smials.'

'No,' Pippin said. 'The lads...'

From inside the hole came a cheer. Ferdi said, 'Sounds as if we don't have to worry about the lads anymore.' He jerked his head at Tolly, and the latter entered the mine, only to return with a grin.

'All safe,' he said. 'Very dirty, but safe.'

'Very dirty,' Pippin said. 'That's a bonus. Hardly fair. They get an adventure, they get lots of attention, and they get very dirty. What punishment can overcome such advantages, I ask you?'

'Go saddle the ponies, Tolly,' Ferdi said. 'I assume the Thain's better riding back to the Smials with us propping him in the saddle, than lying down in a waggon bed.'

'You're probably right,' Healer Woodruff said thoughtfully. 'A smoother ride, and propped up is better than lying down, any road.'

'We'll make a healer of you yet, Ferdi,' Pippin said.

Ferdibrand shuddered. 'Spare me,' he said. 'Nobody ever listens to healers.'

'I can attest to that,' Woodruff said dryly. A crowd came out, then, grown hobbits leading blinking boys into the rainy daylight. The Took cousins' fathers had firm hold of their sons, and Aldebrand led Faramir to the Thain.

'Here he is, Sir, none the worse for wear. A bit hungry, perhaps,' he said.

Pippin looked up to Faramir's grimy face. 'What do you have to say for yourself?' he asked.

'Nothing, Sir,' came the answer.

Pippin lifted an eyebrow. 'Nothing? he asked. 'Not even a thank you to those who dug you out of that pit?'

'Thank you,' Faramir said, grudgingly, to the engineer.

Aldebrand eyed him closely. 'I'd say "Welcome", were the thanks more heartfelt,' he said.

'I'm sure my father will make it worth your while,' Faramir said sullenly, and Ferdi sucked in his breath. Pippin stiffened beside him.

'Faramir,' his voice cracked, and the lad had the good grace to flinch.

'I beg your pardon, sir,' the lad said to everyone and nobody, then added, 'Can we go, now?'

'Take him home for me, Aldi?' Pippin said. 'I'll deal with him when we get back to the Smials.'

'Certainly, Sir,' the chief engineer said with grave courtesy, taking Faramir's arm and leading him away.

As they walked away, they heard Faramir protest, 'I'm not a babe, that you have to carry me.'

'Could have surprised me, lad, the way you're acting,' was the engineer's reply, and then they passed out of earshot.

'Whatever's the matter with him?' Pippin asked in disbelief.

'He's merely reflecting the company he keeps,' Ferdi said quietly. He refrained from saying I told you so, but Pippin could see it in his eyes, and he nodded soberly.