Indiana Jones faced the opening of the sinister ancient tomb on the lonely island of Attu in the North Pacific. The fog gathered around him, as Seal Child, a six year old local Attu tribal member clung to his shoulders, piggy back.
"Ready?"
"Yes, Uncle Indy!"
Indy handed the boy a small flashlight. "Hang onto that, and shine it ahead of us."
The boy lifted the light. The beam weakly penetrated the darkness.
Indy bent low and entered. "Watch your head, Seal Child, and don't touch anything."
"Is this where the traps are?" He sounded excited, his little voice echoing through the passage.
"Sometimes."
Indy crouched extra low as the light bounced, moving with them. The passage was low and lined with slick tall stones. The wind was increasing outside, along with the fog and cold.
"Let me know if you see anything, ok?"
"I will!"
Indy's boots slipped on the frosted floor stones. He threw himself to the side of the passage, rolling against the wall. Seal Child clung to his shoulders.
Indy slid against the wall, slamming into a large supporting stone. He took a deep breath, scanning the darkness with the meager light. "Seal Child?"
"I'm here!"
"You okay?"
"Yes... but wet."
Indy paused. "How wet?"
"The stones were wet, and when you slid... I've got mud all over my parka."
"Nothing hurt?"
"No."
"Good." Indy leaned against the stones. "That was a sharper incline than usual."
"Why can't we stand up?"
"These were tombs, Seal Child. You're supposed to respect the dead, and when the ancient people built them, they built the tombs so whoever came in were forced to bow." Indy could see his breath as he adjusted his Neolithic graves lecture from college level to six year old understanding. He set Seal Child on the ground beside him. "Can I have the light?"
The flashlight was handed over. Indy shone the light down the tomb. Tall stones had been stacked against each other to form a vaulted passage and seemed to be held together with soil mixed ice thatch from the local tundra.
"That's unusual," Indy murmured. He glanced at Seal Child.
The boy stared into the darkness, wide eyed and whistled.
"What was that for?" Indy chuckled.
"I don't know..."
Indy listened. "Do it again."
Seal Child filled up his lungs and tried to whistle. This time it came out as a blustery force of spit.
Indy knelt beside the boy. "Suck in your cheeks, pucker your lips, make sure they're really tight, then force the air out of your mouth... slowly... Watch me."
Indy gave a whistle, and listened to it move through the tomb. "You try."
The boy faced Indy and the archaeologist was greeted with another blustery cascade of spit. Indy wiped off his face.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Indy!" Seal Child pleaded.
Indy grinned. "This isn't the worst thing that's happened to my face, Seal Child. Don't feel bad. Listen to my whistle, and tell me if you hear an echo, ok?"
Indy whistled.
"There's an echo!"
Indy smiled. "What's the direction of the last echo you hear?"
Indy whistled again.
Seal Child pointed. "Do we go that way?"
"No. We go in the opposite direction," Indy explained, kneeling. "Climb back on, Seal Child. I think there's a secret passage!"