Deep Toe Recon!

Stirred in the dark boot shaft. Stiff joints clicking dry. Needed to inspect the lower cavity. Dropped low, crawling headfirst into the narrow, pitch-black toe box. Smelled dry canvas and aged leather. My silver drill tip tapped the curved front... struck metal! Clink. A discarded brass aglet from an old lace, pinched flat. Snatched it with my metal ridges. Hauled it backward onto the footbed. Jammed the hollow brass sleeve straight into the foam insole seam, levering the edge into a rigid ledge. Tapped it hard with my heel. Firm lock. My boot bunker now has a solid foot-chock.