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Sorrel chuckled "No, don’t worry Nothing but ht" The rat nodded "Interesting source of energy, that I’ve tried building h" She turned to look at Ben, as asleep near the mouth of the cave, still exhausted after his adventure with the giant roc

"You’ve got a human with you, too?" she whispered "My uncle only , she added, "He didn’t say anything about that little creature, either"

Sorrel shrugged her shoulders and twirled the propeller of Lola’s plane with her paw It whirred around "Those two just sort of ca," she said "We have a bit of trouble with them now and then, but they’re not so bad really The little one’s a ho corrected her and bowed to Lola Graytail

"Ah," she said, exa him from head to foot "No offensesht," he said "May I ask how far you’ve gotten with surveying and h," replied Lola, s her whiskers "Just dropped in here to write up my records for today"

Sorrel looked at her in surprise "Then you know your way around here?"

"Of course" The rat twitched her shoulders "I know every dratted stick and stone in these parts by now"

"You do?" Sorrel ran over to Ben and shook him

"Wake up!" she whispered into his ear "Wake up -- there’s someone here who can show us the way to the monastery!"

Ben turned over sleepily and blinked at Sorrel "What is it? Who’s here?"

Sorrel pointed to Lola The fat rat took a step back, for safety’s sake, but she put her paws on her hips and stared the human bravely in the face Ben sat up in surprise and looked down at her

"Where did this character spring from, then?" he asked in amazement

"This character? You see before you Lola Graytail," said the rat, insulted

"She’s that white rat’s niece," hissed Sorrel "Gilbert sent her here to survey the terrain for him" She pulled Ben’s sleeve "Come on Let’s discuss the rest of it outside the cave, or we’ll wake Firedrake"

It was still uncomfortably hot outside, but the tee boulder near the mouth of the cave

"Get out the map," said Sorrel

Ben did as she said, opened it, and showed it to the rat

"Can you tell us where we are?" Sorrel asked Lola, holding her breath in suspense

The rat padded over her uncle’sat it closely, her brorinkled "Let’s see," sheher paw, she tapped a place southeast of the Indus "You’re here, a thesefor aa wide, green part of the Indus valley A large place with a lot of buildings, and banners fluttering in the wind"

"Hmm" Lola nodded and looked at the boy "Yes, I know it Good description Been there before, have you?"