Beowald to the Rescue!
“Beowald! Quick! Set us free!” shouted Ranni. The water was already high, and more and more was flooding into the cave. It had increased a great deal in the last few minutes. Ranni was afraid that the whole roof might give way beneath the terrific weight of water — and then there would be no hope for the little company at all.
“What is it? Where are you? What is this water?” cried Beowald, lost in this strange new world of roaring and wetness.
“Beowald! Listen to me!” shouted Ranni, urgently. “Listen carefully. You are standing at the entrance to a cave, where I and the others are, all bound tightly, so that we cannot walk, or free ourselves. Water is pouring into our cave, and we shall be drowned if you do not hurry. Step down, Beowald, walk towards my voice. Do not be afraid.”
“I will come,” said the blind goatherd. He stepped further into the water, and then stopped, afraid. He was never afraid in his own mountain world. He knew every inch, every rock, every tree. But this was all new to him and strange to him, and it frightened him.
“Hurry, Beowald, hurry!” cried Ranni. “Come to me, quickly. Get our your knife. Cut my bonds.”
Beowald stumbled through the water and felt about for Ranni. His hands brushed the big Baronians face. Ranni was half-lying, half-sitting. On his head was an enormous bump where he had struck it against a rock. Beowald’s fingers felt the bump, and he wondered what had caused it. His hands ran down Ranni’s body and he felt that the man had his arms tied behind his back.
He took out his knife and, with a careful stroke, cut the leather thongs that bound Ranni’s hands together. The big man stretched out his arms gladly, trying to get some strength back into them for they were stiff and swollen with being bound so tightly.
He snatched Beowald’s knife from him and cut the thongs that bound his ankles together. He stood up, and at once over-balanced, for the thongs had cut into his legs, and for the moment he could not stand on them. He rose again, and went to Paul.
In a trice the small boy was free, and was trying to get to the entrance of the passage. “Quick, quick!” he cried. “Set the others free, Ranni. They will be drowned!”