Chapter IX

"Wow," commented Molt, all other words failing him.

"I'll say." P.T. shook his head. "You ants sure do collect the weirdest things."

Team Beta regarded the red plastic child's beach bucket with interest. Molt, P.T., and Flash had never seen anything like it before, and they were a bit dumbstruck by its size.

Atta took over. "All right," she said. "P.T., bring the wagon over here." She pointed to the ground next to the bucket. "Close the back doors and open the top ones."

P.T. scowled a bit but did as he was instructed.

"The sand's in there?" asked Flash, who had been forced to turn his light up to its highest setting in the dark burrow. "How do we get it out?"

"I thought we could use the blue scoop," answered Flik, pointing to the blue toy shovel peeking out of the top of the bucket. "What do you say, bug guy," he addressed Molt. "Are you up for it?"

Molt just stared at the bucket - and then the shovel - with round eyes. "You really think this is gonna work?" he asked Flik at last. Flik nodded.

"Yeah - come on, buddy," Flash said, hopping into the air and hovering. "Last one up is a dirty stinkbug!"

Molt put a hand on the side of the bucket. He wasn't going to be able to climb the smooth plastic. He took a few steps back, then, after a hesitation, made a leap for the bucket's white handle, which hung down over the side. He managed to grab it, and then he carefully climbed that to the top. He disappeared inside.

"Molt?" called Atta after a bit of silence. "You okay up there?"

Molt reappeared at the edge of the bucket. "Yeah," he answered. "I think I got it. It's kinda heavy though." He ducked back out of sight.

P.T. quickly released Meeni and Myni from their harnesses and led them away from the wagon so they wouldn't startle when the sand dropped. Flash backed off from the bucket so his light illuminated more of the chamber.

"I'm going to give him some help," said Atta to Flik, and she flitted up to the top of the bucket. "Okay - okay," she coached the grasshopper, who was struggling with the shovel. "Up a little higher. To your left...No, your other left!"

Flik coughed as the first scoopful of sand cascaded over the side of the bucket and more or less into the wagon's back car, kicking up a dusty cloud. "That's perfect!" he choked enthusiastically. It was working!

It took a good half-hour to fill both cars of the wagon. Flash and Atta helped an exhausted Molt back down to the ground, and the millipedes were hitched back to the wagon. Everyone climbed aboard and they started on their way back to the Stones.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"I just don't know," muttered Thorny, frowning. "There's still no change in the Tunnel. It's as wet as ever."

Mr. Soil shook his head. "It was a suicide mission," he pointed out. "They'll never be able to do it! We should send a party up there to bring them back."

"But what about the others, on the other side of the Stone?"

Mr. Soil looked at Dr. Flora helplessly. "I'm afraid they are doomed," he replied. "No sense losing both of our Princesses as well."

"Bah," grumbled Cornelius. "That Flik is going to destroy this whole Colony sooner or later. You wait and see! Inventions! Schemes! Claptrap and poppycock, that's what it all is."

The other three Council members glanced at oneanother. No one wanted to believe that Flik's plan was a sure failure but it was starting to look less feasible every hour.

As Cornelius, Mr. Soil, and Dr. Flora turned and headed back up the Tunnel to report to the Queen, Thorny paused, putting his hand on the sunken Stone. It was hard, immovable, cold.

"Cri-kee," he muttered. "Its just one problem after another."