Part 22 (1/2)
Scotty chuckled, but didn't reply
Rick said, ”Suppose we can't get out?”
”We will Dr Miller will be hunting for us sooner or later He couldn't miss the mine, especially with the boards off the entrance”
”Then all we need is patience and a tight belt”
”That's it”
The boys fell silent Rick was cheered by Scotty's estimate of the situation He closed his eyes, and for perhaps the hundredth ti for a clue to the two things they needed to kno and why the ghost was produced
But as he thought about it he wondered if perhaps they didn't knohy
The ghost was apeople out of the area It had succeeded to a considerable degree There were noparties There were only occasional long-scheduled events
He explored the idea The mine area was private property To keep people out one would need only to post ”No Trespassing” signs But in all probability that wouldn't be suitable, because it would raise too many questions, and Dr Miller would have to be let in on the secret of the ghosts that walked the fields
But why keep people out of the area? To be sure, privacy for the conduct of secret operations was an obvious reason, only ere the secret operations, and why did they have to be kept secret?
He gave up finally There si a conclusion
”Think the dust has settled?” he asked
”Could be Suppose we go take a look I'll use ht Save yours”
They followed the yellow beah the dark tunnel to the rockfall There was still plenty of dust in the air, but it was bearable
Scotty flashed his light on the tihts arose fro pile of rock to a sound crosspiece
Both boys knehat that meant Rick put it into words ”If that's the set of timbers nearest to the ones that were bad, it means at least ten feet of rock on this side, and probably the same or even more on the other A total of twenty feet of rock”
Scotty grunted ”One thing is for sure We won't dig our oay out for a few days I'ht collapse fro real hard”
”But we can't wait for help from the outside,” Rick pointed out ”We can at least hile we still have our health”
”Can you work in the darkness?”
”I suppose we'll have to The lights won't last long”
”Then let's get to it”