Paulette's voice answered. "Look, Adam! Where I'm pointing. There's something different over there, little round things, dark red, with a few yellow ones."
"I see them, Paulette. I don't think.... Jake, I don't like this. Let's test that bottom and get back as soon as we can."
The men stooped and scraped in the silt with their metal tools, reporting results. "Not over six inches to rock here." "Eight inches here." "Just about as shallow here as before."
"Take a few samples, then. Make it as quick as you can. As soon as you get your samples move back, be ready to ascend to the main lock."
Adam could see nothing but the cloudy liquid around him, stirred to green milk as the sampling of the silt raised a murk around him. "Paulette," he called, "what's your compass reading?"
"Nineteen-O-thirty south. Sixty-three—seven, west."
"I can't see you. Move due east two long steps and stand still. I'll reach for you."
She complied and called out to him.
"What's your reading now?" he asked, and she thought his voice sounded strange as she replied, "Same south reading. Sixty-three—six, west."