Part 24 (1/2)
They rested in silence for fiveas close to the top of the pile as they could get
Scotty suddenly let out a yell, and Rick dodged to escape another rock, then leaped down as the whole pile crumbled The rocks didn't fall far
”Look,” Scotty said breathlessly
Rick turned on his own light to supplement the dim beam of Scotty's
Blackness yawned at the top of the slide!
Scotty was first through the hole, but Rick was right behind hiher level Their lights showed that the tunnel continued
They followed it for perhaps fifty feet, and found themselves in a cross tunnel in which their tunnel ended
Scotty looked at Rick in the beaht
”We're sorinned There was a definite breeze blowing, and he knew the outside and safety were not far away ”We're in the mine, under the same old hill Soon as we find the source of that breeze, I'll identify our position within two feet”
Scotty returned the grin ”What are aiting for? Let's go!”
CHAPTER XVIII
The First Fact
Rick said, ”Hold it a o? If we assume the tunnel we caht to come out on the side of the hill wherethe Frostola o deeper into the hill”
Both boys saw the iht it is,” Rick added quickly ”First thing we have to do is see if there really is a way out”
They turned right into the cross tunnel, andas they followed the direction of the breeze, they were approaching the outside air
Within a hundred feet they saw a glili enough for an entrance
”We ood look at that sunshi+ne!”
”Careful,” Scotty cautioned ”We'll have to let our eyes adjust fully or the glare will hurt Besides, it ht be soht Anyway, let's take a brief look What's blocking the opening?”
As they approached he saw that it was the trunk of a fallen tree, festooned with blackberry bushes When they looked through the entrance, blinking in the light, they saw that the tree wasn't really a block, because there was plenty of roohty good shi+eld,” Scotty said thoughtfully ”Bet this entrance is invisible ten feet away, except from the air!”
”And I'll add my own bet, that the entrance is very close to where we , and that he wonders if we spotted it fro on sure things This explains the interest in the plane, all right Stand by, old son I' to make a quick recon and be sure the coast is clear”
”Okay Eyes adjusted?”