22. Another Close Call

Bob escapes from jail in Six Hills by cutting through his cell bars with fleas, knocks out two cops, and sneaks away to pursue the Clipper carrying Bender's crate. He boards the boat under an assumed identity but realizes authorities will search for the crate at High Ridge, forcing him to abandon ship and hide in the wilderness with the package.

After being jailed in Six Hills, Bob uses fleas with plasma cutters to modify one of the bamboo bars, allowing him to escape. He overpowers two cops, retrieves his backpack, and flees to the river. Using his manny's speed, he catches up with the Clipper by swimming ahead, surfacing, and boarding it as a new crew member named Wyatt after the original Sam left. Bob keeps a low profile aboard, aware that his spider confirms Bender remains in the postal crate destined for Three Circles.

During a meeting with expedition members (Bill, Will, Bridget, Hugh, Howard, and Garfield), Bob realizes the Administrator has deployed surveillance birds checking cargo and will certainly intercept the Clipper at High Ridge with armed search parties. Since hiding Bender on the boat is impossible, Bob decides to steal the crate at night and flee inland. He takes the night watch, retrieves the crate, and swims to shore with it balanced on his stomach.

Bob finds shelter in a deadfall cave but injures his knee severely when kicking an aggressive badger-like creature that occupies it. While his nanites repair the damage, a search party arrives. The badger attacks a surveillance bird they send in, then drives off a Quinlan searcher, convincing the party that no quarry could be hiding there. When Hugh arrives days later with sealing pitch and waxed vellum, the companions work together to waterproof the crate. They test it, seal Bender inside with multiple protective layers, and prepare to float downstream under cover of darkness. Throughout, Bob wrestles with guilt over suspecting Hugh's motives, ultimately recognizing Hugh's genuine commitment to saving Bender.