The young beavers went first, followed by Shaggy and his friends. They hurried until they had passed out of sight of the sunlight that flowed down the rift into the tunnel.
"I guess that's the first time those critters ever saw water," said the Shaggy Man grinning.
"The water didn't hurt them," said the beaver King, "and the burning sands will soon restore whatever heat they lost. Nevertheless, I don't think they will cause us any further annoyance."
They walked ahead rapidly hour after hour with the young beavers lighting the way through the Nome King's tunnel.
CHAPTER 19
The Barrier of Invisibility
Suddenly Shaggy stopped and stared about him. He was alone in the tunnel! He had been walking along looking at nothing in particular, when in a flash his companions had vanished. Just ahead of him he could hear the excited chattering of the twenty young beavers. But there was no sign of any living thing. Then Shaggy looked down at himself and cried out in amazement—he wasn't there either!
He could see nothing of his body, although he felt as firm as ever.