"Come on!” Thorn cried, and plunged forward in a scrambling leap through the teeth-plugged circle of holes.
Sual Av followed instantly, the Venusian's wigged head butting into Thorn's back. A moment later, Gunner Welk caromed into the Venusian from behind with battering force.
"Jacket's on fire!” gasped the Mercurian, beating at his side. A smell of scorched cloth filled the dank air.
There was a frantic squirming in the cramped tunnel as the other two Planeteers tried to help Gunner beat out his smoldering jacket. He and Sual Av soon had it extinguished.
"Are you hurt, Gunner?” Thorn asked anxiously.
"No, just my side scorched a little,” panted the Mercurian. “One of those teeth burned clear out just as I jumped. It's lucky it was one slith instead of in the middle!"
Thorn glanced back past them. The slith-teeth with which he had plugged the apertures had vanished. Even that super-hard substance had been charred away in a few seconds by the beams.
"Let's get on,” growled the Mercurian in a moment. “These damned drains aren't exactly a pleasure resort."
Again Thorn started forward on hands and knees, lighting the way with his red beam. He moved with extreme caution, alert to detect the presence of another invisible, deadly web.
But they met no more such barriers. Presently they reached a place where the drain forked into five smaller tubes.