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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32269-8.txt b/32269-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..417d8ce --- /dev/null +++ b/32269-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6702 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Caves of Fear, by John Blaine + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Caves of Fear + +Author: John Blaine + +Release Date: May 6, 2010 [EBook #32269] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVES OF FEAR *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the + U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. + + + + + + THE CAVES OF FEAR + + A RICK BRANT SCIENCE-ADVENTURE STORY + + BY JOHN BLAINE + + +GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS +NEW YORK, N.Y. + +COPYRIGHT, 1951, BY +GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC. + +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + + +_Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +[Illustration: At the base of the Black Buddha, a section of the floor +had swung upward.] + + + + +Contents + + + I CHANGES AT SPINDRIFT + + II THE CIPHER MESSAGE + + III HEAVY WATER + + IV PROJECT X + + V HONG KONG + + VI THE GOLDEN MOUSE + + VII THE JUNK WITH PURPLE SAILS + + VIII LONG SHADOW + + IX THE TRAIL TO KORSE LENKEN + + X THE AMBUSH AT LLHAN HUANG + + XI THE GOATSKIN WATER BAG + + XII THE BUDDHIST MONK + + XIII THE BLACK BUDDHA + + XIV THE CAVES OF FEAR + + XV THE LABYRINTH + + XVI THE LAKE OF DARKNESS + + XVII THROUGH A PAIR OF DARK GLASSES + + XVIII THE HOSTAGES + + XIX CANTON CHARLIE'S + + XX HOME FLIGHT + + + + +THE CAVES OF FEAR + + + + +CHAPTER I + +Changes at Spindrift + + +The sounds of hammer and saw had disturbed Spindrift Island for several +days, and Rick Brant was having a hard time getting used to it. The +noise didn't bother him. It was the idea behind the noise--the idea that +the close fellowship of the famous island was about to be intruded upon +by strangers. + +He sat in a comfortable chair on the front porch of the big Brant house +and stared morosely at the Atlantic. He was a tall, athletic boy with +brown hair and eyes and a face that was usually pleasant. + +"What's it going to be like with a mob of strangers galloping all over +the place?" he demanded. + +Don Scott grinned lazily from the depths of his armchair. He was a husky +youth, perhaps an inch taller than Rick, with black hair and dark eyes. +"Since when do five people make a mob?" he inquired. "Besides, I think +adding more scientists to the staff is a good thing. So does Dad." + +"I know it," Rick returned gloomily. "The others do, too. I'm a +downtrodden minority. No one sympathizes with me." + +Scotty shook his head sadly. "Poor old Rick. Seriously, I don't get it. +You should be cheering the loudest. Think of what it means, pal! More +fields of science to explore, including one I never heard of before. +Maybe more expeditions, of different kinds than the ones we've been on +up to now." + +"That's what I'm thinking about," Rick returned. + +"Then why the gloom?" + +"Because..." Rick stopped as the phone rang in the house. + +Scotty got to his feet quickly. "I'll get it. Mom and Dad are down +watching the builders." + +Rick smiled as Scotty went into the house. It pleased him to have Scotty +call Mr. and Mrs. Brant "Mom and Dad." It was a symbol of Scotty's +permanence in the family. No one had ever questioned Scotty's membership +in the Spindrift tribe since the day when the scrappy ex-Marine had +rescued Rick from a gang of thugs bent on destroying the Island +Foundation's moon rocket, and it was pleasant to think of Scotty as a +permanent brother. The two of them had been through some tight places +together and they were closer friends than brothers usually are. Like +Rick, Scotty was listed on the membership rolls of the Spindrift +Foundation as a junior technician. + +Hartson W. Brant was listed as president, but it was Rick's pride that +he and Scotty had earned places because of their own worth, and not +because of their relationship with the scientist. However, their +abilities were not the same. Because of Rick's interest in science, +particularly electronics, he had become expert in intricate wiring and +he was rapidly learning about the design of equipment. Scotty's talent +was in the mechanical field. He could repair machinery and he was a whiz +with engines. + +Thinking about work in the lab reminded Rick that he had an unfinished +project of his own on his workbench upstairs. He was half out of his +chair, determined to go upstairs and put the rest of the afternoon to +good use, when Scotty called. + +"Rick! Hurry up." + +He ran into the library and found Scotty holding the phone. "Here's a +funny one, Rick. The Whiteside telegraph office has a cable for you, but +they won't read it over the phone because it's all numbers. And it's +from Chahda." + +Chahda, the Hindu boy who had been like a member of the family since he +joined a Spindrift expedition in Bombay, was back home in India. He had +left the boys in New Caledonia after a recent adventure in order to +visit his family. + +"I'd better talk to them," Rick said. "Who's on the wire?" + +"Bill Martin." + +Rick took the phone. "Bill? This is Rick. What's up?" + +"Got a cable addressed to you," Bill answered. "I'd rather not try to +read it over the phone because it's all numbers. Can you or Scotty pick +it up?" + +"Where's it from?" Rick asked. + +"Singapore. And it's signed by your Indian friend." + +Singapore! What on earth was Chahda doing in Singapore? Rick couldn't +guess. "Bill, what kind of numbers are they?" + +"Groups. Seven figures in each group. If you ask me, it's some kind of +code." + +Rick thought quickly. "Barby's in Whiteside, Bill. She went over to a +movie right after lunch, and she should just about be getting out. You +can get her next door at the Sugar Shop, because she always stops in +there for a fudge sundae after the show. If she's already gone, phone +the boat landing. You ought to catch her one place or the other." + +"I'll try," Bill promised. "If I don't catch her, I'll call you back." + +"Thanks a million." Rick restored the phone to its cradle and looked at +Scotty. "What do you make of that?" + +Scotty shrugged. "It beats me. I didn't know Chahda was planning to +leave Bombay. If it comes to that, I didn't know he knew anything about +codes." + +"Neither did I," Rick agreed. "Remember he said something about a job in +his last letter? There was something secret about it he couldn't tell +us. Maybe that's why he's in Singapore." + +"Could be. Anyway, we won't know for sure until we get the cable and +decipher it. If we _can_ decipher it, that is." + +"We'll be able to," Rick said confidently. "He wouldn't send us one we +couldn't break." + +Scotty nodded. "I hope you're right. Well, let's go back and get lazy +again." + +"Not me." Rick started for the stairs. "I'm going to stop loafing and +get busy. The lenses for the camera arrived a week ago and I haven't +even looked at them." + +"I'll go with you. I got some questions about these new people maybe you +can answer." + +Upstairs in Rick's bedroom, Scotty sat down in the old leather armchair +while Rick opened up the doors that concealed his workbench. On the +bench was a camera with an odd-looking searchlight and telescope +attached. The searchlight gave off invisible infrared rays instead of +ordinary light, and the telescope was equipped with special lenses in +order to pick up the infrared. When the camera was loaded with special +film, it could take pictures in total darkness, provided the subject was +within range of the infrared light rays. + +The camera had played a major part in solving the mystery of _Smugglers' +Reef_. With the evidence collected from Rick's pictures, the police had +broken up a ring of gunrunners. But Rick still was not satisfied with +the camera. He was always striving to find the simplest way of doing a +thing. + +This time, he was planning to eliminate both the spring-driven dynamo +that powered the searchlight, and the infrared telescope. A new-type +battery in a small metal case already had been mounted under the camera, +far enough to one side so it wouldn't interfere with the tripod mount. +The battery would give ten hours of service, and it could be replaced in +a moment with a spare carried in the pocket. + +To take the place of the telescope, Rick had ordered lenses made of the +special glass that could "see" infrared. He intended to put the lenses +in ordinary sunglasses frames, restore the regular view finder to the +camera, and turn the telescope over to Scotty. By using the eyeglasses +with special lenses he could see whatever the infrared searchlight was +lighting up without the need of looking through the special telescope. +Using the glasses and searchlight on the camera together, he could see +perfectly in the darkness, and he could take movies, too, if he wanted +to. + +He went to work removing the telescope. + +"I've checked," Scotty said. "That 'scope will fit the mount on my rifle +with no changes." + +Scotty already had a telescopic sight on his rifle, and the telescope +from the infrared unit could be put in its place with a simple turn of a +screw. The infrared 'scope and light originally had been designed for a +rifle to be used by soldiers at night. Rick had simply adapted the unit +to his own needs. + +"We can get in some night skunk hunting," Scotty said. "You put the +infrared on 'em and take their pictures and I'll sight in through the +special 'scope and shoot 'em." + +Rick slipped the telescope out of its mount and handed it to Scotty. "If +there's one thing I don't need," he said, "it's a dead skunk. Couldn't +we hunt prairie moose instead?" + +"What's a prairie moose?" Scotty demanded. + +"A field mouse with horns." + +Scotty groaned. "All right, scientist. Let's get serious and see if you +can answer this one. We have an archeologist, a naturalist, and a +cyberneticist coming. I think I know what the first two are, but what in +the name of a blue baboon is a cyberneticist?" + +Rick put the camera view finder into place and began to adjust it. "A +specialist in cybernetics," he said. + +Scotty waved his arms. "Now I know!" he exclaimed triumphantly. "Any +idiot knows what cybernetics is. Or what they are. Ten cents apiece at +any hardware counter. No family should be without a handy-dandy +cybernetic!" + +Rick chuckled. "All right. Cybernetics is a combined study of machines +and the human nervous system. It's trying to figure out how machines and +humans are related. I don't know much about it myself, but I do know +this: the big electronic calculators that do problems in a few hours +that it would take humans hundreds of years to finish were the result of +cybernetics." + +"The big brains!" Scotty looked awed. "I've read about them. And to +think we're going to have that kind of expert here!" + +"With his wife and two kids," Rick added. "I wonder how Huggins will +like a crowd of kids trampling through his garden!" + +Scotty laughed outright. "Here we go again! Listen, Rick, start making +sense. How can twins less than a year old trample anyone's garden?" + +Rick didn't try to answer. He finished the adjustment on the camera and +put it back on the shelf, then started to work replacing the lenses in +an old pair of sunglasses with the special ones he had ordered. After a +moment, he asked, "Scotty, how would you like it if an expedition left +Spindrift and we weren't with it?" + +Scotty stared. "My sainted aunt! Is that's what's been bothering you?" + +Rick admitted it. He knew where he stood with the old gang, Hartson +Brant, Hobart Zircon, Julius Weiss, and John Gordon. He was far from +sure of how the new staff members would look on him and Scotty. He had +learned that some scientists had little patience with people who were +unfamiliar with their special fields, and he and Scotty were pretty +ignorant about the new sciences that would be represented. That was his +only reason for objecting when his father had decided to enlarge the +staff. + +"I can see it now," he said. "The Foundation will be planning an +expedition, maybe to be headed by this new naturalist, and we'll be on +the outside looking in. And why? Because Dr. Howard Shannon prefers not +to be bothered by a couple of kids who wouldn't know one bug from +another." + +"You're crossing bridges before you come to 'em," Scotty pointed out. +"For all you know, all three of these new scientists might be perfectly +swell gents, like Zircon, Weiss, and Gordon. Why borrow trouble in +advance?" + +"I suppose you're right," Rick had to agree. "But I still can't help +thinking about it." + +"Think all you like," Scotty said generously. "Me, I'm going to put my +little gray brain cells to work on Chahda's cable. Aren't you all fired +up with curiosity?" + +Rick started to say he was, but no reply was necessary because just then +he heard the sound of the motorboat engine for which his ears had been +attuned. He put down the sunglasses and ran for the door. Scotty had +heard the engine, too, and was halfway down the hall. + +It had to be Barby, Rick was sure. The other motorboat--the island had +two--was tied up at the pier, and they weren't expecting any visitors. +The builders had their own boat, a powered barge, anchored off Pirate's +Field. + +The boys ran out on the front porch and around the house, then down the +long flight of stairs that led to the cove where the motorboat landing +was located. + +It was Barby, sure enough, and she had the cable! She waved it wildly, +then gunned the boat around neatly so that it slid into the dock. Scotty +grabbed the bow line and made fast while Rick jumped for the stern line +and slipped it around a cleat on the landing. + +Barby cut the engine and jumped to the dock, a slim, pretty girl, her +face flushed with excitement. "It's from Chahda," she said breathlessly, +"and it's in code!" + +"We know," Scotty said. "Here, let's take a look at it." + +Barby handed it to him. He scanned it wordlessly, then handed it to +Rick. "Son, we'll be doing right well if we make any sense out of that!" + +"He wouldn't send us anything in a code we couldn't read," Rick +objected. "Let's see it. It can't be too hard." + +But in the next moment he changed his mind. His lips pursed in a low +whistle. This was the cable: + + RICK BRANT + SPINDRIFT ISLAND + NEW JERSEY, U.S.A. + + 5213039 6231581 1219456 2768612 2144644 9123299 + 3970731 6017747 1044914 3327116 6074193 4399693 + 0531612 1330552 3047171 3193986 8128912 7011716 + 0762878 3377335 3831075 5371011 3552684 3012963 + 3532456 8337373 9104476 1605588 2540551 2826677 + 9513148 3189710 4811223 5202998 5912492 3432174 + 3302710 7072010 1510108 4423007 3331954 7893623 + + L. CHAHDA + + + + +CHAPTER II + +The Cipher Message + + +Barby, Rick, and Scotty were in the library when Hartson Brant walked +in. They were reduced to the point of staring at each other helplessly +because of the magnitude of the task that confronted them. + +The famous scientist, who looked like an older version of his son, +greeted them with a smile. "What is this, a meeting of the Silent Three? +I can't ever remember finding you all together when one of you wasn't +talking." + +Rick handed him the cable. "What do you make of that, Dad?" + +Hartson Brant scanned it quickly. "From Chahda, in Singapore, and in +cipher. Am I supposed to gather that you don't have the key to the +cipher?" + +"That's right," Scotty said. He held up a heavy volume called +_Cryptography for the Student_. It was the only book on the subject in +the scientist's library. "We've been going through this, trying to find +some kind of clue. Honest, it's impossible." + +"There are so many codes and ciphers," Barby added. "Dozens. And it says +some of them can only be broken by days of work, by experts." + +"There's not an expert in the house, either," Rick concluded. "I didn't +think, when Bill called us up about it, that Chahda would use a code we +couldn't figure out, but I didn't expect a page like that." + +Hartson Brant read through the cable again. "How do you know you can't +figure it out? Perhaps a little reasoning will clear the air. Chahda +must have put a key in the message somewhere. How about this 'L' in +front of his name?" + +"That's right," Barby said excitedly. "That must mean something, because +his name is Chahda Sundararaman. There isn't an L in it anywhere." + +The scientist handed the cable back to Rick. "I'm about as curious as I +can get," he said, "but I refuse to think any more about it until you +hand me the clear version. I agree that Chahda wouldn't send a code you +couldn't solve, so my advice is put the code book away. You won't need +it, I'm sure. This isn't any code you'll find in there." + +He started out of the room, then paused at the door, his eyes twinkling. +"Will you have dinner at the table with us, or shall I ask mother to +break out some emergency rations so you can stay on the job?" + +"We'll eat with the family," Scotty replied. "We can keep on thinking +while we eat, can't we?" + +Rick watched his father wink at Barby, then walk toward the kitchen. +"Dad's right," he announced. "He must be. So let's put the book back and +start figuring this out. The answer probably is easy as pie once we find +the key." + +"How about starting with that odd letter?" Scotty asked. "That has to +mean something." + +"L is the twelfth letter in the alphabet," Barby offered. "Does that +mean anything?" + +Rick shook his head. "Not to me. But let's start from there, anyway. +Maybe the twelfth group of numbers has a clue." + +He counted rapidly across the number groups. "That group is 4399693. Now +what?" + +Scotty suggested, "Substitute letters for the numbers. That would make +it DCIIFIC. That doesn't mean anything." + +"Maybe you counted the wrong way," Barby said thoughtfully. "Count down +the columns instead of across." + +Rick did so. "That's 8337373. Substitute and it comes out ... let's +see ... HCCGCGC. Nothing there, either." + +Scotty had a pad of paper and a pencil and was making idle doodles. "I'm +trying to recall. When did Chahda learn anything about codes?" + +Rick thought for a moment. "He never did, that I know of," he said +finally. + +Barby stood up. "Well, I'm going to shower and change before dinner," +she announced. "But I'll keep thinking. I have an idea that talking +about it won't help much. If Dad and Rick are right about his using a +code we're sure to know, it must be staring us in the face and we're too +blind to see it." + +"Good idea," Rick agreed. "Let's break this up and each think about it. +If we each search our memories, maybe we'll come up with a clue." + +Barby went upstairs and Scotty retired to his favorite seat on the +porch. But Rick felt that he could think better on his feet. A glance at +his watch told him he had over an hour and a half before dinner. He +waved at Scotty and walked across the grass toward the gray stone +laboratory buildings. Professor Weiss was in his office working on some +mathematical theory he was developing. It was away over Rick's head. For +a moment he thought of posing the problem to the little professor, then +thought better of it and passed by the lab on the south side. He skirted +the woods and crossed Pirate's Field, so called because local legend +said the famed woman pirate, Anne Bonney, had once landed there with her +gang of cutthroats. He paused for a moment and studied the fused sand +left by the terrific heat when the first moon rocket was launched, but +the barren patch gave him no inspiration. + +Staying on the shore path, he walked slowly toward the back of the +island and presently came out at the tidal flats. The tide was out, +leaving the rocks exposed. He sat down at the edge of the low bluff +above the flats and stared into the patches of water. + +It was a hard job, trying to recall every detail of his friendship with +the little Hindu boy, but he tried. It had started in Bombay when Rick +and Scotty were on their way to Tibet with Weiss and Zircon to set up +the radar relay station for message transmission via the moon. When +their equipment was stolen, it was Chahda who took the lead in finding +it again. They had been amused by the beggar boy who had educated +himself with an old copy of _The World Almanac_. His ability to quote +anything from the "Alm-in-ack," as he called it, in English that was +sometimes pretty funny, was really astonishing. Then, at the Lost City, +he had more than proved his courage and loyalty, and the Spindrifters +had sponsored his visit to America as a reward. + +For a while Chahda had attended school in America, then he had gone to +the Pacific with the Spindrift expedition to Kwangara Island. After +salvaging the remains of an ancient temple from one hundred fathoms of +water--not to mention the treasure that was found--the Spindrifters had +returned home. But Chahda had elected to remain in Hawaii with Professor +Warren of the Pacific Ethnographic Society. Later, he had gone with the +Warren scientific expedition to the South Seas, and Barby, Rick, and +Scotty had joined the party in New Caledonia. After completing part of +the expedition's work, the trawler _Tarpon_ had returned to New +Caledonia where the young people had solved the mystery of _The Phantom +Shark_. When the three Spindrifters returned home, Chahda had taken air +passage to Bombay to see his family. + +"I can't remember all we talked about," Rick muttered to himself. "We +talked about everything and anything. Except codes. I can't remember +that we ever talked about codes." + +He got up, noticing that the crew of builders were in their barge, +returning to the mainland for the night. They were trucking materials to +a point on the shore near Spindrift, using an old wood road, then taking +the stuff the rest of the way by barge. + +It was getting on to dinnertime. He took the woods path back, passing by +the new cottages. They were nearing completion, the outsides already +finished. Beyond the cottages was the farm run by the Huggins family. +Mr. Huggins was just herding the island's milk cows into the barn for +milking. + +Rick kicked at a near-by tree. "Either I'm dumb or it isn't as simple as +we think it ought to be," he said aloud, then went on into the house. + + * * * * * + +Scotty and Barby had done no better. They gathered at the family table +with long faces and Barby placed the disturbing cable in the middle of +the table as a centerpiece. + +"If we look at it long enough, maybe we'll get inspiration," she said. + +Professor Julius Weiss, the only one of the three staff scientists who +was at home at the moment, picked up the cable and examined it. + +"A cipher, eh?" He adjusted his glasses. "It certainly looks +complicated." + +"Any ideas?" Rick asked hopefully. + +The little mathematician shook his head. "No, Rick. I could give you the +cube root of the square of the sum of the numbers, or anything like +that, but I'm afraid I wouldn't even know how to start breaking the +code." He added, "John probably could. He had some experience with codes +while in the Navy, I believe." + +John was Professor John Gordon. He was on an extended trip to New +Mexico, serving as a consultant to the Navy's guided missiles projects. +The third scientist, Professor Hobart Zircon, was giving a five-week +series of lectures in nuclear physics at Yale. + +"I'm afraid Professor Gordon is too far away to help us on this," Rick +said. + +Mrs. Brant came in, bringing a heavily laden dish of fresh corn on the +cob. Behind her trotted a shaggy little dog. + +Rick snapped his fingers. "Here, Diz." + +Dismal ran over and barked at his young master, then he rolled over on +his back and played dead, his only trick. Rick grinned. "Did you bring +him along as an adviser, Mom? I'll bet he'd be as good at solving this +as any of us." + +Mrs. Brant smiled. "From what your father told me, I think he might at +that. But why all the long faces? I think it's exciting getting a code +message from Chahda. Why, this is the first time we've had a code +problem on the island since the moon rocket." + +Mrs. Brant couldn't have caused a more sudden reaction had she tossed a +lighted firecracker into the middle of the roast. + +Barby knocked over her water glass. + +Scotty gasped, "Great grasshoppers! A book code!" + +Rick strangled on a sip of milk, and when he could get his breath again, +he ran around the table to his mother, kissed her soundly and lifted her +hand high in token of victory. "The new champ," he proclaimed. "Mom, +you're a genius!" + +"But, Rick, I didn't say anything except...." + +"You said just enough, dear," Hartson Brant replied. "We all had the +answer right in that second, because you gave us a clue. Do you remember +the code our former friend used when he was sending messages off the +island?" + +The "former friend" Hartson Brant referred to was a member of the staff +who had turned renegade and helped Manfred Wessel's gang in their +efforts to build a moon rocket, using the Spindrift design, in order to +win the Stoneridge Grant of two million dollars. The traitor scientist +had used code messages to keep the gang informed of new developments on +Spindrift while he had used the cloak of false friendship to slow up the +building of the Spindrift rocket. + +"He used a double code," Rick explained. "Part of it was a regular +cipher, but the first step was a book code." + +"I do remember!" Mrs. Brant exclaimed. "He used a copy of that book +Hartson's friend wrote. What was it? _Psychiatry Simplified._ The code +was numbers that gave the page of the book, and the position of the word +on the page, and unless you found the book, as Rick and Scotty did, you +couldn't break the code!" + +Barby jumped up in her excitement. "And I know what book Chahda was +using!" + +The rest of the group spoke as one. "_The World Almanac!_" + +Scotty ran for the library, Rick on his heels. + +"We told him about that code," Scotty said. "Now I remember when, too. +It was right after we got back from India, when we were showing him +around the lab." + +"I remember, too," Rick agreed. "We were telling him how the gang used +my plane, with me flying it, to smuggle their coded messages, and he +asked us about it because he had never heard of codes before!" + +They reached the shelf that held the _Almanac_ and stopped short. +Because of the year-to-year news summaries in the famous annual, Hartson +Brant had kept each edition as a reference source. There were over a +dozen of them on the shelf. + +"They're all different," Rick said. "The pages change each year. Which +one did he use?" + +Scotty's forehead furrowed. "Which one did he memorize? It was an old +one, but I can't remember the date." + +"Got it," Rick said. "Remember the letter L? The twelfth letter of the +alphabet. It must be the 1912 edition." + +Scotty surveyed the shelf. "Which we don't have," he said. + +Rick groaned. "No!" + +Hartson Brant called from the dining room. "Haven't you solved that +cipher yet?" + +The boys walked dejectedly back to join the others. Rick explained that +the right volume was missing. The Spindrift files just didn't go back +that far. + +"Sit down and eat your dinner," Hartson Brant said. He sliced roast for +them, his eyes thoughtful. "Something's wrong with your reasoning," he +said, as he filled Rick's plate. "Would Chahda have a 1912 edition with +him in Singapore? I doubt it. More likely he'd have a more recent one." + +"But the letter L has to mean something," Barby protested. + +"What could it mean but twelve?" Rick asked, and the answer struck him +before the words were out. He shouted, "I know! It could mean fifty! L +is the Roman numeral fifty." + +Barby clapped her hands. Scotty reached over and pounded Rick on the +back. + +"That's it," Hartson Brant said approvingly. "I'll make a wager on it. +Chahda used the 1950 edition." + +Rick pushed back his chair, but the scientist's voice stopped him. + +"Let's rest on our laurels, Rick. Finish dinner first, then we'll all +retire to the library and work it out." + +Because they were burning with impatience, the three younger members of +the Spindrift family did not enjoy the meal, but they made a pretense of +eating. Then, an eternity later, Hartson Brant took the last sip of his +coffee and grinned at Rick. "Shall we get to it?" + +"Shall we!" Barby led the way, holding the cable high. + +The first part was easy. Since most pages in the _Almanac_ had three +numbers, they assumed that the first three numbers in each code group +referred to the page. Similarly, they assumed that the second two +numbers referred to the line. That left two numbers for the position of +the word on the line. + +With nervous fingers Rick turned to Page 521 of the 1950 edition and +counted down 30 lines. He hesitated over the subtitles, then decided to +count them too. At the proper line, he looked up at Scotty and Barby who +were watching over his shoulder. + +"But there are two columns." + +"Don't worry about the columns," Scotty advised. "I don't think Chahda +would pay any attention to the columns, because it would mean extra +numbers in each group. Count right across and don't pay any attention to +the dividing line." + +Rick did so. "It doesn't come out right," he complained. "The number is +39, but there are only 17 words on the whole line." + +Barby sighed. "Maybe we're wrong all the way around." + +"I don't think so," Hartson Brant said. He was sitting in a comfortable +chair, smoking an after-dinner pipe. "The logic of the thing appeals to +me. Do you suppose Chahda would know about nulls?" + +"What's a null?" Scotty asked. + +"In cryptography it's a number, or letter, thrown in for the sake of +appearance, or to confuse." + +"Chahda might know," Rick said. "That brown head of his is crammed full +of more odd chunks of information than you could imagine. But if there's +a null in this, which figure is it?" + +"Try it both ways," Barby urged. "Here, I'll do it." She counted across +the line. "The third word is 'seventeen.'" She wrote it down. "The ninth +word is 'come.'" + +"Could be either," Scotty mused. "But 'come' sounds more likely. Let's +try the next group." + +That was 6231581. Rick turned to Page 623 and counted down 15 lines, +including the title. However, he didn't count the page heading. The +heading was on the same line as the page number. Both were above a line +drawn across the top of the page, and it seemed sensible to start below +the line. + +"There aren't 81 words on the lines," he said. "So that means another +null, maybe. The first word is 'both' and the eighth word is 'may.'" + +Barby wrote them down. "It all makes sense," she pointed out. "It could +be, 'Seventeen may,' or 'come both.'" + +"Keep going," Scotty urged. "Try another one." + +The third group gave them a choice of "Cheyenne," which seemed unlikely, +or "bad." + +"He couldn't be talking about Cheyenne," Rick said. "The word must be +'bad.' That means the first figure of the pair is the null, because it's +the second figure that stands for 'bad.'" + +"Sounds reasonable," Scotty agreed. "Keep plugging." + +So far, the probable words were: _Come both bad._ + +Page 276 in the fourth group turned out to be a table of atomic weights. +Line 86 was the element tantalum. If the first figure of the last pair +was assumed to be a null, the word was the symbol for tantalum: "Ta." + +Rick stared at it. "Something's wrong. This doesn't make sense." + +Barby asked impatiently, "How do we know?" + +Rick yielded and moved to the next group. It gave the word "rubles." +"That's Russian money," he said. + +The trio looked at it in bewilderment, then Scotty suddenly let out a +yell of laughter. "I've got it! Can't you see? 'Ta' and 'rubles' go +together! 'Tarubles.' Troubles!" + +Then they were all howling with joy. Leave it to Chahda to dream up +something like that, Rick thought. So far, the message made sense. _Come +both, bad troubles._ + +He turned the pages and counted feverishly. The sixth group gave "am," +the seventh "in." + +The eighth group gave the message an ominous tone. + +_Come both. Bad troubles. Am in danger._ + +The scientists and Mrs. Brant were looking over Rick's shoulder now, +too. + +The ninth group stopped them for a moment because the pair of figures +standing for the word was 14. If the figure 1 was a null, the word was +"the." But there were more than 14 words in the line, and the 14th was +"my." + +Rick looked at the faces around him. "I think it's 'my' because he must +have had a reason for using nulls. If I were making up the code, I'd use +them because sometimes there are enough words in a line so you need two +figures and sometimes not. But you always have to put down two figures +so the groups will be even." + +"Good thinking," Rick's father complimented him. "Go ahead on that +basis. But hurry up. The suspense is awful." + +There was a chorus of agreements. + +The next word was "boss." + +"He was working, then," Scotty guessed. "That must be it, if he has a +boss." + +Rick hurried to the next group. It produced "Carl." Page 439, the 96th +line, gave "Bradley." Then the boss's name was Carl Bradley. + +Hartson Brant gave a muffled exclamation. Scotty turned quickly. "Do you +know that name, Dad?" + +"Yes. But let's get the rest of the message. Quickly, Rick." + +The words appeared in rapid succession, with a pause now and then to +solve a new difficulty. Once, the lines across the columns were not even +and a ruler had to be laid across to find the word. Again, a null +appeared as the first number in the page group. Chahda had used it +because the page was 51 and he needed a third figure to round out the +group. That was easy to spot because the group read 951 and the book had +only 912 pages. + +In the last series of groups Rick came across another double word like +"tarubles." This time, "be" and "ware" combined to make "beware." Then, +the very last word stopped them for a moment. It was "umbra." + +"What's that?" Scotty asked. + +"The shadow cast by the moon during an eclipse of the sun," Julius Weiss +answered. "Or part of it, rather. There are two shadows. The umbra and +the penumbra." + +Barby ran for a dictionary and leafed through the pages quickly. "I have +it," she said. "Listen. It's from the Latin for 'shadow,' and it means +'a shade or shadow.'" + +"Shadow it is," Rick said, and wrote it down. Then, slowly, he read the +full message to the serious group around him. + + COME BOTH. BAD TROUBLES. AM IN DANGER. MY BOSS, CARL BRADLEY, + DISAPPEARED. GOVERNMENT WILL ASK SCIENTIFIC FATHER DO SPECIAL WORK. + MUST TAKE. GET JOBS, MEET ME HONG KONG GOLDEN MOUSE. WATCH CHINESE + WITH GLASS EYE, HE DANGEROUS. AND BEWARE LONG SHADOW. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +Heavy Water + + +Hartson Brant walked swiftly to the telephone and picked it up. + +"What's the matter, Dad?" Rick asked quickly. The scientist had a +strange look on his face. + +"Give me the telegraph office," Hartson Brant said. He put his hand over +the mouthpiece. "I'll tell you in a moment. I want to get a wire off +immediately." He spoke into the phone again. "Western Union? This is +Spindrift, Brant speaking. I want to send a straight telegram. Yes. To +Steven Ames." + +Rick gasped. Steve Ames was the young intelligence officer of JANIG, the +secret Army-Navy group charged with protecting the security of American +government secrets. The Spindrift group of scientists had worked with +Steve in solving _The Whispering Box Mystery_. + +Scotty's fingers bit into Rick's arm. + +Hartson Brant gave the address. "Here's the message. 'Have reconsidered +your request basis of new information just received here. Urge you come +or phone at once.' That's it. Sign it 'Brant, Spindrift.' Yes. Charge to +this number." + +He waited until the telegraph office had read back the message, then +hung up and turned to the waiting group. + +"Three days ago I had a phone call from Steve Ames. He asked if I could +undertake a special job for the government that would require me to go +overseas at once for an indefinite time. I was forced to decline because +obviously I can't leave now with these staff changes about to take +place." + +The scientist knocked the ashes out of his pipe, his face thoughtful. + +"Steve wouldn't take no for an answer. He insisted that the job was of +the utmost importance, and he added that it concerned an old college +chum of mine." He paused. "His name is Carl Bradley." + +Rick's eyes met Scotty's. + +"He said it was an urgent job, but that he would give me a few days to +think it over, to see if I couldn't rearrange my affairs in some way. I +assured him it was no use, that I couldn't possibly leave, but he said +to take until Saturday to consider it. That's tomorrow." + +Rick whistled. "Some timing." + +"It's a lot more than mere coincidence," Hartson Brant said. "But I +don't know any more about it than what I've told you." + +"Who is Carl Bradley?" Weiss asked. + +"I'm surprised you haven't heard of him, Julius. He has a considerable +reputation as an ethnologist. He and Paul Warren and I were in school +together. We lost track of him for a while, then he wrote from China. He +had spent several years inland, living with the Chinese, as one of them. +He produced some immensely valuable studies. Those, and his rather +remarkable ability to speak and act like a Chinese earned him the +nickname of 'Chinese Bradley.' He had lived most of his life since +school in one part of Asia or another. But I'm sure I can't guess what +his connection is with this special job of Steve's, or how he happened +to become Chahda's boss." + +"Or why he's missing," Barby added. + +The cable had created a mystery that demanded a solution, but no amount +of discussion answered the questions it raised. Finally, Mrs. Brant +broke up the debate by pointedly remarking on the lateness of the hour. +Reluctantly, the family started for bed. + +As Rick undressed, he continued the discussion through the door +connecting his room and Scotty's. "Chahda's pretty sure we'll hurry to +Hong Kong." + +"Is he wrong?" Scotty demanded. + +"I don't know," Rick said. "It depends on a lot of things. We can't go +unless we get jobs, and Steve evidently didn't say anything to Dad about +the rest of the staff, including us." + +"Dad hasn't even said he'll go," Scotty reminded. + +"Doesn't saying he has reconsidered mean that he'll go?" + +"Could be. Or maybe it just means he's willing to talk some more about +it. We should have pinned him down." + +"We will," Rick said. "In the morning." + +He lay awake for long hours, staring into the darkness and trying to +piece together Chahda's references to a golden mouse, a Chinese with a +glass eye, and a long shadow. It was no use. But there was no mistaking +the urgency of his friend's plea. + +Where was Chahda now? At a guess, somewhere between Singapore and Hong +Kong. But whether by land or sea or air, Rick couldn't imagine. Nor +could he even venture a wild guess at what kind of danger Chahda faced. + +After a long time he fell asleep, but it was fitful sleep broken by +frequent awakenings. + +In the morning, the discussion resumed over breakfast, bringing forth +wild speculations from Barby. Rick had to grin at her flights of fancy. + +"One thing seems sure," Scotty offered. "Chahda was in a big hurry." + +"What makes you think so?" Mrs. Brant asked. "Barby! Please stop feeding +Dismal at the table." + +Dismal turned beseeching eyes to Rick in a plea for moral support, but +his young master was listening to Scotty. + +"The words he used. Like putting together an atomic symbol and Russian +money to make 'troubles,' and using 'umbra' instead of shadow. I'm sure +in a big book like _The World Almanac_ troubles and shadows are +mentioned somewhere. But he didn't have time to search. He took the +first possibilities that came along." + +Rick nodded approval. "That figures. But why didn't he have time?" + +Scotty shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe better." + +Julius Weiss, who had tired of the discussion and started to the lab, +ran back into the house. "There's a plane heading this way," he +announced. "I'm sure it's coming here, because it's down pretty low." + +The conversation ended abruptly. Rick and Scotty were first out on the +lawn. The engine noise of the plane was loud. + +Rick saw it first, a sleek, four-place cabin job, circling wide out over +the water, losing altitude. In a few moments it banked sharply behind +the lab building, straightened out, and cut the gun. Rick was running +toward the end of the grass strip even before the plane settled smoothly +to the ground. + +"Steve Ames," he said to himself. "I'll bet it is." The JANIG officer +had wasted no time! + +Sure enough, Steve was the first out of the plane. Rick saw that he was +the only passenger. The pilot got out then, and Rick recognized him as +one of the JANIG operatives who had chased the Whispering Box gang +across Washington. + +Steve and Rick shook hands, grinning at each other, then Rick greeted +Mike, the pilot. + +"Didn't think we'd be needing Spindrift again so soon," Steve said. He +walked to meet the others and shook hands all around. "Let's get busy," +he said to Hartson Brant. + +Rick, Scotty, and Barby followed the two into the library. Mrs. Brant +took the pilot into the dining room for coffee while Professor Weiss +excused himself and went on to the laboratory. His apparent lack of +interest would have amazed anyone who didn't know him, but Rick knew +that when Julius Weiss was wrapped up in one of his theoretical math +problems, nothing else on earth could find room in his mind. + +Steve looked at the scientist. "What caused you to reconsider?" + +"This." Hartson Brant handed him the translation of Chahda's cable, then +the original. "We broke the code last night. It was a book code, using +_The World Almanac_. Chahda knew we'd be able to puzzle it out." + +Steve scanned the number groups briefly. "Clever," he commented. He read +through the clear copy twice, and his jaw tightened. "This explains +something that has puzzled me." + +"A good thing," Rick said. "Because all we got was the puzzlement. No +explanations." + +Steve tapped the cable thoughtfully. "I hate to ask you to tackle this +job, but you must have some ideas about it or you wouldn't have sent +that wire." + +Hartson Brant nodded. "I explained my situation to you on the phone when +you called a few days ago. The situation hasn't changed, but I must +admit this cable from Chahda puts a new light on the matter. That boy is +a member of the family." + +"Then you'll go?" + +"I don't want to, quite frankly. I will if there is no alternative. I +lost a lot of sleep last night making that decision. But first, I want +to propose that some member of my staff go in my stead." + +Steve walked to the desk and perched on its edge. "Which one?" + +"You know them all. You also know their specialties. Which of them would +fit your requirements best?" + +"Zircon. He's a nuclear physicist." + +Rick held his breath. Steve was continuing: + +"Chahda urges Rick and Scotty to get jobs, too. I hadn't considered +that, but it's not a bad idea." + +Rick closed his eyes and let out his breath in a sigh of relief. Scotty +nudged him. + +Hartson Brant asked, "Then you will consider Zircon as my substitute? +Always on condition that he will go, of course." + +Steve nodded. "I'd prefer you, but I'll take Zircon, if I can make a +condition of my own, and that is that you'll fly to the Far East on a +moment's notice if he and the boys can't handle it." + +Rick looked at his father anxiously. Hartson Brant had not given his +permission for them to make a trip, but evidently it was all right. The +scientist nodded. + +"I'll agree to that." He went to the telephone and picked up the +instrument. "Operator, I want to place a long-distance call." + +Steve winked at the boys. Then, as Hartson Brant placed the call to +Zircon in New Haven, Connecticut, the JANIG man said, "Going to be a +couple of tourists at government expense, huh? Pretty soft." + +"Maybe," Rick said, grinning. "That cable doesn't sound like anything +soft." + +Steve got serious. "You two proved yourselves in Washington, so far as +I'm concerned. You can make yourselves useful, and you'll provide a good +cover for Zircon." + +"What kind of cover?" Barby asked. + +Steve smiled at her. "Women can't keep secrets, I'm told." + +"I can," Barby retorted swiftly. + +Steve held up his hand for silence. Hartson Brant had Zircon on the +line. The scientist outlined Steve's proposal in a few words, and gave +Zircon the contents of Chahda's cable. Then he listened to Zircon while +Rick fidgeted anxiously. Finally, Hartson Brant said, "All right, +Hobart. Tell your people up there that I'll take your lectures. We'll +see you later today." He hung up and nodded at Steve. + +"Hobart had lectures scheduled for next week, but I can take them for +him. He'll be down this afternoon, and, he says, he'll be ready to leave +in the morning if necessary." + +"Good!" Steve nodded at Barby. "Even if you can't go on the trip, you +can make yourself useful. Want to place a call to Washington for me?" + +"Yes," Barby said eagerly. "Where to?" + +Steve gave her the number. Then, while she was placing the call, he +said, "Now, I'll tell you what I know." + +Rick's heart beat faster. Now he would learn what was behind Chahda's +cable! + +"The day before I phoned here," Steve began, "my office received a +message from Carl Bradley. It was a top secret message sent to us via +the American consulate general's channels from Singapore. I'd better +explain first that Carl is a JANIG man. His knowledge of that part of +the world has made him invaluable, and he works for us secretly while +doing his routine work as an ethnologist. That is top secret information +that must never be repeated outside this room." + +"You can depend on us," Hartson Brant assured him. + +"I know it. To go on. His job is gathering information about persons who +show too much interest in operations within our embassies and +consulates. However, the cable we got from him wasn't quite in that +line." + +Steve paused to see how Barby was getting along. She was trying to +listen to him and the operator at the same time. + +"This cable," Steve continued, "said he had accidentally made a +discovery of something potentially dangerous to America. He asked for a +competent nuclear physicist, and he named you, Hartson, to be sent to +Singapore at once to check on his finding, and to locate, if possible, +the source of the stuff he had discovered. We haven't heard from him +since. From Chahda's cable, it's evident something has happened to him. +And on the basis of the cable, I think we'll send Zircon and you boys to +Hong Kong first." + +Scotty put into words the question that was in Rick's mind. "What was it +that he discovered?" + +Steve's lips tightened, then he said: "_Heavy water!_" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +Project X + + +"Heavy water!" Hartson Brant exclaimed softly. + +Rick and Scotty looked at each other blankly. + +And at that moment, Barby completed the connection and called to Steve. +He strode to the phone and picked it up. "Who's this? All right. Steve +Ames here. Take down these names. Hobart Zircon. Richard Brant. Donald +Scott. You'll find full data on them in the files. Prepare travel orders +and get tickets for all three to Hong Kong via the first plane leaving +New York after 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night. Arrange for a letter of credit +in the usual amount on the National City Bank of Washington, and have +the bank make arrangements with all their Far East branches. Put all +three on the pay roll at the same grades they held before. Get passports +for them with visitor's visas for the Philippines, Hong Kong, +Indo-China, Indonesia, Siam, and China. We don't know where they'll end +up. Then put all that stuff in an envelope and get it to me here at +Spindrift by special messenger ... wait, never mind that. I'll send Mike +back right away, and he can bring it to me. Now read those instructions +back." + +Steve listened for a moment. "Right. Get going. What? Oh, charge the +whole thing to a new case file. Mark it Project X." + +He disconnected and turned to the group. "Now," he said grimly, "let's +talk turkey." + +He nodded at Rick and Scotty. "Zircon said he could leave in the +morning, if necessary. That's rushing you a little too much. So I've +given you until tomorrow night." + +Rick grinned. Once things started to move with Steve Ames, they moved +strictly jet-propelled. + +"What are we supposed to do?" Scotty asked. + +"Find Bradley. If you can. But don't spend too much time searching. +Getting all the dope--and I mean _all_--on that heavy water is the +reason for your going out there. If you find Bradley, he can help. Maybe +Chahda can help, too. But never forget for a minute that tracking down +that heavy water is your mission." + +"If we don't find Bradley, we won't know how to get started," Rick +pointed out. + +Steve grunted. "No? If I believed that, I'd have gone somewhere else for +help. I came here because I knew Spindrift could give me ingenuity as +well as scientific knowledge. And you hadn't better let me down!" + +"We won't let you down," Scotty assured him. + +Barby chimed in indignantly, "Of course they won't." + +Steve smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not afraid of their falling down on the +job. But it's a big one. I'll tell Zircon this when he comes, but you +can be thinking it over in the meantime. You're to find out who is +bringing heavy water to the Asia coast and what they're doing with it. +You're to find out where it comes from, and why it is being made. You're +to get samples and send them back here. And most important of all, +you're to locate and pinpoint for us any industrial plants you find." + +Scotty scratched his head. "Fine. Only let's get back to the beginning. +What is heavy water? And why are you so excited about it?" + +"I don't know, either," Barby added. + +Hartson Brant looked at his son. "You do, don't you, Rick?" + +"I know what it is, but I don't know why it's so important to Steve," +Rick said. He had read a great deal about heavy water in studying +elementary physics. It had many uses in physics experiments. + +"Let's see how much you know," Steve directed. "Sound off." + +Rick searched his memory, trying to marshal all the facts he knew. +"Well," he began, "ordinary water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen. In +every water molecule there are two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. +The important part, for what we're talking about, are the hydrogen +atoms. Hydrogen is the lightest element, and it has the simplest atom. +There's just one proton and one electron." + +He looked at his father, waiting for a nod to tell him he was on the +right track. When the scientist nodded approval, he went on. + +"That kind of hydrogen atom has a mass of one, as the scientists say. +But there are other kinds of hydrogen atoms, and they are pretty rare, +called isotopes. An isotope is just a different variety of the ordinary +kind of atom in each element. The thing that makes it different is a +change in the nucleus. Well, hydrogen has two isotopes. One kind, which +has a mass of two, is found in nature. It is called deuterium. Its +nucleus is called a deuteron. Another kind, which can be made in a +nuclear reactor, is called tritium. A little of it is found naturally +but not enough to count for much." + +He took a deep breath. "I hope I know what I'm talking about." + +"You're doing fine," Hartson Brant said. "Go on." + +"All right. Well, heavy water is made of one atom of oxygen plus two +atoms of deuterium, which is the first isotope of hydrogen. In +chemistry, there's no difference in the way heavy water acts. You can +even drink it. In fact, people do drink it every day, because in +ordinary water there is some heavy water. I forget the exact figures, +but I think that, by weight, there are five thousand parts of ordinary +hydrogen in water and only one part of deuterium." + +"That's right." Steve Ames nodded. "Five thousand to one. Now tell us +what is peculiar about all isotopes?" + +Rick thought furiously and came up with what he hoped was the answer. "I +think it's that isotopes aren't as stable as the basic elements. Some +are pretty stable, but some are pretty shaky. That's why some of the +isotopes of uranium can be split wide open in a chain reaction to make +an atomic bomb, and ..." + +A chill ran through him. His mouth opened. He knew! He knew why heavy +water had Steve Ames all excited. He choked: + +"Hydrogen bombs!" + +Scotty and Barby gasped. Steve Ames and Hartson Brant smiled. + +"It's true that one of the possibilities in building a hydrogen bomb +concerns deuterium," the scientist said. "But I scarcely think that's +the case here. How about it, Steve?" + +"Possible, but extremely improbable," Steve agreed. "What I'm most +interested in is a use for heavy water Rick hasn't mentioned. Know what +a nuclear reactor is, Rick?" + +Rick nodded. "It's what the newspapers usually call an 'atomic pile.' We +have quite a few in this country, I think. The Atomic Energy Commission +said quite a while ago that they used a nuclear reactor with uranium as +a fuel to make plutonium, which is the artificial element that can be +used in atomic bombs. Besides uranium itself, that is." + +"That's right. What I'm interested in is the fact that heavy water can +be used as a neutron moderator in a reactor." + +Rick looked blank. Steve was talking way over his head. Hartson Brant +saw his son's bewilderment and explained: "You've probably heard that +the uranium in a reactor is encased in blocks of graphite, which is +simply carbon, Rick. It prevents the neutrons from the uranium from +simply running wild. Well, heavy water can be used for the same +purpose." + +"Exactly," Steve said. "So you see, I'm not afraid of the possibility of +hydrogen bombs as much as I am of the possibility that somewhere in Asia +is a nuclear reactor. Until we get international agreement on atomic +weapons, we simply have to keep track of atomic developments everywhere +for our own protection. If there's a new country going in for atomic +research, and it can build a reactor, it might also be able to build an +atomic bomb. Now, don't forget I said heavy water is a legitimate +industrial product. We certainly can't object to a nation's +manufacturing it. We wouldn't want to. But when it turns up in an odd +corner of the world, I think we'd better find out why. If it's a +peaceful reason, we'll mark it down and then forget it. If not, we'll +make a report to the United Nations." + +"Why not report it right now?" Barby asked. + +"Good question. The answer is, we're not sure. Remember Carl Bradley was +unsure enough to ask for help. If we got up before the UN and started +hollering and it turned out to be plain water, we'd look pretty +foolish." + +"I don't even know how we'd begin," Scotty muttered. "How do you start +on a job like this?" + +"You'll start by being innocent tourists," Steve said. "You and Rick are +students on a holiday, with Zircon, your uncle, as guide and tutor. +You'll be interested in a number of things, including hunting. That will +give you a good excuse for barging around the country if you have to. +But you won't be able to decide what you want to hunt." Steve grinned. +"You'll decide after you find out where you have to go. And you'd better +learn about Asiatic game animals. For instance, if the trail takes you +to Indonesia, you may want to hunt the hairy Sumatran rhinoceros. In the +Philippines, you'll hunt timarau, which are a special breed of wild +water buffalo. In China, around the coast, you can hunt tigers. In +Malaya, if the trail does take you down to Singapore, you can hunt +tapir. Same for Siam. In Indo-China you can hunt tigers. Inland in +China, toward the Tibetan border, you'd better be hunting bharals." + +"That's a wonderful name," Barby said quickly. "What are they?" + +"Another name for them is blue sheep," Steve told her. "They're +bluish-gray, shading to white in the under parts. The horns are unusual, +because they curve outward from the sides of the head, then down and +backward." + +Hartson Brant paused in the act of filling his pipe and asked curiously, +"How do you know so much about Asiatic animals, Steve?" + +Steve laughed. "Because I used the same gag once myself." He started for +the door. "Talk it over, and think up any questions you can. I won't +promise to know the answers, but I'll try. I've got to get Mike started +back to Washington to pick up that stuff." + +When he had gone, Barby looked enviously at the two boys. "In my next +reincarnation," she announced, "I'm going to be a boy. I don't see why I +couldn't go, too. A girl would make the group look even less suspicious, +wouldn't it?" She scanned the three faces eagerly, then sighed. "All +right. I knew it wasn't any use." + +"Never mind, towhead," Rick said. He always hated to see Barby's wistful +expression when he and Scotty were going somewhere. "Maybe next time." + +"Not if next time is another job like this," Hartson Brant disagreed. He +studied his pipe stem, his forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. "I'm not +quite sure why I didn't object to Rick and Scotty going." + +Rick demanded swiftly, "You're not going to object, are you, Dad?" + +"No, Rick. If we hadn't been on other expeditions and in some tough +spots together, I surely would. But I know you two are able to take care +of yourselves. And so is Zircon. Only keep in mind that you may be +dealing with an entirely new breed of cats, unscrupulous men who +wouldn't hesitate to put you out of the way without a moment's +hesitation. So be careful. Be very careful. Don't take risks that aren't +essential to your job. And do what Zircon tells you to without +hesitation. He's knocked around in some pretty rough corners of the +world, and I don't know a man who is better equipped for this kind of +job, unless it's Carl Bradley." + +The warning sobered Rick even more. Apart from what his father had said, +he knew it was also what the information could mean to the security of +the country that had prevented the scientist from making a single +objection to their going. + +"We'll take no risks we don't have to," he promised. "We'll move as if +we were walking on eggs, Dad." + +And Scotty echoed the promise. + + * * * * * + +Nothing remained but to wait for Zircon and make definite plans. Steve, +who had risen early in order to get to Spindrift first thing, walked out +to the orchard with Dismal for company and stretched out under a tree +for a nap. + +Rick and Scotty couldn't possibly have napped, so they went up to Rick's +room and began to pack. That took little time, since they would travel +by air. Scotty took his rifle out of its protective case and cleaned it, +then tried on the infrared telescope. He removed from the 'scope the +masking bits of cardboard Rick had used to convert it to a camera view +finder, thus making it a telescopic rifle sight once more. It fitted +perfectly. + +"You taking the movie camera along?" he asked. + +Rick thought it over. "Guess I will," he said finally. "Tourists are +supposed to have cameras. I'll take the movie instead of the speed +graphic. And I can take along infrared film as well as regular color +film. If anyone asks, I can say I want movies of the animals you and +Zircon shoot. Then all three of us won't have to take guns." + +"Better finish putting the lenses into those sunglasses frames then," +Scotty said. + +"I'll do it right now. It won't take long." A thought struck Rick. "What +will Zircon do for a rifle?" + +"He'll have to borrow one, and an ordinary one won't do, either. If +we're supposed to be hunting big game, he'll need one bigger than +my .303." Scotty frowned thoughtfully. "How about Captain Douglas? He +used to be quite a hunter. You've seen the African trophies in his +office at the barracks." + +Captain Douglas was commanding officer of the Whiteside State Police +Barracks, and a good friend of the boys. He and his officers had +co-operated with them in rounding up the Smugglers' Reef gang. + +"Give him a phone call while I finish putting these lenses in," Rick +suggested. + +"Good idea." Scotty went to phone. + +More and more Rick was realizing the magnitude of the job they had +undertaken. He hoped fervently that Chahda would know something useful +in case they failed to locate Bradley. + +In a moment Scotty stuck his head in the door. "I've got the captain on +the phone," he said. "He's got a .45-90 we can borrow, and, bless his +heart, he didn't ask where we were going. When can we pick it up?" + +Rick thought it over. "I'll have to fly to the airport and pick up +Zircon in a little while. Tell Captain Douglas I'll buzz the barracks on +the way over. Ask if he can possibly deliver it to me at the airport. I +hate to bother him, but I won't have a car to go get it." Rick's little +cub airplane was the island's fast messenger-passenger service. + +"Okay." Scotty disappeared down the hall again for a few moments and +then returned. He took a seat in the leather armchair. "He finally did +get curious. Wanted to know if we needed that caliber rifle to shoot +Jersey mosquitoes. I told him we were going on a trip and that I +couldn't say anything more about it. So he said he'd lend us the gun +only on condition that we tell him the story when we got back. I said we +would, if we could." + +"He's the best," Rick said. "But he knows we've done some hush-hush work +for the government, and don't forget he's an ex-Marine. He wouldn't +embarrass us by asking too many questions." + +Scotty nodded. "Wait until you see this rifle. A .45-90 is a regular +cannon. It'll knock down anything smaller than an elephant, and it'll +knock down one of those, if it hits the right spot." + +"That's just Zircon's size," Rick said, grinning. The scientist was a +huge man who towered over the rest of the staff. + + * * * * * + +Later, Zircon dominated the library as Steve issued final instructions. +The scientist's booming voice had phrased questions for an hour, until +even Steve looked weary. + +"This winds up what I have to say," he told them. "Mike should be back +with your tickets, passports, and letter of credit in another hour. I'll +go back to Washington and issue instructions via the State Department to +all of our ambassadors and consuls in the area. They'll know what's +happening and why you're there, but no one else on their staffs will. Go +in to see each one whose country you enter. Make a lot of noise. Insist +on seeing the chief. Hell know your names and he'll do everything he +can. Bradley is supposed to check in with each embassy or consulate in +the same way. They'll be your points of contact in case he shows up +again. File reports when you can. Hand them to the ambassador or consul +of the country and no one else." + +Steve stopped for a moment, then his warm grin flashed. "This is going +to be tougher than beating the Whispering Box gang. I know you'll come +back with the answers, but be sure you have whole skins when you do!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +Hong Kong + + +The four-engine transport had been letting down from its cruising +altitude for what seemed like an hour. Rick was watching through the +circular window for the first sign of land, and he was getting +impatient. + +The trip had been a long one. It seemed to Rick that he had been sitting +in a plane for most of his life, even though they had been gone from +Spindrift for less than four days. That was because they were making no +stop-overs. At San Francisco, Honolulu, Guam, and Manila they had +stopped only long enough to refuel, or to change planes. + +Scotty, in the seat next to Rick, was sound asleep. Zircon, across the +aisle, was engrossed in a book. + +Rick looked up as the stewardess walked past him. She smiled and pointed +through the window on the opposite side. He caught a glimpse of +mountainous country below. Then, in a few seconds, a small island passed +underneath on his own side. They were getting close to the ground now. +He estimated their altitude at less than two thousand feet. He poked +Scotty in the ribs. + +"Rise and shine, mighty hunter. We're getting ready to land." + +Scotty was wide awake instantly. "About time," he muttered. "Show me +this famous Hong Kong." + +"Can't yet," Rick replied. "But we've passed a couple of islands. Look, +there's another." + +They were dropping rapidly now. The big plane suddenly banked, leveled, +then banked again. As they rocked up, Rick looked down into a cove, +crowded with Chinese junks. The brief glimpse sent a thrill through him, +as new scenes always did. They were the first junks he had seen outside +of pictures. + +The plane banked again, the other way. Rick realized with a sudden +feeling of discomfort that they were actually weaving their way through +mountain peaks! He had heard that the approach to Hong Kong was crooked +as a corkscrew; now he knew the reports didn't exaggerate. + +Zircon was leaning across the aisle. He pointed to a strip of curved +beach. "Repulse Bay," he boomed. "We're almost in." The scientist had +been to the Far East before, and he knew Hong Kong. + +They were close to the top of abrupt hills. Rick saw a road curving +through the hills and valleys, then they were over water again, and the +water was dotted with modern ships as well as junks. The plane rocked +far over in a tight bank, and there was a howl as the flaps were +lowered. Rick and Scotty buckled safety belts and sat back as the plane +leveled off. + +In a few moments they were collecting their luggage and walking across a +concrete apron to the customs building. Inside, a Chinese clerk, under +the supervision of a British officer, gave their effects a cursory +glance, stamped their passports, and handed them police forms to fill +out. They did so as rapidly as possible, turned them in, and left the +customs room. Outside, they picked up the bags they had checked, gave +them to a Chinese coolie, who appeared from nowhere, and followed him to +a taxi. + +It was a small car of English make. Zircon looked at it with +disapproval. "Am I supposed to fit into that thing?" he demanded. + +Rick hid a grin. The car wasn't much bigger than the scientist. Zircon +squeezed in gingerly, Scotty behind him. Rick got into the front seat +with the driver. + +"Peninsular Hotel," Zircon directed. + +"Funny," Scotty said. "I never expected to find an airport on Hong Kong. +All the pictures I've seen of it show mountains. It doesn't look as +though there were room for an airport." + +"There isn't," Zircon said. "We're not on Hong Kong. This is Kowloon. +It's a peninsula jutting out from the mainland of China. However, it's a +part of the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong. We'll get to the island +itself, and to Victoria, which is the main city, by ferry-boat or +walla-walla." + +"What's that?" Rick asked curiously. + +"Local name for a water taxi," Zircon explained. + +The taxi was leaving the airport now, but there was nothing in sight at +the moment to show that this was the Orient. The modern buildings were +of stone, brick, and concrete, and the streets were wide and clean. As +they got closer to downtown Kowloon, however, Chinese predominated, with +only a sprinkling of what were evidently Englishmen. In a short time +they pulled up in front of the Peninsular, one of the world's famous +hotels. It was an imposing structure, the lobby as vast as an auditorium +but broken up by numerous pillars, potted plants, and dusty-looking +furniture. They registered and were shown to a very large and +comfortable room with a window that opened on a fire escape. + +As Zircon tipped the Chinese bearers, Rick asked them, "What time is +it?" + +The chief "boy" answered, "Maybe thlee time, sor," and closed the door. + +"About three?" Rick looked at Zircon and Scotty. "It's early. Let's get +started right away. I'd like to find out where and what the Golden Mouse +is." + +"Good idea," Zircon agreed. He tossed a suitcase on one of the three +beds in the big room. "Let's clean up and change quickly. We'll have +time to see the consul this afternoon, too. I doubt that the consulate +closes before five o'clock." + +In less than a half-hour the three of them were walking from the hotel +toward the water front. Zircon led the way. "We'll take the ferry," he +said. "It's very fast." + +The ferry slip was less than a three-minute walk from the hotel, but +when they started to get tickets, they remembered that changing money +had completely slipped their minds. A scholarly looking Chinese +gentleman saw their plight and spoke to Zircon in faultless English with +a distinct Oxford accent. + +"Perhaps I can be of service, sir? If you have an American dollar bill, +I can change it for you. You will need only a little money for tickets, +and there is a bank close by the ferry slip on the other side." + +"You're very kind," Zircon said. "We'll accept your offer, sir. I do +have a dollar bill, I believe." + +He found it and handed it to the Chinese, who counted out six Hong Kong +dollars and a few tiny paper bills that represented change. "The rate +today is six and a fraction to one," he explained. + +Rick and Scotty added their thanks to Zircon's. The Chinese bowed. "A +pleasure to have been of even such small service." He smiled and +continued on his way. + +"The Chinese are without a doubt the most polite of all the Eastern +peoples," Zircon said. He pushed a Hong Kong dollar through the ticket +window, got three tickets and some change in return. They pushed through +the gate and walked across the dock to the ferry. + +As they did so, Rick got his first look at Hong Kong. He stared, amazed, +his mental image of an oriental city vanishing like a burst bubble. + +Across the bay, a green mountain stretched like a jagged knife-edge +against the sky line. Here and there, far above the bay, were white +blocks, like granite chips, marking houses. Lower down, the city of +Victoria began. It was like marble slabs piled in an orderly array, +thinning out toward the upper side of the mountain. Down at sea level, +the buildings were thickly clustered. But they were modern buildings, +not a trace of the oriental in them. + +Between the ferry and Hong Kong, the bay was crowded with water traffic. +Junks with gay sails sped noiselessly between puffing little tugs. Great +deep-water freighters were anchored, lighters at their sides taking off +cargo. Slightly to one side, the sleek line of a British cruiser was +visible, and beyond it a trio of lean, wolfish destroyers. + +The ferry moved away from the pier and picked up speed. Rick and Scotty +watched the colorful panorama of vessels. Hong Kong was beautiful, Rick +thought. And it was clean, though cities of the Orient were +traditionally dirty. + +Nor was his first impression changed when they reached the opposite +shore. The ferry landed them before tall, concrete buildings that shaded +clean streets. A block away they stopped to watch a three-story trolley +pass by. + +"Good gosh, a skyscraper on wheels," Scotty exclaimed. + +And that was just the impression it gave. + +Zircon stopped to ask directions of a passing Englishman, then told the +boys, "The American Consulate is only a block away. Suppose we change +some money, then pay the consul a visit." + +Rick thought quickly. "We'll need money, but why do all of us have to go +see the consul? We could split up. Scotty and I could start locating the +Golden Mouse while you're talking to him." + +"He probably knows all about it," Zircon pointed out. "It must be a +prominent landmark, although I've never heard of it. Otherwise, Chahda +wouldn't have known about it." + +"Unless it was a place Bradley had told him about," Scotty said. + +"That's possible. At any rate, we've nothing to lose by separating for a +while. I'll go see the consul and find out what he knows. You two start +asking questions and I'll meet you in an hour right here ... no, better +still, since we'll want to eat here, I'll meet you in front of +Whiteaway-Laidlaw's Department Store. It's only a few blocks from here +and there's a good restaurant close by." + +Rick's memory rang a bell. "Isn't Whiteaway-Laidlaw in Bombay?" + +"Yes. But it's also here, and in most major English cities in the Far +East." The big scientist smiled. "I picked it because I was sure you'd +remember the name. I wasn't so sure you'd remember Huan Yuan See's +Restaurant." + +"You were right," Scotty replied with a grin. "Well, let's get going. I +see a bank across the street. We can get our money changed there." + +It took only a few moments to exchange some of their American currency +for Hong Kong dollars. The boys folded the bills, which like all English +paper money were bigger than American bills, and tucked them into their +wallets. Zircon started for the consulate with a wave of the hand and a +reminder that they would get together in an hour. + +"Now what?" Scotty asked. + +"Now we start asking questions," Rick told him. They had paused at the +entrance to the bank and the guard was standing near by. His turban and +neatly curled beard proclaimed him to be a Sikh, a member of the warrior +Indian caste that is scattered throughout the Far East. + +"We're looking for something called the Golden Mouse," Rick said. "Can +you tell us where it is?" + +The Sikh considered. Then he shook his head. "Not know of that one, sir. +Not hear." + +"Maybe one of the bank officers would know," Scotty suggested. They +stepped back inside the bank and approached a thin young Britisher who +wore tweeds in spite of the heat of the day. + +Rick put the question to him. The Englishman looked blank. "Golden +Mouse, you say? Dashed if I ever heard of it. Is it supposed to be a +tourist place do you know?" + +"We don't know," Rick answered. "We've no idea." + +The young man's face expanded in a pleased smile. "Don't suppose you'd +consider substituting a pink rabbit? We have a restaurant of that name. +Haw!" + +Rick hid a grin. "Very kind of you," he said. "I'm afraid my friend and +I are allergic to rabbit fur." + +With a perfectly straight face, Scotty added, "Haw!" + +The young Englishman shook with laughter. "You know, that's really very +good," he said. "Allergic to rabbit fur! Very good! I'm sorry, fellows, +but I'm afraid I can't help locate your Golden Mouse. Why not try a +bobby?" + +"Bobby sox or bobby pin?" Scotty asked. + +The bank officer's eyebrows went up, then he smiled. "Oh, I see what you +mean. No, it's not a joke this time. Bobby is what we call policemen. +You know?" + +"Thank you very much," Rick said. + +"Not a bit. By the way, I can make a few inquiries of the chaps who have +been here for some time. They may know. If you have no luck, drop back." +He offered his hand. "My name is Keaton-Yeats. Ronald Keaton-Yeats." + +Rick and Scotty offered their names in exchange. "We'll come back if we +can't locate it," Rick assured him. + +Outside, Scotty laughed. "Haw!" he said. + +Rick grinned. "That's the famous English sense of humor, I guess. He's a +good scout." + +Scotty nodded his agreement. "Funny thing about these English. They do +things that seem silly to us, like wearing tweeds in bathing-suit +weather and cracking bad jokes. But when the chips are down, they can +fight like wildcats." Suddenly he pointed. "There's a policeman." + +"Let's tackle him," Rick said, and led the way across the street. + +The officer was evidently a lieutenant or something of the sort, because +he had impressive-looking shoulder tabs on his uniform. As they came up, +he was inspecting the papers of a small, hard-bitten character who wore +greasy dungarees and a cap black with grease and grime. Evidently the +papers were in order, for he handed them back and said curtly, "All +right, my man. But remember we'll have no doings from you or your like +in Hong Kong. If you're smart, you'll stick close to your ship." + +The man muttered, "Aye aye, Orficer. That I will." He moved away. + +The officer was a tall, erect man with a cropped, gray military +mustache. He saw the two boys and nodded. "Can I help you, lads?" + +"Perhaps you can, sir," Rick said. "We're looking for something called +the Golden Mouse." + +The officer's eyes narrowed. "Are you now?" he inquired. "And what would +you want with the Golden Mouse, if I may inquire?" + +"We're to meet a friend there," Scotty said. + +The tone of the officer's voice told Rick that something was wrong. He +asked, "Is something wrong with the Golden Mouse? We don't even know +what it is." + +"A good thing for you not to know," the officer retorted. "You're +Americans?" + +"Yes, sir," Scotty said. + +"Then the Hong Kong force is responsible for seeing that you have a +pleasant and safe visit. I warn you. Keep away from the Golden Mouse." + +He turned on his heel and walked off. Rick and Scotty stared after his +retreating figure, and then at each other. + +"How about that?" Scotty wanted to know. + +Rick frowned. "There must be something fishy about this Golden Mouse. +From the way he talks, it's a place. I wonder what kind?" + +A cockney voice spoke from behind them. "Now, that's a thing I could +tell you lads, always providin' you was willin' to part with 'arf a quid +or so." + +It was the man the officer had warned to stick close to his ship. He +winked at them. "Come over 'ere where that blinkin' peeler cawn't see +us." He motioned to the shadow of a hallway. + +Inside, he grinned at them. "I 'eard the line o' garbage the copper was +'andin' you and I says, 'ere's a chance to do a bit o' fyvor fer a +couple o' rich Yanks. And, I says, likely they'll part with a few bob to +buy ol' Bert a bit o' tea." + +Rick pulled out a couple of Hong Kong dollars. "We'll pay you. Now tell +us what the Golden Mouse is, and where it is." + +Bert pocketed the notes. "As to what it is, it's a kind o' restaurant, +you might say. It 'as entertainment and food and drink, and you'll find +a few o' the lads there for company most any night. Aye, it's a fair +popular place, is the Golden Mouse." He grinned, and there was a gap +where his two front teeth should have been. "As to where it is, that's +not so easy to tell a pair what don't know 'ow to get around. But you +just get a couple rickshaws, and you say to the coolies to take you to +Canton Charlie's place. They know it, right enough." + +He spat expertly at a cockroach that scuttled past. "But take a tip from +ol' Bert and don't go. Stay clear o' Canton Charlie's." + +"Why?" Rick demanded. + +"Never you mind why. Just stay clear. Bert's warnin' you." + +"We want to know why," Scotty insisted. + +Bert grinned evilly. "Right-o. The lads wants to know, and Bert's an +obligin' gent. You go to Canton Charlie's and I'll make a bet, I will. +I'll bet you'll be outside again in 'arf an hour, or maybe less." + +His grin widened. "But will you know yer outside? Not you. And why? On +account of you'll be layin' in a ditch somewheres with yer throats cut. +That's why." + +He pushed past and left them standing in the doorway, staring at each +other. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +The Golden Mouse + + +Hobart Zircon listened to Rick's report on the boys' findings, then made +an abrupt change of plans. Instead of eating in Hong Kong, they took the +ferry back to the hotel and took from their suitcases the old clothes +each had brought to wear on the trail, and to give them the look of +experienced hunters. As Steve had pointed out, only amateurs go in for +fancy togs as a rule. The experienced prefer tough, ordinary clothes +like dungarees and denim shirts. + +As they unpacked, Scotty asked, "Is it safe to leave our rifles, and +Rick's camera and that scientific stuff you brought?" + +He referred to some delicate equipment packed in a special case that +Zircon had brought from the Spindrift lab for investigating the heavy +water they hoped to find. + +"Perfectly safe," Zircon assured him. "In reputable hotels of this sort, +the Chinese help is scrupulously honest. You could leave money lying +about and it would never be touched." + +He had already reported on his conversation with the consul general. +There had been no word from Bradley, although Steve's instructions to +co-operate with the Spindrift party had arrived. The American official +had promised to get in touch with them if Bradley turned up. He had +never heard of the Golden Mouse. + +"I think we had better try to get in touch with Chahda right away," the +scientist said. "So let's have a bite to eat here, then go have a look +at this Golden Mouse, or Canton Charlie's. From the description, I'd say +it is typical of a certain kind of place where toughs hang out. Each +city in the Orient has several. If we wear these old clothes, we'll be +less conspicuous." + +In a short time they were in Hong Kong again. Zircon hailed three +rickshaws and they got in. "Canton Charlie's," the scientist commanded. +"Chop chop." + +The rickshaw boys started off at a trot. The way led along the bay +shore, past wharves and piers, until they were out of the central part +of the city and moving into a section that was more as Rick had imagined +an oriental city to be. The streets were wide, but lined with +board-front buildings. The signs were all in Chinese, and usually +painted in gaudy colors. There were no Englishmen in sight now, nor did +they see any policemen. + +It was a long way. They had left their hotel in full daylight, but dusk +had settled before the coolies finally turned off the main road. They +went into a narrow street, then turned down another and still another. +With each turn the streets narrowed and the light grew dimmer. How had +Chahda heard of a place in such a poor quarter of the city? Rick +wondered. + +Presently the rickshaws drew up in a dismal corner of what was little +more than an alleyway. They were in front of a low wooden building with +windows that hadn't been cleaned in years. Above the double door was a +faded painting, illumined by a single electric light bulb. The painting +probably was supposed to represent a mouse. Once, long ago, it had +evidently been yellow. Now it was so glazed with grime that it was hard +to tell. + +Rick stepped down from his rickshaw, sniffing the combined odors of +garlic, pungent sauces, filth, and stale beer. Scotty joined him, and +they waited for the scientist to take the lead. + +Zircon handed some money to the coolies and ordered them to wait. Then +he motioned to the boys and led the way to the door. It opened on a +large room dimly lighted by faded Chinese lanterns that hung over +low-power bulbs. The walls were covered with a grimy paper of faded +yellow on which unskilled drawings of mice at play were clustered. The +floor was crowded with tables, each table covered with a +yellow-checkered tablecloth. So far as Rick could see, there wasn't a +clean cloth in the lot. + +In front of the room was a long bar of scarred teak-wood. Behind it were +row after row of ordinary ten-cent-store water tumblers. Rick guessed +Canton Charlie's clients weren't fussy about drinking from fine crystal. + +Next to one wall, a white man in rumpled, dirty dungarees was sleeping +with head down on the table. His snores were not musical. At one of the +tables near the opposite wall, a dark-skinned man in a seaman's woolen +cap sat paring his nails with a knife easily a foot long. + +Zircon motioned to the boys and they sat down at one of the tables. +"It's too early for many customers, I suppose. But someone in charge +must be here." He banged on the table, then lowered his voice. "How do +you like the customer over there? A Portuguese sailor, from the look of +him." + +In a moment dingy curtains parted next to the bar and a man emerged. At +a guess, he was Spanish. + +"Bet he's got a knife a foot long, too, under that apron," Scotty +whispered. "He's the type." + +Rick nodded. Scotty was so right! The man's heavy-lidded eyes were set +in a swarthy face whose most prominent feature was a broken nose, +flattened probably with some weapon like a hard-swung bottle. A white +scar across his chin indicated that it might have been a broken bottle. +He was medium tall, and he wore a cap that might have been white once. +An apron covered loose black Chinese shirt and trousers. Rick was glad +big Hobart Zircon was sitting next to him. + +The man walked to the table and greeted them in a surprisingly soft +voice in which there was an accent Rick couldn't identify. + +"You're a little early, gents. But I can take care of you. What'll you +have?" + +"Chahda," Zircon said flatly. + +The man's eyes narrowed. "You better have a drink and sit tight." + +"Why?" Zircon asked. + +"You'll see. What'll you drink?" + +Zircon ignored the question. "Who are you?" + +"Canton Charlie. What'll you drink?" + +"What have you got?" + +There was a ghost of a smile on the scarred face. "I'll fix you up." He +clapped his hands. An elderly Chinese in dirty whites shuffled out. +Canton Charlie spoke a few words of singsong Cantonese and the old man +nodded. + +"Sit tight," Charlie said again, and walked away. + +"Lot of fine, useful information we're getting out of this," Scotty +grumbled. "I wonder how long we'll have to sit in this flea bag?" + +"Hard to say," Zircon replied. "But Charlie seemed friendly enough." + +The old Chinese was shuffling across the floor with a tray that held +three tumblers of dark liquid. "Wonder what he's going to give us?" Rick +said. "Probably dragon blood." + +The Chinese put the glasses down in front of them and padded off again. +Scotty picked up his glass and sniffed, and a grin split his face. +"Dragon blood, huh? Ten thousand miles from home, in the worst dive in +Hong Kong, and what do we drink? Coke!" + +Rick laughed. "American civilization and the mysterious East. But it +suits me. Coke is probably the only thing in the house fit to drink." + +The Portuguese finished the drink that had been in front of him, gave +his nails a last inspection, stowed his knife in a leg sheath, and left. +He hadn't even looked at them. + +"He's probably gone to find a blowtorch to shave with," Zircon rumbled. +He motioned toward the door. "New customers coming." + +They were the first of many. Within a half-hour the room was filled with +a strange assortment. There were British, American, French, Dutch, +Portuguese, and Filipino sailors, and men of uncertain profession who +ranged in complexion from pure Chinese to pure black. Many were +Eurasians, and of the Eurasians, a large percentage were of mixed +Chinese and Portuguese blood. Zircon reminded the boys that the +Portuguese colony of Macao was only half an afternoon's boat trip south +of Hong Kong. + +By and large, Rick decided, Canton Charlie's customers were as tough a +looking bunch of pirates as he had ever seen. They applauded noisily by +banging glasses on the table as a disreputable lot of musicians appeared +and began to make the night hideous with what seemed to be a Chinese +version of a Strauss waltz. By this time, the room was so blue with +cigar and cigarette smoke and so noisy with coarse chatter in a +half-dozen tongues that it was hard to see or hear one's neighbor. + +Again Rick wondered. How had Chahda ever heard of this place? He sipped +on his third coke and leaned over toward Scotty and Zircon. "Wonder +what's keeping Canton Charlie?" + +Zircon shrugged expressively. "Can't do a thing but wait, Rick." + +Fortunately, the wait was not much longer. A Chinese shuffled past and +dropped a folded note on the table. Before they could question him, he +had made his way among the tables and was gone. + +Zircon picked up the note, glanced through it, and handed it to Scotty. +Rick read over his friend's shoulder. The note was scrawled in pencil, +as though written in haste. + +"_To find the one you want, go to the end of the Street of the Three +Blind Fishermen. Go to the junk with the purple sails._" + +"Let's get started," Rick said. He rose to his feet. Zircon tossed some +money on the table. The three of them made their way through the noisy +mob of rough-necks and out the door. Rick breathed deeply when they were +out in the narrow street again. + +"Even with the garlic, this air smells better than what we left inside," +Scotty said. "Why do you think Canton Charlie didn't deliver the message +himself?" + +"Maybe he's not mixed up in it," Rick suggested. "Maybe he just had +orders to let someone know when we showed up." + +"We'll soon know," Zircon predicted. + +As the three rickshaw coolies materialized from the darkness where they +had been waiting, the Americans climbed in. Zircon asked, "You know +street called Three Blind Fishermen?" + +One of the rickshaw boys nodded. "Not far. We go?" + +"Yes." + +The rickshaws lurched forward. + + * * * * * + +Inside the Golden Mouse, Canton Charlie started for the table where the +three had been waiting. He stopped short as he saw they were no longer +there, turned on his heel, and hurried into an inner room. He spoke +quick words to a slim Chinese-Portuguese half-caste who immediately +hurried out the back door. Once in the open, the slim man ran as though +devils were after him. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +The Junk with Purple Sails + + +For perhaps ten minutes Rick, Scotty, and Zircon sat in the rickshaws +while the coolies pulled them through dark streets with no more noise +than the occasional creaking of a wheel or the slapping of bare feet on +the pavement. + +There were houses on both sides of the streets, but only now and then +did a light show through the impenetrable darkness. Rick finally sensed +that they were near the water by a feeling of greater space around him +rather than by anything he could see. A moment later he heard the +lapping of water against a pier. + +He was tense with excitement now. The first part of the journey was +coming to an end. In a few minutes they would be hearing Chahda's story. + +The rickshaws drew to a stop and the coolies dropped the shafts so their +passengers could climb out. The coolie who spoke the best English asked, +hesitantly, "You pay now, sor? We no wait here, yes?" + +"Very well." Zircon paid the boys' fare and his own. "I don't suppose +there's any reason to have them wait, since this is our destination. +Chahda's friends doubtless will provide a ride for the return journey." + +"I don't like this," Scotty whispered. "There's something funny about +the whole business. I feel it." + +"Where's the junk?" Rick demanded softly. "I can't see a thing." + +"We'll wait for a bit," Zircon said quietly. "And we'll be on our guard, +just in case Scotty's intuition is right." + +They waited quietly, leaning against what seemed to be a warehouse, for +what felt like five minutes but was probably only two. Then Rick heard +the mutter of voices and the splash of something moving in the water. +The sounds were followed by a bumping and scraping against the pier that +jutted into the water. + +"Be ready," Zircon commanded in a whisper. + +As he said it, a bull's-eye lantern made circles in the night, outlining +the high stern and bow of a junk. The lantern swung upward, revealing +the junk's sails. They were purple. + +Zircon led the way down the pier to the junk. "Chahda?" he called +softly. + +An accented voice answered, "Come aboard." The lantern played on the +pier's edge to guide them. Following its light, they jumped from the +pier into the litter of rope, boxes, and gear in the middle of the +uneven deck. The stench that smote their nostrils was terrible. Probably +the vessel hadn't been cleaned since it was built. Rick coughed from the +foul odor and then raised his voice. "Chahda? Where are you?" + +From somewhere the same accented voice replied, "We take you to him. Sit +down and wait." + +Rick turned in the direction from which the voice had come. He guessed +that the speaker was in the stern, although it was hard to tell which +was which. Then he saw a few lights along the shore change position and +knew they were moving. + +For no reason, he had a sudden impulse to jump back on the pier. He took +Scotty's arm. "We're moving!" + +"I know it. And I don't like it." Scotty's voice sounded grim. + +Zircon, a huge bulk in the darkness, leaned close to them. His usually +booming voice was barely audible. "Stand back to back, the three of us +making a triangle. Then feel around on deck and try to find something to +use as a club. I agree with Scotty. Something is very fishy here. If +Chahda's anywhere within reach, he could have come himself. He wouldn't +just send someone." + +The boys whispered agreement. They turned, so that Rick felt Scotty's +arm on his left side and Zircon's on his right. He stooped and pawed +through the clutter on the deck. His groping hand found a slender piece +of wood that he rejected at first. Then, when he failed to find anything +else, he groped around and found it again. At best, it was a poor +weapon. + +They settled down to wait. The junk was just barely making headway, and +as they stood waiting, their vision cleared a little. Or perhaps distant +lights on the shore provided faint illumination. Rick could make out two +men poling the junk from the stern. + +Far out on the water came the sound of a fast-moving craft of some sort, +then a searchlight probed the water briefly. From aft came a muttered +exclamation, then rapid orders in liquid Cantonese. + +Scotty's elbow dug into Rick's back. "They're coming," he said tensely. + +Dark figures hurtled at the three. + +A flying body slammed into Rick, smashing him to the deck. He lost his +stick, but struck out with his fists. He heard Zircon roar like a +wounded bull. + +Rick fought valiantly. Two men were on him, struggling to tie him with +lengths of rope. Once he felt the rope pulled across his cheek, leaving +a burning sensation. He sensed rather than heard the crashing and +shouting around him. Then he wriggled out from under his assailants and +staggered to his feet. Instantly one of the men was upon him again. + +"Fall flat!" Zircon bellowed. + +Rick did so, on the instant. There was the sound as of a baseball bat +smacking a steer and for an instant the deck was miraculously clear. +Zircon had found a piece of two-by-four lumber about eight feet long, +and he was swinging it like a flail. + +The accented voice called, "Drop it or we shoot!" + +A figure swung upright next to Rick and threw something. There was a +grunt and a crash as the man who had called went down. + +"Got him," Scotty said with satisfaction. + +A voice rattled orders in Cantonese. The polers from the stern advanced, +their long poles held out like lances. Zircon was their target. + +Scotty whispered, "Let 'em get close. You take the left and I'll take +the right. Go under the poles." + +For a heartbeat there was quiet. Rick divined the strategy. The polemen +would lunge at Zircon, then the rest would leap. He didn't know how many +there were of the enemy. He thought there must be at least seven. He +flattened out, eyes on the left poleman, ready to spring. The poles came +nearer, one was over him. + +"Now," Scotty hissed. + +Rick went forward, scrambling, legs driving. It was football, but +easier. His shoulder caught the poleman in the stomach, and he lifted. +The man went flying. Next to him he heard a dull thud, then he saw +Scotty stand up, looming large in the darkness. + +But the rest of the crew had charged. For a moment Zircon's lumber +wreaked havoc, then he struck a part of the junk and the two-by-four +splintered. He let out a yell of rage and flung himself on the nearest +man, lifted him bodily and threw him at the others. + +Yellow light pierced the darkness from the direction of the shore. A +voice screamed, "Yanks! Over the side! Swim here!" + +"Get going," Zircon howled. "I'll cover you!" + +Rick took heart. He ran to the side and jumped feet first. Scotty came +within a hair of landing on top of him. From overhead came cries of +rage, then another bellow from Zircon. In the next instant the scientist +plunged into the water with them. + +"Swim for it," he commanded. He rose high out of the water and yelled, +"Out with those lights!" + +The automobile lights that had illumined the scene blinked out. The +voice called back, "Hurry! The junk is putting about!" + +Rick was swimming at his best speed, head down in a powerful crawl, but +he took time to look back over his shoulder. The junk was turning! He +knew with despair that it could run them down easily. The shore was a +long distance away. "Spread out," he called. "Then they can't get all of +us." He put his head down and cut through the water like a fish. If only +there were time to undress! But he didn't dare pause even long enough to +untie his shoes. + +The swim was a nightmare. Every few moments the auto lights blinked +briefly as their unknown friend gave them a course to steer by. Rick +looked back once and the junk had straightened out and was gaining on +them. He redoubled his efforts. Scotty was even with him, but Zircon was +pulling ahead. + +He heard voices close behind and cast a glance back. The junk with the +purple sails was perilously close. He drew new strength from somewhere +and forged ahead. + +The swimmers had closed the distance rapidly. The next time the lights +blinked Rick could make out two figures standing next to the car. He +could hear the creaking of gear on the junk and the grunts of the +polemen, and the sounds were close! He lifted his voice in a cry for +help. "They're on top of us!" + +The car lights blinked on, and held the junk in their glare. A gun fired +once from the shore. Rick saw the orange spurt. Then he heard a cry from +almost overhead and the junk veered sharply. + +"Angle right," Scotty called, and Rick saw that they were almost at the +tip of the pier. He put on a last spurt, caught a pile, and pulled +himself up by its lashings. In a moment all three of them were running +down the pier toward the waiting car. + +The lights came on and a British voice called, "In the car. Hurry!" + +"It's the bank clerk!" Scotty gasped. + +It was. Ronald Keaton-Yeats ran to meet them. "Do hurry!" he exclaimed. +"We think someone from this end has gone for reinforcements for your +friends yonder." The three followed him to the car, a touring sedan of +British make. Rick sensed that someone was behind him and started to +turn, but a soft voice whispered in his ear. + +"Keep looking ahead. Get to your hotel and wait there for a phone call." + +They piled into the car, wet clothes and all. Keaton-Yeats ran around to +the driver's seat, then stopped. "I say! Where did that other chap go +to?" + +"What other?" Zircon asked. + +"A Eurasian. He's the one who led me here, and who fired that shot. +Dashed uncivilized, but I guess it saved your bacon, rather. No matter. +He's vanished and that's an end to it." The young Englishman had been +peering into the shadows. "We'll hie on our merry way and leave him to +his own devices." + +Rick started to mention the message that had been whispered in his ear, +then decided not to, although he couldn't have explained why. + +The car roared into life. Keaton-Yeats spun the wheel and they raced up +the street, the buildings magnifying the sound of their passing into +thunder. Not until they were on the main street was there quiet enough +for conversation, then Zircon demanded, "Would you mind giving us an +explanation? Naturally, we're interested." + +"Rather!" Keaton-Yeats said. "I met Brant and Scott this afternoon when +they inquired from me the way to a Golden Mouse. I'd never heard of the +creature, as I told them, and they rejected my offer of some other sort +of animal. Haw! But after they had gone, I made inquiries. I learned +that this Golden Mouse was a dive of the most unsavory character." + +He steered around a group of rickshaws and Rick clutched the back of the +front seat. He was having a fine case of jitters, because the Englishman +was driving on what appeared to Rick to be the wrong side of the road. +Even when he realized that left-hand driving was the rule in Hong Kong, +dodging cars on the wrong side left him rattled! + +"I worried a bit," Keaton-Yeats went on. "Even made a phone call or two. +Discovered Brant and Scott were registered at the Peninsular Hotel. But +by the time I phoned there, they had gone out. Having no engagements, I +decided to look up this Golden Mouse place and at least add another soul +to the party for safety's sake, so to speak. However, I never got in, +for just as I turned into the proper alley, after a bit of searching, +this Eurasian chap jumped on my running board. He asked did I care to +help out three Americans who were in trouble. I assured him that it +would be a pleasure, but I was already committed to two Americans, in a +manner of speaking. He demanded names. I gave him the two I knew. He +said you were mixed up in this affair in which he was taking a hand. I +told him to get aboard and he did so. We tore around odd streets for +some time. My nose is insulted from the things I've smelled tonight, I +assure you. We were about to throw in our cards, then, as luck would +have it, we spotted three rickshaw coolies, and blessed if they didn't +turn out to be yours. We sped down that Blind Fisherman Street just in +time to hear the most infernal commotion out in the bay. The rest you +know." + +There was no adequate way of thanking Keaton-Yeats. Without his kindly +interest in two strangers, they would doubtless have lost their lives. +But when they told him as much, he laughed it off. + +"Oh, I'm sure that's overdoing it a bit. What that crew was probably +after was a bit of ransom. Pirates are still something of a problem +around here, you know. We've had regular ocean-going craft picked off by +them and held. I've enjoyed it immensely, and if thanks are due, I'll +give them to you. Life was getting to be a bit of a bore." + +And that settled it, so far as Keaton-Yeats was concerned. He drove them +to the Kowloon ferry, but suggested that they take a walla-walla in view +of their disreputable appearance. As they shook hands all around, he +said, "Oddest thing. To me, the most curious business was that chap who +watched us. Not the Eurasian. Another one. It was because of him that we +suspected new recruits for our pirate friends were on the way." + +"What did he look like?" Rick asked. + +"Can't say. We never did see his face. Or any of him, for that matter. +Somewhere up the alley was an open door, and he was standing in it, +against the light. At least I believe that was the case, for all we saw +was his shadow. A most unusual shadow, at that. It was so long and thin +that it looked like a pole with a head and limbs. Our Eurasian friend +was a bit disturbed by it, too, for he mumbled something about blowing +the creature's head off if he stepped out of his doorway." + +"But you didn't see anything except the shadow?" Scotty asked. + +"Not a blessed thing. There was just that form, outlined in light, +stretching clear across the alley. It was uncanny, because to cast a +shadow such as that the bloke must have been ten feet high and no +thicker than a pencil!" + +They had found the Golden Mouse. Now another bit of Chahda's cable had +come to life. Rick's lips formed the words. + +"Long Shadow!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +Long Shadow + + +"Wheels within wheels and all of them turning merrily," Zircon said. "I +am absolutely appalled at how little we know of what is going on." + +The three of them, refreshed by showers, were in the hotel dining room +having a late snack. + +"Anyway, we have friends working for us," Scotty pointed out. "I think +our British pal did just as he said. He found out that the Golden Mouse +was not the sort of place for a couple of American tourists and decided +to go there in case we needed help." + +Rick agreed. "And thank heaven he did. But I have a couple of questions, +besides the biggest one of all." + +"The biggest one being: Where is Chahda?" Scotty added. + +"Right. Also, I want to know why that motorboat appearing on the scene +and flashing a searchlight made the junk gang jump us." + +"I'm only speculating," Zircon replied, "but mightn't that have been a +police boat on regular patrol? The junk gang would know it, I presume, +and they might decide to get us tied up and under cover, just in case +the police came too close." + +"That's reasonable," Rick agreed. "We'll probably never know for sure, +and that's as good an answer as any. Now, my next question is: Who was +the Eurasian who got together with Keaton-Yeats?" + +"You don't suppose it was Chahda?" Scotty suggested. + +"Couldn't have been," Zircon replied. "Chahda wouldn't have faded away +as soon as we got to shore. I can't imagine who the stranger was, except +that he apparently was a friend. Also, I think it's clear that Canton +Charlie certainly is not a friend, since our asking for Chahda resulted +in our being kidnaped, or close to it." + +Rick nodded. "Clear as air. Anyway, Bert's prediction was wrong. We +didn't get our throats cut in Charlie's." + +"He could have been only too right," Scotty reminded. "If we had gone +there alone and hung around until the mob got wilder, it could have +happened. What a wonderful crew of cutthroats! And they were on the way +to getting set for a few fights among themselves when we left." + +Rick glanced at big Hobart Zircon. "Having the professor along probably +helped, too. Even the toughest thug would think twice before tackling +him." + +Zircon chuckled. "I must admit I've found it some advantage to be so +sizable. What do you boys think of this strange shadow?" + +"Strange is right." Rick stifled a yawn. "Keaton-Yeats thought he was +unfriendly, and so did the Eurasian. But he didn't do anything very +unfriendly, I guess. He just stood in a doorway." + +"Chahda's cable said to beware of the long shadow," Scotty remembered. + +"Which is a good reason to think that the man who cast the shadow is an +enemy who now knows of our presence in Hong Kong," Zircon added. He +glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. If the phone call our unknown +friend mentioned to Rick doesn't come soon, it'll find me asleep when it +does." + +"Same here," Rick agreed. "Let's go up to bed." + +Zircon paid the check and they took the elevator. As they walked down +the long corridor to their room, Scotty scratched his head. "Mighty +funny how everything was arranged for us at Canton Charlie's, wasn't it? +We drop in, ask for Chahda, wait a while, get a note, and walk right +into the arms of a reception committee. That's mighty good +organization." + +"They had plenty of time to get the junk ready for us," Rick pointed +out. "We sat in Charlie's and cooled our heels for a long while." + +"We should have had knives a foot long." Zircon smiled. "Then we could +have given ourselves a manicure, like the Portuguese who left right +after we arrived." He put his key in the lock and pushed the door open. + +Rick had a confused impression of wild sounds, then something crashed +into him and he landed flat on his back. As he scrambled to his feet, +plaster showered down on him, and his ear separated the sounds. From +within their room, a voice screamed, "Watch out! Take cover!" There was +a blurred racket, as though a giant was running a stick along a monster +picket fence at jet speed. Scotty was yelling something and Zircon was +bellowing with rage. Then the thunderous stitching noise stopped. + +All three of them started into the room at the same time, and Rick +reached the door first. It was dark in the room, but in the faint light +from the hallway he saw two figures struggling. He acted without +thought. On a dresser just inside the door he had left a big flashlight. +He grabbed it, jumped into the fray, and brought it down on the head of +the man on top. The man slumped. + +With a catlike twist the man who had been underneath wriggled free. Rick +started to say, "What's going..." Then an open hand drove into his face +and pushed him backward into Scotty and Zircon. The three of them fought +for balance as Rick's assailant ran to the window, leaped out on to the +fire escape, and was gone. + +Scotty snapped on the light just as the man Rick had slugged staggered +to his feet, blinking. He was of medium height, with a thin, dark face. +He was dressed like a seaman, and apparently he was a Eurasian. Black +eyes blazed at the three of them. + +"Shut that blasted door! And bolt it!" the man commanded. + +Zircon bellowed, "Don't be giving us orders! Explain..." + +"I'm Carl Bradley," the man said. + +Rick swallowed. Of the two men in the room, he had lowered the boom on +the wrong one! + +Scotty shut the door and threw the bolt. + +"I've got to talk fast," Bradley said. "The hotel people will be up here +in a few seconds and I don't want them to find me. It would mean too +many explanations, and the police would want a statement I'd rather not +have to give." + +He straddled a chair. "I suppose you've guessed that I was the Eurasian +with the young Englishman. It was just luck I picked him up, and more +luck that we found your rickshaw coolies. Long Shadow's men had you, and +Long Shadow was watching. That's why I faded when you got ashore. I +intended following him, for once, instead of being followed myself. +About the only thing I don't know about him is his secret headquarters. +I didn't think I'd be able to get here, so I whispered to one of you +that I'd phone. Well, Long Shadow led me here, up the fire escape. We +came by a rather roundabout route, stopping while he ate. I suspected it +was your room, but I didn't know for sure. He came in. I crouched on the +fire escape. Didn't know what would happen, of course. Then we heard +voices. I say we--he didn't know I was here, of course. He hauled a +Schmeisser machine pistol from under his coat and slipped a clip in. +There was just enough light for me to see the outline. It's +distinctive." + +A queer little shudder zipped down Rick's spine. A Schmeisser! It was +the pistol known as the "burp gun," that sprayed slugs like a hose. No +wonder he hadn't recognized the sound! He kept his eyes on Bradley, +intent on what the slender JANIG man had to say. + +"I yelled out a warning," Bradley went on, "and jumped through the +window at him. Didn't dare take time to draw my gun. I kept yelling, +hoping one of you would give me a hand. He's wiry as a thuggee bandit. +Only I got a lump on the head instead." + +"I'm sorry," Rick muttered. + +"The damage is done and he's gone. Now I'll have to locate him again, if +I can. Meanwhile, write this down. Quickly. I think I hear voices coming +down the hall." + +Scotty whipped a pencil and an envelope from an inside pocket. + +"See the consul general. I've talked with him. He will give you a rubber +boat and a Nansen bottle I've picked up. Outfit for the trail, and have +plenty of weapons. Fly to Chungking and check in with the consul there. +Ask him to give you a reliable guide. You're going to Korse Lenken. +That's in Tibet." He spelled the name. "Chahda has gone on ahead. I'll +follow. That's where the heavy water is coming from, I'm pretty sure. +Chahda will check up. You can help him, then make tests to be sure it's +really heavy water. Maybe you can do something about the source of the +stuff. You'll have to see when you get there. I've got part of the story +about what's being done with the water, but not all of it." + +There definitely were voices outside now. The burp gun had brought the +hotel people. In a moment there was a hammering on the door. + +Bradley walked to the window. "You can let them in after I've gone. Any +questions? Quickly!" + +"What's the Nansen bottle for?" Zircon demanded. + +"I don't know. I only know that Long Shadow bought five of them." +Bradley threw a leg over the window sill and grinned at them. "Leave me +out of any story you tell. I need a free hand for the next few days. And +the less the police know about me the better for all of us." He +hesitated as the pounding on the door grew louder, then a key grated in +the lock. "I can tell you this," he said softly. "You can forget about +an industrial plant. This is something else we're up against." + +Then he was gone. + +"Open the door," Zircon said. For the first time, Rick saw that the big +scientist gripped his right arm just below the elbow, a red, sodden +handkerchief balled in his left hand. + +"You're wounded!" He jumped to the scientist's side. + +"A scratch," Zircon said. "But it saved our lives. Tell you about it +later. Open up, Scotty." + +Scotty threw the door open and the English night clerk, three Chinese +policemen, and half a dozen coolies piled in. + +"What's going on here?" the clerk demanded. "What happened?" + +"Nothing serious," Zircon said calmly. "There was evidently a bandit in +our room. We opened the door and he fired with his submachine gun. Then, +when he saw he hadn't killed us, he fled." + +It wasn't a very convincing story. Rick saw suspicion in the faces of +the hotel people. He threw in his nickel's worth. "What kept you so +long? We've been trying to phone." He had a hunch the switchboard coolie +was one of those in the room. Probably everyone on duty had raced up. + +"We heard nothing downstairs," the night clerk said. "The floor coolie +came down to get us. He took his time about it. Why was your door +locked?" + +Zircon tried hard to look sheepish. "I guess we must have bolted it in +the confusion. Then, when you knocked, we tried to open it. It was a few +seconds before we realized the bolt had been thrown and the door +couldn't be opened unless the bolt was withdrawn. And the confounded +thing stuck." + +"Why didn't you yell?" one of the policemen demanded. + +"Possibly you were yelling so loud yourselves you didn't hear us," +Zircon said mildly. "You were making considerable noise." + +The clerk frowned. "The manager will have to hear about this," he +stated. "I doubt that he will believe your story. You may even be asked +to pay damages." + +Zircon drew himself up to his full height. "The day we pay damages for +the privilege of being shot at in this disreputable dive you fatuously +call a hotel will be the day Hong Kong sinks beneath the sea like +Atlantis. Now have the goodness to clear out and let us get some sleep." + +The clerk's face was scarlet. Rick tried to hide a grin. + +"You'll have to make a formal statement to the police," the clerk +snapped. + +"In the morning," Zircon said. "In the morning we intend to see the +American consul. You will hear more about this incident than you expect, +my dear sir. Now clear out. We need our sleep. This has been most +unsettling." + +One of the policemen pointed to Zircon's bloodstained sleeve. "But you +need medical attention, sir." + +"I happen to be a doctor," Zircon said. That was true enough, but he was +a doctor of science, not of medicine. + +"You expect to treat yourself?" the clerk asked incredulously. + +"Nothing to it," Zircon boomed. "A trifle. Why, once, when hunting in +Africa, I had my back clawed by a lion. I stitched the wounds up +myself." + +The clerk was on the verge of a stroke. "You couldn't treat your own +back," he almost screamed. "Impossible! How could you?" + +"He turned around so he could see what he was doing," Scotty said. "Good +night, all." He shepherded them through the door and closed it. + +For a moment there was excited conversation from outside, then the +clerk, the policemen, and the coolies retreated down the hall. + +"They'll be back," Zircon said wearily, "but not before morning, I +hope." + +Rick looked at Scotty. "He turned around so he could see what he was +doing," he repeated. "My sainted aunt!" + +"Sewed up his own back," Scotty gibed. "Professor! You told that nice +man a fib!" + +"Great big juicy fib," Zircon said gravely. "Do I wash out my mouth with +soap or do I get a medal?" + +"Medal," the boys said, and laughed heartily. + +"Whatever got into you?" Rick asked the scientist. + +Zircon stripped off his coat and rolled up his sleeve. "He was so +pompous and so serious that I just couldn't resist. Besides, if I had +been serious, we never would have gotten rid of them. Here, Rick. I'll +need antiseptic and a gauze compress for this." + +The boys looked at the wound. As Zircon had said, it was trivial. The +slug had made a neat furrow across the surface of the skin, just deep +enough to cause a good flow of blood. The wound already was clotting. + +As Rick bandaged the scientist's brawny arm, Zircon said, "I recoiled +instinctively when Bradley yelled. But not far enough. One slug just +nicked me. But those heavy caliber weapons, like our service .45, will +knock a man down anywhere they hit him. This one spun me around and I +piled into you two. I think that is what saved us all." + +"I didn't know what was happening," Rick said. + +"Neither did I," Scotty agreed. "I've seen Schmeissers before, but I've +never heard one fired until now." + +"And let us hope we don't have to hear it again," Zircon added. When +Rick finished bandaging his arm, the professor went to a suitcase and +opened it, drawing out a folded map. "I'm curious about Korse Lenken," +he said. "It's a new name to me. This map covers China and a part of +Tibet. We may find it." + +After a long search, Scotty whistled. "Here it is. And look where it +is!" + +Korse Lenken was a tiny dot in the vastness of the mountains just beyond +the Chinese border at about 95° east longitude and 32° north latitude. +No other town was noted on the map in the area, but high mountains were, +and so were rivers. And Chahda was there, alone! At least Bradley had +not mentioned any companion who traveled with the Hindu boy. + +"We'll need to outfit completely," Zircon said. "Food, warm clothing, +sleeping bags, and all the rest. And we'll need a rifle for Rick. We can +get American rifles here. Also, I think we had better put in a small +supply of ammunition beyond what we brought." + +For a short while they speculated on the trip, and on the many things +Bradley had left unsaid. It was unfortunate that they couldn't have had +a few moments longer. But Rick could see that his presence in the room +would have needed explaining, since he hadn't traveled up on the +elevator. It was better for him to disappear. + +Before getting into bed, they went to the door and opened it. Across the +hall, Long Shadow's burp gun had made a fine mess. Plaster hung in +patches and the laths behind were broken and splintered. Fortunately, +the room opposite was a storage closet, so no one else had been in the +line of fire. Rick looked at the dozens of holes and shook his head. + +"If we'd been right in the doorway," he said, "we would now be so full +of holes they could use us for mosquito netting--if the holes weren't so +big." He looked at the other two and added, "I'm beginning to think Long +Shadow doesn't like us." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +The Trail to Korse Lenken + + +Sing Lam-chiong dug heels into the flanks of his mule and trotted back +to where Zircon, Scotty, and Rick were jogging along on their respective +mounts. + +"Good place to make lunch, in about ten minutes." + +"Fine, Sing," Zircon said. "We could use lunch." The scientist looked +down with distaste at his horse, a big hammerheaded black with the lines +of a plow beast. "This creature is about as comfortable as a wooden +sled." + +Rick sympathized. His own nag, a pin-eared Chinese pony of a peculiar +mouse-gray color, had no particular gait. He just waddled along, swaying +from side to side and making his rider saddle sore. + +Sing saluted and went back to the head of the column, which was made up +of pack mules, each led by a Chinese bearer. There were four of the pack +animals, each laden with the party's gear. + +"He certainly knows this trail," Scotty commented. + +"A good thing," Rick said. "The camping places are few and far between. +I wish Korse Lenken were nearer." + +The party was ten days out of Hong Kong, high in the mountain ranges +that formed the backbone of south Asia. Since leaving the more civilized +part of China they had trekked through alternate valleys and mountain +passes, making good time in the valleys, but slowing to a snail's pace +in the mountains. Sometimes the trail was wide enough for the three of +them to ride abreast. Sometimes it clung to the mountainside with +scarcely room for a single horse or mule. But Sing, leading the way, had +a knack of picking the easiest route. + +The Chinese guide was a gift from heaven. The Spindrifters had checked +in at the American Consulate at Chungking, as Bradley had instructed +them, and the consul had offered the loan of one of his own staff. Sing, +normally a clerk at the consulate, had been born and brought up in the +western reaches of outer Sinkiang Province, and he knew the area from +wide travels with his father, a Chinese border police officer. Although +he had never been to Korse Lenken, he had been close to it. + +In a short while Sing called out in Chinese to the bearers and they +followed him into a sort of pocket in the mountainside. Scotty, who was +slightly ahead of Rick and Zircon, turned. "We've got company for lunch. +There's another party already here." + +In a moment the three Americans were greeting a portly Chinese who rose +to greet them. + +"Howdy, Mr. Ko," Rick said cordially. "We were wondering when we would +catch up with you again." + +Worthington Ko smiled and bowed. "We will doubtless meet many times +until our paths separate. Please dismount and join me. My bearers have a +good cooking fire you are welcome to use." + +Ko was a textile merchant they had overtaken on the trail a short +distance out of Chungking. Since then the two parties had passed and +repassed each other several times. Ko had three mules, in addition to +the one he rode, and two bearers. The mules carried only light packs. On +the return trip, he had told them, they would be laden with Tibetan +textiles. He was heading for the famous monastery of Rangan Lo to buy +embroidery from the Buddhist monks. Eventually, the embroidery would +find a market in Europe. + +The three Spindrifters got down stiffly from their horses and found +seats among the rocks next to the merchant. He smiled sympathetically. +"You are stiff? These trails are very poor and one must travel them many +times before one gets used to them." He took off his thick, horn-rimmed +glasses and polished them on a scrap of silk. "After twenty years of it, +I still find myself bent with weariness at the end of the day." + +Sing busied himself with getting food ready. The Spindrift bearers +unpacked utensils and their own rations of rice and dried meat. + +Ko rose from his rocky seat and rearranged the long, flowing silk coat +he wore. "I must be off. With your permission, I will proceed slowly, +however, so that you will overtake me before nightfall." + +"Of course," Zircon said. "But may I ask why?" + +Ko's nearsighted eyes peered at the rifles carried in saddle sheaths on +each of the three horses, and at Sing's shotgun. "I hope to take +advantage of your weapons," he explained. "By nightfall we should reach +Llhan Huang, which is a sort of crossroad. It marks the start of the +Lenken country. The Lenkens are unlikely to attack a well-armed party of +eight. But they delight in robbing a small party such as mine. For that +reason, I usually manage to find a larger group to which to attach +myself when entering the Llhan region." He smiled. "The armament you +carry for hunting bharals will serve admirably to keep the Lenkens at a +distance." + +The Spindrift party had been warned that the tribe known as Lenkens were +dangerous to travelers. + +"We'll be delighted to have you join us," Zircon assured him. + +Rick was about to suggest that the portly Chinese merchant wait until +after the Spindrifters had eaten so they could all travel together, but +he thought better of it. Ko had been cordial, but he had shown little +interest in the American "hunting" party and Rick thought he probably +preferred to travel at his own speed and in his own way. + +Sing called that lunch was ready and they took mess kits to the fire and +loaded them up with rice covered with a savory sauce, canned beef, and +hot, crisp water chestnuts. As Rick sighed with gratitude over the first +tasty mouthful, Scotty looked at the vanishing Ko party and mused, +"Wonder how come he speaks English so perfectly?" + +Sing overheard. He grinned. "No reason for surprise. Many Chinese are +educated in American and English colleges both in China and in other +countries. Like myself. I am a graduate of Oberlin." + +"Guess that's right," Scotty admitted. + +"Worthington is a rather strange name for a Chinese, Sing," Rick +remarked. + +The guide nodded. "It is. But I don't think it is his real one. Many +Chinese take western first names, especially those who trade with +westerners. That is because our own names are often too hard to say or +remember." + +"Have you ever met Ko before?" Zircon asked. "Since you've traveled +widely in this region, I thought you might have come across him before." + +"I don't think so," Sing replied. "But this is a very big country and +there are many travelers like him." + +Sing was certainly right in saying that there were many travelers, +although the merchants like Ko were a minority. There were families of +Tibetans walking along the trail, laden with their possessions, heading +for goodness knew where. There were groups of horsemen, dressed in the +quilted clothes of the mountain country and with peaked felt hats. Such +men usually were armed with old-fashioned muskets and carried forked +rests in which to lay the musket barrels for support while firing. There +were parties of Chinese, sometimes on foot and sometimes with trains of +mules or yaks, the oxlike Tibetan beasts of burden. + +Frequently, especially in valley country, small villages lay near the +trail. Often there were herders with their large flocks of sheep. + +Although the trail slanted up and down, from valley to mountain pass and +back down again, the way led constantly higher toward the white-capped +peaks that have been called "The Backbone of the World." Beyond them, +many hundreds of miles away, lay Nepal and India. + +It was always cool now, and the Americans and Sing wore windbreakers and +woolen sweaters. The bearers donned padded long coats. At night, the +sleeping bags were comfortable; without them the Americans would have +been chilled through and through. + +"Make a guess, Sing," Rick requested. "How many more days to Korse +Lenken?" + +Sing counted on his fingers. "With fortune, maybe we'll get there late +day after tomorrow. Depends on the trails." + +Zircon sipped steaming tea standing up. He was too saddle sore to sit +down. "Where do we camp tonight?" + +"A mile or two past Llhan Huang. I know a good water supply there." + +The bearers were standing around waiting patiently, already finished +with cleaning up and packing, except for the Americans' teacups. They +downed the last swallows of tea and handed the cups to Sing, then swung +into the saddle again. + +"I hope Sing is right about getting there day after tomorrow," Rick said +as he shifted uncomfortably in the "chafing seat," as he called it. +"This hay-burner is no luxury liner." + +"Ditto," Scotty agreed. "Besides, I'm anxious to see Chahda." + +Hobart Zircon nodded. "I hope whatever we find is worth the discomfort +of this trip." He grinned. "At any rate, it's a new experience for all +of us." + +"I don't think I'll thank Bradley for it, though," Rick added. "Well, +let's get moving." + +He dug his heels into the pony's flanks and moved into position behind +Sing. Scotty and Zircon fell back to bring up the rear. Although they +were reasonably sure no one would attack them, Zircon felt it was best +to have a rear guard and they had taken turns at the end of the column. + +In spite of saddle soreness, Rick looked at the view with appreciation +as the trail suddenly topped a rise. Far below spread a lush valley. +Beyond were the last peaks they would have to cross before they came to +Korse Lenken. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +The Ambush at Llhan Huang + + +It was late afternoon before the Spindrift caravan left the rocks of the +mountain pass and reached better ground. They paused on top of a small, +pyramid-shaped hill while one of the bearers retied the pack on his +mule. + +Zircon looked at the formation with interest. "An old volcanic cone," he +pointed out. "Notice the regularity of the slope? And we're in a kind of +saucer that once was a live crater." + +Rick could see it clearly once the scientist mentioned its volcanic +origin. The saucer was perhaps a dozen yards across, and its edge was +marked by a definite rim. Whoever first made the trail apparently had +decided to go right up and across the hill instead of pushing through +the dense underbrush at its base. + +In a moment they started again, the mules picking their way carefully +down the hillside. At the bottom of the hill was a rather dense forest, +and beyond it the valley. + +Sing called back over his shoulder. "Llhan Huang is just past the woods. +We'll meet Ko there, I think. I just saw the last of his mules going +into the woods." + +Rick stood up in his stirrups and rubbed his raw and aching thighs. The +three had ridden horseback before, but not to any great extent, and the +long trail was a hard initiation. + +He noted that the sun was dropping behind the western peaks, and he knew +from experience that it would be dark in a few minutes. The great +western range was so high in the air that it brought night by blocking +out the sunlight surprisingly early in the afternoon. + +Then he rode into the forest and gloom closed in around him. It was +cold. He zipped up his windbreaker and reached for his gloves. He saw +that the trail through the forest twisted and turned to miss the big +hardwood trees, so that sometimes he could see only the mule in front of +him. Zircon and Scotty, at the rear of the column, were out of sight +most of the time. + +It grew darker rapidly. Rick reached into his saddlebag and drew out a +flashlight, tucking it into his jacket pocket where it would be handy. +When he could see the sky overhead, it was dark gray and he knew night +was close at hand. + +Presently he found himself peering through the gloom even to see the +mule directly in front. When they got out of the woods it would be +lighter, he hoped. + +Then, as he stood up again to ease his saddle burns, the woods around +them were suddenly alive with gunfire! His pony reared and would have +bolted if he had not gripped the reins tight and jerked him to a stop. +He caught a glimpse of orange flashes in the gloom, and from ahead he +heard a sudden scream from one of the mules. + +Scotty's voice rose in a yell. "Turn around! Turn! Get back out of the +woods to the hilltop!" + +Rick saw his friend's strategy at once. On the hilltop, they could fight +off almost a battalion. He pulled his quivering pony around on the +narrow trail and yelled at Sing. + +The guide's voice came in answer. "Coming! We're coming!" + +A slug whined past Rick's ear and slapped into a tree trunk. He tried +desperately to get the rifle out of his saddle sheath while controlling +his fear-crazed pony. Then he heard the roar of Sing's shotgun. There +was no sound of firing from Scotty and Zircon, and he guessed they were +having trouble with their mounts, too. None of them was horseman enough +to fire from the saddle. + +Rick stopped trying to get the rifle free and bent low, urging his pony +on. Behind him, he heard the pound of mule hoofs, and in the woods on +both sides the rustle of underbrush as the attackers tried to keep up. +The shots were fewer now, thank goodness! + +In a few moments the racing column broke out of the woods into better +light. Ahead, Rick saw Zircon and Scotty go over the rim of the volcanic +hill, and within seconds saw them reappear again on foot, rifles in +hand. + +"Come on," Scotty yelled. "We'll cover you!" + +Zircon's big .45-90 spoke with a decisive slam and Rick heard the heavy +slug crash through the brush. Then the mules ahead of him topped the +hill and in a moment he was out of the saddle, too, rifle in hand. + +He joined Scotty and Zircon in time to see Sing and the other two +bearers race up the hill. One mule was missing. + +"Hold your fire," Scotty said. "There's nothing to shoot at unless you +see a muzzle flash." + +Sing jumped from his mule's saddle and took command. He spoke rapidly to +the bearers, who at once forced the mules to their knees and then over +on their sides. "So they won't get hit," Sing explained. "We lost one +mule." He reloaded his shotgun, his face worried. + +"Did you see anyone?" Rick asked. + +"No. But I'm afraid for Ko. We had almost caught up when they started +shooting. I saw one of his mules right ahead of me." + +"Let's hope he found some sort of cover," Zircon said. He glanced at the +sky. "It will be completely dark within a few minutes. Sing, scatter +your men around the rim. They can keep watch, even if they have no +rifles. The rest of us can take up positions at equal distances from +each other around the rim." + +Scotty adjusted his rifle sights. "Afraid of an attack after dark, +professor?" + +"I am. This attack probably was timed to catch us in the woods in the +darkness. We're fortunate that Scotty's memory is good. Suggesting the +hill was a wonderful idea." + +"I knew we'd be cut to pieces in the woods," Scotty said. + +Rick surveyed the terrain anxiously. Sing was posting his men. "A good +thing they're not very expert shots," Rick said. "They took us +completely by surprise." + +Scotty walked to the rim and found a position that suited him. "Not much +danger of their hitting us except at point-blank range, if their guns +are like some of those we've seen." + +Zircon found a position, too, and Rick searched for one that he liked. +He finally chose a place where a broken rock pile would give him cover. +It was so dark now that he could scarcely see. + +There were plenty of noises down the hill, but no firing. Rick waited, +rifle thrust out before him. Were they gathering for a rush? And who +were they? Then he heard the noise of a dislodged pebble on the hillside +below him. He strained to see, but it was too dark. He thought: If only +I had the infrared light and the glasses! They were in one of the packs. +Stupid not to have thought of them at once, he berated himself. Now he +didn't dare leave his position until he found out what was below. + +There was the sound of a body sliding over low brush almost directly +beneath him. He tensed, then as an afterthought, he reached into his +pocket and brought out the flashlight. With it, he thought, he could +blind the attacker and at the same time get a shot at him. He put his +thumb on the button and waited. + +In a moment a figure loomed out of the darkness only a few feet away. +Rick sucked in his breath and half lifted his rifle for a one-hand shot. +At the same moment, he pressed the flashlight button. + +The beam shot squarely into the face of Worthington Ko! + +Rick put down his rifle quickly to extend a helping hand to the +merchant. And then he noticed something. + +Shoot a light into the eyes of a man whose pupils are dilated by +darkness and there is a definite reaction. If the eyes are normal, the +pupils contract sharply. + +One of Ko's did. Rick saw them, magnified by the thick glasses. The +other pupil didn't change at all. + +And as the fact registered, Rick saw something else. In one of Ko's +hands was a grenade! + +In the instant that Rick grabbed up his rifle and swung it like a club, +he guessed the answer. + +_Ko was the Chinese with the glass eye!_ + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +The Goatskin Water Bag + + +Several things happened almost at the same time. The attackers awoke to +the fact that Rick's light made a good target and started shooting. Rick +dropped the flashlight as his rifle, swung with one hand, barrel +forward, connected solidly with the top of Ko's head. Scotty jumped to +see what was happening. + +The grenade rolled from Ko's hand, and as it did, the safety handle flew +off! Ko already had pulled the pin! + +A musket slug cracked into the rock inches from Rick's face and sent +chips of stone into his face. He felt a sudden pain above one eye. But +before he had time to realize what had happened, he was hauled back +bodily into the crater by the guide. + +Scotty, who had recognized Ko in the beam of the fallen flashlight, +grabbed the merchant by the collar and dragged him into the saucer with +them. + +There was a five-second fuse on the grenade, but things had happened so +fast there was a second to spare before it went off. Then for an instant +there was a dull flash and the _cruuuump_ of the grenade. Shrapnel +sliced through the woods below, bringing yells of fright. + +"The camera," Rick gasped. He got to his hands and knees, shaking his +head. There was wetness across one eye that he thought was blood. + +Scotty got his meaning instantly. He snapped, "Sing. Keep an eye on Ko," +and ran to the pack animals. It took him only a moment to find the +camera and lift it from its case, then he handed Zircon the special +glasses and quickly fitted his infrared telescopic sight onto his own +rifle. + +Rick got to his feet, keeping the injured eye closed, and fumbled +through the gear until he found his tripod. He set it up quickly and +mounted the camera on it. Then he carried the unit to the edge of the +saucer and pushed the button that lit up the infrared light. He couldn't +see to shoot, but he could operate the camera unit. Through the special +glasses, Zircon would be able to see anything the infrared beam hit. +Scotty would be able to see, too, through his special telescopic rifle +sight. Rick panned the light across the woods below. It wasn't light +that could be seen, of course. Only the dull glow of the filament, too +dim to be seen more than a few feet away, told him that the camera was +operating. + +"I see one," Zircon bellowed suddenly, and the words were echoed by the +dull, authoritative slap of the .45-90. The heavy slug drove through the +brush below. "Missed," the scientist said in disgust. + +Scotty's rifle cracked sharply. Scotty didn't miss. There was a yell +from below, then the noise of many men running through the underbrush. +Rick guessed that the attackers didn't like the weird sharpshooting in +the darkness. + +In a few moments there was quiet, and the infrared light found nothing +but the silent woods. Sing, who had been crouching over Ko, ready frying +pan in hand, said, "They've gone, I think. These hill people don't like +night fights, anyway." + +"That's my guess, too," Scotty agreed. + +Zircon found his own flashlight, and, ducking low, shot it over the +saucer's edge. He waited long moments, but nothing happened. Had the men +who attacked them still been in the woods below, they certainly would +have fired at the tempting target. + +"Bring that light here, will you, professor?" Rick called. "Something +hit me in the eye awhile back." He tried to keep the concern out of his +voice. Had he been blinded in that eye? + +Scotty and the professor hurried to him in some concern. Zircon shot the +light into his face and he blinked with his good eye. + +"Good heavens," Zircon said softly. Then, on closer examination, he +sighed with relief. "A scratch, just below the eyebrow. The eye itself +isn't damaged. Scotty, find the first-aid kit, please? We'll have this +cleaned up in a jiffy." + +While Scotty held the light, Zircon cleaned the wound and washed the +blood from Rick's eye. Then, in the midst of the operation, there was a +metallic clang from where Sing stood guard. + +Scotty flashed the light over in time for them to see Worthington Ko +stretch limply on the ground. Sing's smile flashed. "He was waking up. I +didn't want to bother you, so I made him sleep some more." + +Rick had to chuckle. Their efficient guide had bashed Ko with his frying +pan. + +Zircon completed giving Rick first aid. "That's clotting nicely, Rick." +He cut a tiny piece of sterile gauze and affixed it with a bit of tape. +"There you are. Good as new by morning. I suspect that a chip of stone +must have struck you." + +Rick tested the action of his eyelid on that side. The gauze felt ten +times as big as it actually was, but it was all right. "Thanks, +professor," he said. "Now, let's take a look at our captive." + +Worthington Ko's slumber, induced by Sing's mighty frying pan, was not +very deep. A cupful of water in the face brought him around readily +enough and he peered up at the Americans. He had lost his glasses in the +shuffle, and without them there was no doubt that he had one glass eye. +He peered balefully from the good one. + +"What," he demanded, "is the meaning of this?" + +"We might ask the same," Zircon stated, "except that we can assume that +you sponsored the attack on us. What we want to know is, why?" + +Ko snorted indignantly. "Nonsense! I was coming to your aid, having made +my way through that mob of Tibetan bandits." He rubbed his head. "And +then someone struck me." + +"Were you going to use that grenade as a calling card?" Rick asked +caustically. + +Ko opened his mouth to speak, but Rick continued, "Don't try to tell us +you were going to use it in our defense. Men don't pull the pins on +grenades until they're ready to toss them. That one had our name on it." + +Ko shrugged. "I see you've convinced yourselves. It's useless for me to +say anything further." He shut his mouth obstinately, nor could they get +anything further out of him. + +Zircon motioned to Sing. "Tie him up. Then post guards. We'll stay here +for the night." He turned to the boys. "I think it's safe to make a +fire. We can have some supper and then turn in. I'll take first watch +with one of the bearers. Scotty will take the second, Rick the third, +and Sing the last." He opened the chamber of his rifle and extracted the +shell, then put the rifle down. "I'm hungry," he said, grinning. +"Nothing like a good fight to work up an appetite." + +Scotty laughed. "You talk like a Marine," he said admiringly. + +The night passed without incident, and the entire party was awake at +dawn. Over breakfast, they discussed the affair again. Like the +discussion of the night before, it proved futile. There were simply too +many questions that had no answers. + +Rick summed it up. "We've found Long Shadow and the Chinese with the +glass eye. Or rather they've found us. And it's obvious they're out for +blood. It scares me to think of what would have happened on the junk if +the Englishman and Bradley hadn't taken a hand." + +"I'd like to know how they knew we were coming," Scotty said. + +Zircon drained the last of his coffee. "I don't think they did know. We +walked into Canton Charlie's and asked for Chahda. We put the finger on +ourselves, so to speak. They probably assumed that anyone asking for +Chahda was an enemy. Obviously, they had some sort of contact with +Chahda, otherwise he wouldn't have cabled the descriptions after stating +that he was in danger." + +"That sounds right," Rick agreed. He looked over to where Worthington Ko +was having a cup of tea under the watchful eye of Sing. "What do we do +with our fat chum?" + +"Keep him for a hostage," Scotty suggested. + +Zircon shook his head. "A good idea, but not practical. It would require +that we guard him constantly and that would be a nuisance. No, I think +we had better leave him and push on for Korse Lenken as rapidly as +possible. Now that we know our danger is from Chahda's enemies and not +from casual bandits, we are forewarned." + +"Then what do we do with him?" Rick asked. + +"Leave him here, afoot. His friends probably will find him, but I don't +think that matters. Now that we know him, he's less dangerous. We can +treat him like any other bandit." + +Rick and Scotty agreed. As they drew nearer the goal, both of them were +increasingly anxious to get to Chahda, to hear from him some of the +answers to their questions, and finally to get down to the business of +finding the heavy water that was the reason for their quest. + +Although they hadn't discussed it, Rick was worried about Chahda. +Normally, he had full confidence in the Hindu boy's ability to take care +of himself. But this time Chahda was far from the kind of people he +knew, among unfriendly strangers. Was his friend hiding somewhere in the +mountains around Korse Lenken? Or had he found a hide-out in the village +itself? + +They would soon know. + +After breakfast, Rick, Scotty, and Sing surveyed the scene of the +ambush, leaving Zircon to guard the Chinese and to direct the repacking +of their gear. + +There were definite signs of the enemy's presence in the woods below. +One area was pretty well trampled, indicating to Scotty's trained eye +that the ambushers had departed in a big hurry. The Chinese guide +pointed to where ants were swarming around a section of ground. + +"Someone was hit there," he said. "Ants find bloodstains fast in this +country." + +"We were aiming low," Scotty said. "Probably a leg wound. Sing, where do +you suppose Ko's mules are?" + +The guide shrugged. "Pretty sure to be far away. The men who attacked us +wouldn't leave mules behind. They're too valuable." + +Scotty led the way down the trail to where the first shots had been +fired. The three moved cautiously, just in case the attackers were +waiting a little distance away. Scotty's rifle was ready for instant +use. + +"I was right here," Sing said. "Ko's mules were ahead of me, just a few +yards away. Let's go ahead some and take a look." + +The trail wound through the woods for a little distance and then broke +into a clearing. Rick saw gear littered over the ground and pointed to +it. "Looks as if they left something behind!" + +In a moment they were looking through what was evidently Ko's entire +luggage. Sing kicked at a pile of cooking utensils. "They took the mules +but left everything else." + +"Funny they'd do that," Rick said thoughtfully. "After all, Ko was the +boss. He must have arranged the ambush. Unless we're wrong about him." + +"I don't think we're wrong," Scotty denied. "You hit it on the nose when +you said a man doesn't pull the pin on a grenade unless he's ready to +toss it. Ko must be the boss." + +Sing examined a richly embroidered robe. "My guess is that Ko hired a +few Tibetan bandits. They wouldn't worry about him or his belongings +after being met by heavy resistance. And his bearers would be afraid to +stay and face him. Or maybe they thought he was killed while attacking +us. There was a lot of noise, and it was dark." + +Rick thought Sing was probably right. He walked over to a pile of furs. +"What are these?" he asked. "Ko must have been a fur trader." + +Sing looked up. "Water bags. Goatskin. Very common in China." He dropped +the robe and came to look, his face wrinkling into a frown. "But usually +a man doesn't carry so many. Very funny." + +Rick and Scotty examined one with interest. It was a whole skin, except +for head and feet. Even the tail was still attached. The ends of the +legs had been sewed up, but the neck was left open. Attached to the neck +opening was a rawhide thong that could be used to bind the opening tight +when the skin was filled with water. + +"These are good bags," Sing said. "Better than most." + +"Perhaps he planned to sell them," Rick suggested. + +"Don't think so." The Chinese guide shook his head. "People here make +their own. Every time they kill a goat for meat, that's a new goatskin. +The Buddhist Tibetans, who don't kill anything, even flies, use pottery +jugs." + +Scotty had started counting the bags. He paused at the ninth and held it +up. "This one is split open. Looks like the seam gave way. There's a +sort of funny lining." + +Rick took the skin and turned it inside out. It was smooth and glassy on +the inside, and the substance was completely transparent because he +could see the skin underneath. + +Sing felt of it. "Never saw anything like that before." + +Rick held it to his nose and sniffed. It was odorless. He took his +pocketknife and scraped at it while the others watched. A tiny flake +shaved off. He tested it between his fingers, and it was flexible as +rubber. An idea was growing in his head. + +"It's crazy," he said. "But you know what I think this is? I think it's +plastic!" + +"The professor can tell us," Scotty suggested. "Come on. Let's take it +to him." + +They ran back up the trail, Rick leading with the skin. If the stuff +were plastic, it could mean only one thing. He lengthened his stride. + +Zircon looked up from his notebook as they topped the hill and ran +toward him. He dropped the book and jumped to his feet, reaching for his +rifle. + +"It's not another ambush," Rick panted. He held out the skin. "It's +this. Professor, what is this transparent stuff inside?" + +Zircon took the skin and ran his finger tips over the lining. He held it +up so that it caught the light, then looked at Rick curiously. "That's +odd," he muttered. "This is certainly a goatskin. And almost surely, +this is a plastic lining. I can't be sure, of course, but I've never +seen anything like this in nature." + +"It's a goatskin water bag," Rick said excitedly. He pointed to Ko. "He +had a dozen of them." + +Zircon bellowed, "So! Then if this is plastic...." + +"It was a clever stunt," Rick finished. "No one would suspect coolies +toting goatskin water bags. And even if anyone did suspect, he wouldn't +be able to tell anything by a casual examination." + +Sing scratched his head. "Forgive my stupidity," he said. "The +suspicious one wouldn't be able to tell what? If this lining is plastic, +it is a senseless waste. Water keeps cool in a goatskin bag because of +evaporation through the pores. It certainly couldn't evaporate through +plastic." + +"No," Zircon agreed. "That is the idea. They don't want evaporation. +Also, the plastic guarantees the water's purity." + +Sing said no more, but he was obviously puzzled. Nor could the Americans +tell him what had excited them, that they had found the means by which +the substance they sought was carried to the coast. + +Rick had a quick vision of Chinese coolies making their slow way through +the countryside, unnoticed because water-bearers were so commonplace. +But the coolies in this case carried bags lined with plastic, and the +stuff that made the legs thrust out stiffly and that swelled the bag was +not ordinary water! It was the stuff which had brought them halfway +across the world. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +The Buddhist Monk + + +The party topped a high rise and stopped, spellbound at the scene that +spread before them. They were on the rim of a great valley. Far on the +other side of the valley stood the high peaks of the Himalayas, a mighty +screen between them and India. + +Below, a lush green path marked the course of a wide river. On either +side of it, sloping up to the mountains, was the lighter green of +grasslands. + +Sing pointed. "There is Korse Lenken." + +Rick had to look hard before he saw it. Then he began to make it out. +The monastery was built under a great cliff on one side of the valley. +At first glance it seemed like part of the cliff itself. It was huge, +with tier after tier of gray stone buildings rising in piled masses from +the valley floor. Around it, like tiny mounds of earth, were the hair +tents of the Tibetans. + +"Magnificent," Zircon rumbled. "Well worth coming to see, even if we +find nothing at the end of the trail." + +"We'll find Chahda," Scotty said. "I'm sure we will. And the sooner the +better." + +Rick felt the same way. Now that the end of the trail was in sight, +excitement was rising within him. He was anxious to find his Hindu +friend and to find at the same time answers to some of the mysteries +they had encountered. + +"Let's hurry," he said impatiently. + +Sing shouted at the bearers and the party took a narrow trail that +dipped into the valley. Scotty rode ahead with Sing, and his rifle was +ready for instant use. Rick and Zircon brought up the rear, their own +rifles held ready. They had taken no chances since the fight on the +hilltop. Worthington Ko had been left afoot far behind them, but there +was no assurance his friends hadn't come to the rescue with horses. Rick +kept glancing behind him, just in case of an attack from the rear. + +They had reached the rim of the valley by midmorning. All through the +day they made their way down the mountain, reaching the valley floor +about three in the afternoon. Another two hours of steady travel took +them past the yurts of Tibetan herders--conical tents made of horsehair +felt. The stolid Tibetans watched them pass, no interest in their beady +eyes. + +Then, as darkness began to set in, they reached the monastery. Korse +Lenken towered above them, already shaded in twilight. From somewhere +within the great pile they heard the tinkle of bells, then the deep +tones of a mighty gong. Lamas, priests in yellow robes, walked past with +bowed heads. Some of them spun their prayer wheels and intoned the +Buddhist ritual. + +_Om Mani Padme Hum. Hail, the jewel in the lotus!_ + +The jewel, of course, was the Lord Buddha. + +They watched the pageant for a few moments, enthralled. Then Zircon +commanded Sing. "Find someone you can talk to. We'll want to see the +High Lama." + +Sing nodded. "I will go into the monastery. The bearers will find a +place to camp." He issued orders in Chinese. + +The bearers scattered at once, searching for a suitable place to pitch +camp. The three Americans sat their horses and watched the activities +around the great monastery, too interested even to talk. + +Rick saw countless yellow robes on the various balconies. There must be +thousands of monks, he thought. And there were an equal number of +Tibetans, many of them already busy at cooking fires near the base of +the gray stone buildings. He smelled mutton cooking, and the acrid, +unpleasant odor he had learned to identify with yak butter. Hot buttered +tea was a Tibetan staple. He had tried it on the trail, because he was +interested in everything, even yak butter. But he didn't think it would +ever take the place of ice cream in his affections. + +One of the bearers came back and motioned to them. They followed as he +led the pack mules to a place in the shelter of a great rock. The other +bearers were foraging for wood. In a few moments a fire was going and +camp was being set up. + +Sing returned. "No one may see the High Lama," he reported. "He is in +the middle of some kind of ceremony that takes a month. But I talked +with an important priest. He was friendly. He said he would send one of +the lamas to be our guide and to help us find your friend." + +"Good," Zircon said. "Now, let's have some dinner. I'm famished." + +The boys echoed his sentiments. + +It was fully dark before they ended their meal. They were squatting +around the fire, sipping coffee and listening to Zircon's description of +the Buddhist ritual when one of the bearers suddenly called out. The +three Americans and Sing reached for their weapons as a yellow-robed +lama shuffled out of the darkness. + +This, evidently, was their guide. He was of less than medium height, but +that was all Rick could tell about him. His loose robe draped around his +body and his cowl was pulled up, hiding his face. + +"Welcome," Zircon boomed. "Sing, speak to him and tell him we are +grateful for his coming." + +Sing spoke to the monk in Chinese. + +The robed lama stood immobile, just within range of the firelight. The +yellow flames made shadows across his cowled figure. Rick felt a little +shudder run through him. The quiet figure was somehow weird. + +Sing shifted to another language, but the lama made no reply. Then, +slowly, he brought his hands up level, outstretched toward them. He +chanted slowly, his voice muffled under the cowl. Then the chant died +and his hands were lowered once more. + +Sing turned to the group. "I don't know what he said. It's not in a +language I understand." He spoke to the apparition. The monk stood +motionless. + +"Wish they'd sent us someone we could talk with," Scotty grumbled. "A +lot of use this joker will be!" + +The monk's cowl turned slowly toward Scotty. The figure moved +majestically toward the boy, then the hands lifted again. From under the +cowl a sepulchral voice issued. + +"Could be more use than you think, muttonhead." + +For an instant there was stunned silence, then Rick and Scotty leaped +for the robed figure with yells of delight. Rick hit him high and Scotty +hit him low. They held him down and pulled the cowl from him, then +pommeled him unmercifully, while Zircon cheered them on. + +Only when the monk begged for mercy did they let him up. He tossed the +robe aside and grinned at them. + +"Okay," Chahda said. "You win. But it took you plenty time to get here! +Why you take so long?" + +The slim Hindu boy hugged them solemnly, one at a time, and shook hands +with Sing. "Now," he announced, "I eat. Got plenty sick of sheep meat, +you bet!" + +Then they were all laughing and talking at once while the cook hastened +to prepare a meal. In a few moments Chahda was attacking a high-piled +plate and talking between bites. + +"Good you came now," he said. "I got plenty worry. You find Bradley?" + +Zircon told him of the meeting in the hotel. + +Chahda nodded. "Good. I think he show up soon." + +"Start at the beginning," Rick demanded. "There's a whole lot we don't +know. In fact, if you come right down to it, we don't know anything." + +"Okay." Chahda took a sip of coffee. "I start at start. In Bombay." + +Chahda had been visiting with his family in Bombay when Bradley arrived +in the Indian city. The two had met by accident. Chahda had gone to the +Taj Mahal Hotel to write a letter to the boys, because there was no +paper or ink at home. Bradley, who happened to be in the lobby, had +noticed the address on the envelope as Chahda handed it to the desk +clerk. + +Once the scientist discovered that Chahda knew the Spindrift group and +had been on expeditions with them, the rest followed naturally. Bradley, +realizing that the clever little Hindu boy would be of great value in +his undercover work, had hired him. Chahda didn't say so, but Rick could +understand that such was the case. + +Chahda's duties had been those of general assistant. He had cared for +baggage, run errands, acted as secretary, and on a few occasions had +been assigned to follow people in whose destinations Bradley was +interested. The two had gone from Bombay to New Delhi and Calcutta, then +to Singapore. At Singapore, while following up another matter, Bradley +accidentally had discovered that heavy water was being sold. + +"He was much excited," Chahda said. "I did not know why. Heavy water? I +asked myself what is heavy water. I knew about ice, which is frozen +water and which is heavy. But who would have much excitement about ice? +The Sahib Bradley hurried to the Consulate of America and he sent a +cable to Washington." + +Then the scientist had assigned Chahda to watch a certain house in +Singapore, the place from which the heavy water was being taken to +unknown destinations. Chahda had watched for three days without relief, +and he had seen Worthington Ko. Then, since Bradley had not come for +him, he deserted his post long enough to return to their quarters, a +room in an obscure Chinese hotel in Singapore. There he had found +evidence of a fight and bloodstains on the floor. There was no sign of +Bradley. + +It was then, Chahda guessed, that Long Shadow had found him. He saw the +shadow several times while he hunted for Bradley. Then, while searching +for his boss in the Tamil quarter, he had been attacked by Chinese thugs +led by Worthington Ko. They had beaten him into insensibility, hustled +him into a taxi, and were carrying him somewhere into the inland of +Malaya when he regained consciousness. He escaped by going headlong +through a window while the car was traveling and then taking cover in +the jungle alongside the road. Going by a roundabout route, he reached +Singapore again. There he found that their luggage was held by the hotel +and the room had been rented to someone else. + +Chahda polished his plate with a biscuit and groaned expressively. "I +say to myself then, Chahda, now is time to think real hard. What to do?" + +He knew that the cable Bradley had sent asked for Hartson Brant to be +assigned to the job. And he knew also that from Singapore they were to +head for Hong Kong. He knew nothing about Hong Kong, but he did know +that Bradley was acquainted at a place called the Golden Mouse because +he had heard him mention it to a Chinese the scientist used for +undercover work now and then. + +"The Long Shadow came again while I was thinking," Chahda continued. "I +saw it in front of the hotel. So I went quick-fast out the back, and ran +through many places until I was sure he could not find me. I went to +where many Indians live in Singapore, and I found a friend." + +The friend, another Indian, had gone to the United States Information +Library in Singapore and borrowed a copy of _The World Almanac_. Chahda +already had decided he would cable the boys, and how he would do it. He +knew, because of what they had told him, that they would be able to +figure out a book code and that they would realize his choice naturally +would be the _Almanac_. Knowing the annual by heart, he naturally also +knew the table that converted Roman numerals to Arabic numbers and had +used the letter L as a clue to the right volume. + +"But how did you know about nulls?" Rick asked. + +"Oh, that was very lucky. I learned how to put Sahib Bradley's messages +in code, and there were many nulls." He grinned impishly. "Of course I +did not know if you also knew what are nulls. I was thinking, they are +two who are good with science. But are they also good with code? Maybe +not. But, anyway, they are plenty smart to read a book. That will tell +them about nulls." + +"We didn't have to read a book," Scotty said. "Dad told us about them." + +"Scientist father also plenty smart even without books," Chahda agreed. +"Anyway, I make the message and I send cable." + +Rick interrupted again. "How did you know Ko had a glass eye?" + +Chahda smiled. "When they capture me, I fight like maybe ten wild +elephants. I kick honorable Mr. Ko in the face. And what happens? His +glasses fall off and one of his eyes falls out! Also, it breaks when it +falls and I see it is glass. I am so surprised I forget to fight and +someone hits me from the back of my neck, and then all is dark. I did +not know Mr. Ko's name then. My boss tells me it later." + +"No more questions for the moment," Zircon ordered. "I want to hear the +rest of this. Go ahead, Chahda." + +The Hindu boy had used his friend as a go-between and had arranged for +the consul general to advance him funds. Since the official knew he +worked for Bradley, that was not difficult. Then he had arranged for +their baggage to be shipped and held at the airport in Hong Kong, and +had taken a plane there himself. + +At the Golden Mouse, Canton Charlie had given him quarters. In another +day, Bradley showed up. The scientist had been caught in the Singapore +hotel room by Ko and company, but had fought his way clear. There wasn't +time to leave a note for Chahda at the hotel and he didn't dare return +to the room for fear of having the enemy locate him again. So he had +depended on Chahda's wits to tell him the next step and had gone ahead +to Hong Kong, hoping to find more information about the heavy water. + +At Hong Kong, Long Shadow had shown up again. + +Bradley, in the meanwhile, had not been idle. Through his various +sources of information he had determined that the source of the heavy +water was in the neighborhood of Korse Lenken. Chahda was instructed to +go there at once and start reconnoitering while they waited for the +party from the States. Bradley deliberately dropped the disguise he had +been using, that of a Portuguese seaman, and let Long Shadow locate him. +Then he had started out, hoping to draw the enemy away from Chahda long +enough for the boy to get clear and start for Korse Lenken. Bradley was +to shake the enemy when he could and resume his investigation. Finding +the source of the water was not enough, he had said. It also was +necessary to find out how it was reaching Singapore, and what its +ultimate destination might be. + +Chahda had experience with Buddhist monasteries dating back to the time +when he had worked in Nepal. Also, many Indians were Buddhists. There +were some in almost every monastery, and of that number a few could be +depended on to speak Hindi, or Hindustani as it was called, which was +Chahda's language. He also knew a little Tibetan from his years in +Nepal. + +"I came here easy," Chahda finished. "There was a big lot of pilgrims +and they took me in." He grinned. "They thought I was a monk. And I +found Indians, like I had thought. They hid me, so I do not think Long +Shadow knows I am here. And now I know where the heavy water comes +from." + +Zircon gave an exclamation. "Chahda, you're a marvel! Where does it come +from?" + +"Tomorrow I show you," Chahda promised. + +"Who is Long Shadow?" Rick demanded. + +Chahda shrugged. "Not knowing. We never see him. Only the shadow." + +Scotty stirred up the fire a little. "How come Canton Charlie didn't +turn you over to the enemy as he did us?" + +"What?" Chahda was astonished. + +Scotty quickly outlined their adventures while Chahda listened +thoughtfully. When he had finished, the Indian boy shook his head. +"Something bad wrong. Charlie is one of Bradley's men. My boss pays him, +and he is friendly. You say Charlie told you to go to this junk?" + +Rick thought back. Charlie himself actually had not told them. They had +not seen Charlie when the note was dropped on their table. + +"Charlie himself didn't tell us," he stated. "It could have been one of +Long Shadow's men. Or one of Ko's. And that Portuguese with the knife +could have been one of Long Shadow's men, too. I'll bet he was the one +who put the finger on us. He must have heard us ask for Chahda. Long +Shadow and his men knew Chahda, of course, and they would certainly try +to get rid of reinforcements like us." + +"Right," Zircon agreed. "Perhaps the fault was ours in not waiting for +Charlie to tell us himself, although I don't see how we could have +known." + +"I think that is it," Chahda said. "Charlie is a friend. So the men on +the junk with purple sails were Long Shadow's, and you plenty lucky you +get out with your skins, believe me." + +Zircon rubbed his chin. "Chahda, our instructions from Bradley were to +bring a rubber boat and a Nansen bottle. That must mean the heavy water +source has something to do with a lake or river. Is that true?" + +"Don't know about those things," Chahda said. "I know only that the +heavy water comes from a place near here. I know how to get there and I +will take you. I do not think we will like this place much. It has a bad +name." + +"What kind of bad name?" Scotty asked. + +"In English," Chahda said, "it is 'The Caves of Fear'!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +The Black Buddha + + +Long ago, according to the tale Chahda had heard from his Indian +Buddhist friends in the monastery, a High Lama and some of the chief +priests of Korse Lenken forsook their vows and went in for piracy with +the monastery as headquarters. + +For years they flourished, robbing travelers and even swooping down on +Chinese cities across the border. The name of Korse Lenken was known +throughout the East as a place of terror. Between attacks, the High Lama +and his priests made mockery of the religion of Buddhism that they were +sworn to uphold, and they built a huge caricature of Buddha, all in +black and with the face of a demon. + +Then, went the legend, as they dedicated the great statue to the hordes +of the mountain underworld, the Lord Buddha himself appeared in the sky +and stretched his hands over them. The vast multitude of robbers fell to +their knees and lifted their hands for mercy. And Lord Buddha, the +gentle and merciful, gave them mercy. His voice rang through the +mountains like the winds of heaven: "Live! Live unharmed. But live in +fear! It is written." + +Buddha, so went the legend, then vanished. A great wind sighed through +the valley, and bolts of light flashed from heaven. It grew black, black +as the darkest night. And when the blackness cleared and the wind died, +new mountains stood where the High Lama and the multitude had been. + +The lamas who had remained faithful to the teachings of Buddha labored +to build a new monastery, and as the years passed they heard mutterings +in the earth. Then one day a repentant lama, who had been one of the +multitude, came forth, an old man. The High Lama and the robbers still +lived, he said. But they lived in the blackness under the new mountain, +in vast caverns where no light ever came. And there were _things_ in the +darkness. Things they could not see, but of which they were terribly +afraid. As Lord Buddha had said, they lived in fear. + +The little group was silent as Chahda finished reciting the legend. Then +the Hindu boy added, "Of course this is long ago. So very long. Maybe it +is only a story. And maybe not. The monks of Korse Lenken do know there +are big caverns, and they know of this Black Buddha. I know of it +myself. But more than that I do not know." + +"And it is from the Caves of Fear that the heavy water is presumed to +come," Zircon finished. "That is quite a tale, Chahda. But how do we get +to the Caves of Fear?" + +"The entrance is somewhere in the Cave of the Black Buddha," Chahda +said. "At least, that is what the monks have told me. Also, they showed +me how to get there. But I did not go in." He shuddered a little. "Who +knows if the old High Lama might not be waiting? I thought better I wait +for you." + +Rick felt the weirdness of the tale, too, but he made a joke. "I didn't +think hobgoblins would frighten you away, Chahda." + +Chahda didn't smile. "People who live in the East do not laugh at +hub-gubbles, Rick." + +"I was just trying to be funny," Rick apologized. "Well, what do we do +now?" + +"We look in the caverns for the source of the heavy water," Zircon +stated. "And the sooner we start, the better. Chahda, have you seen men +with water bags heading out of here? Men with anything at all suspicious +about them?" + +The Hindu boy nodded. "I have seen such men. Once I saw ten men going up +the trail to the outside with such bags. The bags were all they had. I +am sure the bags had heavy water. If not, why so many?" + +Zircon told him of the plastic-lined bags they had found and of their +suspicions. + +Chahda saw the implications instantly. He grinned. "We find out plenty +more about these water bags, you bet! I think I go right now and find +out if any more men with bags go by today." He hurried off, getting into +his monk's costume as he went. + +Rick watched him go, shaking his head with admiration. "He's a wonder," +he said. "I'll bet Bradley thinks so, too." + +"Anyone would," Scotty agreed. "He gets things done. Wish I could say +the same for us. All we've done so far is travel while he did the work. +Why don't we get busy?" + +"Busy how?" the scientist asked. + +"Couldn't we look into this cave tonight? I don't see that waiting until +morning will help much. If it's a big cave, there won't be light in it, +anyway." + +Rick thought Scotty had something there. He pointed out that plenty of +lights were in their packs, and that they had the dark-light camera +besides. + +Hobart Zircon thought it over, then agreed. "There's another advantage," +he added. "Starting out tonight, we'll attract less attention. We got +here about dark, so the people of the area don't know we're here. +They'll know in the morning, though, and we'll have a thousand +sight-seers hanging around, unless they're greatly different from the +other Eastern people I've met. And the less anyone knows about our +interests, the better." + +Sing nodded agreement. "That is right. By morning many people will come +to see the strangers. I doubt if they have seen very many white men +before." The Chinese guide paused. "But I don't know if I like the idea +of going into strange caves while it's dark. As your little friend says, +anything is possible in this part of the world. Even hobgoblins." + +"We wouldn't want you to come, anyway, Sing," Rick said. He looked at +Zircon for agreement. "It would be better if you took care of our +equipment and sort of acted as rear guard. We'll need someone to stand +by in case we don't come out of the cave again." + +"Afraid the hobgoblins will kidnap us?" Scotty asked. + +"Not hobgoblins. But if the heavy water is there, some of Long Shadow's +men will be, too. We probably can take care of ourselves. Only suppose +they catch us by surprise?" + +Zircon agreed. "Rick is right. And even if there is no one in the cave, +there remains the possibility of accident. I think we'll do well to +leave Sing here. Then, if we're not out in twenty-four hours, he can +take steps to get us out." + +"That's wise," Sing nodded. + +They were debating what to take with them when Chahda returned. He +reported that some of the lamas had seen men with goatskin water bags +late in the day, men that they knew to come from outside the valley, +traveling from the general direction of the Cave of the Black Buddha. It +was such water-carrying groups that had made Chahda sure that the cave +was the source. There was no other near-by place that was possible. + +"That settles it," Rick said. He told Chahda what they had in mind. + +Chahda glanced at the sky. "Moon in a little while," he said. "With no +moon, we could not even get there. Too rough. But if no clouds come, we +can go." + +Rick was a little surprised that Chahda hadn't objected in view of his +apparent dislike of the whole idea. Then he realized that the little +Hindu boy wasn't made that way. He might be afraid, but he would go. +That was true bravery. + +After some discussion, they decided not to take their full equipment, +but merely to use the trip to locate the entrance to the Caves of Fear. +Once the way was found, they could return and load up with gear and +provisions. However, each of them took a few emergency rations, a full +canteen of water, their weapons, and flashlights. Chahda was given a big +electric lamp to carry. Rick slung the dark-light camera over his +shoulder while Scotty changed his rifle sight for the infrared +telescope. + +The moon was up by the time they were ready. They shook hands with Sing +and started off, Chahda leading. + +The way led across the valley at a slight angle, heading toward the +river. At first it was smooth going, with only high grass underfoot. +Rick was enjoying himself. The moon gave light to the valley center, but +the sides, under the sheer mountain walls, were shrouded in shadow. The +peaks themselves, snow-capped to the west, were bright. + +Then Chahda cut back away from the river toward the nearest mountain +wall. The way began to get rougher, with hillocks to climb and rocky +outcroppings to skirt. + +Soon they were out of the grassland entirely, walking through rock +masses. Now and then they went from the moonlight into dense shadow and +had to use their flashlights. Except for their flashlights, no man-made +light disturbed the wild scene. They had been traveling for some time. +It was late and not even a fire in front of a herder's tent could be +seen. By Rick's watch, it was almost eleven. + +It was closer to midnight when Chahda stopped. He pointed to a rocky +defile. "This is as far as I went before. My friend who showed me said +the cave is there." + +Zircon took the lead. Behind him, Rick put his own flashlight away and +held his rifle ready for use. Scotty, too, was ready. Chahda, crowding +Rick's steps, had the big light ready to turn on. + +Zircon's beam picked out rocky walls that rose for a hundred feet. He +picked his way over tumbled rock, the others following. The way took a +sharp turn, then came to a dead end. + +"Nothing here." Zircon's light covered the area a foot at a time. There +was no opening. + +"Maybe we missed it," Scotty suggested. "Let's go back, and examine +everything on the way." + +They reversed their steps. All of them used lights now, and the combined +beams illumined the steep walls brightly. + +"Take a look at that," Scotty said suddenly. His light was on a pinnacle +of rock that appeared to have some sort of opening behind it. He moved +in, cautiously, the others close behind. There was an opening, sure +enough, where the pinnacle leaned against the main rock wall. There was +just barely room to squeeze through. Zircon almost got stuck. + +Once past the opening, a new trail seemed to open up. And at its end an +aperture in the rock wall loomed black before them. + +"That must be it," Rick said, and his voice echoed hollowly. + +Scotty moved ahead to the entrance and flashed his light inside. The +beam was lost in the blackness beyond. "It's big," he said, and the +words rolled around in the emptiness. + +Rick felt a shiver run down his back. "What are we waiting for?" he +demanded roughly. "Let's get inside." + +The opening wasn't large. Zircon had to duck going in. Rick was right +behind him, Chahda bringing up the rear. Just inside, they stopped, all +lights going. + +The cave was tremendous. The level rock floor stretched away from them, +and when they shot their lights upward, a vaulted dome reflected the +beams a good hundred feet overhead. Slowly they moved away from the +entrance, lights busy searching the cave. There was nothing near the +entrance but rock, solid and smooth. And it was so quiet Rick thought he +could hear his own heartbeat. Then his light beam picked up a green +reflection on the far side of the cave. + +"There's something there," he exclaimed. In spite of himself, his voice +shook. + +"We'll soon see," Scotty said. Their voices rumbled through the cave, +echoing and re-echoing. + +Zircon gave a sudden exclamation. "Chahda! Where's the big light?" + +The Hindu boy had been playing the bright beam on the walls to one side. +Now he swung it squarely ahead, and Rick gasped. + +The Black Buddha! + +It seemed to crouch against the far wall, a giant, loathsome thing of +dead black with live green eyes. + +They went toward it, all lights on the thing, and as they made out more +details, Rick shuddered. The Buddha was completely the opposite of every +other Buddha he had seen. Instead of the bland, quiet look of peace, +this thing had its mouth open, showing sharp ebony teeth. It leered over +a nose like a pig's, and its body was gross and misshapen. It was, Rick +thought, toad-like. It quite frankly gave him the willies. His +imagination gave it life, so that the obscene lips smirked, and almost +seemed to drool. + +Something white at the base caught the light beams. In a moment they +stood before a pile of bones, heaped against the statue's left side. + +Zircon's light swept them. "Human," he said. + +Rick's scalp tightened. + +Next to him, Chahda let out his breath in a sigh that was nearly a moan. + +In the second that they stood silently looking at the pile of bones, +there came a slight sound from somewhere behind the Black Buddha. +Instantly their lights swept in the direction of the sound, until Scotty +hissed, "Put 'em out!" + +Blackness flooded in on them. Rick strained his eyes to see, his ears to +hear. He tried to control his breathing, sure that its sound could be +heard forty feet away. + +Then he saw a horizontal thread of light about three feet long against +the wall behind the statue. It spread upward slowly, forming a +rectangle. Rick watched it, his palms wet on the rifle as he tucked the +flashlight away and gripped the weapon tightly. + +It was yellow light, eerie as a will-o'-the-wisp and scarcely stronger. +Then, as Rick watched, a shadow rose up in a black narrow path from the +bottom of the rectangle. It rose and rose until it almost filled the +frame, and the blackness was in the form of a man, almost, except that +it was too long, too thin. + +The four stood as though hypnotized for a dozen heartbeats, then Zircon +came to life. He jumped forward with a great roar. + +"Long Shadow!" + +The light vanished and again blackness closed around them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +The Caves of Fear + + +Instantly all lights were directed at the back of the cave. Zircon +rushed around the statue and stopped short as his light found only rock +walls. + +"He has to be here somewhere," the scientist bellowed. "Hunt for him!" + +Rick stood for a moment estimating the direction from which the light +had come. He walked to the part of the wall on which they had seen the +shadow, and stood with his back to it. He flashed his light straight +ahead, and it fell on the broad back of the Black Buddha. + +The others had followed his line of thought and were watching. + +"Look for a door," Scotty said. He hurried to the back of the statue and +began examining it with his light. Rick joined him. Zircon got out a +jackknife and began to probe into cracks. Chahda got down on hands and +knees and felt along the base. + +The back of the statue was seamed with cracks, but they ran +helter-skelter without apparent order. The illumination against which +the shadow was cast had been rectangular. + +"There isn't a straight line in the bunch," Rick said, disappointed. +"What now?" + +"There must be a way to open the door, wherever it is," Zircon stated. +"That's what we must look for, I think. It may be on the statue itself, +on the floor, or on a wall near by. Rick, you and Scotty take the +statue. Chahda and I will take the walls and floor." + +"What are we hunting for?" Scotty asked. + +"I don't know. Perhaps a knob, perhaps a keyhole. Look for anything +unusual." + +Rick and Scotty began at opposite sides of the statue's back and started +working toward each other, examining every inch of the black stone +minutely. Zircon and Chahda started side by side on the wall behind the +statue and worked away from each other. Rick used his jackknife to probe +every suspicious crack or chip, but without success. He and Scotty +covered the back as high up as they could reach without finding a thing. +Zircon and Chahda worked along the wall until they were thirty feet +apart, then the scientist called a halt on the theory that the secret +lock wouldn't be that far from the door. The door was either in the +statue's back or near its base. + +While Zircon and Chahda started examining the floor, Rick and Scotty +started on the statue's sides. There was more decoration along the +sides, so they had to go more slowly and carefully. + +After a while, Chahda called, "Something here." + +The others stopped what they were doing and hurried to him. The Hindu +boy's light was on a tiny slot in the floor. It seemed shallow. Rick +pointed out that the floor in the area was checkered, almost like a tile +floor. + +"There must be a reason for that," Zircon said. He knelt by the slot and +peered into it. "Nothing in the slot, however. Rick, isn't yours a scout +knife?" + +"Yes, sir." Rick handed it to him. + +Zircon opened the screwdriver blade and pushed it into the slot. Nothing +happened. He moved it from side to side, with no effect. + +"There must be some reason for that slot," Scotty said. "Try again, +professor. Push harder." + +Zircon shoved the blade down into the hole and pushed. "There must be a +special key of some kind," he said finally. "That is, if the slot has +anything to do with the door. I suggest we continue the search until +we're satisfied that this is the only possibility." + +Rick nodded, disappointed. He turned back to the statue and took a step +forward into space! + +A wild yell burst from him as he felt himself falling, then Scotty had +him by the jacket and was hauling him back. Rick collapsed on the stone +floor, his heart pounding The others shot their flashlights into the +place where he had stepped. + +A section of the floor had swung upward, right at the base of the +statue. It yawned open, and from its lip a flight of steps led downward. + +"It worked," Chahda said. "But was so silent we never hear it!" + +Scotty gripped his rifle and snapped off the safety catch, then holding +the weapon in one hand like a pistol, he took his flashlight in the +other hand and started down. Zircon was right behind him. + +Rick got to his feet and felt for the dark-light camera. It hadn't been +jarred because his body had cushioned it. But he wanted to be sure the +strap was still secure on his shoulder. Satisfied that all was well, he +started down the steps after Zircon. He didn't fancy going into the +underground part of the cave, but there was no choice. This was what +they had come for. + +There were ten broad stone steps carved from the rock. Rick shot his +light around and saw that a heavy beam ran from the underside of the +trap door down to the bottom of the stairs where it ended in a stone +block. It was a counterbalance, the weight of the stone evidently just +enough heavier than the door so that moving the latch would let it swing +open. The latch itself was a piece of metal, probably bronze, that slid +in a channel carved in the underside of the door. Rick guessed that the +sideways pressure of the blade in the slot had let the door open rather +than the downward shove Zircon had given. A cord of leather ran from the +latch back along the corridor so that anyone entering the rock tunnel +could tug on it and open the door without climbing the stairs. + +Rick joined Zircon and Scotty at the bottom of the steps. Chahda was +right behind him. The stairs ended in a long, low passage, just high and +wide enough for a man to pass. It was perhaps fifty feet long, and it +ended in blackness that indicated a bigger passage, or another cave, +beyond. Rick touched the walls and noted the marks of ancient chisels. +The passage had been cut in the living rock. + +"Have your rifles ready," Zircon directed. "Chahda, you have the big +light. Lead the way and we'll cover you." + +Chahda switched on his big light and took the lead. The others, rifles +ready for instant use, followed close behind. Big Zircon held his weapon +over Chahda's shoulder as the Hindu boy walked slowly down the passage. + +In a moment they were at the entrance to the next passage or cave. +Chahda peered in, turning his light from side to side. Zircon, looking +over his head, said, "A large cave beyond. Very large. Chahda, do you +see anything?" + +Chahda shook his head. "Only rock. Nothing inside I can see." + +"All right. Go ahead." + +The Hindu boy stepped into the cave, the rest following. Rick saw that +Zircon hadn't exaggerated. The cave was even larger than the one that +held the Black Buddha. Chahda's big light picked out the opposite wall +dimly. + +The scientist brought his own light into play, turning it on the walls +nearest them. "Odd," he muttered. "The character of the rock changes +completely. This is almost surely limestone." + +Rick had to grin. Even chasing Long Shadow through an underground cavern +couldn't quiet Zircon's scientific curiosity. "What do we do now, +professor?" he asked. + +Zircon looked up from his examination of the whitish rock. "Eh? Oh. +Sorry, Rick. Why, I suppose we explore a bit more. I don't think we'd +better go far, however. Now that we know that Long Shadow is here, we +had better return to camp and get extra food, batteries, and ammunition. +However, I would like a look at the opposite side. There must be further +passages, because this cave obviously doesn't contain our friend." + +"Suppose...." Scotty started to say. + +Rick never found out what Scotty was going to say, for at that moment +the four whirled as something grated behind them. They were in time to +see metal rods slam home across the entrance through which they had +come! + +Rick and Scotty reached the entrance first. Each of the boys grabbed one +of the rods and tugged. They were rigid. + +"We're locked in!" Rick's voice was harsh. + +"Let me look," Zircon said quietly. + +The boys stood back while he made a careful inspection. From floor to +top of the passage entrance the metal bars blocked the way. They were +about an inch thick, spaced only six inches apart. They had shot out of +holes in one side of the passage and lodged in corresponding holes on +the opposite side. + +None of them had noticed the holes. They had been too curious about what +lay beyond the passage. + +Zircon put his massive strength against one of the bars. It didn't move. +He tried to slide it either way. There wasn't even a fraction of an inch +of slack. + +He turned, and at the expression on his face a shiver slid down Rick's +spine. Long Shadow had caught them neatly. + +They were trapped in the Caves of Fear! + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +The Labyrinth + + +Zircon led the three boys to the center of the big cave, then spoke in a +whisper. "I see no need in advertising our plans to the enemy. Keep your +voices down. Now, what are we to do?" + +"Long Shadow must be watching us from somewhere," Scotty said uneasily. +"But from where?" + +"The walls are uneven," Rick pointed out. "There could be peepholes +anywhere. But what I'd like to find is the place with the controls for +that gate! It can't be far from the entrance." + +"Is true," Chahda agreed. He turned the big light on the barred +entrance, then played it back and forth across the walls on that side of +the cave. There was no break anywhere. + +"Turn it on the other side," Zircon ordered. + +Chahda did so. Now that they were closer to the far wall, openings could +be seen. There were two, both of them door size. Except for the entrance +through which they had come, they were the only openings in the cave. + +Rick spoke up, and he was surprised that there was no shakiness in his +voice. "Look, gang. If we stay here waiting for Long Shadow to open up, +we might stay forever. I'd rather push on, at least for a little way." + +Zircon looked at Scotty. "You're the military expert. What chance have +we in a fight?" + +Scotty shrugged. "In an open fight, we have a good chance. Our rifles +are better than any I've seen around here, and we can fire a lot faster. +But if they start potting at us from around corners and through holes in +the rock...." He didn't have to finish. + +"Better we go ahead," Chahda said. + +Zircon hesitated. "If this is the only entrance to the caverns, as seems +quite likely, Long Shadow has trapped himself as well as us. He'll have +to open up to get out." + +Rick didn't think so. "There's no opening under the Black Buddha except +the one we came through. But we didn't look around the passage very +thoroughly, so there might be a door of some kind." + +"You're right," Zircon agreed. "Very well. Let's try going on. Rick, you +bring up the rear, and keep looking back." + +Rick objected. "Wouldn't it be better for me to go ahead and use the +infrared beam with the glasses? Then I could see perfectly." + +The scientist considered. "It would be better if the caves ahead are +large, yes. If they are not, our flashlights will do just as well. I +think we'd better save the infrared battery as long as possible. +Incidentally, do you have a spare?" + +"At camp," Rick said. It had been planned as a brief trip of +exploration. He hadn't thought spare batteries would be necessary. Now +he blamed himself for being so shortsighted. It was always best to be +prepared for anything. + +"Can't be helped now," Scotty said. "And speaking of batteries, we'd +better use only two flashlights at a time, one in front and one in +back." + +"Excellent idea," Zircon approved. "I'll take the lead. Scotty next, +then Chahda, with Rick as rear guard. Now, which of the entrances do we +try first? I vote for the one on the right." + +The scientist strode toward the deeper darkness of the entrance and shot +his light inside. The others took up the positions he had assigned. Rick +kept his flashlight beam moving around the big cave, watching for any +sign of an enemy. + +"Another passage," Zircon said, and his voice echoed hollowly. "Cover +our rear, Rick." They went into it single file, Rick walking sideways in +order to keep looking back for a possible enemy. Then, as the others +stopped suddenly, he fell over Chahda. He heard the scientist say, "Dead +end. Nothing but a blank wall. Rick, lead the way out. We'll try the +other." + +The second passage gave better results. It wound through the limestone +for a short distance, then opened into a small cave filled with +wonderful white rock formations. + +"Stalactites and stalagmites," Zircon boomed. "I suspect we are getting +into the deeper caverns, those hollowed out by water and not by man. The +question is, which way do we go now?" + +Rick took his eyes from the way they had come long enough to look +around. The cave was like a junction room, openings branching off in all +directions. + +Scotty switched on his flashlight and began examining the cave floor. +"Look for signs," he directed. "If men have come this way, they must +have left some traces." + +Chahda hurried to look, too. Rick stood where he was, light and eyes +going from one opening to another. He didn't intend to be caught off +guard. + +Scotty gave a grunt of satisfaction and stood up. "Candle wax," he +announced. "And it leads through here." He pointed to a gap between two +fluted columns, made by centuries of dripping water that had deposited +countless grains of limestone. + +Zircon immediately walked to the gap and peered through. "Come on," he +said. "There's another cave beyond." + +The next cave was larger, and nowhere in it was there evidence that man +had occupied it. Rick looked around him, awed by the bizarre beauty of +the place. From ceiling and floor limestone icicles strained toward each +other. They were the stalactites and stalagmites Zircon had mentioned, +formed over the centuries by slow drops of water, each of which left its +tiny trace of limestone to help build up the formation. On one wall of +the cave the water deposits had carved a waterfall, so perfect that it +might have been frozen into white rock only moments before. And from +every grain of stone their flashlight beams twinkled and reflected until +it seemed the walls were crusted with jewels. + +"More wax," Chahda called. He had found it near an irregular low opening +in the cave wall, a tiny drop left by someone carrying a tallow candle. + +Zircon went through the opening an inch at a time, on hands and knees. +The others followed, to find themselves in a cave almost identical to +the one they had left, except for the stone waterfall. This cave, too, +had walls broken in a number of places. + +Rick and Zircon flashed their lights around, seeking the next step. Then +Rick caught a quick glimpse of something red that moved! Quick as a +flash he shifted his hand on the stock of his rifle, pointed it like a +pistol, and fired. The red object vanished! + +The thunderous echo of the shot reverberating through the cave drowned +out his yell. He sprang through the entrance where he had seen the flash +of red and found himself in still another cave. Scotty was right behind +him. + +"What is it?" Scotty demanded. + +"I think it was a man," Rick said quickly. "He was wearing something +red. Come on, he can't be very far from here." + +"Which way?" + +There was no way of telling which way the man had gone. There were a +half dozen openings in the cave walls. Rick pointed at the two biggest. +"You take that one and I'll take this." Rifle ready and flashlight held +in front of him, he ran through the break in the wall he had indicated. +Scotty hurried to the other. + +If only they could get their hands on even one man, Rick thought, they +might force him to serve as their guide! He passed through another cave, +choosing the biggest entrance on the opposite wall. As he went through +it, he was certain he saw a movement, as though the quarry had just +rounded a corner. He let out a yell and lengthened his stride. In a +second he reached the corner, rounded it, and found himself in an odd +cave with countless pillars, formed when stalactites from the ceiling +and stalagmites from the floor had joined together. It was a veritable +labyrinth. He started through it, got perhaps fifty feet, and stopped. +The man he had chased surely knew his way around the caves. There was no +hope of overtaking him now. Better rejoin the others, Rick thought. It +was senseless to get too far away from his companions. + +He turned and started back, then hesitated, not sure of the way he had +come. The corridors formed by the limestone pillars led in all +directions. + +"I must have come this way," he muttered, and started off. Then he +stopped again, playing his light around. He couldn't be sure. Suddenly +worried, he ran forward and was brought to a halt by a solid wall. He +turned and hurried along it, seeking an opening. He found one, but +smaller than the one through which he had come. He plunged on, found a +big opening, and went through it into an irregular cave unlike any he +had seen before. He turned to retrace his steps, and his eyes met a wall +where the openings were separated only by glistening partitions of +limestone. He couldn't even be sure of the one through which he had just +entered. + +He licked lips that were suddenly dry. "I can't lose my head," he told +himself sternly. "I've got to stay calm." + +But in spite of his warnings to himself, he felt panic rising within +him. + +He was completely, hopelessly lost! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +The Lake of Darkness + + +Rick sat with his back against the cold surface of a stalagmite column. +His head drooped with weariness and his throat ached from yelling. He +had retraced his steps a dozen times or more. He had lost count. But +none of the passages took him back to his friends, nor had his yelling +of their names brought a response. + +He forced himself into a semblance of calmness and tried to think. What +was he to do? He eyed the beam of his flashlight and realized that he +ought to conserve the batteries. He turned it off, and dead, silent +blackness closed in about him. + +True blackness is rare. It cannot be found by closing shutters or +curtains in a room, even at night. Some light always penetrates man-made +rooms unless they are designed, as very few are, for total darkness. +Rick never had experienced it before, and it was frightening. He had to +take a firm grip on himself to keep from getting panicky. + +But if the underground caverns were completely without light, they were +not completely without sound. As Rick sat quietly he began to hear the +slow drip of water. It was the slow drip of centuries that had produced +the weird limestone formations of the caves. + +He began to talk quietly to himself, and the sound of his own voice was +better than listening to the slow dripping of water. + +"I can't stay here. The others wouldn't have any more chance of finding +me than I have of finding them. But if I leave here, I'm taking a +chance. I might go so deep into the caves that I'd never find my way out +again, or see any of the others again." + +He had visited some of the limestone caverns of Virginia, and he had +read of the New York and Kentucky caverns. He knew that even in America +there were endless series of caves that never had been fully explored. +This fabled Tibetan place might extend on forever. + +"On the other hand," he continued to himself, "if I keep moving, I might +stumble on the big cave under the Black Buddha again. It's less than a +fifty-fifty chance. A whole lot less. But it's a chance and I'd better +take it." + +He didn't let himself think of what would happen if he failed to find +his way back. He got to his feet and switched on his light again. By +contrast with the total darkness, the reflection of the beam on the +limestone walls was brilliant sunlight. He had to wait while his eyes +adjusted themselves to the light. Then he flashed the beam around. There +were passages going in every direction. + +"Which way do I go?" he asked himself. + +It was a tossup. He remembered an old trick and spat into the palm of +his hand. Then, with the forefinger of his other hand, he slapped the +spittle sharply. The biggest drop flew between two limestone +hour-glasses that formed one passage. He hitched up the camera case on +his shoulder, picked up his rifle, and started forward. + +The caverns were endless. Walking slowly, to conserve his strength, he +wandered through countless incredible rooms of gleaming stone. The +dripping water had formed all manner of things. He saw animals, ships, +mountain scenes, waterfalls, and cataracts, fairy grottoes, fish, +distant houses ... all carved of shining stone by millions upon +countless millions of water drops over centuries past number. He was so +completely enthralled by the unearthly beauty of the place that he even +forgot his predicament for a few moments. + +And then he noticed that his flashlight was growing so weak that it no +longer threw a clearly defined beam. It must have been getting weaker +for some time, he thought, but his eyes had adjusted themselves to the +failing light. + +He looked at his watch, wondering that the flashlight batteries had run +down so soon. The watch had run down, too, and had stopped. He couldn't +remember. Had he wound it before coming to the cave? He was chilled now. +It was cold and damp in the limestone passages. He shivered and pulled +up his collar. + +The panic rose up again. He didn't know how long he had been in the +cave. Had it been only a short while, or so many hours that his watch +had run down? He said to himself as calmly as he was able, "I'll have to +get where I'm going before the light fails altogether." + +He began to run. + +The illusion grew that he was trying to overtake the end of the +flashlight's beam. When he did catch up with it, that would be the end. +He had completely forgotten the infrared light on the camera, even +though the case banged against his side as he ran. He had been carrying +it for so long it had become a part of him. + +He dodged through passages, rounded turns, leaped over stalagmites. Once +he had to crawl on his hands and knees under water-smooth limestone, +pushing his rifle ahead of him. + +And all the time he was catching up to the end of the light. The radius +of illumination narrowed as the batteries failed, increasing the danger +of stumbling into a sudden crevice. Outside, the flashlight would have +been rejected long ago as a source of light. But far underground, with +no other light of any kind, it was still useful. + +Running more slowly now, at a stumbling dogtrot, he broke into a cave +larger than any he had seen since the first one, at the end of the +passage from the Black Buddha. The feeble light failed to reach the +opposite wall. + +Rick stopped, panting for breath. He knew he had to rest. He found a +natural seat next to a twisted pillar of limestone and sat down. + +The light slowly faded until there was only the dimmest of red tints to +the bulb, and then that vanished too, and he was again in total +darkness. As he watched the light fade, he remembered the infrared. Now +he got the glasses from the case and put them on. He took the camera out +and adjusted the handstrap so it could be carried like a satchel. But he +didn't turn on the light just yet. The battery had to be conserved at +all costs. Because.... + +He swallowed hard. Because when the battery for the infrared light ran +down, there would be nothing but darkness. Darkness would mean feeling +his way through the limestone tangle, and he realized fully that he +would not get far before death claimed him in the form of a yawning +canyon in the limestone rock. He had passed many of them. + +He set his jaw. That was ten hours away, because the battery would last +that long. Ten hours was a long time if used wisely. + +He closed his eyes and leaned back, dead tired. He dozed off. + + * * * * * + +Rick was never sure what awakened him, because there was no noise. It +may have been the light on eyes made sensitive by ultimate blackness. +But could a single candle have that much effect? + +The candle was carried by a man. A Tibetan. The candle was in a tin +container, punched full of holes. That was to keep it from being blown +out in case of a draft, although there was little or no draft in the +caverns. + +When Rick opened his eyes the man was walking straight across the floor +of the big cave, noiseless as a cat in feet wrapped in quilted cloth. +The miracle was that Rick didn't cry out on seeing another human. + +He sat frozen, watching the man. Then, as the stranger reached the far +side of the cave, Rick came to life. If he lost this man, who obviously +knew his way around, he was finished! Working at top speed he untied his +shoelaces and slipped off his shoes. Then, in stocking feet, he padded +silently across the floor. + +The candle was his guide. He didn't need the infrared beam yet. He would +follow the candle, and if it led him right into the hands of the enemy, +that was better than perishing alone of hunger in the blackness of the +inner caves. + +As he went, wary of a backward look by his quarry, he put his rifle +under his arm and fumbled to tie a knot in his laces. It took time, +since he was carrying the camera in one hand now. When he finally +managed, he draped the shoes around his neck. + +A dozen times he had been on the verge of abandoning the rifle as +useless extra weight. Now he was glad he had held onto it. + +Ahead, the candlelight bobbed and turned as the Tibetan, unaware that he +was being followed, made his way through the caverns. Rick followed at a +safe distance, close enough to avoid being left behind by a sudden turn. + +There was a new feeling in the air suddenly, a feeling of space and of +wetness. Rick sniffed. There was an odor, too, like decaying leaves, +although much weaker. His hopes brightened. Was the Tibetan leading him +out of the caves? + +Then, so suddenly that he almost slipped from the edge, the path took +him to a narrow ledge above a body of water of some kind. + +The Tibetan was making his way along the ledge, candle held high in a +search for something. When Rick switched on the infrared light for a +moment, the incredible scene leaped to his eyes from the darkness. From +under his feet a lake stretched away, its farther shore beyond the +eight-hundred-yard range of the infrared light. He turned the light back +and forth, seeking the end of the amazing body of water. But there was +nothing except the shore on which he stood. + +The water was dead calm. Not a ripple disturbed the glassy surface. He +shot the invisible light straight down, and the water was so deep it +looked black. + +With a sudden start he realized he might lose the Tibetan candle bearer. +He hurried after him, using the infrared light because the candle was +too far away now to show him the path. With the glasses on, using the +infrared light was just like using a powerful searchlight. + +Far ahead, the candle stopped moving. Rick now proceeded more +cautiously, and he switched off the infrared light in case the Tibetan +should look back and possibly spy the glowing filament of the lamp. + +The man was stooping over something, the candle resting on the stone +next to him. Rick switched the light on, then off again. And he broke +into a silent run. During the second the light had been on he had seen +that the Tibetan was untying a boat! + +He had an instant to make a decision. He reached a spot a few feet +behind the preoccupied stranger, who was having trouble with the rope +knot, and put the infrared camera down on the stone. Then, gripping the +rifle firmly, he walked right up to the man. + +"Hands up," he growled. + +The Tibetan screamed. + +He whirled, eyes wide with astonished fright, and he didn't even see the +rifle. He swept an enormous knife from his belt and leaped! + +Rick stumbled backward, and as he did, he realized that he couldn't +shoot. He still needed the man for a guide. He swung the rifle, barrel +first. + +It was just as effective as it had been when he swung on Worthington Ko. +The barrel connected with an audible _thunk_. The Tibetan fell forward +on his face. + +Frightened out of his wits, Rick rolled him over, pulled aside the +sheepskin coat he wore and put his ear on the man's chest. Then he +sighed with relief. He hadn't swung too hard. For a moment he had feared +that the blow had killed the man. And that would have been almost as +effective as holding the rifle barrel to his own head, because he still +had no idea of where to go without the guide. + +He debated for a moment, then lifted the Tibetan, dragged him to the +boat and dumped him in. It was a flat-bottomed craft with blunt ends and +primitive oar-locks. The oars were poles with round disks of wood on the +ends. + +He collected the candle and the camera, placed them on a thwart, and +went to work on the rope. It was reeved through an iron ring that jutted +from the stone. The sight gave him heart. Where there was iron, men came +often. At least he was sure that held true in this case. But his victory +had spurred him on and he didn't want to sit quietly and wait. He wanted +to keep going. + +He untied the knot, blew out the candle, shipped the oars and pushed +off. Something was on the other side of this Lake of Darkness. He +couldn't imagine what, but he intended to find out! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +Through a Pair of Dark Glasses + + +Somewhere, perhaps, beyond the Lake of Darkness, was Long Shadow. + +Rick felt certain of it. The Tibetan who lay unconscious at his feet had +been going somewhere. He had walked steadily and purposefully, with some +definite destination in mind. What was more logical than to assume that +the Tibetan had been heading for the hidden plant where heavy water was +being produced? + +Once the plant was found, Long Shadow would be found there, also. Even +if he were not there at the moment, he would come. And when he did, Rick +intended to do something about it. He had no definite plans. He only +knew that somehow he would force Long Shadow to unlock the gate to the +outer world. + +His oars dipped rhythmically as he pulled out into the lake. The +infrared light was directed toward a jutting edge of limestone on the +shore he had just left. He was using the rock formation as a marker so +he could steer a straight course. + +He wondered about his friends. Were they lost, too? Or had they managed +to keep to the right trail by following the tiny drops of candle wax? +The odd tin candleholder explained why there wasn't more wax to follow. +The holder caught most, but not all of the drippings. + +The rocky shore of the underground lake receded rapidly. Rick stopped +rowing and turned, switching the infrared light toward the direction in +which he was heading. He could see the opposite shore now, but dimly. +Knowing that the infrared light was effective at eight hundred yards, he +estimated the lake to be about twelve hundred yards wide. That was over +three-fifths of a mile. + +When he shot the light up and down the lake, he saw nothing but the +black water. That meant the lake was more than sixteen hundred yards +long. He turned the light upward and surveyed the ceiling. It was +irregular, varying in height from a dozen feet to over two hundred. In +one place, the ceiling came down to within a few feet of the black +water. + +It was an eerie place. Rick's quick imagination turned him into the +mythical Charon, who ferried the dead across the River Styx into Hades. +He grinned mirthlessly. The limp figure of the Tibetan gave substance to +the picture. + +He bent over the man, reaching for his wrist. The pulse was weak but +steady. He had given the Tibetan a healthy belt. There was no sign of +returning consciousness. But Rick wasn't worried. If he had hurt the man +badly, the pulse would have been thready and unsteady. He would wake up +presently, and his head would feel like a pillow stuffed with rocks, but +otherwise he would be all right. Rick knew. He had been knocked out +himself a couple of times. + +He resumed rowing, and his steady strokes brought him closer to the +opposite shore. He turned to examine it and saw that a rocky ledge rose +gradually out of the water. In a short time he felt the boat grind +against the limestone. + +He got out and pulled the craft up on the shore, which was worn smooth +by the water. The ledge varied from ten to fifty feet in width. Beyond +it, the roof of the cavern came down sharply to form a curving wall +broken in countless places. He could see into the broken places nearest +him. They were the beginnings of more cave labyrinths. + +Now that he had reached the opposite shore, what was he to do? Again he +leaned over the Tibetan. The man showed no signs of returning +consciousness. + +Rick cast his invisible light up and down the shore. Nothing indicated +that humans ever had been there before him. He realized that the wisest +thing would be to wait until his guide returned to consciousness and +then force him to lead the way once more. But he was impatient. +Somewhere along the shore there must be signs he could follow. + +He pulled the boat up as high as he could, then used strips torn from +the Tibetan's own clothes to bind and gag him. That done, he picked up +the infrared camera and his rifle and stood a moment in indecision. +Which way? + +It was a tossup. Finally he decided to keep going in the general +direction the Tibetan had led him. He paused long enough to inspect his +rifle. After firing, he had failed to lever another cartridge into the +chamber. He did so now, then put the hammer on half cock so it couldn't +fire accidentally, and started off. + +It was easy going in most places. But now and then he came to a point +where the shore ledge narrowed and he had to crawl. Once he skirted an +outcropping by walking in the water, feeling his way carefully so he +wouldn't step off a ledge into the depths. + +After a while he began to think he hadn't been very smart. He was +getting exactly nowhere. As far ahead as the infrared beam could +penetrate, there was nothing but the curving shore. In some places the +lake narrowed to a channel less than a hundred feet wide, then it +broadened again until he could no longer see the opposite shore. He +couldn't guess how far he had walked from the boat. He thought it must +be at least a quarter mile. + +Presently he found a place where a limestone pillar made a comfortable +back rest and sat down. He switched off the infrared light, and +instantly all light was blotted out. It was startling, even more so than +when he had switched off the flashlight, because the infrared beam gave +the illusion of a sort of gray daylight. + +He sat quietly, waiting for some of the weariness to leave his legs, his +eyes closed. After a while he opened them again, more from habit than +with the intention of seeing anything. He couldn't see even the tip of +his nose it was so dark. Then suddenly he realized it wasn't as dark as +he had expected! + +There was a faint luminous quality that outlined the shore of the lake. +He studied the line of demarkation, then guessed that the faint +luminosity must come from microscopic plant or animal life that clung to +the rock underwater. Sea water had a phosphorescence sometimes for the +same reason. + +His eyes followed the faint line up the shore in the direction he had +been traveling. The silver phosphorescence turned a faint yellow. Almost +out of the range of his vision the yellow was picked up by the water, +like the dimmest moonlight. + +He studied it for long minutes, trying to figure out the reason for the +phenomenon, then he almost leaped out of his skin. The water was +reflecting the yellow light! It didn't come from the water the way the +luminous silver did! + +He got to his feet. Reflection meant man-made light! + +It was hard to follow the faint yellow light. When he switched on the +infrared, the light vanished completely. When the infrared was off, he +couldn't find his way. + +He compromised, going a hundred feet or so with the infrared on, then +turning it off and sitting quietly until his eyes adjusted themselves +and he could see the yellow glow once more. After he did this a few +times he could see that the light was growing slightly stronger. + +Then, as he progressed, he realized why he couldn't see the source of +the light. It was around a corner of the rock wall. + +After several minutes of alternate walking and waiting he reached the +corner. It dropped sharply into the water, and when he flashed the +infrared down, he saw that the water was black. No shelf here to walk +on. He debated for a moment. He could swim around, or he could try to +find another way. There were plenty of cave openings. One of them might +go through. + +He had been lost once, and he didn't intend to let that happen again. He +tore open the packet of emergency rations he had brought, searching for +something with which to lay a trail. + +Inside the waxed container were little cans of food and a packet of hard +crackers. The crackers would do. + +But looking at the food reminded him that he hadn't eaten in a long +time. He didn't know if it was hours, or days. He had lost all track of +time. He took the can key and unwound the narrow sealing strip on a +container of cheese. It tasted wonderful. He devoured every bit of it, +including the crumbs left in the can. Then he opened a can of meat and +ate that, too. He had been sipping at his canteen at various times, but +it was still more than half full. He detached the canteen cup and filled +it from the lake, tasting it cautiously. The water had a flat taste, +like boiled water, but it was all right. He drank deeply, then filled +the canteen. + +His hunger and thirst satisfied, he surveyed the various openings around +him, then chose the one nearest the corner he wished to get around. At +the very entrance, he placed the empty cheese tin. Inside the cave, he +turned to be sure it was clearly visible, then walked across to an +opening that seemed likely to lead him in the right direction. He placed +the second can at that opening and went into the passage formed by a +series of stalagmite columns. It was a dead end. He returned to the cave +where he had left the cans, picked up the empty meat can, and tried +another entry. + +He was completely calm now. He knew that humans, even though enemies, +were not far away. And he was quite sure that his friends were all +right. They would take steps to leave a trail so they would not get lost +as he had done. + +The second passage was better. He wound in and out through the limestone +formations, leaving a trail of broken cracker crumbs. Every now and then +he turned to see that the trail was plain. He grinned. Hadn't he read a +story when he was a kid about some children who had left a trail of +crumbs only to have the birds eat them? + +No danger of that here. No self-respecting bird would get near the +place. + +It wasn't long before he ran out of crumbs. Then he tore his +handkerchief into tiny bits and used that. When he reached the end of +the cloth scraps, he sat down to rest, turning off the infrared light +while he carefully shredded a big piece of his shirttail. + +As his eyes adjusted themselves to the darkness, he saw the yellow light +again, only stronger this time! Carefully, his heart beating excitedly, +he turned the infrared light in the direction of the yellow glow and +switched it on. Before him was a big opening in the limestone. He +surveyed the floor carefully and saw that there was nothing over which +to trip. He turned off the infrared light, and, leaving a trail of torn +cloth behind him, he crawled toward the source of the light. + +He came out on the shore of the lake once more. Before him stretched the +black water, the yellow light dancing across its surface. And the source +of the light was not from candles, but from torches! + +Across the water, perhaps a hundred yards away, a half dozen torches +burned, their light lost in the emptiness of the great lake cave. Near +the torches he could see figures moving and knew with sudden relief that +he had found the enemy camp. + +He turned on the infrared light, aiming it at the torches, and through +his special glasses he saw the scene light up. + +Where the torches blazed was a great shelf of rock, stretching back +several hundred feet to where the rock wall began once more. On the +shelf were a dozen men, sitting around a tiny cooking fire much paler +than the torches themselves. They were Tibetans, like the one he had +captured. + +He saw an odd structure at the water line and after a little study +realized that it was a barge of some kind, perhaps a floating pier. It +had odd derricklike wooden ladders on it. There were four of them, +perhaps three feet high. Beyond the barge he made out at least two +flat-bottomed boats. + +Further back, against the limestone wall, he could see tents or lean-tos +made of some kind of cloth. He couldn't see clearly, but thought the +cloth might be felt. This, then, was a permanent camp! The tents must be +there to offer some protection against the cold and dampness. + +He inspected the men again. They were all short. None of them could be +Long Shadow. + +"Now what?" Rick asked himself. + +It was certain that Long Shadow would come to the camp sooner or later. +It was almost as certain that Scotty, Zircon, and Chahda, if they +followed the trail of the wax candles carefully, would arrive sooner or +later at the boat landing to which the Tibetan had led him. Always +provided they hadn't been ambushed. He shivered at the thought. The cave +formations would make it easy for the enemy to lie in wait. Then, even +with their old-fashioned muskets and lack of shooting ability, they +could pick off the little party. + +But they wouldn't do it without cost! Scotty was deadly with a rifle. +Zircon was a better than average shot. + +Rick debated. It was no good to make his presence known. Far better to +lie in wait until Long Shadow came. Then, if he could take the camp by +surprise, his rifle would do the rest for him. + +But how to take it by surprise? + +He scanned the shore around the camp. In several places between him and +the camp shelf, the rock wall came right down to the lake's edge. Unless +he wanted to search for a way through the caves, he would have to swim. +Or use a boat. + +Beyond the last sheer place, the camp shelf started. Its edge curved and +twisted for a little distance. If he could get to the starting point, he +could keep undercover easily enough. Then, making his way along the +wall, he could probably escape being seen until he was almost at the +tents. With luck, a sudden dash would bring him right to the enemy +without being seen first. + +That was how he would do it. He would go back and get the boat, then lie +in wait in this very place until the time came. He withdrew from the +entrance, then paused suddenly. The men around the fire were getting to +their feet and walking toward the water. He watched as they peered into +the darkness in the direction he thought of as "down lake." One of them +ran to a torch, pulled it out of its holder, ran back to the water's +edge, and waved it. + +A signal! To whom? + +Two of the men were kneeling just beyond the barge, and a moment later +they proceeded to get into the two flat-bottomed boats he had seen. What +they had been doing was untying the boats. He watched as they rowed out +onto the black lake. + +They must be going after someone! + +Rick hurried back the way he had come, following the path of torn cloth, +then the broken cracker crumbs. He would have to hurry. The Tibetans +might have gone after Long Shadow! + +He retraced his steps at a pace that was half-walking, half-running. The +trail he had left showed clearly in the infrared light. In a few moments +he came out of the caves onto the lake shore once more, and he saw the +signal that had summoned the boats. A red light was now clearly visible. +He thought it was right at the point from which he had pushed off in the +Tibetan's boat. + +A sudden thought struck him. Wouldn't they miss the Tibetan and the +boat? He hurried faster. Now and then he stopped to listen, and he could +hear the sound of oars in the water. + +It didn't take long to reach his boat. When he leaned over the Tibetan, +frightened black eyes peered up at him. He tested the man's bonds. They +were tight enough to be effective, but not so tight they cut off his +circulation. He knew the gag was uncomfortable, but he didn't dare +remove it. As assurance that he meant no harm, he patted the man on the +shoulder. Some of the wild fright went out of the beady eyes. + +Working quietly, Rick pushed the boat out into the water. He wasn't +afraid of being seen. Candles or torches didn't cast enough light to +penetrate the blackness as the infrared beam did. But he might be heard. +He had to be as quiet as possible. + +He used only one oar, kneeling in the stern and paddling the +flat-bottomed craft like a canoe. The infrared camera, placed on the +seat with the beam directed ahead of him, gave him plenty of light to +see. Once in a while he turned the beam around. The two boats were +making good progress toward the red signal. The beam of the infrared +camera didn't penetrate far enough for him to see what or who was under +the red light. + +He rounded the corner that had blocked his way and paddled silently +along the rocky wall. The two boats were out of sight now. + +Rounding the corner gave him a clear view of the torches, but he knew +the men around them couldn't see him. + +The way was longer than he had thought. He paddled in and out of coves, +past grottoes in the rocky wall. Then, at last, he saw the little pile +of torn cloth he had left on the shore at the end of his cave trail. He +had put all the cloth not needed for marking trail in one place, not +because he had been foresighted, but because he hadn't needed it any +more. He was glad now of the accident that marked the right place, +otherwise he couldn't have identified it from the rest of the openings +in the wall. + +He pulled the boat up to it and anchored it by the rope to a convenient +stalagmite. Then he half-lifted, half-dragged the trussed Tibetan into +the cave and out of sight of the lake. + +Rick searched the water for some sign of the boats, and thought he heard +them coming. He went back to the Tibetan, took his canteen, unscrewed +the top, and placed it on the rock. Then, kneeling over his captive, he +took the man's throat in one hand. With the other he undid the rag that +held the gag in place. Pressure of his fingers warned the Tibetan he +would be strangled if he so much as squeaked. Then Rick pulled the torn +rags he had used as a gag from the man's mouth, lifted him to a sitting +position, and held the canteen to his lips with his free hand. + +The Tibetan drank greedily. Rick let him rest for a moment, then held +the canteen again. The man drank his fill, then nodded his thanks. Rick +quickly replaced the gag and bound it in place, then used another piece +of cloth torn from the man's clothing to lash one leg to a stalagmite. +He didn't want to risk having the man wriggle to the entrance at the +wrong time, and sound an alarm. + +Rick was exultant. High excitement was rising in him, because he thought +it was only a matter of time now before Long Shadow would come, even if +his enemy was not already in one of the boats that were making their way +back to the camp. + +He switched out the infrared light, placing the camera on the ground, +pointing toward the boat landing. Then he lay down on his stomach, rifle +thrust out in front of him and handy to his hand. He could wait. He +could wait days, if necessary. Because once Long Shadow came, he would +force him to show the way to the outside, and he would force him to +locate the others. + +If Long Shadow refused to co-operate ... Rick's lips tightened. Then at +least he wouldn't be lonesome in the Caves of Fear. His enemy would be +his company until the end. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +The Hostages + + +A faint splashing warned Rick that the boats were approaching. In a few +moments they were opposite his position. He swung the infrared light +around toward them and snapped it on. + +There were two men in the lead boat, one rowing and the other taking his +ease in the stern. Rick's heart leaped as he saw that the passenger was +of very slender build. Was it Long Shadow? He couldn't see his face +clearly. He looked at the second boat, and a sudden grin split his lips. + +Worthington Ko! + +The Chinese merchant was sitting at ease, and there was no mistaking his +portly figure. Besides, he twisted on the wooden seat, making himself +more comfortable, and for an instant his face was toward Rick. + +"Good," Rick muttered to himself. If the slender man wasn't Long Shadow, +at least he would have Ko to deal with. The Chinese with the glass eye +could, he knew, speak English, although it was probable that Long Shadow +could, too. + +He watched as the boats reached the barge. Ko and the slender man got +out. Rick studied the stranger, noting that he was taller than Ko, and +so thin that, compared with the portly merchant, he looked like an +animated bean pole. + +"He surely must be Long Shadow," Rick told himself. As soon as the +excitement of their arrival had died down among the Tibetans, he +intended to get into his boat and start toward the camp. + +Ko and the stranger talked together for a moment, then the latter +gestured toward the Tibetans. The Tibetans ran toward the tents while +the two newcomers waited. + +Rick watched the Tibetans, his brow furrowed. Surely they weren't going +to strike camp! He revised his plans hastily. If they did start to take +down the tents, he would dump his prisoner back in the boat. Then he +would follow wherever they went. + +The Tibetans vanished into the tents, and in a moment they came out +again. + +And they were leading Scotty, Zircon, and Chahda! + +Rick gasped. + +His friends had been in the camp all the time, prisoners! He groaned +softly. If he had only known, he might have gotten to them while the +boats were gone and the number of guards was temporarily reduced. He got +to his knees, determined to start for them right away. Then he paused as +his three friends were led before the two strangers. They were all +erect, their hands tied behind them. + +Anyway, prisoners or not, they were evidently none the worse for their +captivity. Again he started for the boat, and again he paused. What if +Long Shadow and Ko intended loading them in the boats? It might be wiser +to wait. He sank down to a sitting position, caressing the cold metal of +his rifle. The next few moments would tell the story. + +Worthington Ko stepped forward, confronting Zircon. The Chinese nodded +his head, then deliberately slapped the scientist across the face. + +Zircon couldn't strike back. But his legs were free. One massive leg +swung in a giant punt that caught the Chinese squarely in the stomach. +Worthington Ko flew backward like a rag doll and slid along the +limestone floor. Rick watched the tableau, spellbound. + +The Tibetans ran forward. + +Rick put the camera down, light pointing at the group across the way. +Then he raised his rifle and sighted in. He'd get some of them before +they could harm his friends. His finger tightened slowly on the trigger. + +And then the Tibetans fell back as Long Shadow barked an order. + +Worthington Ko got to his feet, bent over, both hands on his stomach. He +weaved a little. The breath had been knocked right out of him, Rick +thought. + +The Tibetans and Long Shadow watched as Ko straightened up, very slowly. +He ran his hands gingerly over his big stomach. Then, walking +unsteadily, he moved back to within a few feet of Zircon. He called out +something and one of the Tibetans ran forward. + +Rick's throat clogged as the torchlight reflected from a shiny blade. Ko +took the blade and swished it through the air. Then, drawing it back, he +stepped forward. + +The Chinese was squarely in Rick's sights. He squeezed the trigger and +the rifle recoiled against his shoulder. The shot thundered through the +echoing cave. + +Ko staggered. He dropped the blade, took a couple of hesitant steps +backward, and then sat down hard. + +There was sudden chaos in the camp across the way. The Tibetans ran back +and forth aimlessly like sheep. Long Shadow bellowed orders. Then he ran +to a torch, pulled it out of the socket, and heaved it into the water. +The Tibetans got the idea. The torches flashed through the air and then +hissed out in the water. + +Long Shadow felt his way toward the three Spindrifters, calling out +orders to the Tibetans. Rick suddenly realized that, of all in sight, +only he could see! Long Shadow and his men thought they were safe in the +darkness. + +He watched, rifle at his shoulder, as Long Shadow collected the +Tibetans. Then he realized that the enemy intended herding Scotty, +Zircon, and Chahda into the caves. Probably they were certain that in +the caves they would be safe from whoever had fired from the darkness. + +Ko was still sitting. He had one hand pressed to his side. + +The Tibetans were groping for their prisoners. Rick grinned. He aimed at +the stone under their feet and fired. There was a chorus of yells. He +levered another cartridge into the chamber and fired again. + +The Tibetans fled, charging blindly toward the cave openings beyond the +tents. + +Long Shadow kept yelling orders, groping around in the blackness, but +the Tibetans paid no attention. They reached the back wall of the cave. +Two of them went headlong into openings. Others crashed into the walls, +fell, crawled sideways, scrambling until they found the openings they so +frantically sought. + +Long Shadow's voice could be heard screaming in fury for his men to come +back. + +He couldn't see, as Rick could, that they were all now in the caves +behind their leader. + +Finally, giving up, Long Shadow started for safety himself. + +It would never do to allow the thin man to get away, Rick thought. He +wanted Long Shadow. He and his companions had questions to ask him, and +they needed him to get them out of the Caves of Fear. He sighted +carefully at the long legs that were feeling their way toward the back +wall. He fired. + +Long Shadow stumbled headlong, then he started to crawl. Rick stood up +and yelled. "Gang! Get Long Shadow!" + +His words echoed eerily through the cave. + +Zircon understood and bellowed. "Where is he?" + +Rick thought quickly. The three were still standing in a line. He +shouted orders. + +"Right face. Forward march!" + +Like a well-trained machine, his friends obeyed. They marched forward +steadily. But they were slightly off. He remembered the correct command. + +"Left oblique! March!" + +Scotty swung a quarter left, bumped into Zircon. Chahda stood still, not +understanding. Neither had Zircon comprehended the command. Rick yelled, +"Scotty! Turn right just a fraction." + +Scotty did so. "Now," Rick called. "He's about ten feet in front of +you." + +Scotty moved forward, feeling his way a step at a time. When he was +almost on Long Shadow, Rick yelled, "You're there!" + +Long Shadow turned over on his back and clawed in his pockets. + +"Watch out!" Rick screamed. "He's got a gun!" + +Scotty jumped, feet first. He missed Long Shadow by a fraction, landing +next to his chest. + +"Fall to the left!" Rick yelled. + +Scotty crashed down across the man, calling to Zircon and Chahda. Guided +by their friend's voice, the two reached his side quickly. Rick couldn't +hear what Scotty said, but the big scientist suddenly sat down, his back +to Long Shadow. A moment later he writhed away, and he had the pistol +between his bound hands. + +Rick sighed his relief. "Wait!" he yelled. "I'll be right there!" + +He didn't dare take his eyes off the scene long enough to pick up his +prisoner. Time enough for that later. He untied the boat and got in. He +knelt, placing the rifle on the seat in front of him next to the +infrared camera. Then, using the oar as a paddle once more, he started +straight across to the camp. + +It wasn't a far journey. But as he reached the halfway mark, two of the +Tibetans looked cautiously out of their hiding place. Rick put the oar +across the gunwales, picked up his rifle, and sighted carefully. +Fortunately, there wasn't so much as a ripple on the water. The boat was +perfectly steady. + +He squeezed the trigger, and the stalactite directly over their heads +shattered into a thousand pieces, showering them with limestone. They +didn't wait for a second shot. He could hear their yells even after they +had ducked back into the caves. They weren't used to sharpshooting in +total darkness. + +Rick smiled as he resumed paddling. He could understand how they felt. +He wasn't used to it, either. + +In a few moments he was at the barge. He tied the boat to one of the odd +derrick affairs and scrambled out. Then, picking up the camera and +rifle, he hurried to his friends. + +Scotty and Chahda were using Long Shadow as a bench. Zircon sat a little +distance apart, trying to peer toward Rick through the darkness. + +"Dark in here, isn't it?" Rick inquired pleasantly. + +"Rick! You old muttonhead!" Scotty exclaimed. + +"Thank God you're safe," Zircon said. + +Chahda grinned the widest grin ever and said, "Also giving much thanks +that friend Rick has eyes like cat which see in dark!" The Hindu boy +didn't know about the infrared camera, unless the others had explained +it to him. There hadn't been time back at camp, and Rick hadn't thought +of it, anyway. + +In a moment the three were untied, rubbing circulation back into their +wrists. + +"Let's get a light!" Zircon said. "I think we had better see to the +wounded. I assume there are wounded? I know Ko was hit. And just as he +was about to carve my head from my shoulders, too." + +"He's sitting over there," Rick said. + +"Where's there?" Scotty asked. + +He kept forgetting that only he could see. "Where he dropped. Long +Shadow is hit, too. I don't know how badly." + +For the first time, they heard their enemy's voice. It was rather high, +but cultured and pleasant. "Not badly. Although I believe my ankle may +be broken. I have felt, and I don't believe I am bleeding much." + +Rick knelt quickly and put the infrared light on the wound. Long Shadow +was right. It hadn't bled much, and Zircon, looking the wound over after +borrowing the glasses, told him, "I doubt that the ankle is broken. The +wound is clean." + +"Stay where you are," Rick warned him. "We'll bandage you after we look +at Ko." + +"I have no intention of going anywhere," Long Shadow said. "Not when +some magic I don't understand permits you to see in complete darkness." + +Rick took the glasses from Zircon's hand. In the interval during which +the scientist was wearing them, he had understood how the others felt. +The darkness was absolute. He put the glasses on again and walked over +to Ko, talking so his friends could follow the sound of his voice. + +"Well, Mr. Ko," he said, "you got a little surprise, didn't you?" + +The Chinese with the glass eye groaned. "You have won," he complained +weakly. "Now have the kindness to let me go to my ancestors in peace." + +"Better let me take a look at him," Zircon said. + +Rick walked to the scientist's side and took one of his hands. Then he +took off the glasses and pressed them into the hand he was holding. That +done, he stood in the blackness and waited. + +"Lie flat," presently Zircon said. + +"Please go away," Ko groaned. + +"Lie flat," Zircon ordered. + +There was the sound of ripping cloth. Zircon grunted. "Hmmmm." + +Ko moaned. "I wish to go to my ancestors alone." + +"You're not going to your ancestors," Zircon replied scornfully. "I +doubt that they'd have you. In case you're interested, Rick's bullet +merely plowed a nice, round hole through some of the fat on your right +side. You haven't even lost enough blood to make the wound interesting." + +Ko's voice was suddenly animated. "Are you sure?" + +"Quite sure. No, don't try to get up. Stay where you are. If you try to +run I'll order our seeing-eye marksman to finish the job." Zircon +continued, "Rick, Scotty, Chahda. Stay where you are. I saw some torches +stacked in one of the tents. I'll get them and be right back." + +The three boys assured him that they wouldn't move. Rick, for one, had +no intention of prowling about in the blackness. + +While they waited, Scotty asked, "What happened to you, Rick?" + +Rick hesitated. He couldn't give an adequate account of what he had +experienced during the recent hours. Or was it weeks? He summed it up. +"After we got separated, I couldn't find you again. I wandered around. +Then I sat down in a big cave and fell asleep. When I woke, there was a +Tibetan with a candle. I followed him to a boat landing, slugged him, +and rowed across the lake. He's waiting, tied up, across the lake at the +spot from where I fired. How about you?" + +"We look for you," Chahda said. "We look a long time, and almost get +lost ourself." + +"Finally we decided we'd better push on and find Long Shadow," Scotty +continued. "We tracked the drippings from the candles for hours. It was +slow work. Then, while we were resting, we got jumped from behind. They +didn't even have to bother about lights, because one of our flashlights +was on, and it was getting so weak we couldn't see more than ten feet. +They came out of the darkness with a rush and there we were. They made +us walk to the boat landing, called the boats from here, and brought us +over. We've been sitting in one of those tents for hours. You know the +rest." + +How rapidly they could cover the tortured hours of travel in a few +words, Rick thought. But he said only, "I'm glad we're all together +again." + +"How you see in dark?" Chahda asked. + +Rick explained briefly. The Hindu boy chuckled. "Plenty mystery for one +who not know, you bet! I scared myself, like the men who ran." + +Then Zircon came back. He brought out matches and in a moment torches +were blazing again. They bandaged the two enemies as best they could, +using clean handkerchiefs which Chahda and Scotty carried. And Rick got +his first good look at Long Shadow's face. + +The man was incredibly thin. His skin was stretched over the bones of +his face like parchment, and it had a sallow ivory tinge even in the +ruddy torchlight. His eyes were black, with just the faintest hint of a +Mongoloid fold. + +"Are you a Eurasian?" Rick asked bluntly. + +"Yes." Long Shadow smiled. "I'm one quarter Burmese. The other +three-quarters doesn't matter." + +"You know our names," Rick said. "I'm sure you do. But we don't know +yours." + +Long Shadow laughed. "You could never pronounce my Burmese name and the +other name I use is of no importance." + +Zircon and the others had been listening. Now the scientist said, "We'll +have plenty of chance to talk, Rick. At the moment I'm concerned with +getting out of here. After a bit of exploration of course. It's almost +certain that the heavy water comes from here. Although I don't know the +source." + +Scotty motioned toward the Lake of Darkness. "Bradley said to bring a +Nansen bottle and a rubber boat. He must have known about this. Why +would he say to bring a Nansen bottle if not to take a sample from the +lake?" + +Zircon flashed a look at Long Shadow. The Eurasian smiled gently. +"That's a good question Mr. Scott asked," he told them. "But don't look +to me for the answer." + +"Search the tents," Zircon ordered. "Chahda, keep an eye on our two +friends." + +The three Americans walked to the felt tents and began searching through +them. Zircon used the infrared camera. Rick and Scotty took torches. + +Rick was feeling through a pile of furs when Zircon called, "Here are +the flashlights!" + +Zircon's had run down, but Scotty's, and Chahda's big lights were still +useful. They made the search much easier. Rick went back to the pile of +skins and found that they were plastic-lined water bags, similar to the +ones they had found on the way to Korse Lenken. Then, stacked in a +corner of the tent, he found some Nansen bottles! + +At the same moment, Scotty called from the next tent. "Look what I +found!" + +He had located the ammunition supply. There was powder and ball for the +old muskets the Tibetans used, two boxes of machine pistol cartridges, +and a small case of grenades! + +"Now we know where Ko got the one he tried to use on us," Rick said. +"But where did they come from in the first place?" + +"The war," Scotty guessed. "There must be tons of ammo and ordnance of +all kinds floating around China. What makes me wonder is why the +Tibetans don't have modern rifles." + +"I suspect the answer is their natural conservatism," Zircon suggested. +"They are slow to change. And such guns as they use are handed down from +father to son. I don't doubt that modern rifles were offered them and +that they refused." + +Rick knew something of the Oriental mind, although not much, and he +realized that Zircon was probably right. In a land of ancestor worship, +change was resisted. + +Scotty stuffed grenades in each pocket. "Just in case we get into a +fight on the way out," he explained. + +Rick was glad to leave the deadly things to his friend. Scotty knew +about grenades from his tour of duty in the Marines; he had thrown more +than a few himself. + +"Nansen bottles in the next tent, professor," Rick said. "There must be +something to this business of getting stuff out of the lake. But golly, +you don't get heavy water out of natural water, do you?" + +"I don't know," Zircon said. "There is only one precedent I can think +of. Have you ever heard of Lake Baikal?" + +Neither boy had. + +"It's a very large lake in Siberia, just above Mongolia," the scientist +told them. "It is also very deep. A few years ago, before the Iron +Curtain closed down, word came out of Russia that some scientists had +succeeded in getting heavy water samples out of Baikal. That is the only +precedent that I know. + +"It is true," he continued, "that heavy water has a tendency to sink. +Naturally enough, since it is heavier. But for enough to form on the +bottom of a body of water, there would have to be great depth and +complete calm. Any current would stir the water up and the heavy water +would merge with the normal once more." + +"In other words, you need a lake like this one," Rick concluded. + +"I must admit it fits the requirements," Zircon agreed. "And we've seen +no sign of an industrial plant. These caverns certainly would be no +place for one." + +"We can soon tell," Scotty suggested. "Let's take a sample. When we get +out, you can test it." + +"Quite right," Zircon said. "And let's be quick about it." + +It didn't take long to discover the reason for the odd little derricks +on the barge. Each was equipped with a pulley and a reel of wire. +Obviously, it was from here that the Nansen bottles were lowered. + +While Chahda and Scotty remained on shore, Zircon and Rick pushed the +barge out into the lake. Rick got a Nansen bottle ready. + +The bottle was made of metal, each end equipped with a spring cap. The +bottle was lowered on a wire with the ends open, permitting water to +flow through it freely. When it reached the desired depth, a metal +weight called a "messenger" was attached to the wire and dropped. The +weight of the messenger released devices that closed the caps, thus +trapping the water sample inside. A brass spigot on the side permitted +the sample to be taken out easily when the bottle was hauled up again. + +They had brought four bottles from Long Shadow's stores. The first one +was lowered to the very bottom, and it took a long time getting there. +The reel of wire with which the barge was equipped ran out and out until +a full seven hundred feet of it had disappeared into the dark depths of +the lake. Rick was glad the reel of wire had a geared handle. Pulling +that weight up would be no fun. + +Once the slackening of the wire told them that bottom had been reached, +Zircon put the messenger on the wire and let it go. Seconds later, a tug +on the wire told them it had struck and Rick reeled in. + +Other samples were taken at five, ten, and fifteen feet from the bottom. +Zircon marked the bottles, then they paddled back to shore. + +Long Shadow spoke up. "Of course you have testing equipment?" + +"At our camp near Korse Lenken," Zircon assured him. + +"You'll find what you expect," the Eurasian said. + +"Thank you. And now, we'll also thank you to lead us out of here." + +"No," Long Shadow said. + +"You're beaten," Zircon said reasonably. "Why not admit it and +co-operate? We've nothing against you even if there were law in Tibet. +See us to the outside and open the barred gate and you're at liberty to +go." + +Rick started to protest, then he realized Zircon was right. Law in this +part of the world was the law of the rifle. There was nothing they could +do to Long Shadow or Ko. + +Long Shadow considered. "I suppose you're right. My little business deal +is over, at least for the time being." He raised his voice and yelled in +Tibetan. + +The boys grabbed up their rifles as Tibetan heads showed from the caves, +black eyes blinking in fear. + +"They will carry me and Ko," Long Shadow said calmly. "Now let us be on +our way." He smiled. "I must admit I have a selfish interest in all this +worry about getting to the outside. This ankle is beginning to hurt, and +I won't mind having one of the lamas with medical skill take a look at +it." + +"How about letting a Hong Kong police doctor take a look at it?" Rick +asked. Long Shadow's cheerfulness was getting on his nerves. The man +acted more like a guest than a prisoner. + +"I don't think we need go that far," Long Shadow replied. "The lamas are +quite capable." + +"I wasn't concerned about your ankle," Rick corrected. "I was thinking +that the Hong Kong police might like to get their hands on the kind of +citizen who goes around shooting up hotels with a Schmeisser machine +pistol." + +Long Shadow stopped smiling abruptly. "You couldn't prove that," he said +swiftly. + +"Why not?" Scotty asked, "We'll let the police see if the slugs from +your machine pistol don't match those in the hotel wall. By the way, +where is the Schmeisser? I haven't seen it around." + +Long Shadow recovered his grin. "You'll never see it again. I took the +precaution of disposing of it, in case the police in the hotel area had +been alerted. Don't bother to ask me how I got rid of it." + +"We won't," Zircon replied. "Obviously, you wouldn't tell us. However, +perhaps you will tell us how long it will take to get out of here?" + +"About ten minutes." + +At their evident surprise, Long Shadow added, "I should have said once +we cross the lake it will take about ten minutes. You came a very long +way around, you see. I realize you followed the candle droppings, but +I'm afraid those were left some time ago, when I first explored the +cave. The first entrance you tried was the correct one, even though you +didn't suspect the presence of a door. When you took the open way, you +approached by a very twisting path." + +"Just to satisfy my curiosity," Scotty asked, "why did your men capture +us, then bundle us into the boats and bring us here? And where were you +all that time?" + +Long Shadow shrugged. "I knew your guide and bearers were outside, at +Korse Lenken, of course. My men have kept an eye on you. I also felt +they probably would start a search after you failed to return. It was +almost certain they would find the entrance to the caverns behind the +Black Buddha, and, like you, they would probably follow the candle +drippings. The drippings would lead them nowhere. Unless they found the +secret door, there would be no chance of them finding you here in our +permanent camp. Hence, I had you brought here. Ko and I were waiting in +the cave I use for an office. When we thought time enough had elapsed +for my orders to be carried out, we came here. Meanwhile, we took a nap. +Are you satisfied?" + +"You never intended that we should see daylight again," Rick stated. He +winked at his friends. "Suppose we tie a few stalactites to your feet, +and Ko's, and see how long it takes for you to get down to where the +heavy water is?" He looked meaningly at the lake. + +Ko groaned, but Long Shadow only smiled. "If that's the way you want +it," he said, "it will at least be quick. Both of us are done for, +whether you know it or not. Your Mr. Bradley will see to that." + + * * * * * + +As Long Shadow had said, it was little more than ten minutes after +crossing the lake before the party reached the cave under the Black +Buddha. They had passed through the cave where Rick had found the +Tibetan. Again he realized how lucky he had been. Some good angel had +led him to the main route. Had he fallen asleep in some other cave, he +might still be wandering through the labyrinth. + +The rifles taken from Scotty and Zircon by Long Shadow's men had been +found in one of the tents. With Rick's rifle, they were insurance +against treachery. But Long Shadow seemed resigned, for some reason Rick +couldn't fathom, and Ko did nothing but curse the bearers who carried +him. + +Before reaching the great cave they stopped at a blank wall. At a signal +from Long Shadow, one of the Tibetans reached behind a stalagmite and +pulled a lever. A section of the wall swung open, disclosing the passage +they had thought stopped in a dead end. + +In a few moments they were crossing the outer cave, and Rick saw at once +that the bars across the entrance passage were gone. + +"When the inner door opens from the inside, the bars also open," Long +Shadow said. "There is another cave under this one where the mechanism +is located. No, I am not responsible. The ancient ones who made the +Black Buddha also made the doors and the mechanism." + +Rick ran ahead through the passage. He found the leather thong that +controlled the door and pulled. The metal tongue came out of its slot +permitting the counterbalance to swing the trap door upward. The others +were behind him with their lights, and Rick saw his shadow loom large on +the wall behind the Black Buddha. In the same way, the Long Shadow had +been projected upward, probably by the light from a candle in the hands +of a Tibetan bearer. He experimented, backing down a few steps. His +shadow seemed to fold downward into the oblong box of light cast by the +flashlights. When he walked up the stairs again, the shadow grew out of +the bottom of the projected oblong of light. + +As Rick reached floor level, he froze suddenly, his finger slipping the +hammer of his rifle to full cock. There were lights in the cave! As he +turned to call a warning, yellow-robed lamas, who had seen the reflected +light on the rear wall, poured around the statue with wild yells, their +torches held high. + +"Something's up," Rick called to the others. "Watch it!" + +Under the threat of Rick's rifle, then Scotty's and Zircon's, the lamas +fell back until the group stood alongside the Black Buddha, looking into +the cave. There were torches everywhere! And cooking fires. Rick's first +thought was that they had returned in the midst of a religious +celebration. + +And then he saw Sing. The Chinese guide ran to them, his face split by a +wide grin. + +"You came," he exclaimed happily. "We were about to tear the mountain +down, stone by stone! Where is the Indian boy?" + +Chahda came from behind the statue, herding the Tibetans who carried +Long Shadow, Ko, and the Nansen bottles. Sing turned and yelled. + +The lamas broke into cries of approval at the sight of Chahda. Several +of them ran to him and pressed his hand. He was a favorite, obviously. + +"They came to help when I told them the Indian boy was in danger," Sing +explained. "We were ready to start digging holes to find the caverns, +because we couldn't find the door." He eyed Long Shadow curiously and +grinned at the sight of Ko. "Should I get my frying pan again?" he +asked. + +"Might be a good idea," Rick said. + +"My boss not come yet?" Chahda asked. + +Sing clapped hands to his head in a gesture of self-annoyance. "I +forgot. A letter came. One of the consulate guards, a Chinese who knows +this part of the world, brought it from Chungking. It may be from Mr. +Bradley, because it came originally from Hong Kong." + +Zircon took the envelope while Rick, Scotty, and Chahda looked over his +shoulder. The envelope was marked for delivery from Hong Kong to +Chungking via diplomatic pouch. It was addressed to Zircon, with the +note, "Urgent. Forward by messenger." Bradley's initials were signed to +it. + +The scientist ripped the envelope open and, looking around to be sure +Long Shadow and Ko were out of earshot, he read: + +"'Have all the answers except the source. When you find it, destroy it +if possible. If you get Long Shadow or Worthington Ko, don't bother +bringing them back to Hong Kong, if they're still alive. Leave them at +Korse Lenken. Cable me from Chungking when you return.'" + +It was signed "Bradley." + +"I like his confidence in us," Zircon remarked. "Not 'if,' but 'when.'" + +"My boss does not know what it means to fail," Chahda said. + +"I can see one failure," Zircon remarked. "How does one destroy a body +of water?" + +Scotty's forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. "Couldn't we stir it up? The +heavy water is all at the bottom. If we could give it a stir, the heavy +stuff would mix with the rest." + +"But would maybe settle right back," Chahda objected. + +"Not for a few thousand years," Zircon said. "A good idea, Scotty. Do +you happen to have a spoon seven hundred feet long?" + +Scotty grinned. "Yes. Mr. Ko supplied one." He reached into his pocket +and pulled out a grenade. "These will do the best job of stirring that +black cup of tea that you've ever seen." + +"Capital!" Zircon exclaimed. "They'll do perfectly, Scotty." He looked +at the boys. "Who wants to go back?" + +Sing spoke up. "I will go, and some of the lamas should, too. The +monastery should know all about these caves, in case something like this +ever happens again." He spoke to the lamas in Tibetan. They consulted +briefly, then nodded assent. Five of them stepped forward. + +"And Scotty and I will go," Rick volunteered. "I want to see how this +spoon works." He looked at Long Shadow and Ko. "Maybe they ought to go +back and see the end of their racket, whatever it is." + +"No need," Zircon said. "They know it's the end, and Bradley does too. +Which is more than we know, I must say. But we'll find out from Bradley +very soon." + +Rick hefted his rifle. "Incidentally, there's one thing I want to do +before we go back." + +"And that is?" + +He grinned at the scientist. "I want to go hunting blue sheep." + +"Me, too," Scotty chimed in. + +Zircon chuckled. "Very well. One day for sheep before we hit the trail. +Since Bradley prohibits our taking revenge on the enemy, we'll take it +out on the local livestock. Now get going. And do a thorough job." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +Canton Charlie's + + +"You've come a long way, lads," Keaton-Yeats said. "From golden mice to +blue sheep and back to golden mice again. I must say, you should be +thoroughly familiar with the animal kingdom by now." + +"They very familiar with animal world," Chahda agreed. "Also, sometimes +become part of that world by making jackasses of their selves. Like when +shooting blue sheep." + +The boys had each bagged a blue sheep, but at considerable risk to life +and limb. In the process, they had gotten themselves marooned on a rock +ledge high above Korse Lenken, from which Sing, with the help of the +bearers, had managed to rescue them. + +"Never mind," Carl Bradley said. "They got their sheep, even if it +almost took their necks to do it. Those heads will make nice trophies by +the time the taxidermist is through with them." + +The heads were in a Hong Kong shop, being mounted. Bradley had promised +to ship them back to Spindrift by sea. + +Canton Charlie made his way through the empty tables, followed by a +Chinese who carried a tray laden with glasses. + +"More dragon's blood, meaning coke," Zircon said with a smile. "I +suggest we drink a toast to success and then get down to business. Carl, +you've kept us waiting long enough to hear your story." + +"It's the sort of tale that should be heard on a full stomach," the +ethnologist said. "That's why I've made you wait. Now that we've filled +up on Charlie's excellent chow, we'll talk. We have a little while +before the mob gathers." + +Bradley had insisted that all of them, including Keaton-Yeats, dine with +him at the Golden Mouse before swapping experiences and completing the +story of the heavy water. They had eaten real Cantonese food, each using +chopsticks, and they were full to the ears. + +Scotty grinned at Canton Charlie. "We owe you an apology," he said. + +The proprietor of the Golden Mouse shook his head. "The other way +around. Carl and Chahda told me you would come. If I'd kept a better +lookout while waiting for Carl to come after I sent him a message, that +Portuguese would never have had a chance to tip off Long Shadow, and the +Chinese who dropped the message would have been caught in the act." + +After talking it over, they had decided that the Portuguese seaman who +had been giving himself a manicure with a dagger probably had been the +one who tipped off Long Shadow about three Americans who had asked for +Chahda. Of course Long Shadow knew of Chahda's connection with Bradley +because of the incidents in Singapore. + +Canton Charlie grinned evilly. "That Portuguese won't do any more spyin' +for Long Shadow." + +His meaning was clear. Rick's eyes met Scotty's. + +"Pull up a chair, Charlie," Carl Bradley said. "We'll drink a toast in +coke to our former pals. Long Shadow and Worthington Ko." + +Zircon lifted his glass, then took a sip. "Long Shadow said he and Ko +were finished," he recalled. "And you said as much in your note, or +implied it. But I'm hanged if I know why they're finished. They were +healthy enough when we left them at Korse Lenken." + +Bradley smiled without mirth. "To understand their punishment, you must +understand what has happened. Suppose I start at the beginning?" + +"Best place," Chahda said. "Better start at Singapore, boss. Plenty I +don't know, too." + +"All right, Chahda. To begin with, I first heard about heavy water in +Singapore from an informant with whom I deal. I'm no physicist, of +course. I wouldn't know heavy water if I were served coffee made with +the stuff. But I saw the implications right away and I sent a cable to +Washington. You know about that because Steve Ames contacted Hartson +Brant, if I'm right." + +"You're right," Rick agreed. + +"At the time I knew nothing except that heavy water had appeared in +Singapore. I continued investigations at top speed. I managed to locate +the house which was headquarters for the heavy-water dealers, again with +the aid of an informant. At first I thought the stuff was coming +overland, down the Malay Peninsula. Then I learned it was being shipped +in by boat from Hong Kong." + +Customers were starting to come into the Golden Mouse. Bradley lowered +his voice so as not to be overheard. "At the same time, the dealers +spotted Chahda and me. It wasn't hard to do for an expert such as we +were up against. I walked into our hotel room and was jumped by +Worthington Ko and some Chinese thugs. We had it hot and heavy for a +while and some blood was shed." He grinned. "Not mine, I'm happy to say. +I managed to get clear and decided I'd better drop out of sight. So I +became a Eurasian seaman. It's a disguise I've used before, and it's +quite safe." + +Rick studied Bradley's face. He had a bone-deep tan, and his face, +although pleasant, had no really distinguishing features. It was easy to +see how he could become a Eurasian. Disguise, after all, was just +putting yourself into a part. It wasn't a matter of make-up. + +"I hurried to Hong Kong," Bradley went on, "sure that Chahda would piece +together the story enough to follow me. I stopped at Saigon on the way +and contacted our legation there. The minister had received the cable +sent to all missions in the Far East giving your names, descriptions, +and time of arrival in Hong Kong." + +"The timing must have been close," Scotty said. + +"It was. The legation had received the cable only hours before my +arrival. It probably was the day you left New York." + +"Also I think it was day I left Singapore," Chahda said. + +"I got to Hong Kong and contacted Charlie," Bradley continued. "Tell us +what you found out, Charlie." + +Charlie shrugged. "No trouble. I got in touch with a pal in the Chinese +Beggar's Guild. He checked up and found out that a lot of coolies +carrying goatskin water bags were crossing from China to Kowloon and +from Kowloon to the island. Of course a lot of that goes on, anyway. But +some of the coolies weren't selling their water. I got my hands on one +of the coolies and we sort of told him he ought to sing us a song about +where the water came from." Charlie grinned. "He sang all right. He +yodeled real good, about Korse Lenken. He also said Long Shadow had been +at the monastery." + +"Do you know Long Shadow?" Rick asked Bradley. + +"Yes. I'd never met him, but I knew him by reputation." + +Charlie stood up. "Got to take care of the customers. See you later." + +As he left, Bradley continued, "Next step was to get a line on the +source of the heavy water. We had the name of Korse Lenken, but that was +all. I assumed it was being produced industrially somewhere on the +Tibetan border. But that would take equipment, of course, so I put the +consulate commercial section to work finding out if Long Shadow had been +dabbling in industrial equipment. That's routine for a consulate. Well, +he hadn't. But what turned up but the fact that he had imported some +Nansen bottles." + +"I begin to see how it shaped up," Zircon said. + +"It wasn't difficult, really," Bradley admitted. "Just took plugging. At +that time, Chahda arrived from Singapore, bringing Long Shadow with him, +although he didn't know it." + +"Unhappy me," Chahda complained. + +Bradley smiled at the Hindu boy. "Don't be unhappy. Long Shadow is the +best in the business. Well, I told Chahda to go to Korse Lenken, then +dropped my disguise. As I had hoped, Long Shadow started following me, +dropping Chahda. Once Chahda was on his way, I ditched Long Shadow and +became the Eurasian once more. We had given Charlie instructions about +you. He got in touch with me the moment you showed up, but I was +delayed. Meanwhile, you had been spotted, probably when you asked for +Chahda. Long Shadow must have figured the odds were piling up. He'd lost +me, so he probably decided to keep the odds down by removing all of +you." + +He nodded at Keaton-Yeats. "Thanks to our young British friend, we found +you before you'd been knocked in the head. Then I took off after Long +Shadow, as you know. Somewhere between times I'd gotten the consul to +get a Nansen bottle, a rubber boat, and that other stuff for you. I +didn't know why you'd need the rubber boat, but I figured a Nansen +bottle meant water and you'd better be prepared." + +"If we hadn't been trapped in the caverns, we could have used the rubber +boat," Rick said. "But it was at camp with Sing when we needed it." + +"Fortunes of war," Bradley said. "Well, while you were sneaking around +through the caves, I kept busy. You probably know that the Far East is +the happiest spying ground in the world. There are so many spies they +have to spy on each other." He turned suddenly to Keaton-Yeats. "Isn't +that right, colleague?" + +The young Englishman's expression never changed. "And some are almighty +good," he said calmly. "Like Bradley. Soon as I knew he was on the case, +I reported to my superiors and we dropped the thing like a hot potato, +just to avoid being at cross-purposes. We knew that the Americans would +tip us off as soon as they had a definite answer." + +The boys stared at Keaton-Yeats. "But you're a bank clerk!" Rick +exclaimed. + +"He's also a British intelligence agent," Bradley said, grinning. +"That's why I insisted he come tonight. We've already informed the +British, through channels, that the heavy-water menace no longer exists. +Keaton-Yeats is here tonight to get the details." + +"You chaps would be simply amazed at how much valuable information one +picks up in a bank," Keaton-Yeats said. "Astounding. Although I must say +having lads ask for golden mice is a bit unusual." + +Scotty shook his head. "And you looked so innocent," he complained. "We +believed everything you said." + +The young Englishman grinned. "I am innocent," he replied. "No woolly +little lamb could be more so. And I did tell you the blessed truth, you +know, even though I didn't mention I had a bit of a job to do as well as +having an interest in your welfare. Our own chaps had discovered heavy +water was coming into Hong Kong, too, so naturally we were interested. +But since Bradley was already on the job, and we co-operate with you +Americans on matters atomic, we sat back and waited." + +"I'm astonished," Zircon admitted. "But get on with your story, Carl." + +"Right. As I said, spies spy on each other. I contacted a French agent I +know, and in the course of having lunch with him I casually asked how +much he had paid for the information about an atomic pile. I was just +fishing, of course. Well, he took the bait. He leaped at it like a +striking tuna. I knew I had something then. From there on, it wasn't +hard to uncover the whole business, just by making contact with the +espionage agents of various countries." + +The JANIG man wet his throat with another sip of coke. "And business is +just what it was. I can't say how long ago Long Shadow found out there +was heavy water in the Caves of Fear. I did find out that in his younger +days he was something of a scientist and that he explored the Korse +Lenken region thoroughly. That was shortly before the discovery of heavy +water in Lake Baikal. I think we can assume that he pieced the story +together and realized that the lake in the caverns had the same +possibilities. It would have been only a matter of scientific curiosity +then, but with recent developments in the atomic field, the +possibilities took on a new light." + +He paused as a Filipino brushed by, then resumed, lowering his voice so +only those at the table could hear. "He's a smart one. I've known about +him for a long time, as one of the best free-lance agents in the Far +East. He has a good reputation for accuracy, and he sells--or +sold--information to the highest bidder. He was riding on his reputation +in this deal, because as soon as the facts became known, as they had to +sooner or later, he was all washed up as a spy." + +"I don't get it," Rick complained. + +"I'll explain. He was selling a story to every country that was +interested. He would contact the embassy, consulate, or chief espionage +agent of, say, country X. He would report that country Y had a secret +atomic pile--nuclear reactor, that is--in the mountains of West China. +You can imagine the excitement. He would sell that information for a +reasonable price. Then, for a considerably higher price, he would +undertake to collect a sample of the deuterium they were using. Once he +collected the sample, which of course came from Korse Lenken, he would +contract to give them the location of the reactor for a very high price +indeed. He made the rounds country by country, changing his story as +needed. Of course he collected in advance for the location, which was to +be delivered later, after he had risked his life getting it. That was +the story he used--and some of the best agents in the Orient fell for +it." + +The daring ingenuity of the thing made Rick shake his head. "But they +were certain to catch up with him!" + +"Of course. He knew it. But he intended to stall in giving them the +final location until he had tapped every possible source. Then I believe +he intended handing them some phony location in West China, after which +he would disappear and live on the proceeds. He collected enough to make +him very wealthy. He hadn't reached us yet, but you can bet that if I +hadn't stumbled on the story, he would have made a sale to one of our +embassies or consulates." + +"Ours, too," Keaton-Yeats said. "He took advantage of all the interest +in atomic weapons. And of his reputation, of course." + +"What about Ko?" Scotty asked. + +"Ko had a side line," Bradley explained. "He was selling heavy water to +various institutions and schools all over Asia for normal experimental +purposes. He claimed to be importing it from England. That was why they +were bringing so much out." + +"That is also how we got interested," Keaton-Yeats said. "We got queries +about more heavy water at a lower price from one of the schools that had +bought Ko's product. Naturally, we knew no heavy water was coming from +England, so we got interested very quickly." + +"We sure dropped a monkey wrench in a gold mine," Rick said. + +"Evidently," Zircon agreed. "But you haven't explained why Long Shadow +and Ko are finished." + +Keaton-Yeats laughed grimly. + +Bradley stretched his legs out. "Easy. The story had already spread +about heavy water at Korse Lenken. Ronnie and I got the good word +circulating right after we received your cable from Chungking. By now +all the countries he sold his story to--and that is most countries--know +they've been done in the eye, as our British friend would say. Do you +know the penalty for a double cross in the espionage racket?" + +"A bullet, a knife, or a blunt instrument," Keaton-Yeats said. "It's as +certain as tomorrow's dawn." + +Bradley nodded. "Also, the lamas won't permit the two of them to remain +after their wounds are healed. They are evil men, and the lamas know it. +Sooner or later, they'll have to leave the mountains and enter +civilization. I know their type. They might survive if they wanted to +live alone in the mountains like two wolves. But they won't." + +Rick shuddered. He knew from experience what it was like to be hunted. +Ko and Long Shadow would be hunted by agents of a dozen countries or +more once they set foot in civilization. After that, it was only a +matter of time. The two couldn't escape for long. + +"Now," Bradley said, "let's have the details of your trip." + +A burly English seaman brushed past. + +"I'll be quick," Zircon said. "You know...." + +Bradley let out a yelp as the seaman stepped squarely on his foot. +"Watch out where you're going, you big ox!" he exclaimed. + +The seaman stopped short. "Who you callin' a ruddy ox, you little +blighter?" He grabbed Bradley by the collar. + +The JANIG man's hands moved in a blur of speed. One struck the seaman's +hand away. The second caught him just above the solar plexus. The seaman +rocked backward, stumbled over a table occupied by three Portuguese, and +crashed to the floor, taking the table with him. One Portuguese clubbed +the seaman over the head with a bottle. The second threw a glass at +Bradley. The third picked up a chair. + +"Look out!" Scotty yelled. He flung his coke into the face of the chair +wielder, then jumped to grab the chair. The Portuguese, who had swung +the bottle, threw it at Scotty, missed, and knocked the glass out of the +hand of a Sikh seated at a near-by table. The Sikh rose with a battle +yell and leaped. + +Rick lost track after that. For a moment he stood amazed, then jumped to +help Chahda, who was being tackled from behind by one of the Portuguese. +Canton Charlie's was in an uproar. The fight had spread like fire in +dead leaves. Rick hadn't been aware of the place filling up, but it was +definitely full. Bottles and glasses flew. + +He ducked a wild swing with a chair, then as he stood up he brought the +table with him, dumping it over on three Chinese who were struggling +with Scotty. A fist caught him behind the ear. He kicked backward, then +whirled, his elbow catching a Filipino sailor in the chest. The Filipino +sprawled backward. + +A bottle whizzed past Rick's ear. He ducked, then rushed to Zircon. The +big scientist was holding a British seaman in each hand, busily knocking +their heads together. Scotty rose out of his path, swinging. A Eurasian +who had been about to swing with a bottle stopped short, swaying, as +Scotty's fist connected. The bottle dropped on Chahda, who was crawling +out from under a table. + +An American sailor rushed past, one arm catching Rick and sending him +sprawling. Rick swung wildly, and pulled his punch just in time to keep +from bashing Keaton-Yeats, who was busy with a swarthy man with gold +rings in his ears. The place was a madhouse. Bradley went headlong at +Rick's feet, jumped up again like a rubber ball, and plunged into the +fray. Rick saw with amazement that he was grinning from ear to ear. + +A Portuguese rose from nowhere and aimed a roundhouse swing at Rick's +head. He ducked, then put all his weight into an overhand chop, missed, +and fell against the Portuguese. The man threw him off and caught him +behind the ear with a short hook. Rick shook his head, dazed. Another +punch caught him on the cheek. He lost his temper then and flailed out. +One fist connected solidly. The Portuguese vanished, to be replaced by +someone else. Rick swung until his arms were leaden. Then, in the midst +of the turmoil, came a stentorian bellow. + +"Here! Listen!" + +He turned. Canton Charlie was standing on the bar, and a sawed-off +shotgun roamed impartially over the crowd. "The first man who pulls a +knife gets this!" he shouted. + +There was a roar from the mob, and the instant of silence dissolved into +a melee again. Rick turned back to see how his friends were doing and +saw a fist coming at him. He tried to bring his hands up, but he was too +slow. The fist got bigger and bigger and bigger and exploded into bright +lights. His knees buckled. He drifted off into peace and quiet. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +Home Flight + + +"The Golden Mouse," Keaton-Yeats said judiciously, "is rapidly becoming +a purple mouse." He tilted Rick's face to the light. "I also see other +colors. By the time you get home, a rainbow will be rather pale and dull +by comparison." + +"I got a mouse hung on me all right," Rick said. "And I didn't even see +who did it." + +"I did," Scotty volunteered. "It was a British seaman. Chahda polished +him off with a bottle before you even hit the floor." + +Zircon wrapped gauze around Bradley's knuckles. "For an ethnologist, +which is a peaceful profession, you are mighty quick to take offense," +he stated. + +"My boss is a sudden man," Chahda said from the bed where he lay with a +wet cloth on his head. + +They were in their room at the Peninsular Hotel. Rick had recovered +under the urging of a bucket of water in the hands of Canton Charlie. He +was still wet. He stripped off his shirt and grinned as he looked around +him. All of them bore souvenirs. His own probably was the most colorful, +consisting of a black eye that covered nearly half of his face. Scotty +had a welt across his forehead that would last several days. Bradley had +lost most of the skin off the knuckles of his right hand. Zircon moved +gingerly, favoring his bruised ribs. Chahda and Keaton-Yeats bore +painful egg-shaped lumps from swung bottles. + +"Happens at Charlie's every night," Bradley said. "Can't disappoint the +customers. Only a question of who starts it. Tonight I happened to be +the one. You get so you rather enjoy it after a while." + +"As a sport, it will never replace checkers," Scotty said. He winced as +his fingers explored the welt on his forehead. + +Rick chuckled. He could see what Bradley meant. As long as Canton +Charlie's shotgun ensured fair play, to the extent of no knives, it was +just a free-for-all such as might happen anywhere--at least where seamen +gathered. + +"It's like swimming in cold water," he said. "Getting in is tough, but +it's kind of fun once you've made the plunge." + +Bradley flexed his bandaged hand. "That's right. Now, it's getting late +and I still want to hear about your experiences. Hobart, want to pick up +where we left off?" + +They found seats on the beds and in the wicker chairs while the big +scientist told of their adventures in Korse Lenken, with assists from +the boys. When he had finished, Keaton-Yeats sighed. "I wish now I'd +gone with you," he said. "Nothing dull where you Americans go. While you +were barging around caves, I was making change at the bank. Very dull." + +"I guess that ties up all the loose ends," Bradley said. "And it makes +quite a package." + +"Even without a nuclear reactor or any potential atom bombs," Rick +added. "Anyway, we couldn't know until we investigated that there wasn't +some kind of atomic menace in the offing." + +"Right," Zircon agreed. "I must say, however, that I have a fine story +for one of the scientific journals. My analysis of the water samples +shows a layer almost a foot deep of nearly pure deuterium. It's an +amazing phenomenon which will require more of a theory than just the +heavy water settling. Settling wouldn't produce a fraction of the +amount. I'm taking the samples home for further analysis, along with +some samples of limestone from the caves. Who knows? This may produce a +scientific finding of some significance." + +"It may," Bradley agreed. "I hope it does, because then the trip will +have made some contribution to the sum total of our knowledge besides +contributing information to the JANIG files." + +"And the files of our office," Keaton-Yeats added. + +Rick looked at Chahda. "What now for you? Going to stay in the Far East +for a while?" + +The Hindu boy smiled. "Not so very long. I think now I go back to +Bombay, see my family for a while, then I will come to Spindrift." + +"Swell!" Scotty exclaimed. "We've missed you, half pint." + +Zircon and Rick echoed the sentiment. + +"No point in our staying on," the scientist said. "If we can get space, +we'll take off on tomorrow's flight." He smiled. "It will be good to get +back to our peaceful lab, eh, lads?" + +"Yes," Scotty agreed. + +"Definitely," Rick said. + +And even as they spoke, halfway across the world hammer strokes +completed a structure that would mean anything but peace, a story to be +told in the next volume: + + STAIRWAY TO DANGER + + + + +_The_ RICK BRANT SCIENCE-ADVENTURE _Stories_ + +BY JOHN BLAINE + + + THE ROCKET'S SHADOW + THE LOST CITY + SEA GOLD + 100 FATHOMS UNDER + THE WHISPERING BOX MYSTERY + THE PHANTOM SHARK + SMUGGLERS' REEF + THE CAVES OF FEAR + STAIRWAY TO DANGER + THE GOLDEN SKULL + THE WAILING OCTOPUS + THE ELECTRONIC MIND READER + THE SCARLET LAKE MYSTERY + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Caves of Fear, by John Blaine + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVES OF FEAR *** + +***** This file should be named 32269-8.txt or 32269-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/6/32269/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Caves of Fear + +Author: John Blaine + +Release Date: May 6, 2010 [EBook #32269] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVES OF FEAR *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="center"> + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the<br /> + U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. +<br /><br /><br /> +</p> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<h1>THE CAVES OF FEAR</h1> + +<h3>A RICK BRANT SCIENCE-ADVENTURE STORY</h3> + +<h2>BY JOHN BLAINE</h2> + + +<h4>GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS<br /> +NEW YORK, N.Y.</h4> + +<h4>COPYRIGHT, 1951, BY<br /> +GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC.</h4> + +<h4>ALL RIGHTS RESERVED</h4> + +<h4><i>Printed in the United States of America</i></h4> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/frontis.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> +<h3>At the base of the Black Buddha, a section of the floor had swung upward.</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. <span class="smcap">Changes at Spindrift</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. <span class="smcap">The Cipher Message</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. <span class="smcap">Heavy Water</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. <span class="smcap">Project X</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. <span class="smcap">Hong Kong</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. <span class="smcap">The Golden Mouse</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. <span class="smcap">The Junk with Purple Sails</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. <span class="smcap">Long Shadow</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. <span class="smcap">The Trail to Korse Lenken</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. <span class="smcap">The Ambush at Llhan Huang</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. <span class="smcap">The Goatskin Water Bag</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII. <span class="smcap">The Buddhist Monk</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII. <span class="smcap">The Black Buddha</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV. <span class="smcap">The Caves of Fear</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV. <span class="smcap">The Labyrinth</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI. <span class="smcap">The Lake of Darkness</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII. <span class="smcap">Through a Pair of Dark Glasses</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII. <span class="smcap">The Hostages</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX. <span class="smcap">Canton Charlie's</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX. <span class="smcap">Home Flight</span></a><br /><br /> +<a href="#The_Rick_Brant_Science-Adventure_Stories">The Rick Brant Science-Adventure Stories</a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/map.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE CAVES OF FEAR</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<h3>Changes at Spindrift</h3> + + +<p>The sounds of hammer and saw had disturbed Spindrift Island for several +days, and Rick Brant was having a hard time getting used to it. The +noise didn't bother him. It was the idea behind the noise—the idea that +the close fellowship of the famous island was about to be intruded upon +by strangers.</p> + +<p>He sat in a comfortable chair on the front porch of the big Brant house +and stared morosely at the Atlantic. He was a tall, athletic boy with +brown hair and eyes and a face that was usually pleasant.</p> + +<p>"What's it going to be like with a mob of strangers galloping all over +the place?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>Don Scott grinned lazily from the depths of his armchair. He was a husky +youth, perhaps an inch taller than Rick, with black hair and dark eyes. +"Since when do five people make a mob?" he inquired. "Besides, I think +adding more scientists to the staff is a good thing. So does Dad."</p> + +<p>"I know it," Rick returned gloomily. "The others do, too. I'm a +downtrodden minority. No one sympathizes with me."</p> + +<p>Scotty shook his head sadly. "Poor old Rick. Seriously, I don't get it. +You should be cheering the loudest. Think of what it means, pal! More +fields of science to explore, including one I never heard of before. +Maybe more expeditions, of different kinds than the ones we've been on +up to now."</p> + +<p>"That's what I'm thinking about," Rick returned.</p> + +<p>"Then why the gloom?"</p> + +<p>"Because..." Rick stopped as the phone rang in the house.</p> + +<p>Scotty got to his feet quickly. "I'll get it. Mom and Dad are down +watching the builders."</p> + +<p>Rick smiled as Scotty went into the house. It pleased him to have Scotty +call Mr. and Mrs. Brant "Mom and Dad." It was a symbol of Scotty's +permanence in the family. No one had ever questioned Scotty's membership +in the Spindrift tribe since the day when the scrappy ex-Marine had +rescued Rick from a gang of thugs bent on destroying the Island +Foundation's moon rocket, and it was pleasant to think of Scotty as a +permanent brother. The two of them had been through some tight places +together and they were closer friends than brothers usually are. Like +Rick, Scotty was listed on the membership rolls of the Spindrift +Foundation as a junior technician.</p> + +<p>Hartson W. Brant was listed as president, but it was Rick's pride that +he and Scotty had earned places because of their own worth, and not +because of their relationship with the scientist. However, their +abilities were not the same. Because of Rick's interest in science, +particularly electronics, he had become expert in intricate wiring and +he was rapidly learning about the design of equipment. Scotty's talent +was in the mechanical field. He could repair machinery and he was a whiz +with engines.</p> + +<p>Thinking about work in the lab reminded Rick that he had an unfinished +project of his own on his workbench upstairs. He was half out of his +chair, determined to go upstairs and put the rest of the afternoon to +good use, when Scotty called.</p> + +<p>"Rick! Hurry up."</p> + +<p>He ran into the library and found Scotty holding the phone. "Here's a +funny one, Rick. The Whiteside telegraph office has a cable for you, but +they won't read it over the phone because it's all numbers. And it's +from Chahda."</p> + +<p>Chahda, the Hindu boy who had been like a member of the family since he +joined a Spindrift expedition in Bombay, was back home in India. He had +left the boys in New Caledonia after a recent adventure in order to +visit his family.</p> + +<p>"I'd better talk to them," Rick said. "Who's on the wire?"</p> + +<p>"Bill Martin."</p> + +<p>Rick took the phone. "Bill? This is Rick. What's up?"</p> + +<p>"Got a cable addressed to you," Bill answered. "I'd rather not try to +read it over the phone because it's all numbers. Can you or Scotty pick +it up?"</p> + +<p>"Where's it from?" Rick asked.</p> + +<p>"Singapore. And it's signed by your Indian friend."</p> + +<p>Singapore! What on earth was Chahda doing in Singapore? Rick couldn't +guess. "Bill, what kind of numbers are they?"</p> + +<p>"Groups. Seven figures in each group. If you ask me, it's some kind of +code."</p> + +<p>Rick thought quickly. "Barby's in Whiteside, Bill. She went over to a +movie right after lunch, and she should just about be getting out. You +can get her next door at the Sugar Shop, because she always stops in +there for a fudge sundae after the show. If she's already gone, phone +the boat landing. You ought to catch her one place or the other."</p> + +<p>"I'll try," Bill promised. "If I don't catch her, I'll call you back."</p> + +<p>"Thanks a million." Rick restored the phone to its cradle and looked at +Scotty. "What do you make of that?"</p> + +<p>Scotty shrugged. "It beats me. I didn't know Chahda was planning to +leave Bombay. If it comes to that, I didn't know he knew anything about +codes."</p> + +<p>"Neither did I," Rick agreed. "Remember he said something about a job in +his last letter? There was something secret about it he couldn't tell +us. Maybe that's why he's in Singapore."</p> + +<p>"Could be. Anyway, we won't know for sure until we get the cable and +decipher it. If we <i>can</i> decipher it, that is."</p> + +<p>"We'll be able to," Rick said confidently. "He wouldn't send us one we +couldn't break."</p> + +<p>Scotty nodded. "I hope you're right. Well, let's go back and get lazy +again."</p> + +<p>"Not me." Rick started for the stairs. "I'm going to stop loafing and +get busy. The lenses for the camera arrived a week ago and I haven't +even looked at them."</p> + +<p>"I'll go with you. I got some questions about these new people maybe you +can answer."</p> + +<p>Upstairs in Rick's bedroom, Scotty sat down in the old leather armchair +while Rick opened up the doors that concealed his workbench. On the +bench was a camera with an odd-looking searchlight and telescope +attached. The searchlight gave off invisible infrared rays instead of +ordinary light, and the telescope was equipped with special lenses in +order to pick up the infrared. When the camera was loaded with special +film, it could take pictures in total darkness, provided the subject was +within range of the infrared light rays.</p> + +<p>The camera had played a major part in solving the mystery of <i>Smugglers' +Reef</i>. With the evidence collected from Rick's pictures, the police had +broken up a ring of gunrunners. But Rick still was not satisfied with +the camera. He was always striving to find the simplest way of doing a +thing.</p> + +<p>This time, he was planning to eliminate both the spring-driven dynamo +that powered the searchlight, and the infrared telescope. A new-type +battery in a small metal case already had been mounted under the camera, +far enough to one side so it wouldn't interfere with the tripod mount. +The battery would give ten hours of service, and it could be replaced in +a moment with a spare carried in the pocket.</p> + +<p>To take the place of the telescope, Rick had ordered lenses made of the +special glass that could "see" infrared. He intended to put the lenses +in ordinary sunglasses frames, restore the regular view finder to the +camera, and turn the telescope over to Scotty. By using the eyeglasses +with special lenses he could see whatever the infrared searchlight was +lighting up without the need of looking through the special telescope. +Using the glasses and searchlight on the camera together, he could see +perfectly in the darkness, and he could take movies, too, if he wanted +to.</p> + +<p>He went to work removing the telescope.</p> + +<p>"I've checked," Scotty said. "That 'scope will fit the mount on my rifle +with no changes."</p> + +<p>Scotty already had a telescopic sight on his rifle, and the telescope +from the infrared unit could be put in its place with a simple turn of a +screw. The infrared 'scope and light originally had been designed for a +rifle to be used by soldiers at night. Rick had simply adapted the unit +to his own needs.</p> + +<p>"We can get in some night skunk hunting," Scotty said. "You put the +infrared on 'em and take their pictures and I'll sight in through the +special 'scope and shoot 'em."</p> + +<p>Rick slipped the telescope out of its mount and handed it to Scotty. "If +there's one thing I don't need," he said, "it's a dead skunk. Couldn't +we hunt prairie moose instead?"</p> + +<p>"What's a prairie moose?" Scotty demanded.</p> + +<p>"A field mouse with horns."</p> + +<p>Scotty groaned. "All right, scientist. Let's get serious and see if you +can answer this one. We have an archeologist, a naturalist, and a +cyberneticist coming. I think I know what the first two are, but what in +the name of a blue baboon is a cyberneticist?"</p> + +<p>Rick put the camera view finder into place and began to adjust it. "A +specialist in cybernetics," he said.</p> + +<p>Scotty waved his arms. "Now I know!" he exclaimed triumphantly. "Any +idiot knows what cybernetics is. Or what they are. Ten cents apiece at +any hardware counter. No family should be without a handy-dandy +cybernetic!"</p> + +<p>Rick chuckled. "All right. Cybernetics is a combined study of machines +and the human nervous system. It's trying to figure out how machines and +humans are related. I don't know much about it myself, but I do know +this: the big electronic calculators that do problems in a few hours +that it would take humans hundreds of years to finish were the result of +cybernetics."</p> + +<p>"The big brains!" Scotty looked awed. "I've read about them. And to +think we're going to have that kind of expert here!"</p> + +<p>"With his wife and two kids," Rick added. "I wonder how Huggins will +like a crowd of kids trampling through his garden!"</p> + +<p>Scotty laughed outright. "Here we go again! Listen, Rick, start making +sense. How can twins less than a year old trample anyone's garden?"</p> + +<p>Rick didn't try to answer. He finished the adjustment on the camera and +put it back on the shelf, then started to work replacing the lenses in +an old pair of sunglasses with the special ones he had ordered. After a +moment, he asked, "Scotty, how would you like it if an expedition left +Spindrift and we weren't with it?"</p> + +<p>Scotty stared. "My sainted aunt! Is that's what's been bothering you?"</p> + +<p>Rick admitted it. He knew where he stood with the old gang, Hartson +Brant, Hobart Zircon, Julius Weiss, and John Gordon. He was far from +sure of how the new staff members would look on him and Scotty. He had +learned that some scientists had little patience with people who were +unfamiliar with their special fields, and he and Scotty were pretty +ignorant about the new sciences that would be represented. That was his +only reason for objecting when his father had decided to enlarge the +staff.</p> + +<p>"I can see it now," he said. "The Foundation will be planning an +expedition, maybe to be headed by this new naturalist, and we'll be on +the outside looking in. And why? Because Dr. Howard Shannon prefers not +to be bothered by a couple of kids who wouldn't know one bug from +another."</p> + +<p>"You're crossing bridges before you come to 'em," Scotty pointed out. +"For all you know, all three of these new scientists might be perfectly +swell gents, like Zircon, Weiss, and Gordon. Why borrow trouble in +advance?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose you're right," Rick had to agree. "But I still can't help +thinking about it."</p> + +<p>"Think all you like," Scotty said generously. "Me, I'm going to put my +little gray brain cells to work on Chahda's cable. Aren't you all fired +up with curiosity?"</p> + +<p>Rick started to say he was, but no reply was necessary because just then +he heard the sound of the motorboat engine for which his ears had been +attuned. He put down the sunglasses and ran for the door. Scotty had +heard the engine, too, and was halfway down the hall.</p> + +<p>It had to be Barby, Rick was sure. The other motorboat—the island had +two—was tied up at the pier, and they weren't expecting any visitors. +The builders had their own boat, a powered barge, anchored off Pirate's +Field.</p> + +<p>The boys ran out on the front porch and around the house, then down the +long flight of stairs that led to the cove where the motorboat landing +was located.</p> + +<p>It was Barby, sure enough, and she had the cable! She waved it wildly, +then gunned the boat around neatly so that it slid into the dock. Scotty +grabbed the bow line and made fast while Rick jumped for the stern line +and slipped it around a cleat on the landing.</p> + +<p>Barby cut the engine and jumped to the dock, a slim, pretty girl, her +face flushed with excitement. "It's from Chahda," she said breathlessly, +"and it's in code!"</p> + +<p>"We know," Scotty said. "Here, let's take a look at it."</p> + +<p>Barby handed it to him. He scanned it wordlessly, then handed it to +Rick. "Son, we'll be doing right well if we make any sense out of that!"</p> + +<p>"He wouldn't send us anything in a code we couldn't read," Rick +objected. "Let's see it. It can't be too hard."</p> + +<p>But in the next moment he changed his mind. His lips pursed in a low +whistle. This was the cable:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +<span class="smcap">Rick Brant</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Spindrift Island</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">New Jersey, U.S.A.</span><br /></p></blockquote> + +<table> +<tr><td> 5213039</td><td> 6231581</td><td> 1219456</td><td> 2768612</td><td> 2144644</td><td> 9123299</td></tr> +<tr><td> 3970731</td><td> 6017747</td><td> 1044914</td><td> 3327116</td><td> 6074193</td><td> 4399693</td></tr> +<tr><td> 0531612</td><td> 1330552</td><td> 3047171</td><td> 3193986</td><td> 8128912</td><td> 7011716</td></tr> +<tr><td> 0762878</td><td> 3377335</td><td> 3831075</td><td> 5371011</td><td> 3552684</td><td> 3012963</td></tr> +<tr><td> 3532456</td><td> 8337373</td><td> 9104476</td><td> 1605588</td><td> 2540551</td><td> 2826677</td></tr> +<tr><td> 9513148</td><td> 3189710</td><td> 4811223</td><td> 5202998</td><td> 5912492</td><td> 3432174</td></tr> +<tr><td> 3302710</td><td> 7072010</td><td> 1510108</td><td> 4423007</td><td> 3331954</td><td> 7893623</td></tr> +</table> + +<blockquote><p><span class="smcap">L. Chahda</span></p></blockquote> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<h3>The Cipher Message</h3> + + +<p>Barby, Rick, and Scotty were in the library when Hartson Brant walked +in. They were reduced to the point of staring at each other helplessly +because of the magnitude of the task that confronted them.</p> + +<p>The famous scientist, who looked like an older version of his son, +greeted them with a smile. "What is this, a meeting of the Silent Three? +I can't ever remember finding you all together when one of you wasn't +talking."</p> + +<p>Rick handed him the cable. "What do you make of that, Dad?"</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant scanned it quickly. "From Chahda, in Singapore, and in +cipher. Am I supposed to gather that you don't have the key to the +cipher?"</p> + +<p>"That's right," Scotty said. He held up a heavy volume called +<i>Cryptography for the Student</i>. It was the only book on the subject in +the scientist's library. "We've been going through this, trying to find +some kind of clue. Honest, it's impossible."</p> + +<p>"There are so many codes and ciphers," Barby added. "Dozens. And it says +some of them can only be broken by days of work, by experts."</p> + +<p>"There's not an expert in the house, either," Rick concluded. "I didn't +think, when Bill called us up about it, that Chahda would use a code we +couldn't figure out, but I didn't expect a page like that."</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant read through the cable again. "How do you know you can't +figure it out? Perhaps a little reasoning will clear the air. Chahda +must have put a key in the message somewhere. How about this 'L' in +front of his name?"</p> + +<p>"That's right," Barby said excitedly. "That must mean something, because +his name is Chahda Sundararaman. There isn't an L in it anywhere."</p> + +<p>The scientist handed the cable back to Rick. "I'm about as curious as I +can get," he said, "but I refuse to think any more about it until you +hand me the clear version. I agree that Chahda wouldn't send a code you +couldn't solve, so my advice is put the code book away. You won't need +it, I'm sure. This isn't any code you'll find in there."</p> + +<p>He started out of the room, then paused at the door, his eyes twinkling. +"Will you have dinner at the table with us, or shall I ask mother to +break out some emergency rations so you can stay on the job?"</p> + +<p>"We'll eat with the family," Scotty replied. "We can keep on thinking +while we eat, can't we?"</p> + +<p>Rick watched his father wink at Barby, then walk toward the kitchen. +"Dad's right," he announced. "He must be. So let's put the book back and +start figuring this out. The answer probably is easy as pie once we find +the key."</p> + +<p>"How about starting with that odd letter?" Scotty asked. "That has to +mean something."</p> + +<p>"L is the twelfth letter in the alphabet," Barby offered. "Does that +mean anything?"</p> + +<p>Rick shook his head. "Not to me. But let's start from there, anyway. +Maybe the twelfth group of numbers has a clue."</p> + +<p>He counted rapidly across the number groups. "That group is 4399693. Now +what?"</p> + +<p>Scotty suggested, "Substitute letters for the numbers. That would make +it DCIIFIC. That doesn't mean anything."</p> + +<p>"Maybe you counted the wrong way," Barby said thoughtfully. "Count down +the columns instead of across."</p> + +<p>Rick did so. "That's 8337373. Substitute and it comes out ... let's +see ... HCCGCGC. Nothing there, either."</p> + +<p>Scotty had a pad of paper and a pencil and was making idle doodles. "I'm +trying to recall. When did Chahda learn anything about codes?"</p> + +<p>Rick thought for a moment. "He never did, that I know of," he said +finally.</p> + +<p>Barby stood up. "Well, I'm going to shower and change before dinner," +she announced. "But I'll keep thinking. I have an idea that talking +about it won't help much. If Dad and Rick are right about his using a +code we're sure to know, it must be staring us in the face and we're too +blind to see it."</p> + +<p>"Good idea," Rick agreed. "Let's break this up and each think about it. +If we each search our memories, maybe we'll come up with a clue."</p> + +<p>Barby went upstairs and Scotty retired to his favorite seat on the +porch. But Rick felt that he could think better on his feet. A glance at +his watch told him he had over an hour and a half before dinner. He +waved at Scotty and walked across the grass toward the gray stone +laboratory buildings. Professor Weiss was in his office working on some +mathematical theory he was developing. It was away over Rick's head. For +a moment he thought of posing the problem to the little professor, then +thought better of it and passed by the lab on the south side. He skirted +the woods and crossed Pirate's Field, so called because local legend +said the famed woman pirate, Anne Bonney, had once landed there with her +gang of cutthroats. He paused for a moment and studied the fused sand +left by the terrific heat when the first moon rocket was launched, but +the barren patch gave him no inspiration.</p> + +<p>Staying on the shore path, he walked slowly toward the back of the +island and presently came out at the tidal flats. The tide was out, +leaving the rocks exposed. He sat down at the edge of the low bluff +above the flats and stared into the patches of water.</p> + +<p>It was a hard job, trying to recall every detail of his friendship with +the little Hindu boy, but he tried. It had started in Bombay when Rick +and Scotty were on their way to Tibet with Weiss and Zircon to set up +the radar relay station for message transmission via the moon. When +their equipment was stolen, it was Chahda who took the lead in finding +it again. They had been amused by the beggar boy who had educated +himself with an old copy of <i>The World Almanac</i>. His ability to quote +anything from the "Alm-in-ack," as he called it, in English that was +sometimes pretty funny, was really astonishing. Then, at the Lost City, +he had more than proved his courage and loyalty, and the Spindrifters +had sponsored his visit to America as a reward.</p> + +<p>For a while Chahda had attended school in America, then he had gone to +the Pacific with the Spindrift expedition to Kwangara Island. After +salvaging the remains of an ancient temple from one hundred fathoms of +water—not to mention the treasure that was found—the Spindrifters had +returned home. But Chahda had elected to remain in Hawaii with Professor +Warren of the Pacific Ethnographic Society. Later, he had gone with the +Warren scientific expedition to the South Seas, and Barby, Rick, and +Scotty had joined the party in New Caledonia. After completing part of +the expedition's work, the trawler <i>Tarpon</i> had returned to New +Caledonia where the young people had solved the mystery of <i>The Phantom +Shark</i>. When the three Spindrifters returned home, Chahda had taken air +passage to Bombay to see his family.</p> + +<p>"I can't remember all we talked about," Rick muttered to himself. "We +talked about everything and anything. Except codes. I can't remember +that we ever talked about codes."</p> + +<p>He got up, noticing that the crew of builders were in their barge, +returning to the mainland for the night. They were trucking materials to +a point on the shore near Spindrift, using an old wood road, then taking +the stuff the rest of the way by barge.</p> + +<p>It was getting on to dinnertime. He took the woods path back, passing by +the new cottages. They were nearing completion, the outsides already +finished. Beyond the cottages was the farm run by the Huggins family. +Mr. Huggins was just herding the island's milk cows into the barn for +milking.</p> + +<p>Rick kicked at a near-by tree. "Either I'm dumb or it isn't as simple as +we think it ought to be," he said aloud, then went on into the house.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Scotty and Barby had done no better. They gathered at the family table +with long faces and Barby placed the disturbing cable in the middle of +the table as a centerpiece.</p> + +<p>"If we look at it long enough, maybe we'll get inspiration," she said.</p> + +<p>Professor Julius Weiss, the only one of the three staff scientists who +was at home at the moment, picked up the cable and examined it.</p> + +<p>"A cipher, eh?" He adjusted his glasses. "It certainly looks +complicated."</p> + +<p>"Any ideas?" Rick asked hopefully.</p> + +<p>The little mathematician shook his head. "No, Rick. I could give you the +cube root of the square of the sum of the numbers, or anything like +that, but I'm afraid I wouldn't even know how to start breaking the +code." He added, "John probably could. He had some experience with codes +while in the Navy, I believe."</p> + +<p>John was Professor John Gordon. He was on an extended trip to New +Mexico, serving as a consultant to the Navy's guided missiles projects. +The third scientist, Professor Hobart Zircon, was giving a five-week +series of lectures in nuclear physics at Yale.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid Professor Gordon is too far away to help us on this," Rick +said.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Brant came in, bringing a heavily laden dish of fresh corn on the +cob. Behind her trotted a shaggy little dog.</p> + +<p>Rick snapped his fingers. "Here, Diz."</p> + +<p>Dismal ran over and barked at his young master, then he rolled over on +his back and played dead, his only trick. Rick grinned. "Did you bring +him along as an adviser, Mom? I'll bet he'd be as good at solving this +as any of us."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Brant smiled. "From what your father told me, I think he might at +that. But why all the long faces? I think it's exciting getting a code +message from Chahda. Why, this is the first time we've had a code +problem on the island since the moon rocket."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Brant couldn't have caused a more sudden reaction had she tossed a +lighted firecracker into the middle of the roast.</p> + +<p>Barby knocked over her water glass.</p> + +<p>Scotty gasped, "Great grasshoppers! A book code!"</p> + +<p>Rick strangled on a sip of milk, and when he could get his breath again, +he ran around the table to his mother, kissed her soundly and lifted her +hand high in token of victory. "The new champ," he proclaimed. "Mom, +you're a genius!"</p> + +<p>"But, Rick, I didn't say anything except...."</p> + +<p>"You said just enough, dear," Hartson Brant replied. "We all had the +answer right in that second, because you gave us a clue. Do you remember +the code our former friend used when he was sending messages off the +island?"</p> + +<p>The "former friend" Hartson Brant referred to was a member of the staff +who had turned renegade and helped Manfred Wessel's gang in their +efforts to build a moon rocket, using the Spindrift design, in order to +win the Stoneridge Grant of two million dollars. The traitor scientist +had used code messages to keep the gang informed of new developments on +Spindrift while he had used the cloak of false friendship to slow up the +building of the Spindrift rocket.</p> + +<p>"He used a double code," Rick explained. "Part of it was a regular +cipher, but the first step was a book code."</p> + +<p>"I do remember!" Mrs. Brant exclaimed. "He used a copy of that book +Hartson's friend wrote. What was it? <i>Psychiatry Simplified.</i> The code +was numbers that gave the page of the book, and the position of the word +on the page, and unless you found the book, as Rick and Scotty did, you +couldn't break the code!"</p> + +<p>Barby jumped up in her excitement. "And I know what book Chahda was +using!"</p> + +<p>The rest of the group spoke as one. "<i>The World Almanac!</i>"</p> + +<p>Scotty ran for the library, Rick on his heels.</p> + +<p>"We told him about that code," Scotty said. "Now I remember when, too. +It was right after we got back from India, when we were showing him +around the lab."</p> + +<p>"I remember, too," Rick agreed. "We were telling him how the gang used +my plane, with me flying it, to smuggle their coded messages, and he +asked us about it because he had never heard of codes before!"</p> + +<p>They reached the shelf that held the <i>Almanac</i> and stopped short. +Because of the year-to-year news summaries in the famous annual, Hartson +Brant had kept each edition as a reference source. There were over a +dozen of them on the shelf.</p> + +<p>"They're all different," Rick said. "The pages change each year. Which +one did he use?"</p> + +<p>Scotty's forehead furrowed. "Which one did he memorize? It was an old +one, but I can't remember the date."</p> + +<p>"Got it," Rick said. "Remember the letter L? The twelfth letter of the +alphabet. It must be the 1912 edition."</p> + +<p>Scotty surveyed the shelf. "Which we don't have," he said.</p> + +<p>Rick groaned. "No!"</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant called from the dining room. "Haven't you solved that +cipher yet?"</p> + +<p>The boys walked dejectedly back to join the others. Rick explained that +the right volume was missing. The Spindrift files just didn't go back +that far.</p> + +<p>"Sit down and eat your dinner," Hartson Brant said. He sliced roast for +them, his eyes thoughtful. "Something's wrong with your reasoning," he +said, as he filled Rick's plate. "Would Chahda have a 1912 edition with +him in Singapore? I doubt it. More likely he'd have a more recent one."</p> + +<p>"But the letter L has to mean something," Barby protested.</p> + +<p>"What could it mean but twelve?" Rick asked, and the answer struck him +before the words were out. He shouted, "I know! It could mean fifty! L +is the Roman numeral fifty."</p> + +<p>Barby clapped her hands. Scotty reached over and pounded Rick on the +back.</p> + +<p>"That's it," Hartson Brant said approvingly. "I'll make a wager on it. +Chahda used the 1950 edition."</p> + +<p>Rick pushed back his chair, but the scientist's voice stopped him.</p> + +<p>"Let's rest on our laurels, Rick. Finish dinner first, then we'll all +retire to the library and work it out."</p> + +<p>Because they were burning with impatience, the three younger members of +the Spindrift family did not enjoy the meal, but they made a pretense of +eating. Then, an eternity later, Hartson Brant took the last sip of his +coffee and grinned at Rick. "Shall we get to it?"</p> + +<p>"Shall we!" Barby led the way, holding the cable high.</p> + +<p>The first part was easy. Since most pages in the <i>Almanac</i> had three +numbers, they assumed that the first three numbers in each code group +referred to the page. Similarly, they assumed that the second two +numbers referred to the line. That left two numbers for the position of +the word on the line.</p> + +<p>With nervous fingers Rick turned to Page 521 of the 1950 edition and +counted down 30 lines. He hesitated over the subtitles, then decided to +count them too. At the proper line, he looked up at Scotty and Barby who +were watching over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"But there are two columns."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry about the columns," Scotty advised. "I don't think Chahda +would pay any attention to the columns, because it would mean extra +numbers in each group. Count right across and don't pay any attention to +the dividing line."</p> + +<p>Rick did so. "It doesn't come out right," he complained. "The number is +39, but there are only 17 words on the whole line."</p> + +<p>Barby sighed. "Maybe we're wrong all the way around."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," Hartson Brant said. He was sitting in a comfortable +chair, smoking an after-dinner pipe. "The logic of the thing appeals to +me. Do you suppose Chahda would know about nulls?"</p> + +<p>"What's a null?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"In cryptography it's a number, or letter, thrown in for the sake of +appearance, or to confuse."</p> + +<p>"Chahda might know," Rick said. "That brown head of his is crammed full +of more odd chunks of information than you could imagine. But if there's +a null in this, which figure is it?"</p> + +<p>"Try it both ways," Barby urged. "Here, I'll do it." She counted across +the line. "The third word is 'seventeen.'" She wrote it down. "The ninth +word is 'come.'"</p> + +<p>"Could be either," Scotty mused. "But 'come' sounds more likely. Let's +try the next group."</p> + +<p>That was 6231581. Rick turned to Page 623 and counted down 15 lines, +including the title. However, he didn't count the page heading. The +heading was on the same line as the page number. Both were above a line +drawn across the top of the page, and it seemed sensible to start below +the line.</p> + +<p>"There aren't 81 words on the lines," he said. "So that means another +null, maybe. The first word is 'both' and the eighth word is 'may.'"</p> + +<p>Barby wrote them down. "It all makes sense," she pointed out. "It could +be, 'Seventeen may,' or 'come both.'"</p> + +<p>"Keep going," Scotty urged. "Try another one."</p> + +<p>The third group gave them a choice of "Cheyenne," which seemed unlikely, +or "bad."</p> + +<p>"He couldn't be talking about Cheyenne," Rick said. "The word must be +'bad.' That means the first figure of the pair is the null, because it's +the second figure that stands for 'bad.'"</p> + +<p>"Sounds reasonable," Scotty agreed. "Keep plugging."</p> + +<p>So far, the probable words were: <i>Come both bad.</i></p> + +<p>Page 276 in the fourth group turned out to be a table of atomic weights. +Line 86 was the element tantalum. If the first figure of the last pair +was assumed to be a null, the word was the symbol for tantalum: "Ta."</p> + +<p>Rick stared at it. "Something's wrong. This doesn't make sense."</p> + +<p>Barby asked impatiently, "How do we know?"</p> + +<p>Rick yielded and moved to the next group. It gave the word "rubles." +"That's Russian money," he said.</p> + +<p>The trio looked at it in bewilderment, then Scotty suddenly let out a +yell of laughter. "I've got it! Can't you see? 'Ta' and 'rubles' go +together! 'Tarubles.' Troubles!"</p> + +<p>Then they were all howling with joy. Leave it to Chahda to dream up +something like that, Rick thought. So far, the message made sense. <i>Come +both, bad troubles.</i></p> + +<p>He turned the pages and counted feverishly. The sixth group gave "am," +the seventh "in."</p> + +<p>The eighth group gave the message an ominous tone.</p> + +<p><i>Come both. Bad troubles. Am in danger.</i></p> + +<p>The scientists and Mrs. Brant were looking over Rick's shoulder now, +too.</p> + +<p>The ninth group stopped them for a moment because the pair of figures +standing for the word was 14. If the figure 1 was a null, the word was +"the." But there were more than 14 words in the line, and the 14th was +"my."</p> + +<p>Rick looked at the faces around him. "I think it's 'my' because he must +have had a reason for using nulls. If I were making up the code, I'd use +them because sometimes there are enough words in a line so you need two +figures and sometimes not. But you always have to put down two figures +so the groups will be even."</p> + +<p>"Good thinking," Rick's father complimented him. "Go ahead on that +basis. But hurry up. The suspense is awful."</p> + +<p>There was a chorus of agreements.</p> + +<p>The next word was "boss."</p> + +<p>"He was working, then," Scotty guessed. "That must be it, if he has a +boss."</p> + +<p>Rick hurried to the next group. It produced "Carl." Page 439, the 96th +line, gave "Bradley." Then the boss's name was Carl Bradley.</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant gave a muffled exclamation. Scotty turned quickly. "Do you +know that name, Dad?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. But let's get the rest of the message. Quickly, Rick."</p> + +<p>The words appeared in rapid succession, with a pause now and then to +solve a new difficulty. Once, the lines across the columns were not even +and a ruler had to be laid across to find the word. Again, a null +appeared as the first number in the page group. Chahda had used it +because the page was 51 and he needed a third figure to round out the +group. That was easy to spot because the group read 951 and the book had +only 912 pages.</p> + +<p>In the last series of groups Rick came across another double word like +"tarubles." This time, "be" and "ware" combined to make "beware." Then, +the very last word stopped them for a moment. It was "umbra."</p> + +<p>"What's that?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"The shadow cast by the moon during an eclipse of the sun," Julius Weiss +answered. "Or part of it, rather. There are two shadows. The umbra and +the penumbra."</p> + +<p>Barby ran for a dictionary and leafed through the pages quickly. "I have +it," she said. "Listen. It's from the Latin for 'shadow,' and it means +'a shade or shadow.'"</p> + +<p>"Shadow it is," Rick said, and wrote it down. Then, slowly, he read the +full message to the serious group around him.</p> + +<blockquote><p>COME BOTH. BAD TROUBLES. AM IN DANGER. MY BOSS, CARL BRADLEY, +DISAPPEARED. GOVERNMENT WILL ASK SCIENTIFIC FATHER DO SPECIAL WORK. +MUST TAKE. GET JOBS, MEET ME HONG KONG GOLDEN MOUSE. WATCH CHINESE +WITH GLASS EYE, HE DANGEROUS. AND BEWARE LONG SHADOW.</p></blockquote> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<h3>Heavy Water</h3> + + +<p>Hartson Brant walked swiftly to the telephone and picked it up.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Dad?" Rick asked quickly. The scientist had a +strange look on his face.</p> + +<p>"Give me the telegraph office," Hartson Brant said. He put his hand over +the mouthpiece. "I'll tell you in a moment. I want to get a wire off +immediately." He spoke into the phone again. "Western Union? This is +Spindrift, Brant speaking. I want to send a straight telegram. Yes. To +Steven Ames."</p> + +<p>Rick gasped. Steve Ames was the young intelligence officer of JANIG, the +secret Army-Navy group charged with protecting the security of American +government secrets. The Spindrift group of scientists had worked with +Steve in solving <i>The Whispering Box Mystery</i>.</p> + +<p>Scotty's fingers bit into Rick's arm.</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant gave the address. "Here's the message. 'Have reconsidered +your request basis of new information just received here. Urge you come +or phone at once.' That's it. Sign it 'Brant, Spindrift.' Yes. Charge to +this number."</p> + +<p>He waited until the telegraph office had read back the message, then +hung up and turned to the waiting group.</p> + +<p>"Three days ago I had a phone call from Steve Ames. He asked if I could +undertake a special job for the government that would require me to go +overseas at once for an indefinite time. I was forced to decline because +obviously I can't leave now with these staff changes about to take +place."</p> + +<p>The scientist knocked the ashes out of his pipe, his face thoughtful.</p> + +<p>"Steve wouldn't take no for an answer. He insisted that the job was of +the utmost importance, and he added that it concerned an old college +chum of mine." He paused. "His name is Carl Bradley."</p> + +<p>Rick's eyes met Scotty's.</p> + +<p>"He said it was an urgent job, but that he would give me a few days to +think it over, to see if I couldn't rearrange my affairs in some way. I +assured him it was no use, that I couldn't possibly leave, but he said +to take until Saturday to consider it. That's tomorrow."</p> + +<p>Rick whistled. "Some timing."</p> + +<p>"It's a lot more than mere coincidence," Hartson Brant said. "But I +don't know any more about it than what I've told you."</p> + +<p>"Who is Carl Bradley?" Weiss asked.</p> + +<p>"I'm surprised you haven't heard of him, Julius. He has a considerable +reputation as an ethnologist. He and Paul Warren and I were in school +together. We lost track of him for a while, then he wrote from China. He +had spent several years inland, living with the Chinese, as one of them. +He produced some immensely valuable studies. Those, and his rather +remarkable ability to speak and act like a Chinese earned him the +nickname of 'Chinese Bradley.' He had lived most of his life since +school in one part of Asia or another. But I'm sure I can't guess what +his connection is with this special job of Steve's, or how he happened +to become Chahda's boss."</p> + +<p>"Or why he's missing," Barby added.</p> + +<p>The cable had created a mystery that demanded a solution, but no amount +of discussion answered the questions it raised. Finally, Mrs. Brant +broke up the debate by pointedly remarking on the lateness of the hour. +Reluctantly, the family started for bed.</p> + +<p>As Rick undressed, he continued the discussion through the door +connecting his room and Scotty's. "Chahda's pretty sure we'll hurry to +Hong Kong."</p> + +<p>"Is he wrong?" Scotty demanded.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Rick said. "It depends on a lot of things. We can't go +unless we get jobs, and Steve evidently didn't say anything to Dad about +the rest of the staff, including us."</p> + +<p>"Dad hasn't even said he'll go," Scotty reminded.</p> + +<p>"Doesn't saying he has reconsidered mean that he'll go?"</p> + +<p>"Could be. Or maybe it just means he's willing to talk some more about +it. We should have pinned him down."</p> + +<p>"We will," Rick said. "In the morning."</p> + +<p>He lay awake for long hours, staring into the darkness and trying to +piece together Chahda's references to a golden mouse, a Chinese with a +glass eye, and a long shadow. It was no use. But there was no mistaking +the urgency of his friend's plea.</p> + +<p>Where was Chahda now? At a guess, somewhere between Singapore and Hong +Kong. But whether by land or sea or air, Rick couldn't imagine. Nor +could he even venture a wild guess at what kind of danger Chahda faced.</p> + +<p>After a long time he fell asleep, but it was fitful sleep broken by +frequent awakenings.</p> + +<p>In the morning, the discussion resumed over breakfast, bringing forth +wild speculations from Barby. Rick had to grin at her flights of fancy.</p> + +<p>"One thing seems sure," Scotty offered. "Chahda was in a big hurry."</p> + +<p>"What makes you think so?" Mrs. Brant asked. "Barby! Please stop feeding +Dismal at the table."</p> + +<p>Dismal turned beseeching eyes to Rick in a plea for moral support, but +his young master was listening to Scotty.</p> + +<p>"The words he used. Like putting together an atomic symbol and Russian +money to make 'troubles,' and using 'umbra' instead of shadow. I'm sure +in a big book like <i>The World Almanac</i> troubles and shadows are +mentioned somewhere. But he didn't have time to search. He took the +first possibilities that came along."</p> + +<p>Rick nodded approval. "That figures. But why didn't he have time?"</p> + +<p>Scotty shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe better."</p> + +<p>Julius Weiss, who had tired of the discussion and started to the lab, +ran back into the house. "There's a plane heading this way," he +announced. "I'm sure it's coming here, because it's down pretty low."</p> + +<p>The conversation ended abruptly. Rick and Scotty were first out on the +lawn. The engine noise of the plane was loud.</p> + +<p>Rick saw it first, a sleek, four-place cabin job, circling wide out over +the water, losing altitude. In a few moments it banked sharply behind +the lab building, straightened out, and cut the gun. Rick was running +toward the end of the grass strip even before the plane settled smoothly +to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Steve Ames," he said to himself. "I'll bet it is." The JANIG officer +had wasted no time!</p> + +<p>Sure enough, Steve was the first out of the plane. Rick saw that he was +the only passenger. The pilot got out then, and Rick recognized him as +one of the JANIG operatives who had chased the Whispering Box gang +across Washington.</p> + +<p>Steve and Rick shook hands, grinning at each other, then Rick greeted +Mike, the pilot.</p> + +<p>"Didn't think we'd be needing Spindrift again so soon," Steve said. He +walked to meet the others and shook hands all around. "Let's get busy," +he said to Hartson Brant.</p> + +<p>Rick, Scotty, and Barby followed the two into the library. Mrs. Brant +took the pilot into the dining room for coffee while Professor Weiss +excused himself and went on to the laboratory. His apparent lack of +interest would have amazed anyone who didn't know him, but Rick knew +that when Julius Weiss was wrapped up in one of his theoretical math +problems, nothing else on earth could find room in his mind.</p> + +<p>Steve looked at the scientist. "What caused you to reconsider?"</p> + +<p>"This." Hartson Brant handed him the translation of Chahda's cable, then +the original. "We broke the code last night. It was a book code, using +<i>The World Almanac</i>. Chahda knew we'd be able to puzzle it out."</p> + +<p>Steve scanned the number groups briefly. "Clever," he commented. He read +through the clear copy twice, and his jaw tightened. "This explains +something that has puzzled me."</p> + +<p>"A good thing," Rick said. "Because all we got was the puzzlement. No +explanations."</p> + +<p>Steve tapped the cable thoughtfully. "I hate to ask you to tackle this +job, but you must have some ideas about it or you wouldn't have sent +that wire."</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant nodded. "I explained my situation to you on the phone when +you called a few days ago. The situation hasn't changed, but I must +admit this cable from Chahda puts a new light on the matter. That boy is +a member of the family."</p> + +<p>"Then you'll go?"</p> + +<p>"I don't want to, quite frankly. I will if there is no alternative. I +lost a lot of sleep last night making that decision. But first, I want +to propose that some member of my staff go in my stead."</p> + +<p>Steve walked to the desk and perched on its edge. "Which one?"</p> + +<p>"You know them all. You also know their specialties. Which of them would +fit your requirements best?"</p> + +<p>"Zircon. He's a nuclear physicist."</p> + +<p>Rick held his breath. Steve was continuing:</p> + +<p>"Chahda urges Rick and Scotty to get jobs, too. I hadn't considered +that, but it's not a bad idea."</p> + +<p>Rick closed his eyes and let out his breath in a sigh of relief. Scotty +nudged him.</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant asked, "Then you will consider Zircon as my substitute? +Always on condition that he will go, of course."</p> + +<p>Steve nodded. "I'd prefer you, but I'll take Zircon, if I can make a +condition of my own, and that is that you'll fly to the Far East on a +moment's notice if he and the boys can't handle it."</p> + +<p>Rick looked at his father anxiously. Hartson Brant had not given his +permission for them to make a trip, but evidently it was all right. The +scientist nodded.</p> + +<p>"I'll agree to that." He went to the telephone and picked up the +instrument. "Operator, I want to place a long-distance call."</p> + +<p>Steve winked at the boys. Then, as Hartson Brant placed the call to +Zircon in New Haven, Connecticut, the JANIG man said, "Going to be a +couple of tourists at government expense, huh? Pretty soft."</p> + +<p>"Maybe," Rick said, grinning. "That cable doesn't sound like anything +soft."</p> + +<p>Steve got serious. "You two proved yourselves in Washington, so far as +I'm concerned. You can make yourselves useful, and you'll provide a good +cover for Zircon."</p> + +<p>"What kind of cover?" Barby asked.</p> + +<p>Steve smiled at her. "Women can't keep secrets, I'm told."</p> + +<p>"I can," Barby retorted swiftly.</p> + +<p>Steve held up his hand for silence. Hartson Brant had Zircon on the +line. The scientist outlined Steve's proposal in a few words, and gave +Zircon the contents of Chahda's cable. Then he listened to Zircon while +Rick fidgeted anxiously. Finally, Hartson Brant said, "All right, +Hobart. Tell your people up there that I'll take your lectures. We'll +see you later today." He hung up and nodded at Steve.</p> + +<p>"Hobart had lectures scheduled for next week, but I can take them for +him. He'll be down this afternoon, and, he says, he'll be ready to leave +in the morning if necessary."</p> + +<p>"Good!" Steve nodded at Barby. "Even if you can't go on the trip, you +can make yourself useful. Want to place a call to Washington for me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Barby said eagerly. "Where to?"</p> + +<p>Steve gave her the number. Then, while she was placing the call, he +said, "Now, I'll tell you what I know."</p> + +<p>Rick's heart beat faster. Now he would learn what was behind Chahda's +cable!</p> + +<p>"The day before I phoned here," Steve began, "my office received a +message from Carl Bradley. It was a top secret message sent to us via +the American consulate general's channels from Singapore. I'd better +explain first that Carl is a JANIG man. His knowledge of that part of +the world has made him invaluable, and he works for us secretly while +doing his routine work as an ethnologist. That is top secret information +that must never be repeated outside this room."</p> + +<p>"You can depend on us," Hartson Brant assured him.</p> + +<p>"I know it. To go on. His job is gathering information about persons who +show too much interest in operations within our embassies and +consulates. However, the cable we got from him wasn't quite in that +line."</p> + +<p>Steve paused to see how Barby was getting along. She was trying to +listen to him and the operator at the same time.</p> + +<p>"This cable," Steve continued, "said he had accidentally made a +discovery of something potentially dangerous to America. He asked for a +competent nuclear physicist, and he named you, Hartson, to be sent to +Singapore at once to check on his finding, and to locate, if possible, +the source of the stuff he had discovered. We haven't heard from him +since. From Chahda's cable, it's evident something has happened to him. +And on the basis of the cable, I think we'll send Zircon and you boys to +Hong Kong first."</p> + +<p>Scotty put into words the question that was in Rick's mind. "What was it +that he discovered?"</p> + +<p>Steve's lips tightened, then he said: "<i>Heavy water!</i>"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h3>Project X</h3> + + +<p>"Heavy water!" Hartson Brant exclaimed softly.</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty looked at each other blankly.</p> + +<p>And at that moment, Barby completed the connection and called to Steve. +He strode to the phone and picked it up. "Who's this? All right. Steve +Ames here. Take down these names. Hobart Zircon. Richard Brant. Donald +Scott. You'll find full data on them in the files. Prepare travel orders +and get tickets for all three to Hong Kong via the first plane leaving +New York after 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night. Arrange for a letter of credit +in the usual amount on the National City Bank of Washington, and have +the bank make arrangements with all their Far East branches. Put all +three on the pay roll at the same grades they held before. Get passports +for them with visitor's visas for the Philippines, Hong Kong, +Indo-China, Indonesia, Siam, and China. We don't know where they'll end +up. Then put all that stuff in an envelope and get it to me here at +Spindrift by special messenger ... wait, never mind that. I'll send Mike +back right away, and he can bring it to me. Now read those instructions +back."</p> + +<p>Steve listened for a moment. "Right. Get going. What? Oh, charge the +whole thing to a new case file. Mark it Project X."</p> + +<p>He disconnected and turned to the group. "Now," he said grimly, "let's +talk turkey."</p> + +<p>He nodded at Rick and Scotty. "Zircon said he could leave in the +morning, if necessary. That's rushing you a little too much. So I've +given you until tomorrow night."</p> + +<p>Rick grinned. Once things started to move with Steve Ames, they moved +strictly jet-propelled.</p> + +<p>"What are we supposed to do?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"Find Bradley. If you can. But don't spend too much time searching. +Getting all the dope—and I mean <i>all</i>—on that heavy water is the +reason for your going out there. If you find Bradley, he can help. Maybe +Chahda can help, too. But never forget for a minute that tracking down +that heavy water is your mission."</p> + +<p>"If we don't find Bradley, we won't know how to get started," Rick +pointed out.</p> + +<p>Steve grunted. "No? If I believed that, I'd have gone somewhere else for +help. I came here because I knew Spindrift could give me ingenuity as +well as scientific knowledge. And you hadn't better let me down!"</p> + +<p>"We won't let you down," Scotty assured him.</p> + +<p>Barby chimed in indignantly, "Of course they won't."</p> + +<p>Steve smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not afraid of their falling down on the +job. But it's a big one. I'll tell Zircon this when he comes, but you +can be thinking it over in the meantime. You're to find out who is +bringing heavy water to the Asia coast and what they're doing with it. +You're to find out where it comes from, and why it is being made. You're +to get samples and send them back here. And most important of all, +you're to locate and pinpoint for us any industrial plants you find."</p> + +<p>Scotty scratched his head. "Fine. Only let's get back to the beginning. +What is heavy water? And why are you so excited about it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, either," Barby added.</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant looked at his son. "You do, don't you, Rick?"</p> + +<p>"I know what it is, but I don't know why it's so important to Steve," +Rick said. He had read a great deal about heavy water in studying +elementary physics. It had many uses in physics experiments.</p> + +<p>"Let's see how much you know," Steve directed. "Sound off."</p> + +<p>Rick searched his memory, trying to marshal all the facts he knew. +"Well," he began, "ordinary water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen. In +every water molecule there are two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. +The important part, for what we're talking about, are the hydrogen +atoms. Hydrogen is the lightest element, and it has the simplest atom. +There's just one proton and one electron."</p> + +<p>He looked at his father, waiting for a nod to tell him he was on the +right track. When the scientist nodded approval, he went on.</p> + +<p>"That kind of hydrogen atom has a mass of one, as the scientists say. +But there are other kinds of hydrogen atoms, and they are pretty rare, +called isotopes. An isotope is just a different variety of the ordinary +kind of atom in each element. The thing that makes it different is a +change in the nucleus. Well, hydrogen has two isotopes. One kind, which +has a mass of two, is found in nature. It is called deuterium. Its +nucleus is called a deuteron. Another kind, which can be made in a +nuclear reactor, is called tritium. A little of it is found naturally +but not enough to count for much."</p> + +<p>He took a deep breath. "I hope I know what I'm talking about."</p> + +<p>"You're doing fine," Hartson Brant said. "Go on."</p> + +<p>"All right. Well, heavy water is made of one atom of oxygen plus two +atoms of deuterium, which is the first isotope of hydrogen. In +chemistry, there's no difference in the way heavy water acts. You can +even drink it. In fact, people do drink it every day, because in +ordinary water there is some heavy water. I forget the exact figures, +but I think that, by weight, there are five thousand parts of ordinary +hydrogen in water and only one part of deuterium."</p> + +<p>"That's right." Steve Ames nodded. "Five thousand to one. Now tell us +what is peculiar about all isotopes?"</p> + +<p>Rick thought furiously and came up with what he hoped was the answer. "I +think it's that isotopes aren't as stable as the basic elements. Some +are pretty stable, but some are pretty shaky. That's why some of the +isotopes of uranium can be split wide open in a chain reaction to make +an atomic bomb, and ..."</p> + +<p>A chill ran through him. His mouth opened. He knew! He knew why heavy +water had Steve Ames all excited. He choked:</p> + +<p>"Hydrogen bombs!"</p> + +<p>Scotty and Barby gasped. Steve Ames and Hartson Brant smiled.</p> + +<p>"It's true that one of the possibilities in building a hydrogen bomb +concerns deuterium," the scientist said. "But I scarcely think that's +the case here. How about it, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Possible, but extremely improbable," Steve agreed. "What I'm most +interested in is a use for heavy water Rick hasn't mentioned. Know what +a nuclear reactor is, Rick?"</p> + +<p>Rick nodded. "It's what the newspapers usually call an 'atomic pile.' We +have quite a few in this country, I think. The Atomic Energy Commission +said quite a while ago that they used a nuclear reactor with uranium as +a fuel to make plutonium, which is the artificial element that can be +used in atomic bombs. Besides uranium itself, that is."</p> + +<p>"That's right. What I'm interested in is the fact that heavy water can +be used as a neutron moderator in a reactor."</p> + +<p>Rick looked blank. Steve was talking way over his head. Hartson Brant +saw his son's bewilderment and explained: "You've probably heard that +the uranium in a reactor is encased in blocks of graphite, which is +simply carbon, Rick. It prevents the neutrons from the uranium from +simply running wild. Well, heavy water can be used for the same +purpose."</p> + +<p>"Exactly," Steve said. "So you see, I'm not afraid of the possibility of +hydrogen bombs as much as I am of the possibility that somewhere in Asia +is a nuclear reactor. Until we get international agreement on atomic +weapons, we simply have to keep track of atomic developments everywhere +for our own protection. If there's a new country going in for atomic +research, and it can build a reactor, it might also be able to build an +atomic bomb. Now, don't forget I said heavy water is a legitimate +industrial product. We certainly can't object to a nation's +manufacturing it. We wouldn't want to. But when it turns up in an odd +corner of the world, I think we'd better find out why. If it's a +peaceful reason, we'll mark it down and then forget it. If not, we'll +make a report to the United Nations."</p> + +<p>"Why not report it right now?" Barby asked.</p> + +<p>"Good question. The answer is, we're not sure. Remember Carl Bradley was +unsure enough to ask for help. If we got up before the UN and started +hollering and it turned out to be plain water, we'd look pretty +foolish."</p> + +<p>"I don't even know how we'd begin," Scotty muttered. "How do you start +on a job like this?"</p> + +<p>"You'll start by being innocent tourists," Steve said. "You and Rick are +students on a holiday, with Zircon, your uncle, as guide and tutor. +You'll be interested in a number of things, including hunting. That will +give you a good excuse for barging around the country if you have to. +But you won't be able to decide what you want to hunt." Steve grinned. +"You'll decide after you find out where you have to go. And you'd better +learn about Asiatic game animals. For instance, if the trail takes you +to Indonesia, you may want to hunt the hairy Sumatran rhinoceros. In the +Philippines, you'll hunt timarau, which are a special breed of wild +water buffalo. In China, around the coast, you can hunt tigers. In +Malaya, if the trail does take you down to Singapore, you can hunt +tapir. Same for Siam. In Indo-China you can hunt tigers. Inland in +China, toward the Tibetan border, you'd better be hunting bharals."</p> + +<p>"That's a wonderful name," Barby said quickly. "What are they?"</p> + +<p>"Another name for them is blue sheep," Steve told her. "They're +bluish-gray, shading to white in the under parts. The horns are unusual, +because they curve outward from the sides of the head, then down and +backward."</p> + +<p>Hartson Brant paused in the act of filling his pipe and asked curiously, +"How do you know so much about Asiatic animals, Steve?"</p> + +<p>Steve laughed. "Because I used the same gag once myself." He started for +the door. "Talk it over, and think up any questions you can. I won't +promise to know the answers, but I'll try. I've got to get Mike started +back to Washington to pick up that stuff."</p> + +<p>When he had gone, Barby looked enviously at the two boys. "In my next +reincarnation," she announced, "I'm going to be a boy. I don't see why I +couldn't go, too. A girl would make the group look even less suspicious, +wouldn't it?" She scanned the three faces eagerly, then sighed. "All +right. I knew it wasn't any use."</p> + +<p>"Never mind, towhead," Rick said. He always hated to see Barby's wistful +expression when he and Scotty were going somewhere. "Maybe next time."</p> + +<p>"Not if next time is another job like this," Hartson Brant disagreed. He +studied his pipe stem, his forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. "I'm not +quite sure why I didn't object to Rick and Scotty going."</p> + +<p>Rick demanded swiftly, "You're not going to object, are you, Dad?"</p> + +<p>"No, Rick. If we hadn't been on other expeditions and in some tough +spots together, I surely would. But I know you two are able to take care +of yourselves. And so is Zircon. Only keep in mind that you may be +dealing with an entirely new breed of cats, unscrupulous men who +wouldn't hesitate to put you out of the way without a moment's +hesitation. So be careful. Be very careful. Don't take risks that aren't +essential to your job. And do what Zircon tells you to without +hesitation. He's knocked around in some pretty rough corners of the +world, and I don't know a man who is better equipped for this kind of +job, unless it's Carl Bradley."</p> + +<p>The warning sobered Rick even more. Apart from what his father had said, +he knew it was also what the information could mean to the security of +the country that had prevented the scientist from making a single +objection to their going.</p> + +<p>"We'll take no risks we don't have to," he promised. "We'll move as if +we were walking on eggs, Dad."</p> + +<p>And Scotty echoed the promise.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Nothing remained but to wait for Zircon and make definite plans. Steve, +who had risen early in order to get to Spindrift first thing, walked out +to the orchard with Dismal for company and stretched out under a tree +for a nap.</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty couldn't possibly have napped, so they went up to Rick's +room and began to pack. That took little time, since they would travel +by air. Scotty took his rifle out of its protective case and cleaned it, +then tried on the infrared telescope. He removed from the 'scope the +masking bits of cardboard Rick had used to convert it to a camera view +finder, thus making it a telescopic rifle sight once more. It fitted +perfectly.</p> + +<p>"You taking the movie camera along?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Rick thought it over. "Guess I will," he said finally. "Tourists are +supposed to have cameras. I'll take the movie instead of the speed +graphic. And I can take along infrared film as well as regular color +film. If anyone asks, I can say I want movies of the animals you and +Zircon shoot. Then all three of us won't have to take guns."</p> + +<p>"Better finish putting the lenses into those sunglasses frames then," +Scotty said.</p> + +<p>"I'll do it right now. It won't take long." A thought struck Rick. "What +will Zircon do for a rifle?"</p> + +<p>"He'll have to borrow one, and an ordinary one won't do, either. If +we're supposed to be hunting big game, he'll need one bigger than +my .303." Scotty frowned thoughtfully. "How about Captain Douglas? He +used to be quite a hunter. You've seen the African trophies in his +office at the barracks."</p> + +<p>Captain Douglas was commanding officer of the Whiteside State Police +Barracks, and a good friend of the boys. He and his officers had +co-operated with them in rounding up the Smugglers' Reef gang.</p> + +<p>"Give him a phone call while I finish putting these lenses in," Rick +suggested.</p> + +<p>"Good idea." Scotty went to phone.</p> + +<p>More and more Rick was realizing the magnitude of the job they had +undertaken. He hoped fervently that Chahda would know something useful +in case they failed to locate Bradley.</p> + +<p>In a moment Scotty stuck his head in the door. "I've got the captain on +the phone," he said. "He's got a .45-90 we can borrow, and, bless his +heart, he didn't ask where we were going. When can we pick it up?"</p> + +<p>Rick thought it over. "I'll have to fly to the airport and pick up +Zircon in a little while. Tell Captain Douglas I'll buzz the barracks on +the way over. Ask if he can possibly deliver it to me at the airport. I +hate to bother him, but I won't have a car to go get it." Rick's little +cub airplane was the island's fast messenger-passenger service.</p> + +<p>"Okay." Scotty disappeared down the hall again for a few moments and +then returned. He took a seat in the leather armchair. "He finally did +get curious. Wanted to know if we needed that caliber rifle to shoot +Jersey mosquitoes. I told him we were going on a trip and that I +couldn't say anything more about it. So he said he'd lend us the gun +only on condition that we tell him the story when we got back. I said we +would, if we could."</p> + +<p>"He's the best," Rick said. "But he knows we've done some hush-hush work +for the government, and don't forget he's an ex-Marine. He wouldn't +embarrass us by asking too many questions."</p> + +<p>Scotty nodded. "Wait until you see this rifle. A .45-90 is a regular +cannon. It'll knock down anything smaller than an elephant, and it'll +knock down one of those, if it hits the right spot."</p> + +<p>"That's just Zircon's size," Rick said, grinning. The scientist was a +huge man who towered over the rest of the staff.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Later, Zircon dominated the library as Steve issued final instructions. +The scientist's booming voice had phrased questions for an hour, until +even Steve looked weary.</p> + +<p>"This winds up what I have to say," he told them. "Mike should be back +with your tickets, passports, and letter of credit in another hour. I'll +go back to Washington and issue instructions via the State Department to +all of our ambassadors and consuls in the area. They'll know what's +happening and why you're there, but no one else on their staffs will. Go +in to see each one whose country you enter. Make a lot of noise. Insist +on seeing the chief. Hell know your names and he'll do everything he +can. Bradley is supposed to check in with each embassy or consulate in +the same way. They'll be your points of contact in case he shows up +again. File reports when you can. Hand them to the ambassador or consul +of the country and no one else."</p> + +<p>Steve stopped for a moment, then his warm grin flashed. "This is going +to be tougher than beating the Whispering Box gang. I know you'll come +back with the answers, but be sure you have whole skins when you do!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<h3>Hong Kong</h3> + + +<p>The four-engine transport had been letting down from its cruising +altitude for what seemed like an hour. Rick was watching through the +circular window for the first sign of land, and he was getting +impatient.</p> + +<p>The trip had been a long one. It seemed to Rick that he had been sitting +in a plane for most of his life, even though they had been gone from +Spindrift for less than four days. That was because they were making no +stop-overs. At San Francisco, Honolulu, Guam, and Manila they had +stopped only long enough to refuel, or to change planes.</p> + +<p>Scotty, in the seat next to Rick, was sound asleep. Zircon, across the +aisle, was engrossed in a book.</p> + +<p>Rick looked up as the stewardess walked past him. She smiled and pointed +through the window on the opposite side. He caught a glimpse of +mountainous country below. Then, in a few seconds, a small island passed +underneath on his own side. They were getting close to the ground now. +He estimated their altitude at less than two thousand feet. He poked +Scotty in the ribs.</p> + +<p>"Rise and shine, mighty hunter. We're getting ready to land."</p> + +<p>Scotty was wide awake instantly. "About time," he muttered. "Show me +this famous Hong Kong."</p> + +<p>"Can't yet," Rick replied. "But we've passed a couple of islands. Look, +there's another."</p> + +<p>They were dropping rapidly now. The big plane suddenly banked, leveled, +then banked again. As they rocked up, Rick looked down into a cove, +crowded with Chinese junks. The brief glimpse sent a thrill through him, +as new scenes always did. They were the first junks he had seen outside +of pictures.</p> + +<p>The plane banked again, the other way. Rick realized with a sudden +feeling of discomfort that they were actually weaving their way through +mountain peaks! He had heard that the approach to Hong Kong was crooked +as a corkscrew; now he knew the reports didn't exaggerate.</p> + +<p>Zircon was leaning across the aisle. He pointed to a strip of curved +beach. "Repulse Bay," he boomed. "We're almost in." The scientist had +been to the Far East before, and he knew Hong Kong.</p> + +<p>They were close to the top of abrupt hills. Rick saw a road curving +through the hills and valleys, then they were over water again, and the +water was dotted with modern ships as well as junks. The plane rocked +far over in a tight bank, and there was a howl as the flaps were +lowered. Rick and Scotty buckled safety belts and sat back as the plane +leveled off.</p> + +<p>In a few moments they were collecting their luggage and walking across a +concrete apron to the customs building. Inside, a Chinese clerk, under +the supervision of a British officer, gave their effects a cursory +glance, stamped their passports, and handed them police forms to fill +out. They did so as rapidly as possible, turned them in, and left the +customs room. Outside, they picked up the bags they had checked, gave +them to a Chinese coolie, who appeared from nowhere, and followed him to +a taxi.</p> + +<p>It was a small car of English make. Zircon looked at it with +disapproval. "Am I supposed to fit into that thing?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>Rick hid a grin. The car wasn't much bigger than the scientist. Zircon +squeezed in gingerly, Scotty behind him. Rick got into the front seat +with the driver.</p> + +<p>"Peninsular Hotel," Zircon directed.</p> + +<p>"Funny," Scotty said. "I never expected to find an airport on Hong Kong. +All the pictures I've seen of it show mountains. It doesn't look as +though there were room for an airport."</p> + +<p>"There isn't," Zircon said. "We're not on Hong Kong. This is Kowloon. +It's a peninsula jutting out from the mainland of China. However, it's a +part of the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong. We'll get to the island +itself, and to Victoria, which is the main city, by ferry-boat or +walla-walla."</p> + +<p>"What's that?" Rick asked curiously.</p> + +<p>"Local name for a water taxi," Zircon explained.</p> + +<p>The taxi was leaving the airport now, but there was nothing in sight at +the moment to show that this was the Orient. The modern buildings were +of stone, brick, and concrete, and the streets were wide and clean. As +they got closer to downtown Kowloon, however, Chinese predominated, with +only a sprinkling of what were evidently Englishmen. In a short time +they pulled up in front of the Peninsular, one of the world's famous +hotels. It was an imposing structure, the lobby as vast as an auditorium +but broken up by numerous pillars, potted plants, and dusty-looking +furniture. They registered and were shown to a very large and +comfortable room with a window that opened on a fire escape.</p> + +<p>As Zircon tipped the Chinese bearers, Rick asked them, "What time is +it?"</p> + +<p>The chief "boy" answered, "Maybe thlee time, sor," and closed the door.</p> + +<p>"About three?" Rick looked at Zircon and Scotty. "It's early. Let's get +started right away. I'd like to find out where and what the Golden Mouse +is."</p> + +<p>"Good idea," Zircon agreed. He tossed a suitcase on one of the three +beds in the big room. "Let's clean up and change quickly. We'll have +time to see the consul this afternoon, too. I doubt that the consulate +closes before five o'clock."</p> + +<p>In less than a half-hour the three of them were walking from the hotel +toward the water front. Zircon led the way. "We'll take the ferry," he +said. "It's very fast."</p> + +<p>The ferry slip was less than a three-minute walk from the hotel, but +when they started to get tickets, they remembered that changing money +had completely slipped their minds. A scholarly looking Chinese +gentleman saw their plight and spoke to Zircon in faultless English with +a distinct Oxford accent.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I can be of service, sir? If you have an American dollar bill, +I can change it for you. You will need only a little money for tickets, +and there is a bank close by the ferry slip on the other side."</p> + +<p>"You're very kind," Zircon said. "We'll accept your offer, sir. I do +have a dollar bill, I believe."</p> + +<p>He found it and handed it to the Chinese, who counted out six Hong Kong +dollars and a few tiny paper bills that represented change. "The rate +today is six and a fraction to one," he explained.</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty added their thanks to Zircon's. The Chinese bowed. "A +pleasure to have been of even such small service." He smiled and +continued on his way.</p> + +<p>"The Chinese are without a doubt the most polite of all the Eastern +peoples," Zircon said. He pushed a Hong Kong dollar through the ticket +window, got three tickets and some change in return. They pushed through +the gate and walked across the dock to the ferry.</p> + +<p>As they did so, Rick got his first look at Hong Kong. He stared, amazed, +his mental image of an oriental city vanishing like a burst bubble.</p> + +<p>Across the bay, a green mountain stretched like a jagged knife-edge +against the sky line. Here and there, far above the bay, were white +blocks, like granite chips, marking houses. Lower down, the city of +Victoria began. It was like marble slabs piled in an orderly array, +thinning out toward the upper side of the mountain. Down at sea level, +the buildings were thickly clustered. But they were modern buildings, +not a trace of the oriental in them.</p> + +<p>Between the ferry and Hong Kong, the bay was crowded with water traffic. +Junks with gay sails sped noiselessly between puffing little tugs. Great +deep-water freighters were anchored, lighters at their sides taking off +cargo. Slightly to one side, the sleek line of a British cruiser was +visible, and beyond it a trio of lean, wolfish destroyers.</p> + +<p>The ferry moved away from the pier and picked up speed. Rick and Scotty +watched the colorful panorama of vessels. Hong Kong was beautiful, Rick +thought. And it was clean, though cities of the Orient were +traditionally dirty.</p> + +<p>Nor was his first impression changed when they reached the opposite +shore. The ferry landed them before tall, concrete buildings that shaded +clean streets. A block away they stopped to watch a three-story trolley +pass by.</p> + +<p>"Good gosh, a skyscraper on wheels," Scotty exclaimed.</p> + +<p>And that was just the impression it gave.</p> + +<p>Zircon stopped to ask directions of a passing Englishman, then told the +boys, "The American Consulate is only a block away. Suppose we change +some money, then pay the consul a visit."</p> + +<p>Rick thought quickly. "We'll need money, but why do all of us have to go +see the consul? We could split up. Scotty and I could start locating the +Golden Mouse while you're talking to him."</p> + +<p>"He probably knows all about it," Zircon pointed out. "It must be a +prominent landmark, although I've never heard of it. Otherwise, Chahda +wouldn't have known about it."</p> + +<p>"Unless it was a place Bradley had told him about," Scotty said.</p> + +<p>"That's possible. At any rate, we've nothing to lose by separating for a +while. I'll go see the consul and find out what he knows. You two start +asking questions and I'll meet you in an hour right here ... no, better +still, since we'll want to eat here, I'll meet you in front of +Whiteaway-Laidlaw's Department Store. It's only a few blocks from here +and there's a good restaurant close by."</p> + +<p>Rick's memory rang a bell. "Isn't Whiteaway-Laidlaw in Bombay?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. But it's also here, and in most major English cities in the Far +East." The big scientist smiled. "I picked it because I was sure you'd +remember the name. I wasn't so sure you'd remember Huan Yuan See's +Restaurant."</p> + +<p>"You were right," Scotty replied with a grin. "Well, let's get going. I +see a bank across the street. We can get our money changed there."</p> + +<p>It took only a few moments to exchange some of their American currency +for Hong Kong dollars. The boys folded the bills, which like all English +paper money were bigger than American bills, and tucked them into their +wallets. Zircon started for the consulate with a wave of the hand and a +reminder that they would get together in an hour.</p> + +<p>"Now what?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"Now we start asking questions," Rick told him. They had paused at the +entrance to the bank and the guard was standing near by. His turban and +neatly curled beard proclaimed him to be a Sikh, a member of the warrior +Indian caste that is scattered throughout the Far East.</p> + +<p>"We're looking for something called the Golden Mouse," Rick said. "Can +you tell us where it is?"</p> + +<p>The Sikh considered. Then he shook his head. "Not know of that one, sir. +Not hear."</p> + +<p>"Maybe one of the bank officers would know," Scotty suggested. They +stepped back inside the bank and approached a thin young Britisher who +wore tweeds in spite of the heat of the day.</p> + +<p>Rick put the question to him. The Englishman looked blank. "Golden +Mouse, you say? Dashed if I ever heard of it. Is it supposed to be a +tourist place do you know?"</p> + +<p>"We don't know," Rick answered. "We've no idea."</p> + +<p>The young man's face expanded in a pleased smile. "Don't suppose you'd +consider substituting a pink rabbit? We have a restaurant of that name. +Haw!"</p> + +<p>Rick hid a grin. "Very kind of you," he said. "I'm afraid my friend and +I are allergic to rabbit fur."</p> + +<p>With a perfectly straight face, Scotty added, "Haw!"</p> + +<p>The young Englishman shook with laughter. "You know, that's really very +good," he said. "Allergic to rabbit fur! Very good! I'm sorry, fellows, +but I'm afraid I can't help locate your Golden Mouse. Why not try a +bobby?"</p> + +<p>"Bobby sox or bobby pin?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>The bank officer's eyebrows went up, then he smiled. "Oh, I see what you +mean. No, it's not a joke this time. Bobby is what we call policemen. +You know?"</p> + +<p>"Thank you very much," Rick said.</p> + +<p>"Not a bit. By the way, I can make a few inquiries of the chaps who have +been here for some time. They may know. If you have no luck, drop back." +He offered his hand. "My name is Keaton-Yeats. Ronald Keaton-Yeats."</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty offered their names in exchange. "We'll come back if we +can't locate it," Rick assured him.</p> + +<p>Outside, Scotty laughed. "Haw!" he said.</p> + +<p>Rick grinned. "That's the famous English sense of humor, I guess. He's a +good scout."</p> + +<p>Scotty nodded his agreement. "Funny thing about these English. They do +things that seem silly to us, like wearing tweeds in bathing-suit +weather and cracking bad jokes. But when the chips are down, they can +fight like wildcats." Suddenly he pointed. "There's a policeman."</p> + +<p>"Let's tackle him," Rick said, and led the way across the street.</p> + +<p>The officer was evidently a lieutenant or something of the sort, because +he had impressive-looking shoulder tabs on his uniform. As they came up, +he was inspecting the papers of a small, hard-bitten character who wore +greasy dungarees and a cap black with grease and grime. Evidently the +papers were in order, for he handed them back and said curtly, "All +right, my man. But remember we'll have no doings from you or your like +in Hong Kong. If you're smart, you'll stick close to your ship."</p> + +<p>The man muttered, "Aye aye, Orficer. That I will." He moved away.</p> + +<p>The officer was a tall, erect man with a cropped, gray military +mustache. He saw the two boys and nodded. "Can I help you, lads?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you can, sir," Rick said. "We're looking for something called +the Golden Mouse."</p> + +<p>The officer's eyes narrowed. "Are you now?" he inquired. "And what would +you want with the Golden Mouse, if I may inquire?"</p> + +<p>"We're to meet a friend there," Scotty said.</p> + +<p>The tone of the officer's voice told Rick that something was wrong. He +asked, "Is something wrong with the Golden Mouse? We don't even know +what it is."</p> + +<p>"A good thing for you not to know," the officer retorted. "You're +Americans?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," Scotty said.</p> + +<p>"Then the Hong Kong force is responsible for seeing that you have a +pleasant and safe visit. I warn you. Keep away from the Golden Mouse."</p> + +<p>He turned on his heel and walked off. Rick and Scotty stared after his +retreating figure, and then at each other.</p> + +<p>"How about that?" Scotty wanted to know.</p> + +<p>Rick frowned. "There must be something fishy about this Golden Mouse. +From the way he talks, it's a place. I wonder what kind?"</p> + +<p>A cockney voice spoke from behind them. "Now, that's a thing I could +tell you lads, always providin' you was willin' to part with 'arf a quid +or so."</p> + +<p>It was the man the officer had warned to stick close to his ship. He +winked at them. "Come over 'ere where that blinkin' peeler cawn't see +us." He motioned to the shadow of a hallway.</p> + +<p>Inside, he grinned at them. "I 'eard the line o' garbage the copper was +'andin' you and I says, 'ere's a chance to do a bit o' fyvor fer a +couple o' rich Yanks. And, I says, likely they'll part with a few bob to +buy ol' Bert a bit o' tea."</p> + +<p>Rick pulled out a couple of Hong Kong dollars. "We'll pay you. Now tell +us what the Golden Mouse is, and where it is."</p> + +<p>Bert pocketed the notes. "As to what it is, it's a kind o' restaurant, +you might say. It 'as entertainment and food and drink, and you'll find +a few o' the lads there for company most any night. Aye, it's a fair +popular place, is the Golden Mouse." He grinned, and there was a gap +where his two front teeth should have been. "As to where it is, that's +not so easy to tell a pair what don't know 'ow to get around. But you +just get a couple rickshaws, and you say to the coolies to take you to +Canton Charlie's place. They know it, right enough."</p> + +<p>He spat expertly at a cockroach that scuttled past. "But take a tip from +ol' Bert and don't go. Stay clear o' Canton Charlie's."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Rick demanded.</p> + +<p>"Never you mind why. Just stay clear. Bert's warnin' you."</p> + +<p>"We want to know why," Scotty insisted.</p> + +<p>Bert grinned evilly. "Right-o. The lads wants to know, and Bert's an +obligin' gent. You go to Canton Charlie's and I'll make a bet, I will. +I'll bet you'll be outside again in 'arf an hour, or maybe less."</p> + +<p>His grin widened. "But will you know yer outside? Not you. And why? On +account of you'll be layin' in a ditch somewheres with yer throats cut. +That's why."</p> + +<p>He pushed past and left them standing in the doorway, staring at each +other.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<h3>The Golden Mouse</h3> + + +<p>Hobart Zircon listened to Rick's report on the boys' findings, then made +an abrupt change of plans. Instead of eating in Hong Kong, they took the +ferry back to the hotel and took from their suitcases the old clothes +each had brought to wear on the trail, and to give them the look of +experienced hunters. As Steve had pointed out, only amateurs go in for +fancy togs as a rule. The experienced prefer tough, ordinary clothes +like dungarees and denim shirts.</p> + +<p>As they unpacked, Scotty asked, "Is it safe to leave our rifles, and +Rick's camera and that scientific stuff you brought?"</p> + +<p>He referred to some delicate equipment packed in a special case that +Zircon had brought from the Spindrift lab for investigating the heavy +water they hoped to find.</p> + +<p>"Perfectly safe," Zircon assured him. "In reputable hotels of this sort, +the Chinese help is scrupulously honest. You could leave money lying +about and it would never be touched."</p> + +<p>He had already reported on his conversation with the consul general. +There had been no word from Bradley, although Steve's instructions to +co-operate with the Spindrift party had arrived. The American official +had promised to get in touch with them if Bradley turned up. He had +never heard of the Golden Mouse.</p> + +<p>"I think we had better try to get in touch with Chahda right away," the +scientist said. "So let's have a bite to eat here, then go have a look +at this Golden Mouse, or Canton Charlie's. From the description, I'd say +it is typical of a certain kind of place where toughs hang out. Each +city in the Orient has several. If we wear these old clothes, we'll be +less conspicuous."</p> + +<p>In a short time they were in Hong Kong again. Zircon hailed three +rickshaws and they got in. "Canton Charlie's," the scientist commanded. +"Chop chop."</p> + +<p>The rickshaw boys started off at a trot. The way led along the bay +shore, past wharves and piers, until they were out of the central part +of the city and moving into a section that was more as Rick had imagined +an oriental city to be. The streets were wide, but lined with +board-front buildings. The signs were all in Chinese, and usually +painted in gaudy colors. There were no Englishmen in sight now, nor did +they see any policemen.</p> + +<p>It was a long way. They had left their hotel in full daylight, but dusk +had settled before the coolies finally turned off the main road. They +went into a narrow street, then turned down another and still another. +With each turn the streets narrowed and the light grew dimmer. How had +Chahda heard of a place in such a poor quarter of the city? Rick +wondered.</p> + +<p>Presently the rickshaws drew up in a dismal corner of what was little +more than an alleyway. They were in front of a low wooden building with +windows that hadn't been cleaned in years. Above the double door was a +faded painting, illumined by a single electric light bulb. The painting +probably was supposed to represent a mouse. Once, long ago, it had +evidently been yellow. Now it was so glazed with grime that it was hard +to tell.</p> + +<p>Rick stepped down from his rickshaw, sniffing the combined odors of +garlic, pungent sauces, filth, and stale beer. Scotty joined him, and +they waited for the scientist to take the lead.</p> + +<p>Zircon handed some money to the coolies and ordered them to wait. Then +he motioned to the boys and led the way to the door. It opened on a +large room dimly lighted by faded Chinese lanterns that hung over +low-power bulbs. The walls were covered with a grimy paper of faded +yellow on which unskilled drawings of mice at play were clustered. The +floor was crowded with tables, each table covered with a +yellow-checkered tablecloth. So far as Rick could see, there wasn't a +clean cloth in the lot.</p> + +<p>In front of the room was a long bar of scarred teak-wood. Behind it were +row after row of ordinary ten-cent-store water tumblers. Rick guessed +Canton Charlie's clients weren't fussy about drinking from fine crystal.</p> + +<p>Next to one wall, a white man in rumpled, dirty dungarees was sleeping +with head down on the table. His snores were not musical. At one of the +tables near the opposite wall, a dark-skinned man in a seaman's woolen +cap sat paring his nails with a knife easily a foot long.</p> + +<p>Zircon motioned to the boys and they sat down at one of the tables. +"It's too early for many customers, I suppose. But someone in charge +must be here." He banged on the table, then lowered his voice. "How do +you like the customer over there? A Portuguese sailor, from the look of +him."</p> + +<p>In a moment dingy curtains parted next to the bar and a man emerged. At +a guess, he was Spanish.</p> + +<p>"Bet he's got a knife a foot long, too, under that apron," Scotty +whispered. "He's the type."</p> + +<p>Rick nodded. Scotty was so right! The man's heavy-lidded eyes were set +in a swarthy face whose most prominent feature was a broken nose, +flattened probably with some weapon like a hard-swung bottle. A white +scar across his chin indicated that it might have been a broken bottle. +He was medium tall, and he wore a cap that might have been white once. +An apron covered loose black Chinese shirt and trousers. Rick was glad +big Hobart Zircon was sitting next to him.</p> + +<p>The man walked to the table and greeted them in a surprisingly soft +voice in which there was an accent Rick couldn't identify.</p> + +<p>"You're a little early, gents. But I can take care of you. What'll you +have?"</p> + +<p>"Chahda," Zircon said flatly.</p> + +<p>The man's eyes narrowed. "You better have a drink and sit tight."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Zircon asked.</p> + +<p>"You'll see. What'll you drink?"</p> + +<p>Zircon ignored the question. "Who are you?"</p> + +<p>"Canton Charlie. What'll you drink?"</p> + +<p>"What have you got?"</p> + +<p>There was a ghost of a smile on the scarred face. "I'll fix you up." He +clapped his hands. An elderly Chinese in dirty whites shuffled out. +Canton Charlie spoke a few words of singsong Cantonese and the old man +nodded.</p> + +<p>"Sit tight," Charlie said again, and walked away.</p> + +<p>"Lot of fine, useful information we're getting out of this," Scotty +grumbled. "I wonder how long we'll have to sit in this flea bag?"</p> + +<p>"Hard to say," Zircon replied. "But Charlie seemed friendly enough."</p> + +<p>The old Chinese was shuffling across the floor with a tray that held +three tumblers of dark liquid. "Wonder what he's going to give us?" Rick +said. "Probably dragon blood."</p> + +<p>The Chinese put the glasses down in front of them and padded off again. +Scotty picked up his glass and sniffed, and a grin split his face. +"Dragon blood, huh? Ten thousand miles from home, in the worst dive in +Hong Kong, and what do we drink? Coke!"</p> + +<p>Rick laughed. "American civilization and the mysterious East. But it +suits me. Coke is probably the only thing in the house fit to drink."</p> + +<p>The Portuguese finished the drink that had been in front of him, gave +his nails a last inspection, stowed his knife in a leg sheath, and left. +He hadn't even looked at them.</p> + +<p>"He's probably gone to find a blowtorch to shave with," Zircon rumbled. +He motioned toward the door. "New customers coming."</p> + +<p>They were the first of many. Within a half-hour the room was filled with +a strange assortment. There were British, American, French, Dutch, +Portuguese, and Filipino sailors, and men of uncertain profession who +ranged in complexion from pure Chinese to pure black. Many were +Eurasians, and of the Eurasians, a large percentage were of mixed +Chinese and Portuguese blood. Zircon reminded the boys that the +Portuguese colony of Macao was only half an afternoon's boat trip south +of Hong Kong.</p> + +<p>By and large, Rick decided, Canton Charlie's customers were as tough a +looking bunch of pirates as he had ever seen. They applauded noisily by +banging glasses on the table as a disreputable lot of musicians appeared +and began to make the night hideous with what seemed to be a Chinese +version of a Strauss waltz. By this time, the room was so blue with +cigar and cigarette smoke and so noisy with coarse chatter in a +half-dozen tongues that it was hard to see or hear one's neighbor.</p> + +<p>Again Rick wondered. How had Chahda ever heard of this place? He sipped +on his third coke and leaned over toward Scotty and Zircon. "Wonder +what's keeping Canton Charlie?"</p> + +<p>Zircon shrugged expressively. "Can't do a thing but wait, Rick."</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the wait was not much longer. A Chinese shuffled past and +dropped a folded note on the table. Before they could question him, he +had made his way among the tables and was gone.</p> + +<p>Zircon picked up the note, glanced through it, and handed it to Scotty. +Rick read over his friend's shoulder. The note was scrawled in pencil, +as though written in haste.</p> + +<p>"<i>To find the one you want, go to the end of the Street of the Three +Blind Fishermen. Go to the junk with the purple sails.</i>"</p> + +<p>"Let's get started," Rick said. He rose to his feet. Zircon tossed some +money on the table. The three of them made their way through the noisy +mob of rough-necks and out the door. Rick breathed deeply when they were +out in the narrow street again.</p> + +<p>"Even with the garlic, this air smells better than what we left inside," +Scotty said. "Why do you think Canton Charlie didn't deliver the message +himself?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe he's not mixed up in it," Rick suggested. "Maybe he just had +orders to let someone know when we showed up."</p> + +<p>"We'll soon know," Zircon predicted.</p> + +<p>As the three rickshaw coolies materialized from the darkness where they +had been waiting, the Americans climbed in. Zircon asked, "You know +street called Three Blind Fishermen?"</p> + +<p>One of the rickshaw boys nodded. "Not far. We go?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>The rickshaws lurched forward.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Inside the Golden Mouse, Canton Charlie started for the table where the +three had been waiting. He stopped short as he saw they were no longer +there, turned on his heel, and hurried into an inner room. He spoke +quick words to a slim Chinese-Portuguese half-caste who immediately +hurried out the back door. Once in the open, the slim man ran as though +devils were after him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<h3>The Junk with Purple Sails</h3> + + +<p>For perhaps ten minutes Rick, Scotty, and Zircon sat in the rickshaws +while the coolies pulled them through dark streets with no more noise +than the occasional creaking of a wheel or the slapping of bare feet on +the pavement.</p> + +<p>There were houses on both sides of the streets, but only now and then +did a light show through the impenetrable darkness. Rick finally sensed +that they were near the water by a feeling of greater space around him +rather than by anything he could see. A moment later he heard the +lapping of water against a pier.</p> + +<p>He was tense with excitement now. The first part of the journey was +coming to an end. In a few minutes they would be hearing Chahda's story.</p> + +<p>The rickshaws drew to a stop and the coolies dropped the shafts so their +passengers could climb out. The coolie who spoke the best English asked, +hesitantly, "You pay now, sor? We no wait here, yes?"</p> + +<p>"Very well." Zircon paid the boys' fare and his own. "I don't suppose +there's any reason to have them wait, since this is our destination. +Chahda's friends doubtless will provide a ride for the return journey."</p> + +<p>"I don't like this," Scotty whispered. "There's something funny about +the whole business. I feel it."</p> + +<p>"Where's the junk?" Rick demanded softly. "I can't see a thing."</p> + +<p>"We'll wait for a bit," Zircon said quietly. "And we'll be on our guard, +just in case Scotty's intuition is right."</p> + +<p>They waited quietly, leaning against what seemed to be a warehouse, for +what felt like five minutes but was probably only two. Then Rick heard +the mutter of voices and the splash of something moving in the water. +The sounds were followed by a bumping and scraping against the pier that +jutted into the water.</p> + +<p>"Be ready," Zircon commanded in a whisper.</p> + +<p>As he said it, a bull's-eye lantern made circles in the night, outlining +the high stern and bow of a junk. The lantern swung upward, revealing +the junk's sails. They were purple.</p> + +<p>Zircon led the way down the pier to the junk. "Chahda?" he called +softly.</p> + +<p>An accented voice answered, "Come aboard." The lantern played on the +pier's edge to guide them. Following its light, they jumped from the +pier into the litter of rope, boxes, and gear in the middle of the +uneven deck. The stench that smote their nostrils was terrible. Probably +the vessel hadn't been cleaned since it was built. Rick coughed from the +foul odor and then raised his voice. "Chahda? Where are you?"</p> + +<p>From somewhere the same accented voice replied, "We take you to him. Sit +down and wait."</p> + +<p>Rick turned in the direction from which the voice had come. He guessed +that the speaker was in the stern, although it was hard to tell which +was which. Then he saw a few lights along the shore change position and +knew they were moving.</p> + +<p>For no reason, he had a sudden impulse to jump back on the pier. He took +Scotty's arm. "We're moving!"</p> + +<p>"I know it. And I don't like it." Scotty's voice sounded grim.</p> + +<p>Zircon, a huge bulk in the darkness, leaned close to them. His usually +booming voice was barely audible. "Stand back to back, the three of us +making a triangle. Then feel around on deck and try to find something to +use as a club. I agree with Scotty. Something is very fishy here. If +Chahda's anywhere within reach, he could have come himself. He wouldn't +just send someone."</p> + +<p>The boys whispered agreement. They turned, so that Rick felt Scotty's +arm on his left side and Zircon's on his right. He stooped and pawed +through the clutter on the deck. His groping hand found a slender piece +of wood that he rejected at first. Then, when he failed to find anything +else, he groped around and found it again. At best, it was a poor +weapon.</p> + +<p>They settled down to wait. The junk was just barely making headway, and +as they stood waiting, their vision cleared a little. Or perhaps distant +lights on the shore provided faint illumination. Rick could make out two +men poling the junk from the stern.</p> + +<p>Far out on the water came the sound of a fast-moving craft of some sort, +then a searchlight probed the water briefly. From aft came a muttered +exclamation, then rapid orders in liquid Cantonese.</p> + +<p>Scotty's elbow dug into Rick's back. "They're coming," he said tensely.</p> + +<p>Dark figures hurtled at the three.</p> + +<p>A flying body slammed into Rick, smashing him to the deck. He lost his +stick, but struck out with his fists. He heard Zircon roar like a +wounded bull.</p> + +<p>Rick fought valiantly. Two men were on him, struggling to tie him with +lengths of rope. Once he felt the rope pulled across his cheek, leaving +a burning sensation. He sensed rather than heard the crashing and +shouting around him. Then he wriggled out from under his assailants and +staggered to his feet. Instantly one of the men was upon him again.</p> + +<p>"Fall flat!" Zircon bellowed.</p> + +<p>Rick did so, on the instant. There was the sound as of a baseball bat +smacking a steer and for an instant the deck was miraculously clear. +Zircon had found a piece of two-by-four lumber about eight feet long, +and he was swinging it like a flail.</p> + +<p>The accented voice called, "Drop it or we shoot!"</p> + +<p>A figure swung upright next to Rick and threw something. There was a +grunt and a crash as the man who had called went down.</p> + +<p>"Got him," Scotty said with satisfaction.</p> + +<p>A voice rattled orders in Cantonese. The polers from the stern advanced, +their long poles held out like lances. Zircon was their target.</p> + +<p>Scotty whispered, "Let 'em get close. You take the left and I'll take +the right. Go under the poles."</p> + +<p>For a heartbeat there was quiet. Rick divined the strategy. The polemen +would lunge at Zircon, then the rest would leap. He didn't know how many +there were of the enemy. He thought there must be at least seven. He +flattened out, eyes on the left poleman, ready to spring. The poles came +nearer, one was over him.</p> + +<p>"Now," Scotty hissed.</p> + +<p>Rick went forward, scrambling, legs driving. It was football, but +easier. His shoulder caught the poleman in the stomach, and he lifted. +The man went flying. Next to him he heard a dull thud, then he saw +Scotty stand up, looming large in the darkness.</p> + +<p>But the rest of the crew had charged. For a moment Zircon's lumber +wreaked havoc, then he struck a part of the junk and the two-by-four +splintered. He let out a yell of rage and flung himself on the nearest +man, lifted him bodily and threw him at the others.</p> + +<p>Yellow light pierced the darkness from the direction of the shore. A +voice screamed, "Yanks! Over the side! Swim here!"</p> + +<p>"Get going," Zircon howled. "I'll cover you!"</p> + +<p>Rick took heart. He ran to the side and jumped feet first. Scotty came +within a hair of landing on top of him. From overhead came cries of +rage, then another bellow from Zircon. In the next instant the scientist +plunged into the water with them.</p> + +<p>"Swim for it," he commanded. He rose high out of the water and yelled, +"Out with those lights!"</p> + +<p>The automobile lights that had illumined the scene blinked out. The +voice called back, "Hurry! The junk is putting about!"</p> + +<p>Rick was swimming at his best speed, head down in a powerful crawl, but +he took time to look back over his shoulder. The junk was turning! He +knew with despair that it could run them down easily. The shore was a +long distance away. "Spread out," he called. "Then they can't get all of +us." He put his head down and cut through the water like a fish. If only +there were time to undress! But he didn't dare pause even long enough to +untie his shoes.</p> + +<p>The swim was a nightmare. Every few moments the auto lights blinked +briefly as their unknown friend gave them a course to steer by. Rick +looked back once and the junk had straightened out and was gaining on +them. He redoubled his efforts. Scotty was even with him, but Zircon was +pulling ahead.</p> + +<p>He heard voices close behind and cast a glance back. The junk with the +purple sails was perilously close. He drew new strength from somewhere +and forged ahead.</p> + +<p>The swimmers had closed the distance rapidly. The next time the lights +blinked Rick could make out two figures standing next to the car. He +could hear the creaking of gear on the junk and the grunts of the +polemen, and the sounds were close! He lifted his voice in a cry for +help. "They're on top of us!"</p> + +<p>The car lights blinked on, and held the junk in their glare. A gun fired +once from the shore. Rick saw the orange spurt. Then he heard a cry from +almost overhead and the junk veered sharply.</p> + +<p>"Angle right," Scotty called, and Rick saw that they were almost at the +tip of the pier. He put on a last spurt, caught a pile, and pulled +himself up by its lashings. In a moment all three of them were running +down the pier toward the waiting car.</p> + +<p>The lights came on and a British voice called, "In the car. Hurry!"</p> + +<p>"It's the bank clerk!" Scotty gasped.</p> + +<p>It was. Ronald Keaton-Yeats ran to meet them. "Do hurry!" he exclaimed. +"We think someone from this end has gone for reinforcements for your +friends yonder." The three followed him to the car, a touring sedan of +British make. Rick sensed that someone was behind him and started to +turn, but a soft voice whispered in his ear.</p> + +<p>"Keep looking ahead. Get to your hotel and wait there for a phone call."</p> + +<p>They piled into the car, wet clothes and all. Keaton-Yeats ran around to +the driver's seat, then stopped. "I say! Where did that other chap go +to?"</p> + +<p>"What other?" Zircon asked.</p> + +<p>"A Eurasian. He's the one who led me here, and who fired that shot. +Dashed uncivilized, but I guess it saved your bacon, rather. No matter. +He's vanished and that's an end to it." The young Englishman had been +peering into the shadows. "We'll hie on our merry way and leave him to +his own devices."</p> + +<p>Rick started to mention the message that had been whispered in his ear, +then decided not to, although he couldn't have explained why.</p> + +<p>The car roared into life. Keaton-Yeats spun the wheel and they raced up +the street, the buildings magnifying the sound of their passing into +thunder. Not until they were on the main street was there quiet enough +for conversation, then Zircon demanded, "Would you mind giving us an +explanation? Naturally, we're interested."</p> + +<p>"Rather!" Keaton-Yeats said. "I met Brant and Scott this afternoon when +they inquired from me the way to a Golden Mouse. I'd never heard of the +creature, as I told them, and they rejected my offer of some other sort +of animal. Haw! But after they had gone, I made inquiries. I learned +that this Golden Mouse was a dive of the most unsavory character."</p> + +<p>He steered around a group of rickshaws and Rick clutched the back of the +front seat. He was having a fine case of jitters, because the Englishman +was driving on what appeared to Rick to be the wrong side of the road. +Even when he realized that left-hand driving was the rule in Hong Kong, +dodging cars on the wrong side left him rattled!</p> + +<p>"I worried a bit," Keaton-Yeats went on. "Even made a phone call or two. +Discovered Brant and Scott were registered at the Peninsular Hotel. But +by the time I phoned there, they had gone out. Having no engagements, I +decided to look up this Golden Mouse place and at least add another soul +to the party for safety's sake, so to speak. However, I never got in, +for just as I turned into the proper alley, after a bit of searching, +this Eurasian chap jumped on my running board. He asked did I care to +help out three Americans who were in trouble. I assured him that it +would be a pleasure, but I was already committed to two Americans, in a +manner of speaking. He demanded names. I gave him the two I knew. He +said you were mixed up in this affair in which he was taking a hand. I +told him to get aboard and he did so. We tore around odd streets for +some time. My nose is insulted from the things I've smelled tonight, I +assure you. We were about to throw in our cards, then, as luck would +have it, we spotted three rickshaw coolies, and blessed if they didn't +turn out to be yours. We sped down that Blind Fisherman Street just in +time to hear the most infernal commotion out in the bay. The rest you +know."</p> + +<p>There was no adequate way of thanking Keaton-Yeats. Without his kindly +interest in two strangers, they would doubtless have lost their lives. +But when they told him as much, he laughed it off.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm sure that's overdoing it a bit. What that crew was probably +after was a bit of ransom. Pirates are still something of a problem +around here, you know. We've had regular ocean-going craft picked off by +them and held. I've enjoyed it immensely, and if thanks are due, I'll +give them to you. Life was getting to be a bit of a bore."</p> + +<p>And that settled it, so far as Keaton-Yeats was concerned. He drove them +to the Kowloon ferry, but suggested that they take a walla-walla in view +of their disreputable appearance. As they shook hands all around, he +said, "Oddest thing. To me, the most curious business was that chap who +watched us. Not the Eurasian. Another one. It was because of him that we +suspected new recruits for our pirate friends were on the way."</p> + +<p>"What did he look like?" Rick asked.</p> + +<p>"Can't say. We never did see his face. Or any of him, for that matter. +Somewhere up the alley was an open door, and he was standing in it, +against the light. At least I believe that was the case, for all we saw +was his shadow. A most unusual shadow, at that. It was so long and thin +that it looked like a pole with a head and limbs. Our Eurasian friend +was a bit disturbed by it, too, for he mumbled something about blowing +the creature's head off if he stepped out of his doorway."</p> + +<p>"But you didn't see anything except the shadow?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"Not a blessed thing. There was just that form, outlined in light, +stretching clear across the alley. It was uncanny, because to cast a +shadow such as that the bloke must have been ten feet high and no +thicker than a pencil!"</p> + +<p>They had found the Golden Mouse. Now another bit of Chahda's cable had +come to life. Rick's lips formed the words.</p> + +<p>"Long Shadow!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<h3>Long Shadow</h3> + + +<p>"Wheels within wheels and all of them turning merrily," Zircon said. "I +am absolutely appalled at how little we know of what is going on."</p> + +<p>The three of them, refreshed by showers, were in the hotel dining room +having a late snack.</p> + +<p>"Anyway, we have friends working for us," Scotty pointed out. "I think +our British pal did just as he said. He found out that the Golden Mouse +was not the sort of place for a couple of American tourists and decided +to go there in case we needed help."</p> + +<p>Rick agreed. "And thank heaven he did. But I have a couple of questions, +besides the biggest one of all."</p> + +<p>"The biggest one being: Where is Chahda?" Scotty added.</p> + +<p>"Right. Also, I want to know why that motorboat appearing on the scene +and flashing a searchlight made the junk gang jump us."</p> + +<p>"I'm only speculating," Zircon replied, "but mightn't that have been a +police boat on regular patrol? The junk gang would know it, I presume, +and they might decide to get us tied up and under cover, just in case +the police came too close."</p> + +<p>"That's reasonable," Rick agreed. "We'll probably never know for sure, +and that's as good an answer as any. Now, my next question is: Who was +the Eurasian who got together with Keaton-Yeats?"</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose it was Chahda?" Scotty suggested.</p> + +<p>"Couldn't have been," Zircon replied. "Chahda wouldn't have faded away +as soon as we got to shore. I can't imagine who the stranger was, except +that he apparently was a friend. Also, I think it's clear that Canton +Charlie certainly is not a friend, since our asking for Chahda resulted +in our being kidnaped, or close to it."</p> + +<p>Rick nodded. "Clear as air. Anyway, Bert's prediction was wrong. We +didn't get our throats cut in Charlie's."</p> + +<p>"He could have been only too right," Scotty reminded. "If we had gone +there alone and hung around until the mob got wilder, it could have +happened. What a wonderful crew of cutthroats! And they were on the way +to getting set for a few fights among themselves when we left."</p> + +<p>Rick glanced at big Hobart Zircon. "Having the professor along probably +helped, too. Even the toughest thug would think twice before tackling +him."</p> + +<p>Zircon chuckled. "I must admit I've found it some advantage to be so +sizable. What do you boys think of this strange shadow?"</p> + +<p>"Strange is right." Rick stifled a yawn. "Keaton-Yeats thought he was +unfriendly, and so did the Eurasian. But he didn't do anything very +unfriendly, I guess. He just stood in a doorway."</p> + +<p>"Chahda's cable said to beware of the long shadow," Scotty remembered.</p> + +<p>"Which is a good reason to think that the man who cast the shadow is an +enemy who now knows of our presence in Hong Kong," Zircon added. He +glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. If the phone call our unknown +friend mentioned to Rick doesn't come soon, it'll find me asleep when it +does."</p> + +<p>"Same here," Rick agreed. "Let's go up to bed."</p> + +<p>Zircon paid the check and they took the elevator. As they walked down +the long corridor to their room, Scotty scratched his head. "Mighty +funny how everything was arranged for us at Canton Charlie's, wasn't it? +We drop in, ask for Chahda, wait a while, get a note, and walk right +into the arms of a reception committee. That's mighty good +organization."</p> + +<p>"They had plenty of time to get the junk ready for us," Rick pointed +out. "We sat in Charlie's and cooled our heels for a long while."</p> + +<p>"We should have had knives a foot long." Zircon smiled. "Then we could +have given ourselves a manicure, like the Portuguese who left right +after we arrived." He put his key in the lock and pushed the door open.</p> + +<p>Rick had a confused impression of wild sounds, then something crashed +into him and he landed flat on his back. As he scrambled to his feet, +plaster showered down on him, and his ear separated the sounds. From +within their room, a voice screamed, "Watch out! Take cover!" There was +a blurred racket, as though a giant was running a stick along a monster +picket fence at jet speed. Scotty was yelling something and Zircon was +bellowing with rage. Then the thunderous stitching noise stopped.</p> + +<p>All three of them started into the room at the same time, and Rick +reached the door first. It was dark in the room, but in the faint light +from the hallway he saw two figures struggling. He acted without +thought. On a dresser just inside the door he had left a big flashlight. +He grabbed it, jumped into the fray, and brought it down on the head of +the man on top. The man slumped.</p> + +<p>With a catlike twist the man who had been underneath wriggled free. Rick +started to say, "What's going..." Then an open hand drove into his face +and pushed him backward into Scotty and Zircon. The three of them fought +for balance as Rick's assailant ran to the window, leaped out on to the +fire escape, and was gone.</p> + +<p>Scotty snapped on the light just as the man Rick had slugged staggered +to his feet, blinking. He was of medium height, with a thin, dark face. +He was dressed like a seaman, and apparently he was a Eurasian. Black +eyes blazed at the three of them.</p> + +<p>"Shut that blasted door! And bolt it!" the man commanded.</p> + +<p>Zircon bellowed, "Don't be giving us orders! Explain..."</p> + +<p>"I'm Carl Bradley," the man said.</p> + +<p>Rick swallowed. Of the two men in the room, he had lowered the boom on +the wrong one!</p> + +<p>Scotty shut the door and threw the bolt.</p> + +<p>"I've got to talk fast," Bradley said. "The hotel people will be up here +in a few seconds and I don't want them to find me. It would mean too +many explanations, and the police would want a statement I'd rather not +have to give."</p> + +<p>He straddled a chair. "I suppose you've guessed that I was the Eurasian +with the young Englishman. It was just luck I picked him up, and more +luck that we found your rickshaw coolies. Long Shadow's men had you, and +Long Shadow was watching. That's why I faded when you got ashore. I +intended following him, for once, instead of being followed myself. +About the only thing I don't know about him is his secret headquarters. +I didn't think I'd be able to get here, so I whispered to one of you +that I'd phone. Well, Long Shadow led me here, up the fire escape. We +came by a rather roundabout route, stopping while he ate. I suspected it +was your room, but I didn't know for sure. He came in. I crouched on the +fire escape. Didn't know what would happen, of course. Then we heard +voices. I say we—he didn't know I was here, of course. He hauled a +Schmeisser machine pistol from under his coat and slipped a clip in. +There was just enough light for me to see the outline. It's +distinctive."</p> + +<p>A queer little shudder zipped down Rick's spine. A Schmeisser! It was +the pistol known as the "burp gun," that sprayed slugs like a hose. No +wonder he hadn't recognized the sound! He kept his eyes on Bradley, +intent on what the slender JANIG man had to say.</p> + +<p>"I yelled out a warning," Bradley went on, "and jumped through the +window at him. Didn't dare take time to draw my gun. I kept yelling, +hoping one of you would give me a hand. He's wiry as a thuggee bandit. +Only I got a lump on the head instead."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry," Rick muttered.</p> + +<p>"The damage is done and he's gone. Now I'll have to locate him again, if +I can. Meanwhile, write this down. Quickly. I think I hear voices coming +down the hall."</p> + +<p>Scotty whipped a pencil and an envelope from an inside pocket.</p> + +<p>"See the consul general. I've talked with him. He will give you a rubber +boat and a Nansen bottle I've picked up. Outfit for the trail, and have +plenty of weapons. Fly to Chungking and check in with the consul there. +Ask him to give you a reliable guide. You're going to Korse Lenken. +That's in Tibet." He spelled the name. "Chahda has gone on ahead. I'll +follow. That's where the heavy water is coming from, I'm pretty sure. +Chahda will check up. You can help him, then make tests to be sure it's +really heavy water. Maybe you can do something about the source of the +stuff. You'll have to see when you get there. I've got part of the story +about what's being done with the water, but not all of it."</p> + +<p>There definitely were voices outside now. The burp gun had brought the +hotel people. In a moment there was a hammering on the door.</p> + +<p>Bradley walked to the window. "You can let them in after I've gone. Any +questions? Quickly!"</p> + +<p>"What's the Nansen bottle for?" Zircon demanded.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I only know that Long Shadow bought five of them." +Bradley threw a leg over the window sill and grinned at them. "Leave me +out of any story you tell. I need a free hand for the next few days. And +the less the police know about me the better for all of us." He +hesitated as the pounding on the door grew louder, then a key grated in +the lock. "I can tell you this," he said softly. "You can forget about +an industrial plant. This is something else we're up against."</p> + +<p>Then he was gone.</p> + +<p>"Open the door," Zircon said. For the first time, Rick saw that the big +scientist gripped his right arm just below the elbow, a red, sodden +handkerchief balled in his left hand.</p> + +<p>"You're wounded!" He jumped to the scientist's side.</p> + +<p>"A scratch," Zircon said. "But it saved our lives. Tell you about it +later. Open up, Scotty."</p> + +<p>Scotty threw the door open and the English night clerk, three Chinese +policemen, and half a dozen coolies piled in.</p> + +<p>"What's going on here?" the clerk demanded. "What happened?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing serious," Zircon said calmly. "There was evidently a bandit in +our room. We opened the door and he fired with his submachine gun. Then, +when he saw he hadn't killed us, he fled."</p> + +<p>It wasn't a very convincing story. Rick saw suspicion in the faces of +the hotel people. He threw in his nickel's worth. "What kept you so +long? We've been trying to phone." He had a hunch the switchboard coolie +was one of those in the room. Probably everyone on duty had raced up.</p> + +<p>"We heard nothing downstairs," the night clerk said. "The floor coolie +came down to get us. He took his time about it. Why was your door +locked?"</p> + +<p>Zircon tried hard to look sheepish. "I guess we must have bolted it in +the confusion. Then, when you knocked, we tried to open it. It was a few +seconds before we realized the bolt had been thrown and the door +couldn't be opened unless the bolt was withdrawn. And the confounded +thing stuck."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you yell?" one of the policemen demanded.</p> + +<p>"Possibly you were yelling so loud yourselves you didn't hear us," +Zircon said mildly. "You were making considerable noise."</p> + +<p>The clerk frowned. "The manager will have to hear about this," he +stated. "I doubt that he will believe your story. You may even be asked +to pay damages."</p> + +<p>Zircon drew himself up to his full height. "The day we pay damages for +the privilege of being shot at in this disreputable dive you fatuously +call a hotel will be the day Hong Kong sinks beneath the sea like +Atlantis. Now have the goodness to clear out and let us get some sleep."</p> + +<p>The clerk's face was scarlet. Rick tried to hide a grin.</p> + +<p>"You'll have to make a formal statement to the police," the clerk +snapped.</p> + +<p>"In the morning," Zircon said. "In the morning we intend to see the +American consul. You will hear more about this incident than you expect, +my dear sir. Now clear out. We need our sleep. This has been most +unsettling."</p> + +<p>One of the policemen pointed to Zircon's bloodstained sleeve. "But you +need medical attention, sir."</p> + +<p>"I happen to be a doctor," Zircon said. That was true enough, but he was +a doctor of science, not of medicine.</p> + +<p>"You expect to treat yourself?" the clerk asked incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Nothing to it," Zircon boomed. "A trifle. Why, once, when hunting in +Africa, I had my back clawed by a lion. I stitched the wounds up +myself."</p> + +<p>The clerk was on the verge of a stroke. "You couldn't treat your own +back," he almost screamed. "Impossible! How could you?"</p> + +<p>"He turned around so he could see what he was doing," Scotty said. "Good +night, all." He shepherded them through the door and closed it.</p> + +<p>For a moment there was excited conversation from outside, then the +clerk, the policemen, and the coolies retreated down the hall.</p> + +<p>"They'll be back," Zircon said wearily, "but not before morning, I +hope."</p> + +<p>Rick looked at Scotty. "He turned around so he could see what he was +doing," he repeated. "My sainted aunt!"</p> + +<p>"Sewed up his own back," Scotty gibed. "Professor! You told that nice +man a fib!"</p> + +<p>"Great big juicy fib," Zircon said gravely. "Do I wash out my mouth with +soap or do I get a medal?"</p> + +<p>"Medal," the boys said, and laughed heartily.</p> + +<p>"Whatever got into you?" Rick asked the scientist.</p> + +<p>Zircon stripped off his coat and rolled up his sleeve. "He was so +pompous and so serious that I just couldn't resist. Besides, if I had +been serious, we never would have gotten rid of them. Here, Rick. I'll +need antiseptic and a gauze compress for this."</p> + +<p>The boys looked at the wound. As Zircon had said, it was trivial. The +slug had made a neat furrow across the surface of the skin, just deep +enough to cause a good flow of blood. The wound already was clotting.</p> + +<p>As Rick bandaged the scientist's brawny arm, Zircon said, "I recoiled +instinctively when Bradley yelled. But not far enough. One slug just +nicked me. But those heavy caliber weapons, like our service .45, will +knock a man down anywhere they hit him. This one spun me around and I +piled into you two. I think that is what saved us all."</p> + +<p>"I didn't know what was happening," Rick said.</p> + +<p>"Neither did I," Scotty agreed. "I've seen Schmeissers before, but I've +never heard one fired until now."</p> + +<p>"And let us hope we don't have to hear it again," Zircon added. When +Rick finished bandaging his arm, the professor went to a suitcase and +opened it, drawing out a folded map. "I'm curious about Korse Lenken," +he said. "It's a new name to me. This map covers China and a part of +Tibet. We may find it."</p> + +<p>After a long search, Scotty whistled. "Here it is. And look where it +is!"</p> + +<p>Korse Lenken was a tiny dot in the vastness of the mountains just beyond +the Chinese border at about 95° east longitude and 32° north latitude. +No other town was noted on the map in the area, but high mountains were, +and so were rivers. And Chahda was there, alone! At least Bradley had +not mentioned any companion who traveled with the Hindu boy.</p> + +<p>"We'll need to outfit completely," Zircon said. "Food, warm clothing, +sleeping bags, and all the rest. And we'll need a rifle for Rick. We can +get American rifles here. Also, I think we had better put in a small +supply of ammunition beyond what we brought."</p> + +<p>For a short while they speculated on the trip, and on the many things +Bradley had left unsaid. It was unfortunate that they couldn't have had +a few moments longer. But Rick could see that his presence in the room +would have needed explaining, since he hadn't traveled up on the +elevator. It was better for him to disappear.</p> + +<p>Before getting into bed, they went to the door and opened it. Across the +hall, Long Shadow's burp gun had made a fine mess. Plaster hung in +patches and the laths behind were broken and splintered. Fortunately, +the room opposite was a storage closet, so no one else had been in the +line of fire. Rick looked at the dozens of holes and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"If we'd been right in the doorway," he said, "we would now be so full +of holes they could use us for mosquito netting—if the holes weren't so +big." He looked at the other two and added, "I'm beginning to think Long +Shadow doesn't like us."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<h3>The Trail to Korse Lenken</h3> + + +<p>Sing Lam-chiong dug heels into the flanks of his mule and trotted back +to where Zircon, Scotty, and Rick were jogging along on their respective +mounts.</p> + +<p>"Good place to make lunch, in about ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"Fine, Sing," Zircon said. "We could use lunch." The scientist looked +down with distaste at his horse, a big hammerheaded black with the lines +of a plow beast. "This creature is about as comfortable as a wooden +sled."</p> + +<p>Rick sympathized. His own nag, a pin-eared Chinese pony of a peculiar +mouse-gray color, had no particular gait. He just waddled along, swaying +from side to side and making his rider saddle sore.</p> + +<p>Sing saluted and went back to the head of the column, which was made up +of pack mules, each led by a Chinese bearer. There were four of the pack +animals, each laden with the party's gear.</p> + +<p>"He certainly knows this trail," Scotty commented.</p> + +<p>"A good thing," Rick said. "The camping places are few and far between. +I wish Korse Lenken were nearer."</p> + +<p>The party was ten days out of Hong Kong, high in the mountain ranges +that formed the backbone of south Asia. Since leaving the more civilized +part of China they had trekked through alternate valleys and mountain +passes, making good time in the valleys, but slowing to a snail's pace +in the mountains. Sometimes the trail was wide enough for the three of +them to ride abreast. Sometimes it clung to the mountainside with +scarcely room for a single horse or mule. But Sing, leading the way, had +a knack of picking the easiest route.</p> + +<p>The Chinese guide was a gift from heaven. The Spindrifters had checked +in at the American Consulate at Chungking, as Bradley had instructed +them, and the consul had offered the loan of one of his own staff. Sing, +normally a clerk at the consulate, had been born and brought up in the +western reaches of outer Sinkiang Province, and he knew the area from +wide travels with his father, a Chinese border police officer. Although +he had never been to Korse Lenken, he had been close to it.</p> + +<p>In a short while Sing called out in Chinese to the bearers and they +followed him into a sort of pocket in the mountainside. Scotty, who was +slightly ahead of Rick and Zircon, turned. "We've got company for lunch. +There's another party already here."</p> + +<p>In a moment the three Americans were greeting a portly Chinese who rose +to greet them.</p> + +<p>"Howdy, Mr. Ko," Rick said cordially. "We were wondering when we would +catch up with you again."</p> + +<p>Worthington Ko smiled and bowed. "We will doubtless meet many times +until our paths separate. Please dismount and join me. My bearers have a +good cooking fire you are welcome to use."</p> + +<p>Ko was a textile merchant they had overtaken on the trail a short +distance out of Chungking. Since then the two parties had passed and +repassed each other several times. Ko had three mules, in addition to +the one he rode, and two bearers. The mules carried only light packs. On +the return trip, he had told them, they would be laden with Tibetan +textiles. He was heading for the famous monastery of Rangan Lo to buy +embroidery from the Buddhist monks. Eventually, the embroidery would +find a market in Europe.</p> + +<p>The three Spindrifters got down stiffly from their horses and found +seats among the rocks next to the merchant. He smiled sympathetically. +"You are stiff? These trails are very poor and one must travel them many +times before one gets used to them." He took off his thick, horn-rimmed +glasses and polished them on a scrap of silk. "After twenty years of it, +I still find myself bent with weariness at the end of the day."</p> + +<p>Sing busied himself with getting food ready. The Spindrift bearers +unpacked utensils and their own rations of rice and dried meat.</p> + +<p>Ko rose from his rocky seat and rearranged the long, flowing silk coat +he wore. "I must be off. With your permission, I will proceed slowly, +however, so that you will overtake me before nightfall."</p> + +<p>"Of course," Zircon said. "But may I ask why?"</p> + +<p>Ko's nearsighted eyes peered at the rifles carried in saddle sheaths on +each of the three horses, and at Sing's shotgun. "I hope to take +advantage of your weapons," he explained. "By nightfall we should reach +Llhan Huang, which is a sort of crossroad. It marks the start of the +Lenken country. The Lenkens are unlikely to attack a well-armed party of +eight. But they delight in robbing a small party such as mine. For that +reason, I usually manage to find a larger group to which to attach +myself when entering the Llhan region." He smiled. "The armament you +carry for hunting bharals will serve admirably to keep the Lenkens at a +distance."</p> + +<p>The Spindrift party had been warned that the tribe known as Lenkens were +dangerous to travelers.</p> + +<p>"We'll be delighted to have you join us," Zircon assured him.</p> + +<p>Rick was about to suggest that the portly Chinese merchant wait until +after the Spindrifters had eaten so they could all travel together, but +he thought better of it. Ko had been cordial, but he had shown little +interest in the American "hunting" party and Rick thought he probably +preferred to travel at his own speed and in his own way.</p> + +<p>Sing called that lunch was ready and they took mess kits to the fire and +loaded them up with rice covered with a savory sauce, canned beef, and +hot, crisp water chestnuts. As Rick sighed with gratitude over the first +tasty mouthful, Scotty looked at the vanishing Ko party and mused, +"Wonder how come he speaks English so perfectly?"</p> + +<p>Sing overheard. He grinned. "No reason for surprise. Many Chinese are +educated in American and English colleges both in China and in other +countries. Like myself. I am a graduate of Oberlin."</p> + +<p>"Guess that's right," Scotty admitted.</p> + +<p>"Worthington is a rather strange name for a Chinese, Sing," Rick +remarked.</p> + +<p>The guide nodded. "It is. But I don't think it is his real one. Many +Chinese take western first names, especially those who trade with +westerners. That is because our own names are often too hard to say or +remember."</p> + +<p>"Have you ever met Ko before?" Zircon asked. "Since you've traveled +widely in this region, I thought you might have come across him before."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," Sing replied. "But this is a very big country and +there are many travelers like him."</p> + +<p>Sing was certainly right in saying that there were many travelers, +although the merchants like Ko were a minority. There were families of +Tibetans walking along the trail, laden with their possessions, heading +for goodness knew where. There were groups of horsemen, dressed in the +quilted clothes of the mountain country and with peaked felt hats. Such +men usually were armed with old-fashioned muskets and carried forked +rests in which to lay the musket barrels for support while firing. There +were parties of Chinese, sometimes on foot and sometimes with trains of +mules or yaks, the oxlike Tibetan beasts of burden.</p> + +<p>Frequently, especially in valley country, small villages lay near the +trail. Often there were herders with their large flocks of sheep.</p> + +<p>Although the trail slanted up and down, from valley to mountain pass and +back down again, the way led constantly higher toward the white-capped +peaks that have been called "The Backbone of the World." Beyond them, +many hundreds of miles away, lay Nepal and India.</p> + +<p>It was always cool now, and the Americans and Sing wore windbreakers and +woolen sweaters. The bearers donned padded long coats. At night, the +sleeping bags were comfortable; without them the Americans would have +been chilled through and through.</p> + +<p>"Make a guess, Sing," Rick requested. "How many more days to Korse +Lenken?"</p> + +<p>Sing counted on his fingers. "With fortune, maybe we'll get there late +day after tomorrow. Depends on the trails."</p> + +<p>Zircon sipped steaming tea standing up. He was too saddle sore to sit +down. "Where do we camp tonight?"</p> + +<p>"A mile or two past Llhan Huang. I know a good water supply there."</p> + +<p>The bearers were standing around waiting patiently, already finished +with cleaning up and packing, except for the Americans' teacups. They +downed the last swallows of tea and handed the cups to Sing, then swung +into the saddle again.</p> + +<p>"I hope Sing is right about getting there day after tomorrow," Rick said +as he shifted uncomfortably in the "chafing seat," as he called it. +"This hay-burner is no luxury liner."</p> + +<p>"Ditto," Scotty agreed. "Besides, I'm anxious to see Chahda."</p> + +<p>Hobart Zircon nodded. "I hope whatever we find is worth the discomfort +of this trip." He grinned. "At any rate, it's a new experience for all +of us."</p> + +<p>"I don't think I'll thank Bradley for it, though," Rick added. "Well, +let's get moving."</p> + +<p>He dug his heels into the pony's flanks and moved into position behind +Sing. Scotty and Zircon fell back to bring up the rear. Although they +were reasonably sure no one would attack them, Zircon felt it was best +to have a rear guard and they had taken turns at the end of the column.</p> + +<p>In spite of saddle soreness, Rick looked at the view with appreciation +as the trail suddenly topped a rise. Far below spread a lush valley. +Beyond were the last peaks they would have to cross before they came to +Korse Lenken.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<h3>The Ambush at Llhan Huang</h3> + + +<p>It was late afternoon before the Spindrift caravan left the rocks of the +mountain pass and reached better ground. They paused on top of a small, +pyramid-shaped hill while one of the bearers retied the pack on his +mule.</p> + +<p>Zircon looked at the formation with interest. "An old volcanic cone," he +pointed out. "Notice the regularity of the slope? And we're in a kind of +saucer that once was a live crater."</p> + +<p>Rick could see it clearly once the scientist mentioned its volcanic +origin. The saucer was perhaps a dozen yards across, and its edge was +marked by a definite rim. Whoever first made the trail apparently had +decided to go right up and across the hill instead of pushing through +the dense underbrush at its base.</p> + +<p>In a moment they started again, the mules picking their way carefully +down the hillside. At the bottom of the hill was a rather dense forest, +and beyond it the valley.</p> + +<p>Sing called back over his shoulder. "Llhan Huang is just past the woods. +We'll meet Ko there, I think. I just saw the last of his mules going +into the woods."</p> + +<p>Rick stood up in his stirrups and rubbed his raw and aching thighs. The +three had ridden horseback before, but not to any great extent, and the +long trail was a hard initiation.</p> + +<p>He noted that the sun was dropping behind the western peaks, and he knew +from experience that it would be dark in a few minutes. The great +western range was so high in the air that it brought night by blocking +out the sunlight surprisingly early in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>Then he rode into the forest and gloom closed in around him. It was +cold. He zipped up his windbreaker and reached for his gloves. He saw +that the trail through the forest twisted and turned to miss the big +hardwood trees, so that sometimes he could see only the mule in front of +him. Zircon and Scotty, at the rear of the column, were out of sight +most of the time.</p> + +<p>It grew darker rapidly. Rick reached into his saddlebag and drew out a +flashlight, tucking it into his jacket pocket where it would be handy. +When he could see the sky overhead, it was dark gray and he knew night +was close at hand.</p> + +<p>Presently he found himself peering through the gloom even to see the +mule directly in front. When they got out of the woods it would be +lighter, he hoped.</p> + +<p>Then, as he stood up again to ease his saddle burns, the woods around +them were suddenly alive with gunfire! His pony reared and would have +bolted if he had not gripped the reins tight and jerked him to a stop. +He caught a glimpse of orange flashes in the gloom, and from ahead he +heard a sudden scream from one of the mules.</p> + +<p>Scotty's voice rose in a yell. "Turn around! Turn! Get back out of the +woods to the hilltop!"</p> + +<p>Rick saw his friend's strategy at once. On the hilltop, they could fight +off almost a battalion. He pulled his quivering pony around on the +narrow trail and yelled at Sing.</p> + +<p>The guide's voice came in answer. "Coming! We're coming!"</p> + +<p>A slug whined past Rick's ear and slapped into a tree trunk. He tried +desperately to get the rifle out of his saddle sheath while controlling +his fear-crazed pony. Then he heard the roar of Sing's shotgun. There +was no sound of firing from Scotty and Zircon, and he guessed they were +having trouble with their mounts, too. None of them was horseman enough +to fire from the saddle.</p> + +<p>Rick stopped trying to get the rifle free and bent low, urging his pony +on. Behind him, he heard the pound of mule hoofs, and in the woods on +both sides the rustle of underbrush as the attackers tried to keep up. +The shots were fewer now, thank goodness!</p> + +<p>In a few moments the racing column broke out of the woods into better +light. Ahead, Rick saw Zircon and Scotty go over the rim of the volcanic +hill, and within seconds saw them reappear again on foot, rifles in +hand.</p> + +<p>"Come on," Scotty yelled. "We'll cover you!"</p> + +<p>Zircon's big .45-90 spoke with a decisive slam and Rick heard the heavy +slug crash through the brush. Then the mules ahead of him topped the +hill and in a moment he was out of the saddle, too, rifle in hand.</p> + +<p>He joined Scotty and Zircon in time to see Sing and the other two +bearers race up the hill. One mule was missing.</p> + +<p>"Hold your fire," Scotty said. "There's nothing to shoot at unless you +see a muzzle flash."</p> + +<p>Sing jumped from his mule's saddle and took command. He spoke rapidly to +the bearers, who at once forced the mules to their knees and then over +on their sides. "So they won't get hit," Sing explained. "We lost one +mule." He reloaded his shotgun, his face worried.</p> + +<p>"Did you see anyone?" Rick asked.</p> + +<p>"No. But I'm afraid for Ko. We had almost caught up when they started +shooting. I saw one of his mules right ahead of me."</p> + +<p>"Let's hope he found some sort of cover," Zircon said. He glanced at the +sky. "It will be completely dark within a few minutes. Sing, scatter +your men around the rim. They can keep watch, even if they have no +rifles. The rest of us can take up positions at equal distances from +each other around the rim."</p> + +<p>Scotty adjusted his rifle sights. "Afraid of an attack after dark, +professor?"</p> + +<p>"I am. This attack probably was timed to catch us in the woods in the +darkness. We're fortunate that Scotty's memory is good. Suggesting the +hill was a wonderful idea."</p> + +<p>"I knew we'd be cut to pieces in the woods," Scotty said.</p> + +<p>Rick surveyed the terrain anxiously. Sing was posting his men. "A good +thing they're not very expert shots," Rick said. "They took us +completely by surprise."</p> + +<p>Scotty walked to the rim and found a position that suited him. "Not much +danger of their hitting us except at point-blank range, if their guns +are like some of those we've seen."</p> + +<p>Zircon found a position, too, and Rick searched for one that he liked. +He finally chose a place where a broken rock pile would give him cover. +It was so dark now that he could scarcely see.</p> + +<p>There were plenty of noises down the hill, but no firing. Rick waited, +rifle thrust out before him. Were they gathering for a rush? And who +were they? Then he heard the noise of a dislodged pebble on the hillside +below him. He strained to see, but it was too dark. He thought: If only +I had the infrared light and the glasses! They were in one of the packs. +Stupid not to have thought of them at once, he berated himself. Now he +didn't dare leave his position until he found out what was below.</p> + +<p>There was the sound of a body sliding over low brush almost directly +beneath him. He tensed, then as an afterthought, he reached into his +pocket and brought out the flashlight. With it, he thought, he could +blind the attacker and at the same time get a shot at him. He put his +thumb on the button and waited.</p> + +<p>In a moment a figure loomed out of the darkness only a few feet away. +Rick sucked in his breath and half lifted his rifle for a one-hand shot. +At the same moment, he pressed the flashlight button.</p> + +<p>The beam shot squarely into the face of Worthington Ko!</p> + +<p>Rick put down his rifle quickly to extend a helping hand to the +merchant. And then he noticed something.</p> + +<p>Shoot a light into the eyes of a man whose pupils are dilated by +darkness and there is a definite reaction. If the eyes are normal, the +pupils contract sharply.</p> + +<p>One of Ko's did. Rick saw them, magnified by the thick glasses. The +other pupil didn't change at all.</p> + +<p>And as the fact registered, Rick saw something else. In one of Ko's +hands was a grenade!</p> + +<p>In the instant that Rick grabbed up his rifle and swung it like a club, +he guessed the answer.</p> + +<p><i>Ko was the Chinese with the glass eye!</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<h3>The Goatskin Water Bag</h3> + + +<p>Several things happened almost at the same time. The attackers awoke to +the fact that Rick's light made a good target and started shooting. Rick +dropped the flashlight as his rifle, swung with one hand, barrel +forward, connected solidly with the top of Ko's head. Scotty jumped to +see what was happening.</p> + +<p>The grenade rolled from Ko's hand, and as it did, the safety handle flew +off! Ko already had pulled the pin!</p> + +<p>A musket slug cracked into the rock inches from Rick's face and sent +chips of stone into his face. He felt a sudden pain above one eye. But +before he had time to realize what had happened, he was hauled back +bodily into the crater by the guide.</p> + +<p>Scotty, who had recognized Ko in the beam of the fallen flashlight, +grabbed the merchant by the collar and dragged him into the saucer with +them.</p> + +<p>There was a five-second fuse on the grenade, but things had happened so +fast there was a second to spare before it went off. Then for an instant +there was a dull flash and the <i>cruuuump</i> of the grenade. Shrapnel +sliced through the woods below, bringing yells of fright.</p> + +<p>"The camera," Rick gasped. He got to his hands and knees, shaking his +head. There was wetness across one eye that he thought was blood.</p> + +<p>Scotty got his meaning instantly. He snapped, "Sing. Keep an eye on Ko," +and ran to the pack animals. It took him only a moment to find the +camera and lift it from its case, then he handed Zircon the special +glasses and quickly fitted his infrared telescopic sight onto his own +rifle.</p> + +<p>Rick got to his feet, keeping the injured eye closed, and fumbled +through the gear until he found his tripod. He set it up quickly and +mounted the camera on it. Then he carried the unit to the edge of the +saucer and pushed the button that lit up the infrared light. He couldn't +see to shoot, but he could operate the camera unit. Through the special +glasses, Zircon would be able to see anything the infrared beam hit. +Scotty would be able to see, too, through his special telescopic rifle +sight. Rick panned the light across the woods below. It wasn't light +that could be seen, of course. Only the dull glow of the filament, too +dim to be seen more than a few feet away, told him that the camera was +operating.</p> + +<p>"I see one," Zircon bellowed suddenly, and the words were echoed by the +dull, authoritative slap of the .45-90. The heavy slug drove through the +brush below. "Missed," the scientist said in disgust.</p> + +<p>Scotty's rifle cracked sharply. Scotty didn't miss. There was a yell +from below, then the noise of many men running through the underbrush. +Rick guessed that the attackers didn't like the weird sharpshooting in +the darkness.</p> + +<p>In a few moments there was quiet, and the infrared light found nothing +but the silent woods. Sing, who had been crouching over Ko, ready frying +pan in hand, said, "They've gone, I think. These hill people don't like +night fights, anyway."</p> + +<p>"That's my guess, too," Scotty agreed.</p> + +<p>Zircon found his own flashlight, and, ducking low, shot it over the +saucer's edge. He waited long moments, but nothing happened. Had the men +who attacked them still been in the woods below, they certainly would +have fired at the tempting target.</p> + +<p>"Bring that light here, will you, professor?" Rick called. "Something +hit me in the eye awhile back." He tried to keep the concern out of his +voice. Had he been blinded in that eye?</p> + +<p>Scotty and the professor hurried to him in some concern. Zircon shot the +light into his face and he blinked with his good eye.</p> + +<p>"Good heavens," Zircon said softly. Then, on closer examination, he +sighed with relief. "A scratch, just below the eyebrow. The eye itself +isn't damaged. Scotty, find the first-aid kit, please? We'll have this +cleaned up in a jiffy."</p> + +<p>While Scotty held the light, Zircon cleaned the wound and washed the +blood from Rick's eye. Then, in the midst of the operation, there was a +metallic clang from where Sing stood guard.</p> + +<p>Scotty flashed the light over in time for them to see Worthington Ko +stretch limply on the ground. Sing's smile flashed. "He was waking up. I +didn't want to bother you, so I made him sleep some more."</p> + +<p>Rick had to chuckle. Their efficient guide had bashed Ko with his frying +pan.</p> + +<p>Zircon completed giving Rick first aid. "That's clotting nicely, Rick." +He cut a tiny piece of sterile gauze and affixed it with a bit of tape. +"There you are. Good as new by morning. I suspect that a chip of stone +must have struck you."</p> + +<p>Rick tested the action of his eyelid on that side. The gauze felt ten +times as big as it actually was, but it was all right. "Thanks, +professor," he said. "Now, let's take a look at our captive."</p> + +<p>Worthington Ko's slumber, induced by Sing's mighty frying pan, was not +very deep. A cupful of water in the face brought him around readily +enough and he peered up at the Americans. He had lost his glasses in the +shuffle, and without them there was no doubt that he had one glass eye. +He peered balefully from the good one.</p> + +<p>"What," he demanded, "is the meaning of this?"</p> + +<p>"We might ask the same," Zircon stated, "except that we can assume that +you sponsored the attack on us. What we want to know is, why?"</p> + +<p>Ko snorted indignantly. "Nonsense! I was coming to your aid, having made +my way through that mob of Tibetan bandits." He rubbed his head. "And +then someone struck me."</p> + +<p>"Were you going to use that grenade as a calling card?" Rick asked +caustically.</p> + +<p>Ko opened his mouth to speak, but Rick continued, "Don't try to tell us +you were going to use it in our defense. Men don't pull the pins on +grenades until they're ready to toss them. That one had our name on it."</p> + +<p>Ko shrugged. "I see you've convinced yourselves. It's useless for me to +say anything further." He shut his mouth obstinately, nor could they get +anything further out of him.</p> + +<p>Zircon motioned to Sing. "Tie him up. Then post guards. We'll stay here +for the night." He turned to the boys. "I think it's safe to make a +fire. We can have some supper and then turn in. I'll take first watch +with one of the bearers. Scotty will take the second, Rick the third, +and Sing the last." He opened the chamber of his rifle and extracted the +shell, then put the rifle down. "I'm hungry," he said, grinning. +"Nothing like a good fight to work up an appetite."</p> + +<p>Scotty laughed. "You talk like a Marine," he said admiringly.</p> + +<p>The night passed without incident, and the entire party was awake at +dawn. Over breakfast, they discussed the affair again. Like the +discussion of the night before, it proved futile. There were simply too +many questions that had no answers.</p> + +<p>Rick summed it up. "We've found Long Shadow and the Chinese with the +glass eye. Or rather they've found us. And it's obvious they're out for +blood. It scares me to think of what would have happened on the junk if +the Englishman and Bradley hadn't taken a hand."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know how they knew we were coming," Scotty said.</p> + +<p>Zircon drained the last of his coffee. "I don't think they did know. We +walked into Canton Charlie's and asked for Chahda. We put the finger on +ourselves, so to speak. They probably assumed that anyone asking for +Chahda was an enemy. Obviously, they had some sort of contact with +Chahda, otherwise he wouldn't have cabled the descriptions after stating +that he was in danger."</p> + +<p>"That sounds right," Rick agreed. He looked over to where Worthington Ko +was having a cup of tea under the watchful eye of Sing. "What do we do +with our fat chum?"</p> + +<p>"Keep him for a hostage," Scotty suggested.</p> + +<p>Zircon shook his head. "A good idea, but not practical. It would require +that we guard him constantly and that would be a nuisance. No, I think +we had better leave him and push on for Korse Lenken as rapidly as +possible. Now that we know our danger is from Chahda's enemies and not +from casual bandits, we are forewarned."</p> + +<p>"Then what do we do with him?" Rick asked.</p> + +<p>"Leave him here, afoot. His friends probably will find him, but I don't +think that matters. Now that we know him, he's less dangerous. We can +treat him like any other bandit."</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty agreed. As they drew nearer the goal, both of them were +increasingly anxious to get to Chahda, to hear from him some of the +answers to their questions, and finally to get down to the business of +finding the heavy water that was the reason for their quest.</p> + +<p>Although they hadn't discussed it, Rick was worried about Chahda. +Normally, he had full confidence in the Hindu boy's ability to take care +of himself. But this time Chahda was far from the kind of people he +knew, among unfriendly strangers. Was his friend hiding somewhere in the +mountains around Korse Lenken? Or had he found a hide-out in the village +itself?</p> + +<p>They would soon know.</p> + +<p>After breakfast, Rick, Scotty, and Sing surveyed the scene of the +ambush, leaving Zircon to guard the Chinese and to direct the repacking +of their gear.</p> + +<p>There were definite signs of the enemy's presence in the woods below. +One area was pretty well trampled, indicating to Scotty's trained eye +that the ambushers had departed in a big hurry. The Chinese guide +pointed to where ants were swarming around a section of ground.</p> + +<p>"Someone was hit there," he said. "Ants find bloodstains fast in this +country."</p> + +<p>"We were aiming low," Scotty said. "Probably a leg wound. Sing, where do +you suppose Ko's mules are?"</p> + +<p>The guide shrugged. "Pretty sure to be far away. The men who attacked us +wouldn't leave mules behind. They're too valuable."</p> + +<p>Scotty led the way down the trail to where the first shots had been +fired. The three moved cautiously, just in case the attackers were +waiting a little distance away. Scotty's rifle was ready for instant +use.</p> + +<p>"I was right here," Sing said. "Ko's mules were ahead of me, just a few +yards away. Let's go ahead some and take a look."</p> + +<p>The trail wound through the woods for a little distance and then broke +into a clearing. Rick saw gear littered over the ground and pointed to +it. "Looks as if they left something behind!"</p> + +<p>In a moment they were looking through what was evidently Ko's entire +luggage. Sing kicked at a pile of cooking utensils. "They took the mules +but left everything else."</p> + +<p>"Funny they'd do that," Rick said thoughtfully. "After all, Ko was the +boss. He must have arranged the ambush. Unless we're wrong about him."</p> + +<p>"I don't think we're wrong," Scotty denied. "You hit it on the nose when +you said a man doesn't pull the pin on a grenade unless he's ready to +toss it. Ko must be the boss."</p> + +<p>Sing examined a richly embroidered robe. "My guess is that Ko hired a +few Tibetan bandits. They wouldn't worry about him or his belongings +after being met by heavy resistance. And his bearers would be afraid to +stay and face him. Or maybe they thought he was killed while attacking +us. There was a lot of noise, and it was dark."</p> + +<p>Rick thought Sing was probably right. He walked over to a pile of furs. +"What are these?" he asked. "Ko must have been a fur trader."</p> + +<p>Sing looked up. "Water bags. Goatskin. Very common in China." He dropped +the robe and came to look, his face wrinkling into a frown. "But usually +a man doesn't carry so many. Very funny."</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty examined one with interest. It was a whole skin, except +for head and feet. Even the tail was still attached. The ends of the +legs had been sewed up, but the neck was left open. Attached to the neck +opening was a rawhide thong that could be used to bind the opening tight +when the skin was filled with water.</p> + +<p>"These are good bags," Sing said. "Better than most."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he planned to sell them," Rick suggested.</p> + +<p>"Don't think so." The Chinese guide shook his head. "People here make +their own. Every time they kill a goat for meat, that's a new goatskin. +The Buddhist Tibetans, who don't kill anything, even flies, use pottery +jugs."</p> + +<p>Scotty had started counting the bags. He paused at the ninth and held it +up. "This one is split open. Looks like the seam gave way. There's a +sort of funny lining."</p> + +<p>Rick took the skin and turned it inside out. It was smooth and glassy on +the inside, and the substance was completely transparent because he +could see the skin underneath.</p> + +<p>Sing felt of it. "Never saw anything like that before."</p> + +<p>Rick held it to his nose and sniffed. It was odorless. He took his +pocketknife and scraped at it while the others watched. A tiny flake +shaved off. He tested it between his fingers, and it was flexible as +rubber. An idea was growing in his head.</p> + +<p>"It's crazy," he said. "But you know what I think this is? I think it's +plastic!"</p> + +<p>"The professor can tell us," Scotty suggested. "Come on. Let's take it +to him."</p> + +<p>They ran back up the trail, Rick leading with the skin. If the stuff +were plastic, it could mean only one thing. He lengthened his stride.</p> + +<p>Zircon looked up from his notebook as they topped the hill and ran +toward him. He dropped the book and jumped to his feet, reaching for his +rifle.</p> + +<p>"It's not another ambush," Rick panted. He held out the skin. "It's +this. Professor, what is this transparent stuff inside?"</p> + +<p>Zircon took the skin and ran his finger tips over the lining. He held it +up so that it caught the light, then looked at Rick curiously. "That's +odd," he muttered. "This is certainly a goatskin. And almost surely, +this is a plastic lining. I can't be sure, of course, but I've never +seen anything like this in nature."</p> + +<p>"It's a goatskin water bag," Rick said excitedly. He pointed to Ko. "He +had a dozen of them."</p> + +<p>Zircon bellowed, "So! Then if this is plastic...."</p> + +<p>"It was a clever stunt," Rick finished. "No one would suspect coolies +toting goatskin water bags. And even if anyone did suspect, he wouldn't +be able to tell anything by a casual examination."</p> + +<p>Sing scratched his head. "Forgive my stupidity," he said. "The +suspicious one wouldn't be able to tell what? If this lining is plastic, +it is a senseless waste. Water keeps cool in a goatskin bag because of +evaporation through the pores. It certainly couldn't evaporate through +plastic."</p> + +<p>"No," Zircon agreed. "That is the idea. They don't want evaporation. +Also, the plastic guarantees the water's purity."</p> + +<p>Sing said no more, but he was obviously puzzled. Nor could the Americans +tell him what had excited them, that they had found the means by which +the substance they sought was carried to the coast.</p> + +<p>Rick had a quick vision of Chinese coolies making their slow way through +the countryside, unnoticed because water-bearers were so commonplace. +But the coolies in this case carried bags lined with plastic, and the +stuff that made the legs thrust out stiffly and that swelled the bag was +not ordinary water! It was the stuff which had brought them halfway +across the world.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<h3>The Buddhist Monk</h3> + + +<p>The party topped a high rise and stopped, spellbound at the scene that +spread before them. They were on the rim of a great valley. Far on the +other side of the valley stood the high peaks of the Himalayas, a mighty +screen between them and India.</p> + +<p>Below, a lush green path marked the course of a wide river. On either +side of it, sloping up to the mountains, was the lighter green of +grasslands.</p> + +<p>Sing pointed. "There is Korse Lenken."</p> + +<p>Rick had to look hard before he saw it. Then he began to make it out. +The monastery was built under a great cliff on one side of the valley. +At first glance it seemed like part of the cliff itself. It was huge, +with tier after tier of gray stone buildings rising in piled masses from +the valley floor. Around it, like tiny mounds of earth, were the hair +tents of the Tibetans.</p> + +<p>"Magnificent," Zircon rumbled. "Well worth coming to see, even if we +find nothing at the end of the trail."</p> + +<p>"We'll find Chahda," Scotty said. "I'm sure we will. And the sooner the +better."</p> + +<p>Rick felt the same way. Now that the end of the trail was in sight, +excitement was rising within him. He was anxious to find his Hindu +friend and to find at the same time answers to some of the mysteries +they had encountered.</p> + +<p>"Let's hurry," he said impatiently.</p> + +<p>Sing shouted at the bearers and the party took a narrow trail that +dipped into the valley. Scotty rode ahead with Sing, and his rifle was +ready for instant use. Rick and Zircon brought up the rear, their own +rifles held ready. They had taken no chances since the fight on the +hilltop. Worthington Ko had been left afoot far behind them, but there +was no assurance his friends hadn't come to the rescue with horses. Rick +kept glancing behind him, just in case of an attack from the rear.</p> + +<p>They had reached the rim of the valley by midmorning. All through the +day they made their way down the mountain, reaching the valley floor +about three in the afternoon. Another two hours of steady travel took +them past the yurts of Tibetan herders—conical tents made of horsehair +felt. The stolid Tibetans watched them pass, no interest in their beady +eyes.</p> + +<p>Then, as darkness began to set in, they reached the monastery. Korse +Lenken towered above them, already shaded in twilight. From somewhere +within the great pile they heard the tinkle of bells, then the deep +tones of a mighty gong. Lamas, priests in yellow robes, walked past with +bowed heads. Some of them spun their prayer wheels and intoned the +Buddhist ritual.</p> + +<p><i>Om Mani Padme Hum. Hail, the jewel in the lotus!</i></p> + +<p>The jewel, of course, was the Lord Buddha.</p> + +<p>They watched the pageant for a few moments, enthralled. Then Zircon +commanded Sing. "Find someone you can talk to. We'll want to see the +High Lama."</p> + +<p>Sing nodded. "I will go into the monastery. The bearers will find a +place to camp." He issued orders in Chinese.</p> + +<p>The bearers scattered at once, searching for a suitable place to pitch +camp. The three Americans sat their horses and watched the activities +around the great monastery, too interested even to talk.</p> + +<p>Rick saw countless yellow robes on the various balconies. There must be +thousands of monks, he thought. And there were an equal number of +Tibetans, many of them already busy at cooking fires near the base of +the gray stone buildings. He smelled mutton cooking, and the acrid, +unpleasant odor he had learned to identify with yak butter. Hot buttered +tea was a Tibetan staple. He had tried it on the trail, because he was +interested in everything, even yak butter. But he didn't think it would +ever take the place of ice cream in his affections.</p> + +<p>One of the bearers came back and motioned to them. They followed as he +led the pack mules to a place in the shelter of a great rock. The other +bearers were foraging for wood. In a few moments a fire was going and +camp was being set up.</p> + +<p>Sing returned. "No one may see the High Lama," he reported. "He is in +the middle of some kind of ceremony that takes a month. But I talked +with an important priest. He was friendly. He said he would send one of +the lamas to be our guide and to help us find your friend."</p> + +<p>"Good," Zircon said. "Now, let's have some dinner. I'm famished."</p> + +<p>The boys echoed his sentiments.</p> + +<p>It was fully dark before they ended their meal. They were squatting +around the fire, sipping coffee and listening to Zircon's description of +the Buddhist ritual when one of the bearers suddenly called out. The +three Americans and Sing reached for their weapons as a yellow-robed +lama shuffled out of the darkness.</p> + +<p>This, evidently, was their guide. He was of less than medium height, but +that was all Rick could tell about him. His loose robe draped around his +body and his cowl was pulled up, hiding his face.</p> + +<p>"Welcome," Zircon boomed. "Sing, speak to him and tell him we are +grateful for his coming."</p> + +<p>Sing spoke to the monk in Chinese.</p> + +<p>The robed lama stood immobile, just within range of the firelight. The +yellow flames made shadows across his cowled figure. Rick felt a little +shudder run through him. The quiet figure was somehow weird.</p> + +<p>Sing shifted to another language, but the lama made no reply. Then, +slowly, he brought his hands up level, outstretched toward them. He +chanted slowly, his voice muffled under the cowl. Then the chant died +and his hands were lowered once more.</p> + +<p>Sing turned to the group. "I don't know what he said. It's not in a +language I understand." He spoke to the apparition. The monk stood +motionless.</p> + +<p>"Wish they'd sent us someone we could talk with," Scotty grumbled. "A +lot of use this joker will be!"</p> + +<p>The monk's cowl turned slowly toward Scotty. The figure moved +majestically toward the boy, then the hands lifted again. From under the +cowl a sepulchral voice issued.</p> + +<p>"Could be more use than you think, muttonhead."</p> + +<p>For an instant there was stunned silence, then Rick and Scotty leaped +for the robed figure with yells of delight. Rick hit him high and Scotty +hit him low. They held him down and pulled the cowl from him, then +pommeled him unmercifully, while Zircon cheered them on.</p> + +<p>Only when the monk begged for mercy did they let him up. He tossed the +robe aside and grinned at them.</p> + +<p>"Okay," Chahda said. "You win. But it took you plenty time to get here! +Why you take so long?"</p> + +<p>The slim Hindu boy hugged them solemnly, one at a time, and shook hands +with Sing. "Now," he announced, "I eat. Got plenty sick of sheep meat, +you bet!"</p> + +<p>Then they were all laughing and talking at once while the cook hastened +to prepare a meal. In a few moments Chahda was attacking a high-piled +plate and talking between bites.</p> + +<p>"Good you came now," he said. "I got plenty worry. You find Bradley?"</p> + +<p>Zircon told him of the meeting in the hotel.</p> + +<p>Chahda nodded. "Good. I think he show up soon."</p> + +<p>"Start at the beginning," Rick demanded. "There's a whole lot we don't +know. In fact, if you come right down to it, we don't know anything."</p> + +<p>"Okay." Chahda took a sip of coffee. "I start at start. In Bombay."</p> + +<p>Chahda had been visiting with his family in Bombay when Bradley arrived +in the Indian city. The two had met by accident. Chahda had gone to the +Taj Mahal Hotel to write a letter to the boys, because there was no +paper or ink at home. Bradley, who happened to be in the lobby, had +noticed the address on the envelope as Chahda handed it to the desk +clerk.</p> + +<p>Once the scientist discovered that Chahda knew the Spindrift group and +had been on expeditions with them, the rest followed naturally. Bradley, +realizing that the clever little Hindu boy would be of great value in +his undercover work, had hired him. Chahda didn't say so, but Rick could +understand that such was the case.</p> + +<p>Chahda's duties had been those of general assistant. He had cared for +baggage, run errands, acted as secretary, and on a few occasions had +been assigned to follow people in whose destinations Bradley was +interested. The two had gone from Bombay to New Delhi and Calcutta, then +to Singapore. At Singapore, while following up another matter, Bradley +accidentally had discovered that heavy water was being sold.</p> + +<p>"He was much excited," Chahda said. "I did not know why. Heavy water? I +asked myself what is heavy water. I knew about ice, which is frozen +water and which is heavy. But who would have much excitement about ice? +The Sahib Bradley hurried to the Consulate of America and he sent a +cable to Washington."</p> + +<p>Then the scientist had assigned Chahda to watch a certain house in +Singapore, the place from which the heavy water was being taken to +unknown destinations. Chahda had watched for three days without relief, +and he had seen Worthington Ko. Then, since Bradley had not come for +him, he deserted his post long enough to return to their quarters, a +room in an obscure Chinese hotel in Singapore. There he had found +evidence of a fight and bloodstains on the floor. There was no sign of +Bradley.</p> + +<p>It was then, Chahda guessed, that Long Shadow had found him. He saw the +shadow several times while he hunted for Bradley. Then, while searching +for his boss in the Tamil quarter, he had been attacked by Chinese thugs +led by Worthington Ko. They had beaten him into insensibility, hustled +him into a taxi, and were carrying him somewhere into the inland of +Malaya when he regained consciousness. He escaped by going headlong +through a window while the car was traveling and then taking cover in +the jungle alongside the road. Going by a roundabout route, he reached +Singapore again. There he found that their luggage was held by the hotel +and the room had been rented to someone else.</p> + +<p>Chahda polished his plate with a biscuit and groaned expressively. "I +say to myself then, Chahda, now is time to think real hard. What to do?"</p> + +<p>He knew that the cable Bradley had sent asked for Hartson Brant to be +assigned to the job. And he knew also that from Singapore they were to +head for Hong Kong. He knew nothing about Hong Kong, but he did know +that Bradley was acquainted at a place called the Golden Mouse because +he had heard him mention it to a Chinese the scientist used for +undercover work now and then.</p> + +<p>"The Long Shadow came again while I was thinking," Chahda continued. "I +saw it in front of the hotel. So I went quick-fast out the back, and ran +through many places until I was sure he could not find me. I went to +where many Indians live in Singapore, and I found a friend."</p> + +<p>The friend, another Indian, had gone to the United States Information +Library in Singapore and borrowed a copy of <i>The World Almanac</i>. Chahda +already had decided he would cable the boys, and how he would do it. He +knew, because of what they had told him, that they would be able to +figure out a book code and that they would realize his choice naturally +would be the <i>Almanac</i>. Knowing the annual by heart, he naturally also +knew the table that converted Roman numerals to Arabic numbers and had +used the letter L as a clue to the right volume.</p> + +<p>"But how did you know about nulls?" Rick asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that was very lucky. I learned how to put Sahib Bradley's messages +in code, and there were many nulls." He grinned impishly. "Of course I +did not know if you also knew what are nulls. I was thinking, they are +two who are good with science. But are they also good with code? Maybe +not. But, anyway, they are plenty smart to read a book. That will tell +them about nulls."</p> + +<p>"We didn't have to read a book," Scotty said. "Dad told us about them."</p> + +<p>"Scientist father also plenty smart even without books," Chahda agreed. +"Anyway, I make the message and I send cable."</p> + +<p>Rick interrupted again. "How did you know Ko had a glass eye?"</p> + +<p>Chahda smiled. "When they capture me, I fight like maybe ten wild +elephants. I kick honorable Mr. Ko in the face. And what happens? His +glasses fall off and one of his eyes falls out! Also, it breaks when it +falls and I see it is glass. I am so surprised I forget to fight and +someone hits me from the back of my neck, and then all is dark. I did +not know Mr. Ko's name then. My boss tells me it later."</p> + +<p>"No more questions for the moment," Zircon ordered. "I want to hear the +rest of this. Go ahead, Chahda."</p> + +<p>The Hindu boy had used his friend as a go-between and had arranged for +the consul general to advance him funds. Since the official knew he +worked for Bradley, that was not difficult. Then he had arranged for +their baggage to be shipped and held at the airport in Hong Kong, and +had taken a plane there himself.</p> + +<p>At the Golden Mouse, Canton Charlie had given him quarters. In another +day, Bradley showed up. The scientist had been caught in the Singapore +hotel room by Ko and company, but had fought his way clear. There wasn't +time to leave a note for Chahda at the hotel and he didn't dare return +to the room for fear of having the enemy locate him again. So he had +depended on Chahda's wits to tell him the next step and had gone ahead +to Hong Kong, hoping to find more information about the heavy water.</p> + +<p>At Hong Kong, Long Shadow had shown up again.</p> + +<p>Bradley, in the meanwhile, had not been idle. Through his various +sources of information he had determined that the source of the heavy +water was in the neighborhood of Korse Lenken. Chahda was instructed to +go there at once and start reconnoitering while they waited for the +party from the States. Bradley deliberately dropped the disguise he had +been using, that of a Portuguese seaman, and let Long Shadow locate him. +Then he had started out, hoping to draw the enemy away from Chahda long +enough for the boy to get clear and start for Korse Lenken. Bradley was +to shake the enemy when he could and resume his investigation. Finding +the source of the water was not enough, he had said. It also was +necessary to find out how it was reaching Singapore, and what its +ultimate destination might be.</p> + +<p>Chahda had experience with Buddhist monasteries dating back to the time +when he had worked in Nepal. Also, many Indians were Buddhists. There +were some in almost every monastery, and of that number a few could be +depended on to speak Hindi, or Hindustani as it was called, which was +Chahda's language. He also knew a little Tibetan from his years in +Nepal.</p> + +<p>"I came here easy," Chahda finished. "There was a big lot of pilgrims +and they took me in." He grinned. "They thought I was a monk. And I +found Indians, like I had thought. They hid me, so I do not think Long +Shadow knows I am here. And now I know where the heavy water comes +from."</p> + +<p>Zircon gave an exclamation. "Chahda, you're a marvel! Where does it come +from?"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow I show you," Chahda promised.</p> + +<p>"Who is Long Shadow?" Rick demanded.</p> + +<p>Chahda shrugged. "Not knowing. We never see him. Only the shadow."</p> + +<p>Scotty stirred up the fire a little. "How come Canton Charlie didn't +turn you over to the enemy as he did us?"</p> + +<p>"What?" Chahda was astonished.</p> + +<p>Scotty quickly outlined their adventures while Chahda listened +thoughtfully. When he had finished, the Indian boy shook his head. +"Something bad wrong. Charlie is one of Bradley's men. My boss pays him, +and he is friendly. You say Charlie told you to go to this junk?"</p> + +<p>Rick thought back. Charlie himself actually had not told them. They had +not seen Charlie when the note was dropped on their table.</p> + +<p>"Charlie himself didn't tell us," he stated. "It could have been one of +Long Shadow's men. Or one of Ko's. And that Portuguese with the knife +could have been one of Long Shadow's men, too. I'll bet he was the one +who put the finger on us. He must have heard us ask for Chahda. Long +Shadow and his men knew Chahda, of course, and they would certainly try +to get rid of reinforcements like us."</p> + +<p>"Right," Zircon agreed. "Perhaps the fault was ours in not waiting for +Charlie to tell us himself, although I don't see how we could have +known."</p> + +<p>"I think that is it," Chahda said. "Charlie is a friend. So the men on +the junk with purple sails were Long Shadow's, and you plenty lucky you +get out with your skins, believe me."</p> + +<p>Zircon rubbed his chin. "Chahda, our instructions from Bradley were to +bring a rubber boat and a Nansen bottle. That must mean the heavy water +source has something to do with a lake or river. Is that true?"</p> + +<p>"Don't know about those things," Chahda said. "I know only that the +heavy water comes from a place near here. I know how to get there and I +will take you. I do not think we will like this place much. It has a bad +name."</p> + +<p>"What kind of bad name?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"In English," Chahda said, "it is 'The Caves of Fear'!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<h3>The Black Buddha</h3> + + +<p>Long ago, according to the tale Chahda had heard from his Indian +Buddhist friends in the monastery, a High Lama and some of the chief +priests of Korse Lenken forsook their vows and went in for piracy with +the monastery as headquarters.</p> + +<p>For years they flourished, robbing travelers and even swooping down on +Chinese cities across the border. The name of Korse Lenken was known +throughout the East as a place of terror. Between attacks, the High Lama +and his priests made mockery of the religion of Buddhism that they were +sworn to uphold, and they built a huge caricature of Buddha, all in +black and with the face of a demon.</p> + +<p>Then, went the legend, as they dedicated the great statue to the hordes +of the mountain underworld, the Lord Buddha himself appeared in the sky +and stretched his hands over them. The vast multitude of robbers fell to +their knees and lifted their hands for mercy. And Lord Buddha, the +gentle and merciful, gave them mercy. His voice rang through the +mountains like the winds of heaven: "Live! Live unharmed. But live in +fear! It is written."</p> + +<p>Buddha, so went the legend, then vanished. A great wind sighed through +the valley, and bolts of light flashed from heaven. It grew black, black +as the darkest night. And when the blackness cleared and the wind died, +new mountains stood where the High Lama and the multitude had been.</p> + +<p>The lamas who had remained faithful to the teachings of Buddha labored +to build a new monastery, and as the years passed they heard mutterings +in the earth. Then one day a repentant lama, who had been one of the +multitude, came forth, an old man. The High Lama and the robbers still +lived, he said. But they lived in the blackness under the new mountain, +in vast caverns where no light ever came. And there were <i>things</i> in the +darkness. Things they could not see, but of which they were terribly +afraid. As Lord Buddha had said, they lived in fear.</p> + +<p>The little group was silent as Chahda finished reciting the legend. Then +the Hindu boy added, "Of course this is long ago. So very long. Maybe it +is only a story. And maybe not. The monks of Korse Lenken do know there +are big caverns, and they know of this Black Buddha. I know of it +myself. But more than that I do not know."</p> + +<p>"And it is from the Caves of Fear that the heavy water is presumed to +come," Zircon finished. "That is quite a tale, Chahda. But how do we get +to the Caves of Fear?"</p> + +<p>"The entrance is somewhere in the Cave of the Black Buddha," Chahda +said. "At least, that is what the monks have told me. Also, they showed +me how to get there. But I did not go in." He shuddered a little. "Who +knows if the old High Lama might not be waiting? I thought better I wait +for you."</p> + +<p>Rick felt the weirdness of the tale, too, but he made a joke. "I didn't +think hobgoblins would frighten you away, Chahda."</p> + +<p>Chahda didn't smile. "People who live in the East do not laugh at +hub-gubbles, Rick."</p> + +<p>"I was just trying to be funny," Rick apologized. "Well, what do we do +now?"</p> + +<p>"We look in the caverns for the source of the heavy water," Zircon +stated. "And the sooner we start, the better. Chahda, have you seen men +with water bags heading out of here? Men with anything at all suspicious +about them?"</p> + +<p>The Hindu boy nodded. "I have seen such men. Once I saw ten men going up +the trail to the outside with such bags. The bags were all they had. I +am sure the bags had heavy water. If not, why so many?"</p> + +<p>Zircon told him of the plastic-lined bags they had found and of their +suspicions.</p> + +<p>Chahda saw the implications instantly. He grinned. "We find out plenty +more about these water bags, you bet! I think I go right now and find +out if any more men with bags go by today." He hurried off, getting into +his monk's costume as he went.</p> + +<p>Rick watched him go, shaking his head with admiration. "He's a wonder," +he said. "I'll bet Bradley thinks so, too."</p> + +<p>"Anyone would," Scotty agreed. "He gets things done. Wish I could say +the same for us. All we've done so far is travel while he did the work. +Why don't we get busy?"</p> + +<p>"Busy how?" the scientist asked.</p> + +<p>"Couldn't we look into this cave tonight? I don't see that waiting until +morning will help much. If it's a big cave, there won't be light in it, +anyway."</p> + +<p>Rick thought Scotty had something there. He pointed out that plenty of +lights were in their packs, and that they had the dark-light camera +besides.</p> + +<p>Hobart Zircon thought it over, then agreed. "There's another advantage," +he added. "Starting out tonight, we'll attract less attention. We got +here about dark, so the people of the area don't know we're here. +They'll know in the morning, though, and we'll have a thousand +sight-seers hanging around, unless they're greatly different from the +other Eastern people I've met. And the less anyone knows about our +interests, the better."</p> + +<p>Sing nodded agreement. "That is right. By morning many people will come +to see the strangers. I doubt if they have seen very many white men +before." The Chinese guide paused. "But I don't know if I like the idea +of going into strange caves while it's dark. As your little friend says, +anything is possible in this part of the world. Even hobgoblins."</p> + +<p>"We wouldn't want you to come, anyway, Sing," Rick said. He looked at +Zircon for agreement. "It would be better if you took care of our +equipment and sort of acted as rear guard. We'll need someone to stand +by in case we don't come out of the cave again."</p> + +<p>"Afraid the hobgoblins will kidnap us?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"Not hobgoblins. But if the heavy water is there, some of Long Shadow's +men will be, too. We probably can take care of ourselves. Only suppose +they catch us by surprise?"</p> + +<p>Zircon agreed. "Rick is right. And even if there is no one in the cave, +there remains the possibility of accident. I think we'll do well to +leave Sing here. Then, if we're not out in twenty-four hours, he can +take steps to get us out."</p> + +<p>"That's wise," Sing nodded.</p> + +<p>They were debating what to take with them when Chahda returned. He +reported that some of the lamas had seen men with goatskin water bags +late in the day, men that they knew to come from outside the valley, +traveling from the general direction of the Cave of the Black Buddha. It +was such water-carrying groups that had made Chahda sure that the cave +was the source. There was no other near-by place that was possible.</p> + +<p>"That settles it," Rick said. He told Chahda what they had in mind.</p> + +<p>Chahda glanced at the sky. "Moon in a little while," he said. "With no +moon, we could not even get there. Too rough. But if no clouds come, we +can go."</p> + +<p>Rick was a little surprised that Chahda hadn't objected in view of his +apparent dislike of the whole idea. Then he realized that the little +Hindu boy wasn't made that way. He might be afraid, but he would go. +That was true bravery.</p> + +<p>After some discussion, they decided not to take their full equipment, +but merely to use the trip to locate the entrance to the Caves of Fear. +Once the way was found, they could return and load up with gear and +provisions. However, each of them took a few emergency rations, a full +canteen of water, their weapons, and flashlights. Chahda was given a big +electric lamp to carry. Rick slung the dark-light camera over his +shoulder while Scotty changed his rifle sight for the infrared +telescope.</p> + +<p>The moon was up by the time they were ready. They shook hands with Sing +and started off, Chahda leading.</p> + +<p>The way led across the valley at a slight angle, heading toward the +river. At first it was smooth going, with only high grass underfoot. +Rick was enjoying himself. The moon gave light to the valley center, but +the sides, under the sheer mountain walls, were shrouded in shadow. The +peaks themselves, snow-capped to the west, were bright.</p> + +<p>Then Chahda cut back away from the river toward the nearest mountain +wall. The way began to get rougher, with hillocks to climb and rocky +outcroppings to skirt.</p> + +<p>Soon they were out of the grassland entirely, walking through rock +masses. Now and then they went from the moonlight into dense shadow and +had to use their flashlights. Except for their flashlights, no man-made +light disturbed the wild scene. They had been traveling for some time. +It was late and not even a fire in front of a herder's tent could be +seen. By Rick's watch, it was almost eleven.</p> + +<p>It was closer to midnight when Chahda stopped. He pointed to a rocky +defile. "This is as far as I went before. My friend who showed me said +the cave is there."</p> + +<p>Zircon took the lead. Behind him, Rick put his own flashlight away and +held his rifle ready for use. Scotty, too, was ready. Chahda, crowding +Rick's steps, had the big light ready to turn on.</p> + +<p>Zircon's beam picked out rocky walls that rose for a hundred feet. He +picked his way over tumbled rock, the others following. The way took a +sharp turn, then came to a dead end.</p> + +<p>"Nothing here." Zircon's light covered the area a foot at a time. There +was no opening.</p> + +<p>"Maybe we missed it," Scotty suggested. "Let's go back, and examine +everything on the way."</p> + +<p>They reversed their steps. All of them used lights now, and the combined +beams illumined the steep walls brightly.</p> + +<p>"Take a look at that," Scotty said suddenly. His light was on a pinnacle +of rock that appeared to have some sort of opening behind it. He moved +in, cautiously, the others close behind. There was an opening, sure +enough, where the pinnacle leaned against the main rock wall. There was +just barely room to squeeze through. Zircon almost got stuck.</p> + +<p>Once past the opening, a new trail seemed to open up. And at its end an +aperture in the rock wall loomed black before them.</p> + +<p>"That must be it," Rick said, and his voice echoed hollowly.</p> + +<p>Scotty moved ahead to the entrance and flashed his light inside. The +beam was lost in the blackness beyond. "It's big," he said, and the +words rolled around in the emptiness.</p> + +<p>Rick felt a shiver run down his back. "What are we waiting for?" he +demanded roughly. "Let's get inside."</p> + +<p>The opening wasn't large. Zircon had to duck going in. Rick was right +behind him, Chahda bringing up the rear. Just inside, they stopped, all +lights going.</p> + +<p>The cave was tremendous. The level rock floor stretched away from them, +and when they shot their lights upward, a vaulted dome reflected the +beams a good hundred feet overhead. Slowly they moved away from the +entrance, lights busy searching the cave. There was nothing near the +entrance but rock, solid and smooth. And it was so quiet Rick thought he +could hear his own heartbeat. Then his light beam picked up a green +reflection on the far side of the cave.</p> + +<p>"There's something there," he exclaimed. In spite of himself, his voice +shook.</p> + +<p>"We'll soon see," Scotty said. Their voices rumbled through the cave, +echoing and re-echoing.</p> + +<p>Zircon gave a sudden exclamation. "Chahda! Where's the big light?"</p> + +<p>The Hindu boy had been playing the bright beam on the walls to one side. +Now he swung it squarely ahead, and Rick gasped.</p> + +<p>The Black Buddha!</p> + +<p>It seemed to crouch against the far wall, a giant, loathsome thing of +dead black with live green eyes.</p> + +<p>They went toward it, all lights on the thing, and as they made out more +details, Rick shuddered. The Buddha was completely the opposite of every +other Buddha he had seen. Instead of the bland, quiet look of peace, +this thing had its mouth open, showing sharp ebony teeth. It leered over +a nose like a pig's, and its body was gross and misshapen. It was, Rick +thought, toad-like. It quite frankly gave him the willies. His +imagination gave it life, so that the obscene lips smirked, and almost +seemed to drool.</p> + +<p>Something white at the base caught the light beams. In a moment they +stood before a pile of bones, heaped against the statue's left side.</p> + +<p>Zircon's light swept them. "Human," he said.</p> + +<p>Rick's scalp tightened.</p> + +<p>Next to him, Chahda let out his breath in a sigh that was nearly a moan.</p> + +<p>In the second that they stood silently looking at the pile of bones, +there came a slight sound from somewhere behind the Black Buddha. +Instantly their lights swept in the direction of the sound, until Scotty +hissed, "Put 'em out!"</p> + +<p>Blackness flooded in on them. Rick strained his eyes to see, his ears to +hear. He tried to control his breathing, sure that its sound could be +heard forty feet away.</p> + +<p>Then he saw a horizontal thread of light about three feet long against +the wall behind the statue. It spread upward slowly, forming a +rectangle. Rick watched it, his palms wet on the rifle as he tucked the +flashlight away and gripped the weapon tightly.</p> + +<p>It was yellow light, eerie as a will-o'-the-wisp and scarcely stronger. +Then, as Rick watched, a shadow rose up in a black narrow path from the +bottom of the rectangle. It rose and rose until it almost filled the +frame, and the blackness was in the form of a man, almost, except that +it was too long, too thin.</p> + +<p>The four stood as though hypnotized for a dozen heartbeats, then Zircon +came to life. He jumped forward with a great roar.</p> + +<p>"Long Shadow!"</p> + +<p>The light vanished and again blackness closed around them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<h3>The Caves of Fear</h3> + + +<p>Instantly all lights were directed at the back of the cave. Zircon +rushed around the statue and stopped short as his light found only rock +walls.</p> + +<p>"He has to be here somewhere," the scientist bellowed. "Hunt for him!"</p> + +<p>Rick stood for a moment estimating the direction from which the light +had come. He walked to the part of the wall on which they had seen the +shadow, and stood with his back to it. He flashed his light straight +ahead, and it fell on the broad back of the Black Buddha.</p> + +<p>The others had followed his line of thought and were watching.</p> + +<p>"Look for a door," Scotty said. He hurried to the back of the statue and +began examining it with his light. Rick joined him. Zircon got out a +jackknife and began to probe into cracks. Chahda got down on hands and +knees and felt along the base.</p> + +<p>The back of the statue was seamed with cracks, but they ran +helter-skelter without apparent order. The illumination against which +the shadow was cast had been rectangular.</p> + +<p>"There isn't a straight line in the bunch," Rick said, disappointed. +"What now?"</p> + +<p>"There must be a way to open the door, wherever it is," Zircon stated. +"That's what we must look for, I think. It may be on the statue itself, +on the floor, or on a wall near by. Rick, you and Scotty take the +statue. Chahda and I will take the walls and floor."</p> + +<p>"What are we hunting for?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. Perhaps a knob, perhaps a keyhole. Look for anything +unusual."</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty began at opposite sides of the statue's back and started +working toward each other, examining every inch of the black stone +minutely. Zircon and Chahda started side by side on the wall behind the +statue and worked away from each other. Rick used his jackknife to probe +every suspicious crack or chip, but without success. He and Scotty +covered the back as high up as they could reach without finding a thing. +Zircon and Chahda worked along the wall until they were thirty feet +apart, then the scientist called a halt on the theory that the secret +lock wouldn't be that far from the door. The door was either in the +statue's back or near its base.</p> + +<p>While Zircon and Chahda started examining the floor, Rick and Scotty +started on the statue's sides. There was more decoration along the +sides, so they had to go more slowly and carefully.</p> + +<p>After a while, Chahda called, "Something here."</p> + +<p>The others stopped what they were doing and hurried to him. The Hindu +boy's light was on a tiny slot in the floor. It seemed shallow. Rick +pointed out that the floor in the area was checkered, almost like a tile +floor.</p> + +<p>"There must be a reason for that," Zircon said. He knelt by the slot and +peered into it. "Nothing in the slot, however. Rick, isn't yours a scout +knife?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir." Rick handed it to him.</p> + +<p>Zircon opened the screwdriver blade and pushed it into the slot. Nothing +happened. He moved it from side to side, with no effect.</p> + +<p>"There must be some reason for that slot," Scotty said. "Try again, +professor. Push harder."</p> + +<p>Zircon shoved the blade down into the hole and pushed. "There must be a +special key of some kind," he said finally. "That is, if the slot has +anything to do with the door. I suggest we continue the search until +we're satisfied that this is the only possibility."</p> + +<p>Rick nodded, disappointed. He turned back to the statue and took a step +forward into space!</p> + +<p>A wild yell burst from him as he felt himself falling, then Scotty had +him by the jacket and was hauling him back. Rick collapsed on the stone +floor, his heart pounding The others shot their flashlights into the +place where he had stepped.</p> + +<p>A section of the floor had swung upward, right at the base of the +statue. It yawned open, and from its lip a flight of steps led downward.</p> + +<p>"It worked," Chahda said. "But was so silent we never hear it!"</p> + +<p>Scotty gripped his rifle and snapped off the safety catch, then holding +the weapon in one hand like a pistol, he took his flashlight in the +other hand and started down. Zircon was right behind him.</p> + +<p>Rick got to his feet and felt for the dark-light camera. It hadn't been +jarred because his body had cushioned it. But he wanted to be sure the +strap was still secure on his shoulder. Satisfied that all was well, he +started down the steps after Zircon. He didn't fancy going into the +underground part of the cave, but there was no choice. This was what +they had come for.</p> + +<p>There were ten broad stone steps carved from the rock. Rick shot his +light around and saw that a heavy beam ran from the underside of the +trap door down to the bottom of the stairs where it ended in a stone +block. It was a counterbalance, the weight of the stone evidently just +enough heavier than the door so that moving the latch would let it swing +open. The latch itself was a piece of metal, probably bronze, that slid +in a channel carved in the underside of the door. Rick guessed that the +sideways pressure of the blade in the slot had let the door open rather +than the downward shove Zircon had given. A cord of leather ran from the +latch back along the corridor so that anyone entering the rock tunnel +could tug on it and open the door without climbing the stairs.</p> + +<p>Rick joined Zircon and Scotty at the bottom of the steps. Chahda was +right behind him. The stairs ended in a long, low passage, just high and +wide enough for a man to pass. It was perhaps fifty feet long, and it +ended in blackness that indicated a bigger passage, or another cave, +beyond. Rick touched the walls and noted the marks of ancient chisels. +The passage had been cut in the living rock.</p> + +<p>"Have your rifles ready," Zircon directed. "Chahda, you have the big +light. Lead the way and we'll cover you."</p> + +<p>Chahda switched on his big light and took the lead. The others, rifles +ready for instant use, followed close behind. Big Zircon held his weapon +over Chahda's shoulder as the Hindu boy walked slowly down the passage.</p> + +<p>In a moment they were at the entrance to the next passage or cave. +Chahda peered in, turning his light from side to side. Zircon, looking +over his head, said, "A large cave beyond. Very large. Chahda, do you +see anything?"</p> + +<p>Chahda shook his head. "Only rock. Nothing inside I can see."</p> + +<p>"All right. Go ahead."</p> + +<p>The Hindu boy stepped into the cave, the rest following. Rick saw that +Zircon hadn't exaggerated. The cave was even larger than the one that +held the Black Buddha. Chahda's big light picked out the opposite wall +dimly.</p> + +<p>The scientist brought his own light into play, turning it on the walls +nearest them. "Odd," he muttered. "The character of the rock changes +completely. This is almost surely limestone."</p> + +<p>Rick had to grin. Even chasing Long Shadow through an underground cavern +couldn't quiet Zircon's scientific curiosity. "What do we do now, +professor?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Zircon looked up from his examination of the whitish rock. "Eh? Oh. +Sorry, Rick. Why, I suppose we explore a bit more. I don't think we'd +better go far, however. Now that we know that Long Shadow is here, we +had better return to camp and get extra food, batteries, and ammunition. +However, I would like a look at the opposite side. There must be further +passages, because this cave obviously doesn't contain our friend."</p> + +<p>"Suppose...." Scotty started to say.</p> + +<p>Rick never found out what Scotty was going to say, for at that moment +the four whirled as something grated behind them. They were in time to +see metal rods slam home across the entrance through which they had +come!</p> + +<p>Rick and Scotty reached the entrance first. Each of the boys grabbed one +of the rods and tugged. They were rigid.</p> + +<p>"We're locked in!" Rick's voice was harsh.</p> + +<p>"Let me look," Zircon said quietly.</p> + +<p>The boys stood back while he made a careful inspection. From floor to +top of the passage entrance the metal bars blocked the way. They were +about an inch thick, spaced only six inches apart. They had shot out of +holes in one side of the passage and lodged in corresponding holes on +the opposite side.</p> + +<p>None of them had noticed the holes. They had been too curious about what +lay beyond the passage.</p> + +<p>Zircon put his massive strength against one of the bars. It didn't move. +He tried to slide it either way. There wasn't even a fraction of an inch +of slack.</p> + +<p>He turned, and at the expression on his face a shiver slid down Rick's +spine. Long Shadow had caught them neatly.</p> + +<p>They were trapped in the Caves of Fear!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<h3>The Labyrinth</h3> + + +<p>Zircon led the three boys to the center of the big cave, then spoke in a +whisper. "I see no need in advertising our plans to the enemy. Keep your +voices down. Now, what are we to do?"</p> + +<p>"Long Shadow must be watching us from somewhere," Scotty said uneasily. +"But from where?"</p> + +<p>"The walls are uneven," Rick pointed out. "There could be peepholes +anywhere. But what I'd like to find is the place with the controls for +that gate! It can't be far from the entrance."</p> + +<p>"Is true," Chahda agreed. He turned the big light on the barred +entrance, then played it back and forth across the walls on that side of +the cave. There was no break anywhere.</p> + +<p>"Turn it on the other side," Zircon ordered.</p> + +<p>Chahda did so. Now that they were closer to the far wall, openings could +be seen. There were two, both of them door size. Except for the entrance +through which they had come, they were the only openings in the cave.</p> + +<p>Rick spoke up, and he was surprised that there was no shakiness in his +voice. "Look, gang. If we stay here waiting for Long Shadow to open up, +we might stay forever. I'd rather push on, at least for a little way."</p> + +<p>Zircon looked at Scotty. "You're the military expert. What chance have +we in a fight?"</p> + +<p>Scotty shrugged. "In an open fight, we have a good chance. Our rifles +are better than any I've seen around here, and we can fire a lot faster. +But if they start potting at us from around corners and through holes in +the rock...." He didn't have to finish.</p> + +<p>"Better we go ahead," Chahda said.</p> + +<p>Zircon hesitated. "If this is the only entrance to the caverns, as seems +quite likely, Long Shadow has trapped himself as well as us. He'll have +to open up to get out."</p> + +<p>Rick didn't think so. "There's no opening under the Black Buddha except +the one we came through. But we didn't look around the passage very +thoroughly, so there might be a door of some kind."</p> + +<p>"You're right," Zircon agreed. "Very well. Let's try going on. Rick, you +bring up the rear, and keep looking back."</p> + +<p>Rick objected. "Wouldn't it be better for me to go ahead and use the +infrared beam with the glasses? Then I could see perfectly."</p> + +<p>The scientist considered. "It would be better if the caves ahead are +large, yes. If they are not, our flashlights will do just as well. I +think we'd better save the infrared battery as long as possible. +Incidentally, do you have a spare?"</p> + +<p>"At camp," Rick said. It had been planned as a brief trip of +exploration. He hadn't thought spare batteries would be necessary. Now +he blamed himself for being so shortsighted. It was always best to be +prepared for anything.</p> + +<p>"Can't be helped now," Scotty said. "And speaking of batteries, we'd +better use only two flashlights at a time, one in front and one in +back."</p> + +<p>"Excellent idea," Zircon approved. "I'll take the lead. Scotty next, +then Chahda, with Rick as rear guard. Now, which of the entrances do we +try first? I vote for the one on the right."</p> + +<p>The scientist strode toward the deeper darkness of the entrance and shot +his light inside. The others took up the positions he had assigned. Rick +kept his flashlight beam moving around the big cave, watching for any +sign of an enemy.</p> + +<p>"Another passage," Zircon said, and his voice echoed hollowly. "Cover +our rear, Rick." They went into it single file, Rick walking sideways in +order to keep looking back for a possible enemy. Then, as the others +stopped suddenly, he fell over Chahda. He heard the scientist say, "Dead +end. Nothing but a blank wall. Rick, lead the way out. We'll try the +other."</p> + +<p>The second passage gave better results. It wound through the limestone +for a short distance, then opened into a small cave filled with +wonderful white rock formations.</p> + +<p>"Stalactites and stalagmites," Zircon boomed. "I suspect we are getting +into the deeper caverns, those hollowed out by water and not by man. The +question is, which way do we go now?"</p> + +<p>Rick took his eyes from the way they had come long enough to look +around. The cave was like a junction room, openings branching off in all +directions.</p> + +<p>Scotty switched on his flashlight and began examining the cave floor. +"Look for signs," he directed. "If men have come this way, they must +have left some traces."</p> + +<p>Chahda hurried to look, too. Rick stood where he was, light and eyes +going from one opening to another. He didn't intend to be caught off +guard.</p> + +<p>Scotty gave a grunt of satisfaction and stood up. "Candle wax," he +announced. "And it leads through here." He pointed to a gap between two +fluted columns, made by centuries of dripping water that had deposited +countless grains of limestone.</p> + +<p>Zircon immediately walked to the gap and peered through. "Come on," he +said. "There's another cave beyond."</p> + +<p>The next cave was larger, and nowhere in it was there evidence that man +had occupied it. Rick looked around him, awed by the bizarre beauty of +the place. From ceiling and floor limestone icicles strained toward each +other. They were the stalactites and stalagmites Zircon had mentioned, +formed over the centuries by slow drops of water, each of which left its +tiny trace of limestone to help build up the formation. On one wall of +the cave the water deposits had carved a waterfall, so perfect that it +might have been frozen into white rock only moments before. And from +every grain of stone their flashlight beams twinkled and reflected until +it seemed the walls were crusted with jewels.</p> + +<p>"More wax," Chahda called. He had found it near an irregular low opening +in the cave wall, a tiny drop left by someone carrying a tallow candle.</p> + +<p>Zircon went through the opening an inch at a time, on hands and knees. +The others followed, to find themselves in a cave almost identical to +the one they had left, except for the stone waterfall. This cave, too, +had walls broken in a number of places.</p> + +<p>Rick and Zircon flashed their lights around, seeking the next step. Then +Rick caught a quick glimpse of something red that moved! Quick as a +flash he shifted his hand on the stock of his rifle, pointed it like a +pistol, and fired. The red object vanished!</p> + +<p>The thunderous echo of the shot reverberating through the cave drowned +out his yell. He sprang through the entrance where he had seen the flash +of red and found himself in still another cave. Scotty was right behind +him.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" Scotty demanded.</p> + +<p>"I think it was a man," Rick said quickly. "He was wearing something +red. Come on, he can't be very far from here."</p> + +<p>"Which way?"</p> + +<p>There was no way of telling which way the man had gone. There were a +half dozen openings in the cave walls. Rick pointed at the two biggest. +"You take that one and I'll take this." Rifle ready and flashlight held +in front of him, he ran through the break in the wall he had indicated. +Scotty hurried to the other.</p> + +<p>If only they could get their hands on even one man, Rick thought, they +might force him to serve as their guide! He passed through another cave, +choosing the biggest entrance on the opposite wall. As he went through +it, he was certain he saw a movement, as though the quarry had just +rounded a corner. He let out a yell and lengthened his stride. In a +second he reached the corner, rounded it, and found himself in an odd +cave with countless pillars, formed when stalactites from the ceiling +and stalagmites from the floor had joined together. It was a veritable +labyrinth. He started through it, got perhaps fifty feet, and stopped. +The man he had chased surely knew his way around the caves. There was no +hope of overtaking him now. Better rejoin the others, Rick thought. It +was senseless to get too far away from his companions.</p> + +<p>He turned and started back, then hesitated, not sure of the way he had +come. The corridors formed by the limestone pillars led in all +directions.</p> + +<p>"I must have come this way," he muttered, and started off. Then he +stopped again, playing his light around. He couldn't be sure. Suddenly +worried, he ran forward and was brought to a halt by a solid wall. He +turned and hurried along it, seeking an opening. He found one, but +smaller than the one through which he had come. He plunged on, found a +big opening, and went through it into an irregular cave unlike any he +had seen before. He turned to retrace his steps, and his eyes met a wall +where the openings were separated only by glistening partitions of +limestone. He couldn't even be sure of the one through which he had just +entered.</p> + +<p>He licked lips that were suddenly dry. "I can't lose my head," he told +himself sternly. "I've got to stay calm."</p> + +<p>But in spite of his warnings to himself, he felt panic rising within +him.</p> + +<p>He was completely, hopelessly lost!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<h3>The Lake of Darkness</h3> + + +<p>Rick sat with his back against the cold surface of a stalagmite column. +His head drooped with weariness and his throat ached from yelling. He +had retraced his steps a dozen times or more. He had lost count. But +none of the passages took him back to his friends, nor had his yelling +of their names brought a response.</p> + +<p>He forced himself into a semblance of calmness and tried to think. What +was he to do? He eyed the beam of his flashlight and realized that he +ought to conserve the batteries. He turned it off, and dead, silent +blackness closed in about him.</p> + +<p>True blackness is rare. It cannot be found by closing shutters or +curtains in a room, even at night. Some light always penetrates man-made +rooms unless they are designed, as very few are, for total darkness. +Rick never had experienced it before, and it was frightening. He had to +take a firm grip on himself to keep from getting panicky.</p> + +<p>But if the underground caverns were completely without light, they were +not completely without sound. As Rick sat quietly he began to hear the +slow drip of water. It was the slow drip of centuries that had produced +the weird limestone formations of the caves.</p> + +<p>He began to talk quietly to himself, and the sound of his own voice was +better than listening to the slow dripping of water.</p> + +<p>"I can't stay here. The others wouldn't have any more chance of finding +me than I have of finding them. But if I leave here, I'm taking a +chance. I might go so deep into the caves that I'd never find my way out +again, or see any of the others again."</p> + +<p>He had visited some of the limestone caverns of Virginia, and he had +read of the New York and Kentucky caverns. He knew that even in America +there were endless series of caves that never had been fully explored. +This fabled Tibetan place might extend on forever.</p> + +<p>"On the other hand," he continued to himself, "if I keep moving, I might +stumble on the big cave under the Black Buddha again. It's less than a +fifty-fifty chance. A whole lot less. But it's a chance and I'd better +take it."</p> + +<p>He didn't let himself think of what would happen if he failed to find +his way back. He got to his feet and switched on his light again. By +contrast with the total darkness, the reflection of the beam on the +limestone walls was brilliant sunlight. He had to wait while his eyes +adjusted themselves to the light. Then he flashed the beam around. There +were passages going in every direction.</p> + +<p>"Which way do I go?" he asked himself.</p> + +<p>It was a tossup. He remembered an old trick and spat into the palm of +his hand. Then, with the forefinger of his other hand, he slapped the +spittle sharply. The biggest drop flew between two limestone +hour-glasses that formed one passage. He hitched up the camera case on +his shoulder, picked up his rifle, and started forward.</p> + +<p>The caverns were endless. Walking slowly, to conserve his strength, he +wandered through countless incredible rooms of gleaming stone. The +dripping water had formed all manner of things. He saw animals, ships, +mountain scenes, waterfalls, and cataracts, fairy grottoes, fish, +distant houses ... all carved of shining stone by millions upon +countless millions of water drops over centuries past number. He was so +completely enthralled by the unearthly beauty of the place that he even +forgot his predicament for a few moments.</p> + +<p>And then he noticed that his flashlight was growing so weak that it no +longer threw a clearly defined beam. It must have been getting weaker +for some time, he thought, but his eyes had adjusted themselves to the +failing light.</p> + +<p>He looked at his watch, wondering that the flashlight batteries had run +down so soon. The watch had run down, too, and had stopped. He couldn't +remember. Had he wound it before coming to the cave? He was chilled now. +It was cold and damp in the limestone passages. He shivered and pulled +up his collar.</p> + +<p>The panic rose up again. He didn't know how long he had been in the +cave. Had it been only a short while, or so many hours that his watch +had run down? He said to himself as calmly as he was able, "I'll have to +get where I'm going before the light fails altogether."</p> + +<p>He began to run.</p> + +<p>The illusion grew that he was trying to overtake the end of the +flashlight's beam. When he did catch up with it, that would be the end. +He had completely forgotten the infrared light on the camera, even +though the case banged against his side as he ran. He had been carrying +it for so long it had become a part of him.</p> + +<p>He dodged through passages, rounded turns, leaped over stalagmites. Once +he had to crawl on his hands and knees under water-smooth limestone, +pushing his rifle ahead of him.</p> + +<p>And all the time he was catching up to the end of the light. The radius +of illumination narrowed as the batteries failed, increasing the danger +of stumbling into a sudden crevice. Outside, the flashlight would have +been rejected long ago as a source of light. But far underground, with +no other light of any kind, it was still useful.</p> + +<p>Running more slowly now, at a stumbling dogtrot, he broke into a cave +larger than any he had seen since the first one, at the end of the +passage from the Black Buddha. The feeble light failed to reach the +opposite wall.</p> + +<p>Rick stopped, panting for breath. He knew he had to rest. He found a +natural seat next to a twisted pillar of limestone and sat down.</p> + +<p>The light slowly faded until there was only the dimmest of red tints to +the bulb, and then that vanished too, and he was again in total +darkness. As he watched the light fade, he remembered the infrared. Now +he got the glasses from the case and put them on. He took the camera out +and adjusted the handstrap so it could be carried like a satchel. But he +didn't turn on the light just yet. The battery had to be conserved at +all costs. Because....</p> + +<p>He swallowed hard. Because when the battery for the infrared light ran +down, there would be nothing but darkness. Darkness would mean feeling +his way through the limestone tangle, and he realized fully that he +would not get far before death claimed him in the form of a yawning +canyon in the limestone rock. He had passed many of them.</p> + +<p>He set his jaw. That was ten hours away, because the battery would last +that long. Ten hours was a long time if used wisely.</p> + +<p>He closed his eyes and leaned back, dead tired. He dozed off.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Rick was never sure what awakened him, because there was no noise. It +may have been the light on eyes made sensitive by ultimate blackness. +But could a single candle have that much effect?</p> + +<p>The candle was carried by a man. A Tibetan. The candle was in a tin +container, punched full of holes. That was to keep it from being blown +out in case of a draft, although there was little or no draft in the +caverns.</p> + +<p>When Rick opened his eyes the man was walking straight across the floor +of the big cave, noiseless as a cat in feet wrapped in quilted cloth. +The miracle was that Rick didn't cry out on seeing another human.</p> + +<p>He sat frozen, watching the man. Then, as the stranger reached the far +side of the cave, Rick came to life. If he lost this man, who obviously +knew his way around, he was finished! Working at top speed he untied his +shoelaces and slipped off his shoes. Then, in stocking feet, he padded +silently across the floor.</p> + +<p>The candle was his guide. He didn't need the infrared beam yet. He would +follow the candle, and if it led him right into the hands of the enemy, +that was better than perishing alone of hunger in the blackness of the +inner caves.</p> + +<p>As he went, wary of a backward look by his quarry, he put his rifle +under his arm and fumbled to tie a knot in his laces. It took time, +since he was carrying the camera in one hand now. When he finally +managed, he draped the shoes around his neck.</p> + +<p>A dozen times he had been on the verge of abandoning the rifle as +useless extra weight. Now he was glad he had held onto it.</p> + +<p>Ahead, the candlelight bobbed and turned as the Tibetan, unaware that he +was being followed, made his way through the caverns. Rick followed at a +safe distance, close enough to avoid being left behind by a sudden turn.</p> + +<p>There was a new feeling in the air suddenly, a feeling of space and of +wetness. Rick sniffed. There was an odor, too, like decaying leaves, +although much weaker. His hopes brightened. Was the Tibetan leading him +out of the caves?</p> + +<p>Then, so suddenly that he almost slipped from the edge, the path took +him to a narrow ledge above a body of water of some kind.</p> + +<p>The Tibetan was making his way along the ledge, candle held high in a +search for something. When Rick switched on the infrared light for a +moment, the incredible scene leaped to his eyes from the darkness. From +under his feet a lake stretched away, its farther shore beyond the +eight-hundred-yard range of the infrared light. He turned the light back +and forth, seeking the end of the amazing body of water. But there was +nothing except the shore on which he stood.</p> + +<p>The water was dead calm. Not a ripple disturbed the glassy surface. He +shot the invisible light straight down, and the water was so deep it +looked black.</p> + +<p>With a sudden start he realized he might lose the Tibetan candle bearer. +He hurried after him, using the infrared light because the candle was +too far away now to show him the path. With the glasses on, using the +infrared light was just like using a powerful searchlight.</p> + +<p>Far ahead, the candle stopped moving. Rick now proceeded more +cautiously, and he switched off the infrared light in case the Tibetan +should look back and possibly spy the glowing filament of the lamp.</p> + +<p>The man was stooping over something, the candle resting on the stone +next to him. Rick switched the light on, then off again. And he broke +into a silent run. During the second the light had been on he had seen +that the Tibetan was untying a boat!</p> + +<p>He had an instant to make a decision. He reached a spot a few feet +behind the preoccupied stranger, who was having trouble with the rope +knot, and put the infrared camera down on the stone. Then, gripping the +rifle firmly, he walked right up to the man.</p> + +<p>"Hands up," he growled.</p> + +<p>The Tibetan screamed.</p> + +<p>He whirled, eyes wide with astonished fright, and he didn't even see the +rifle. He swept an enormous knife from his belt and leaped!</p> + +<p>Rick stumbled backward, and as he did, he realized that he couldn't +shoot. He still needed the man for a guide. He swung the rifle, barrel +first.</p> + +<p>It was just as effective as it had been when he swung on Worthington Ko. +The barrel connected with an audible <i>thunk</i>. The Tibetan fell forward +on his face.</p> + +<p>Frightened out of his wits, Rick rolled him over, pulled aside the +sheepskin coat he wore and put his ear on the man's chest. Then he +sighed with relief. He hadn't swung too hard. For a moment he had feared +that the blow had killed the man. And that would have been almost as +effective as holding the rifle barrel to his own head, because he still +had no idea of where to go without the guide.</p> + +<p>He debated for a moment, then lifted the Tibetan, dragged him to the +boat and dumped him in. It was a flat-bottomed craft with blunt ends and +primitive oar-locks. The oars were poles with round disks of wood on the +ends.</p> + +<p>He collected the candle and the camera, placed them on a thwart, and +went to work on the rope. It was reeved through an iron ring that jutted +from the stone. The sight gave him heart. Where there was iron, men came +often. At least he was sure that held true in this case. But his victory +had spurred him on and he didn't want to sit quietly and wait. He wanted +to keep going.</p> + +<p>He untied the knot, blew out the candle, shipped the oars and pushed +off. Something was on the other side of this Lake of Darkness. He +couldn't imagine what, but he intended to find out!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<h3>Through a Pair of Dark Glasses</h3> + + +<p>Somewhere, perhaps, beyond the Lake of Darkness, was Long Shadow.</p> + +<p>Rick felt certain of it. The Tibetan who lay unconscious at his feet had +been going somewhere. He had walked steadily and purposefully, with some +definite destination in mind. What was more logical than to assume that +the Tibetan had been heading for the hidden plant where heavy water was +being produced?</p> + +<p>Once the plant was found, Long Shadow would be found there, also. Even +if he were not there at the moment, he would come. And when he did, Rick +intended to do something about it. He had no definite plans. He only +knew that somehow he would force Long Shadow to unlock the gate to the +outer world.</p> + +<p>His oars dipped rhythmically as he pulled out into the lake. The +infrared light was directed toward a jutting edge of limestone on the +shore he had just left. He was using the rock formation as a marker so +he could steer a straight course.</p> + +<p>He wondered about his friends. Were they lost, too? Or had they managed +to keep to the right trail by following the tiny drops of candle wax? +The odd tin candleholder explained why there wasn't more wax to follow. +The holder caught most, but not all of the drippings.</p> + +<p>The rocky shore of the underground lake receded rapidly. Rick stopped +rowing and turned, switching the infrared light toward the direction in +which he was heading. He could see the opposite shore now, but dimly. +Knowing that the infrared light was effective at eight hundred yards, he +estimated the lake to be about twelve hundred yards wide. That was over +three-fifths of a mile.</p> + +<p>When he shot the light up and down the lake, he saw nothing but the +black water. That meant the lake was more than sixteen hundred yards +long. He turned the light upward and surveyed the ceiling. It was +irregular, varying in height from a dozen feet to over two hundred. In +one place, the ceiling came down to within a few feet of the black +water.</p> + +<p>It was an eerie place. Rick's quick imagination turned him into the +mythical Charon, who ferried the dead across the River Styx into Hades. +He grinned mirthlessly. The limp figure of the Tibetan gave substance to +the picture.</p> + +<p>He bent over the man, reaching for his wrist. The pulse was weak but +steady. He had given the Tibetan a healthy belt. There was no sign of +returning consciousness. But Rick wasn't worried. If he had hurt the man +badly, the pulse would have been thready and unsteady. He would wake up +presently, and his head would feel like a pillow stuffed with rocks, but +otherwise he would be all right. Rick knew. He had been knocked out +himself a couple of times.</p> + +<p>He resumed rowing, and his steady strokes brought him closer to the +opposite shore. He turned to examine it and saw that a rocky ledge rose +gradually out of the water. In a short time he felt the boat grind +against the limestone.</p> + +<p>He got out and pulled the craft up on the shore, which was worn smooth +by the water. The ledge varied from ten to fifty feet in width. Beyond +it, the roof of the cavern came down sharply to form a curving wall +broken in countless places. He could see into the broken places nearest +him. They were the beginnings of more cave labyrinths.</p> + +<p>Now that he had reached the opposite shore, what was he to do? Again he +leaned over the Tibetan. The man showed no signs of returning +consciousness.</p> + +<p>Rick cast his invisible light up and down the shore. Nothing indicated +that humans ever had been there before him. He realized that the wisest +thing would be to wait until his guide returned to consciousness and +then force him to lead the way once more. But he was impatient. +Somewhere along the shore there must be signs he could follow.</p> + +<p>He pulled the boat up as high as he could, then used strips torn from +the Tibetan's own clothes to bind and gag him. That done, he picked up +the infrared camera and his rifle and stood a moment in indecision. +Which way?</p> + +<p>It was a tossup. Finally he decided to keep going in the general +direction the Tibetan had led him. He paused long enough to inspect his +rifle. After firing, he had failed to lever another cartridge into the +chamber. He did so now, then put the hammer on half cock so it couldn't +fire accidentally, and started off.</p> + +<p>It was easy going in most places. But now and then he came to a point +where the shore ledge narrowed and he had to crawl. Once he skirted an +outcropping by walking in the water, feeling his way carefully so he +wouldn't step off a ledge into the depths.</p> + +<p>After a while he began to think he hadn't been very smart. He was +getting exactly nowhere. As far ahead as the infrared beam could +penetrate, there was nothing but the curving shore. In some places the +lake narrowed to a channel less than a hundred feet wide, then it +broadened again until he could no longer see the opposite shore. He +couldn't guess how far he had walked from the boat. He thought it must +be at least a quarter mile.</p> + +<p>Presently he found a place where a limestone pillar made a comfortable +back rest and sat down. He switched off the infrared light, and +instantly all light was blotted out. It was startling, even more so than +when he had switched off the flashlight, because the infrared beam gave +the illusion of a sort of gray daylight.</p> + +<p>He sat quietly, waiting for some of the weariness to leave his legs, his +eyes closed. After a while he opened them again, more from habit than +with the intention of seeing anything. He couldn't see even the tip of +his nose it was so dark. Then suddenly he realized it wasn't as dark as +he had expected!</p> + +<p>There was a faint luminous quality that outlined the shore of the lake. +He studied the line of demarkation, then guessed that the faint +luminosity must come from microscopic plant or animal life that clung to +the rock underwater. Sea water had a phosphorescence sometimes for the +same reason.</p> + +<p>His eyes followed the faint line up the shore in the direction he had +been traveling. The silver phosphorescence turned a faint yellow. Almost +out of the range of his vision the yellow was picked up by the water, +like the dimmest moonlight.</p> + +<p>He studied it for long minutes, trying to figure out the reason for the +phenomenon, then he almost leaped out of his skin. The water was +reflecting the yellow light! It didn't come from the water the way the +luminous silver did!</p> + +<p>He got to his feet. Reflection meant man-made light!</p> + +<p>It was hard to follow the faint yellow light. When he switched on the +infrared, the light vanished completely. When the infrared was off, he +couldn't find his way.</p> + +<p>He compromised, going a hundred feet or so with the infrared on, then +turning it off and sitting quietly until his eyes adjusted themselves +and he could see the yellow glow once more. After he did this a few +times he could see that the light was growing slightly stronger.</p> + +<p>Then, as he progressed, he realized why he couldn't see the source of +the light. It was around a corner of the rock wall.</p> + +<p>After several minutes of alternate walking and waiting he reached the +corner. It dropped sharply into the water, and when he flashed the +infrared down, he saw that the water was black. No shelf here to walk +on. He debated for a moment. He could swim around, or he could try to +find another way. There were plenty of cave openings. One of them might +go through.</p> + +<p>He had been lost once, and he didn't intend to let that happen again. He +tore open the packet of emergency rations he had brought, searching for +something with which to lay a trail.</p> + +<p>Inside the waxed container were little cans of food and a packet of hard +crackers. The crackers would do.</p> + +<p>But looking at the food reminded him that he hadn't eaten in a long +time. He didn't know if it was hours, or days. He had lost all track of +time. He took the can key and unwound the narrow sealing strip on a +container of cheese. It tasted wonderful. He devoured every bit of it, +including the crumbs left in the can. Then he opened a can of meat and +ate that, too. He had been sipping at his canteen at various times, but +it was still more than half full. He detached the canteen cup and filled +it from the lake, tasting it cautiously. The water had a flat taste, +like boiled water, but it was all right. He drank deeply, then filled +the canteen.</p> + +<p>His hunger and thirst satisfied, he surveyed the various openings around +him, then chose the one nearest the corner he wished to get around. At +the very entrance, he placed the empty cheese tin. Inside the cave, he +turned to be sure it was clearly visible, then walked across to an +opening that seemed likely to lead him in the right direction. He placed +the second can at that opening and went into the passage formed by a +series of stalagmite columns. It was a dead end. He returned to the cave +where he had left the cans, picked up the empty meat can, and tried +another entry.</p> + +<p>He was completely calm now. He knew that humans, even though enemies, +were not far away. And he was quite sure that his friends were all +right. They would take steps to leave a trail so they would not get lost +as he had done.</p> + +<p>The second passage was better. He wound in and out through the limestone +formations, leaving a trail of broken cracker crumbs. Every now and then +he turned to see that the trail was plain. He grinned. Hadn't he read a +story when he was a kid about some children who had left a trail of +crumbs only to have the birds eat them?</p> + +<p>No danger of that here. No self-respecting bird would get near the +place.</p> + +<p>It wasn't long before he ran out of crumbs. Then he tore his +handkerchief into tiny bits and used that. When he reached the end of +the cloth scraps, he sat down to rest, turning off the infrared light +while he carefully shredded a big piece of his shirttail.</p> + +<p>As his eyes adjusted themselves to the darkness, he saw the yellow light +again, only stronger this time! Carefully, his heart beating excitedly, +he turned the infrared light in the direction of the yellow glow and +switched it on. Before him was a big opening in the limestone. He +surveyed the floor carefully and saw that there was nothing over which +to trip. He turned off the infrared light, and, leaving a trail of torn +cloth behind him, he crawled toward the source of the light.</p> + +<p>He came out on the shore of the lake once more. Before him stretched the +black water, the yellow light dancing across its surface. And the source +of the light was not from candles, but from torches!</p> + +<p>Across the water, perhaps a hundred yards away, a half dozen torches +burned, their light lost in the emptiness of the great lake cave. Near +the torches he could see figures moving and knew with sudden relief that +he had found the enemy camp.</p> + +<p>He turned on the infrared light, aiming it at the torches, and through +his special glasses he saw the scene light up.</p> + +<p>Where the torches blazed was a great shelf of rock, stretching back +several hundred feet to where the rock wall began once more. On the +shelf were a dozen men, sitting around a tiny cooking fire much paler +than the torches themselves. They were Tibetans, like the one he had +captured.</p> + +<p>He saw an odd structure at the water line and after a little study +realized that it was a barge of some kind, perhaps a floating pier. It +had odd derricklike wooden ladders on it. There were four of them, +perhaps three feet high. Beyond the barge he made out at least two +flat-bottomed boats.</p> + +<p>Further back, against the limestone wall, he could see tents or lean-tos +made of some kind of cloth. He couldn't see clearly, but thought the +cloth might be felt. This, then, was a permanent camp! The tents must be +there to offer some protection against the cold and dampness.</p> + +<p>He inspected the men again. They were all short. None of them could be +Long Shadow.</p> + +<p>"Now what?" Rick asked himself.</p> + +<p>It was certain that Long Shadow would come to the camp sooner or later. +It was almost as certain that Scotty, Zircon, and Chahda, if they +followed the trail of the wax candles carefully, would arrive sooner or +later at the boat landing to which the Tibetan had led him. Always +provided they hadn't been ambushed. He shivered at the thought. The cave +formations would make it easy for the enemy to lie in wait. Then, even +with their old-fashioned muskets and lack of shooting ability, they +could pick off the little party.</p> + +<p>But they wouldn't do it without cost! Scotty was deadly with a rifle. +Zircon was a better than average shot.</p> + +<p>Rick debated. It was no good to make his presence known. Far better to +lie in wait until Long Shadow came. Then, if he could take the camp by +surprise, his rifle would do the rest for him.</p> + +<p>But how to take it by surprise?</p> + +<p>He scanned the shore around the camp. In several places between him and +the camp shelf, the rock wall came right down to the lake's edge. Unless +he wanted to search for a way through the caves, he would have to swim. +Or use a boat.</p> + +<p>Beyond the last sheer place, the camp shelf started. Its edge curved and +twisted for a little distance. If he could get to the starting point, he +could keep undercover easily enough. Then, making his way along the +wall, he could probably escape being seen until he was almost at the +tents. With luck, a sudden dash would bring him right to the enemy +without being seen first.</p> + +<p>That was how he would do it. He would go back and get the boat, then lie +in wait in this very place until the time came. He withdrew from the +entrance, then paused suddenly. The men around the fire were getting to +their feet and walking toward the water. He watched as they peered into +the darkness in the direction he thought of as "down lake." One of them +ran to a torch, pulled it out of its holder, ran back to the water's +edge, and waved it.</p> + +<p>A signal! To whom?</p> + +<p>Two of the men were kneeling just beyond the barge, and a moment later +they proceeded to get into the two flat-bottomed boats he had seen. What +they had been doing was untying the boats. He watched as they rowed out +onto the black lake.</p> + +<p>They must be going after someone!</p> + +<p>Rick hurried back the way he had come, following the path of torn cloth, +then the broken cracker crumbs. He would have to hurry. The Tibetans +might have gone after Long Shadow!</p> + +<p>He retraced his steps at a pace that was half-walking, half-running. The +trail he had left showed clearly in the infrared light. In a few moments +he came out of the caves onto the lake shore once more, and he saw the +signal that had summoned the boats. A red light was now clearly visible. +He thought it was right at the point from which he had pushed off in the +Tibetan's boat.</p> + +<p>A sudden thought struck him. Wouldn't they miss the Tibetan and the +boat? He hurried faster. Now and then he stopped to listen, and he could +hear the sound of oars in the water.</p> + +<p>It didn't take long to reach his boat. When he leaned over the Tibetan, +frightened black eyes peered up at him. He tested the man's bonds. They +were tight enough to be effective, but not so tight they cut off his +circulation. He knew the gag was uncomfortable, but he didn't dare +remove it. As assurance that he meant no harm, he patted the man on the +shoulder. Some of the wild fright went out of the beady eyes.</p> + +<p>Working quietly, Rick pushed the boat out into the water. He wasn't +afraid of being seen. Candles or torches didn't cast enough light to +penetrate the blackness as the infrared beam did. But he might be heard. +He had to be as quiet as possible.</p> + +<p>He used only one oar, kneeling in the stern and paddling the +flat-bottomed craft like a canoe. The infrared camera, placed on the +seat with the beam directed ahead of him, gave him plenty of light to +see. Once in a while he turned the beam around. The two boats were +making good progress toward the red signal. The beam of the infrared +camera didn't penetrate far enough for him to see what or who was under +the red light.</p> + +<p>He rounded the corner that had blocked his way and paddled silently +along the rocky wall. The two boats were out of sight now.</p> + +<p>Rounding the corner gave him a clear view of the torches, but he knew +the men around them couldn't see him.</p> + +<p>The way was longer than he had thought. He paddled in and out of coves, +past grottoes in the rocky wall. Then, at last, he saw the little pile +of torn cloth he had left on the shore at the end of his cave trail. He +had put all the cloth not needed for marking trail in one place, not +because he had been foresighted, but because he hadn't needed it any +more. He was glad now of the accident that marked the right place, +otherwise he couldn't have identified it from the rest of the openings +in the wall.</p> + +<p>He pulled the boat up to it and anchored it by the rope to a convenient +stalagmite. Then he half-lifted, half-dragged the trussed Tibetan into +the cave and out of sight of the lake.</p> + +<p>Rick searched the water for some sign of the boats, and thought he heard +them coming. He went back to the Tibetan, took his canteen, unscrewed +the top, and placed it on the rock. Then, kneeling over his captive, he +took the man's throat in one hand. With the other he undid the rag that +held the gag in place. Pressure of his fingers warned the Tibetan he +would be strangled if he so much as squeaked. Then Rick pulled the torn +rags he had used as a gag from the man's mouth, lifted him to a sitting +position, and held the canteen to his lips with his free hand.</p> + +<p>The Tibetan drank greedily. Rick let him rest for a moment, then held +the canteen again. The man drank his fill, then nodded his thanks. Rick +quickly replaced the gag and bound it in place, then used another piece +of cloth torn from the man's clothing to lash one leg to a stalagmite. +He didn't want to risk having the man wriggle to the entrance at the +wrong time, and sound an alarm.</p> + +<p>Rick was exultant. High excitement was rising in him, because he thought +it was only a matter of time now before Long Shadow would come, even if +his enemy was not already in one of the boats that were making their way +back to the camp.</p> + +<p>He switched out the infrared light, placing the camera on the ground, +pointing toward the boat landing. Then he lay down on his stomach, rifle +thrust out in front of him and handy to his hand. He could wait. He +could wait days, if necessary. Because once Long Shadow came, he would +force him to show the way to the outside, and he would force him to +locate the others.</p> + +<p>If Long Shadow refused to co-operate ... Rick's lips tightened. Then at +least he wouldn't be lonesome in the Caves of Fear. His enemy would be +his company until the end.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<h3>The Hostages</h3> + + +<p>A faint splashing warned Rick that the boats were approaching. In a few +moments they were opposite his position. He swung the infrared light +around toward them and snapped it on.</p> + +<p>There were two men in the lead boat, one rowing and the other taking his +ease in the stern. Rick's heart leaped as he saw that the passenger was +of very slender build. Was it Long Shadow? He couldn't see his face +clearly. He looked at the second boat, and a sudden grin split his lips.</p> + +<p>Worthington Ko!</p> + +<p>The Chinese merchant was sitting at ease, and there was no mistaking his +portly figure. Besides, he twisted on the wooden seat, making himself +more comfortable, and for an instant his face was toward Rick.</p> + +<p>"Good," Rick muttered to himself. If the slender man wasn't Long Shadow, +at least he would have Ko to deal with. The Chinese with the glass eye +could, he knew, speak English, although it was probable that Long Shadow +could, too.</p> + +<p>He watched as the boats reached the barge. Ko and the slender man got +out. Rick studied the stranger, noting that he was taller than Ko, and +so thin that, compared with the portly merchant, he looked like an +animated bean pole.</p> + +<p>"He surely must be Long Shadow," Rick told himself. As soon as the +excitement of their arrival had died down among the Tibetans, he +intended to get into his boat and start toward the camp.</p> + +<p>Ko and the stranger talked together for a moment, then the latter +gestured toward the Tibetans. The Tibetans ran toward the tents while +the two newcomers waited.</p> + +<p>Rick watched the Tibetans, his brow furrowed. Surely they weren't going +to strike camp! He revised his plans hastily. If they did start to take +down the tents, he would dump his prisoner back in the boat. Then he +would follow wherever they went.</p> + +<p>The Tibetans vanished into the tents, and in a moment they came out +again.</p> + +<p>And they were leading Scotty, Zircon, and Chahda!</p> + +<p>Rick gasped.</p> + +<p>His friends had been in the camp all the time, prisoners! He groaned +softly. If he had only known, he might have gotten to them while the +boats were gone and the number of guards was temporarily reduced. He got +to his knees, determined to start for them right away. Then he paused as +his three friends were led before the two strangers. They were all +erect, their hands tied behind them.</p> + +<p>Anyway, prisoners or not, they were evidently none the worse for their +captivity. Again he started for the boat, and again he paused. What if +Long Shadow and Ko intended loading them in the boats? It might be wiser +to wait. He sank down to a sitting position, caressing the cold metal of +his rifle. The next few moments would tell the story.</p> + +<p>Worthington Ko stepped forward, confronting Zircon. The Chinese nodded +his head, then deliberately slapped the scientist across the face.</p> + +<p>Zircon couldn't strike back. But his legs were free. One massive leg +swung in a giant punt that caught the Chinese squarely in the stomach. +Worthington Ko flew backward like a rag doll and slid along the +limestone floor. Rick watched the tableau, spellbound.</p> + +<p>The Tibetans ran forward.</p> + +<p>Rick put the camera down, light pointing at the group across the way. +Then he raised his rifle and sighted in. He'd get some of them before +they could harm his friends. His finger tightened slowly on the trigger.</p> + +<p>And then the Tibetans fell back as Long Shadow barked an order.</p> + +<p>Worthington Ko got to his feet, bent over, both hands on his stomach. He +weaved a little. The breath had been knocked right out of him, Rick +thought.</p> + +<p>The Tibetans and Long Shadow watched as Ko straightened up, very slowly. +He ran his hands gingerly over his big stomach. Then, walking +unsteadily, he moved back to within a few feet of Zircon. He called out +something and one of the Tibetans ran forward.</p> + +<p>Rick's throat clogged as the torchlight reflected from a shiny blade. Ko +took the blade and swished it through the air. Then, drawing it back, he +stepped forward.</p> + +<p>The Chinese was squarely in Rick's sights. He squeezed the trigger and +the rifle recoiled against his shoulder. The shot thundered through the +echoing cave.</p> + +<p>Ko staggered. He dropped the blade, took a couple of hesitant steps +backward, and then sat down hard.</p> + +<p>There was sudden chaos in the camp across the way. The Tibetans ran back +and forth aimlessly like sheep. Long Shadow bellowed orders. Then he ran +to a torch, pulled it out of the socket, and heaved it into the water. +The Tibetans got the idea. The torches flashed through the air and then +hissed out in the water.</p> + +<p>Long Shadow felt his way toward the three Spindrifters, calling out +orders to the Tibetans. Rick suddenly realized that, of all in sight, +only he could see! Long Shadow and his men thought they were safe in the +darkness.</p> + +<p>He watched, rifle at his shoulder, as Long Shadow collected the +Tibetans. Then he realized that the enemy intended herding Scotty, +Zircon, and Chahda into the caves. Probably they were certain that in +the caves they would be safe from whoever had fired from the darkness.</p> + +<p>Ko was still sitting. He had one hand pressed to his side.</p> + +<p>The Tibetans were groping for their prisoners. Rick grinned. He aimed at +the stone under their feet and fired. There was a chorus of yells. He +levered another cartridge into the chamber and fired again.</p> + +<p>The Tibetans fled, charging blindly toward the cave openings beyond the +tents.</p> + +<p>Long Shadow kept yelling orders, groping around in the blackness, but +the Tibetans paid no attention. They reached the back wall of the cave. +Two of them went headlong into openings. Others crashed into the walls, +fell, crawled sideways, scrambling until they found the openings they so +frantically sought.</p> + +<p>Long Shadow's voice could be heard screaming in fury for his men to come +back.</p> + +<p>He couldn't see, as Rick could, that they were all now in the caves +behind their leader.</p> + +<p>Finally, giving up, Long Shadow started for safety himself.</p> + +<p>It would never do to allow the thin man to get away, Rick thought. He +wanted Long Shadow. He and his companions had questions to ask him, and +they needed him to get them out of the Caves of Fear. He sighted +carefully at the long legs that were feeling their way toward the back +wall. He fired.</p> + +<p>Long Shadow stumbled headlong, then he started to crawl. Rick stood up +and yelled. "Gang! Get Long Shadow!"</p> + +<p>His words echoed eerily through the cave.</p> + +<p>Zircon understood and bellowed. "Where is he?"</p> + +<p>Rick thought quickly. The three were still standing in a line. He +shouted orders.</p> + +<p>"Right face. Forward march!"</p> + +<p>Like a well-trained machine, his friends obeyed. They marched forward +steadily. But they were slightly off. He remembered the correct command.</p> + +<p>"Left oblique! March!"</p> + +<p>Scotty swung a quarter left, bumped into Zircon. Chahda stood still, not +understanding. Neither had Zircon comprehended the command. Rick yelled, +"Scotty! Turn right just a fraction."</p> + +<p>Scotty did so. "Now," Rick called. "He's about ten feet in front of +you."</p> + +<p>Scotty moved forward, feeling his way a step at a time. When he was +almost on Long Shadow, Rick yelled, "You're there!"</p> + +<p>Long Shadow turned over on his back and clawed in his pockets.</p> + +<p>"Watch out!" Rick screamed. "He's got a gun!"</p> + +<p>Scotty jumped, feet first. He missed Long Shadow by a fraction, landing +next to his chest.</p> + +<p>"Fall to the left!" Rick yelled.</p> + +<p>Scotty crashed down across the man, calling to Zircon and Chahda. Guided +by their friend's voice, the two reached his side quickly. Rick couldn't +hear what Scotty said, but the big scientist suddenly sat down, his back +to Long Shadow. A moment later he writhed away, and he had the pistol +between his bound hands.</p> + +<p>Rick sighed his relief. "Wait!" he yelled. "I'll be right there!"</p> + +<p>He didn't dare take his eyes off the scene long enough to pick up his +prisoner. Time enough for that later. He untied the boat and got in. He +knelt, placing the rifle on the seat in front of him next to the +infrared camera. Then, using the oar as a paddle once more, he started +straight across to the camp.</p> + +<p>It wasn't a far journey. But as he reached the halfway mark, two of the +Tibetans looked cautiously out of their hiding place. Rick put the oar +across the gunwales, picked up his rifle, and sighted carefully. +Fortunately, there wasn't so much as a ripple on the water. The boat was +perfectly steady.</p> + +<p>He squeezed the trigger, and the stalactite directly over their heads +shattered into a thousand pieces, showering them with limestone. They +didn't wait for a second shot. He could hear their yells even after they +had ducked back into the caves. They weren't used to sharpshooting in +total darkness.</p> + +<p>Rick smiled as he resumed paddling. He could understand how they felt. +He wasn't used to it, either.</p> + +<p>In a few moments he was at the barge. He tied the boat to one of the odd +derrick affairs and scrambled out. Then, picking up the camera and +rifle, he hurried to his friends.</p> + +<p>Scotty and Chahda were using Long Shadow as a bench. Zircon sat a little +distance apart, trying to peer toward Rick through the darkness.</p> + +<p>"Dark in here, isn't it?" Rick inquired pleasantly.</p> + +<p>"Rick! You old muttonhead!" Scotty exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Thank God you're safe," Zircon said.</p> + +<p>Chahda grinned the widest grin ever and said, "Also giving much thanks +that friend Rick has eyes like cat which see in dark!" The Hindu boy +didn't know about the infrared camera, unless the others had explained +it to him. There hadn't been time back at camp, and Rick hadn't thought +of it, anyway.</p> + +<p>In a moment the three were untied, rubbing circulation back into their +wrists.</p> + +<p>"Let's get a light!" Zircon said. "I think we had better see to the +wounded. I assume there are wounded? I know Ko was hit. And just as he +was about to carve my head from my shoulders, too."</p> + +<p>"He's sitting over there," Rick said.</p> + +<p>"Where's there?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>He kept forgetting that only he could see. "Where he dropped. Long +Shadow is hit, too. I don't know how badly."</p> + +<p>For the first time, they heard their enemy's voice. It was rather high, +but cultured and pleasant. "Not badly. Although I believe my ankle may +be broken. I have felt, and I don't believe I am bleeding much."</p> + +<p>Rick knelt quickly and put the infrared light on the wound. Long Shadow +was right. It hadn't bled much, and Zircon, looking the wound over after +borrowing the glasses, told him, "I doubt that the ankle is broken. The +wound is clean."</p> + +<p>"Stay where you are," Rick warned him. "We'll bandage you after we look +at Ko."</p> + +<p>"I have no intention of going anywhere," Long Shadow said. "Not when +some magic I don't understand permits you to see in complete darkness."</p> + +<p>Rick took the glasses from Zircon's hand. In the interval during which +the scientist was wearing them, he had understood how the others felt. +The darkness was absolute. He put the glasses on again and walked over +to Ko, talking so his friends could follow the sound of his voice.</p> + +<p>"Well, Mr. Ko," he said, "you got a little surprise, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>The Chinese with the glass eye groaned. "You have won," he complained +weakly. "Now have the kindness to let me go to my ancestors in peace."</p> + +<p>"Better let me take a look at him," Zircon said.</p> + +<p>Rick walked to the scientist's side and took one of his hands. Then he +took off the glasses and pressed them into the hand he was holding. That +done, he stood in the blackness and waited.</p> + +<p>"Lie flat," presently Zircon said.</p> + +<p>"Please go away," Ko groaned.</p> + +<p>"Lie flat," Zircon ordered.</p> + +<p>There was the sound of ripping cloth. Zircon grunted. "Hmmmm."</p> + +<p>Ko moaned. "I wish to go to my ancestors alone."</p> + +<p>"You're not going to your ancestors," Zircon replied scornfully. "I +doubt that they'd have you. In case you're interested, Rick's bullet +merely plowed a nice, round hole through some of the fat on your right +side. You haven't even lost enough blood to make the wound interesting."</p> + +<p>Ko's voice was suddenly animated. "Are you sure?"</p> + +<p>"Quite sure. No, don't try to get up. Stay where you are. If you try to +run I'll order our seeing-eye marksman to finish the job." Zircon +continued, "Rick, Scotty, Chahda. Stay where you are. I saw some torches +stacked in one of the tents. I'll get them and be right back."</p> + +<p>The three boys assured him that they wouldn't move. Rick, for one, had +no intention of prowling about in the blackness.</p> + +<p>While they waited, Scotty asked, "What happened to you, Rick?"</p> + +<p>Rick hesitated. He couldn't give an adequate account of what he had +experienced during the recent hours. Or was it weeks? He summed it up. +"After we got separated, I couldn't find you again. I wandered around. +Then I sat down in a big cave and fell asleep. When I woke, there was a +Tibetan with a candle. I followed him to a boat landing, slugged him, +and rowed across the lake. He's waiting, tied up, across the lake at the +spot from where I fired. How about you?"</p> + +<p>"We look for you," Chahda said. "We look a long time, and almost get +lost ourself."</p> + +<p>"Finally we decided we'd better push on and find Long Shadow," Scotty +continued. "We tracked the drippings from the candles for hours. It was +slow work. Then, while we were resting, we got jumped from behind. They +didn't even have to bother about lights, because one of our flashlights +was on, and it was getting so weak we couldn't see more than ten feet. +They came out of the darkness with a rush and there we were. They made +us walk to the boat landing, called the boats from here, and brought us +over. We've been sitting in one of those tents for hours. You know the +rest."</p> + +<p>How rapidly they could cover the tortured hours of travel in a few +words, Rick thought. But he said only, "I'm glad we're all together +again."</p> + +<p>"How you see in dark?" Chahda asked.</p> + +<p>Rick explained briefly. The Hindu boy chuckled. "Plenty mystery for one +who not know, you bet! I scared myself, like the men who ran."</p> + +<p>Then Zircon came back. He brought out matches and in a moment torches +were blazing again. They bandaged the two enemies as best they could, +using clean handkerchiefs which Chahda and Scotty carried. And Rick got +his first good look at Long Shadow's face.</p> + +<p>The man was incredibly thin. His skin was stretched over the bones of +his face like parchment, and it had a sallow ivory tinge even in the +ruddy torchlight. His eyes were black, with just the faintest hint of a +Mongoloid fold.</p> + +<p>"Are you a Eurasian?" Rick asked bluntly.</p> + +<p>"Yes." Long Shadow smiled. "I'm one quarter Burmese. The other +three-quarters doesn't matter."</p> + +<p>"You know our names," Rick said. "I'm sure you do. But we don't know +yours."</p> + +<p>Long Shadow laughed. "You could never pronounce my Burmese name and the +other name I use is of no importance."</p> + +<p>Zircon and the others had been listening. Now the scientist said, "We'll +have plenty of chance to talk, Rick. At the moment I'm concerned with +getting out of here. After a bit of exploration of course. It's almost +certain that the heavy water comes from here. Although I don't know the +source."</p> + +<p>Scotty motioned toward the Lake of Darkness. "Bradley said to bring a +Nansen bottle and a rubber boat. He must have known about this. Why +would he say to bring a Nansen bottle if not to take a sample from the +lake?"</p> + +<p>Zircon flashed a look at Long Shadow. The Eurasian smiled gently. +"That's a good question Mr. Scott asked," he told them. "But don't look +to me for the answer."</p> + +<p>"Search the tents," Zircon ordered. "Chahda, keep an eye on our two +friends."</p> + +<p>The three Americans walked to the felt tents and began searching through +them. Zircon used the infrared camera. Rick and Scotty took torches.</p> + +<p>Rick was feeling through a pile of furs when Zircon called, "Here are +the flashlights!"</p> + +<p>Zircon's had run down, but Scotty's, and Chahda's big lights were still +useful. They made the search much easier. Rick went back to the pile of +skins and found that they were plastic-lined water bags, similar to the +ones they had found on the way to Korse Lenken. Then, stacked in a +corner of the tent, he found some Nansen bottles!</p> + +<p>At the same moment, Scotty called from the next tent. "Look what I +found!"</p> + +<p>He had located the ammunition supply. There was powder and ball for the +old muskets the Tibetans used, two boxes of machine pistol cartridges, +and a small case of grenades!</p> + +<p>"Now we know where Ko got the one he tried to use on us," Rick said. +"But where did they come from in the first place?"</p> + +<p>"The war," Scotty guessed. "There must be tons of ammo and ordnance of +all kinds floating around China. What makes me wonder is why the +Tibetans don't have modern rifles."</p> + +<p>"I suspect the answer is their natural conservatism," Zircon suggested. +"They are slow to change. And such guns as they use are handed down from +father to son. I don't doubt that modern rifles were offered them and +that they refused."</p> + +<p>Rick knew something of the Oriental mind, although not much, and he +realized that Zircon was probably right. In a land of ancestor worship, +change was resisted.</p> + +<p>Scotty stuffed grenades in each pocket. "Just in case we get into a +fight on the way out," he explained.</p> + +<p>Rick was glad to leave the deadly things to his friend. Scotty knew +about grenades from his tour of duty in the Marines; he had thrown more +than a few himself.</p> + +<p>"Nansen bottles in the next tent, professor," Rick said. "There must be +something to this business of getting stuff out of the lake. But golly, +you don't get heavy water out of natural water, do you?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Zircon said. "There is only one precedent I can think +of. Have you ever heard of Lake Baikal?"</p> + +<p>Neither boy had.</p> + +<p>"It's a very large lake in Siberia, just above Mongolia," the scientist +told them. "It is also very deep. A few years ago, before the Iron +Curtain closed down, word came out of Russia that some scientists had +succeeded in getting heavy water samples out of Baikal. That is the only +precedent that I know.</p> + +<p>"It is true," he continued, "that heavy water has a tendency to sink. +Naturally enough, since it is heavier. But for enough to form on the +bottom of a body of water, there would have to be great depth and +complete calm. Any current would stir the water up and the heavy water +would merge with the normal once more."</p> + +<p>"In other words, you need a lake like this one," Rick concluded.</p> + +<p>"I must admit it fits the requirements," Zircon agreed. "And we've seen +no sign of an industrial plant. These caverns certainly would be no +place for one."</p> + +<p>"We can soon tell," Scotty suggested. "Let's take a sample. When we get +out, you can test it."</p> + +<p>"Quite right," Zircon said. "And let's be quick about it."</p> + +<p>It didn't take long to discover the reason for the odd little derricks +on the barge. Each was equipped with a pulley and a reel of wire. +Obviously, it was from here that the Nansen bottles were lowered.</p> + +<p>While Chahda and Scotty remained on shore, Zircon and Rick pushed the +barge out into the lake. Rick got a Nansen bottle ready.</p> + +<p>The bottle was made of metal, each end equipped with a spring cap. The +bottle was lowered on a wire with the ends open, permitting water to +flow through it freely. When it reached the desired depth, a metal +weight called a "messenger" was attached to the wire and dropped. The +weight of the messenger released devices that closed the caps, thus +trapping the water sample inside. A brass spigot on the side permitted +the sample to be taken out easily when the bottle was hauled up again.</p> + +<p>They had brought four bottles from Long Shadow's stores. The first one +was lowered to the very bottom, and it took a long time getting there. +The reel of wire with which the barge was equipped ran out and out until +a full seven hundred feet of it had disappeared into the dark depths of +the lake. Rick was glad the reel of wire had a geared handle. Pulling +that weight up would be no fun.</p> + +<p>Once the slackening of the wire told them that bottom had been reached, +Zircon put the messenger on the wire and let it go. Seconds later, a tug +on the wire told them it had struck and Rick reeled in.</p> + +<p>Other samples were taken at five, ten, and fifteen feet from the bottom. +Zircon marked the bottles, then they paddled back to shore.</p> + +<p>Long Shadow spoke up. "Of course you have testing equipment?"</p> + +<p>"At our camp near Korse Lenken," Zircon assured him.</p> + +<p>"You'll find what you expect," the Eurasian said.</p> + +<p>"Thank you. And now, we'll also thank you to lead us out of here."</p> + +<p>"No," Long Shadow said.</p> + +<p>"You're beaten," Zircon said reasonably. "Why not admit it and +co-operate? We've nothing against you even if there were law in Tibet. +See us to the outside and open the barred gate and you're at liberty to +go."</p> + +<p>Rick started to protest, then he realized Zircon was right. Law in this +part of the world was the law of the rifle. There was nothing they could +do to Long Shadow or Ko.</p> + +<p>Long Shadow considered. "I suppose you're right. My little business deal +is over, at least for the time being." He raised his voice and yelled in +Tibetan.</p> + +<p>The boys grabbed up their rifles as Tibetan heads showed from the caves, +black eyes blinking in fear.</p> + +<p>"They will carry me and Ko," Long Shadow said calmly. "Now let us be on +our way." He smiled. "I must admit I have a selfish interest in all this +worry about getting to the outside. This ankle is beginning to hurt, and +I won't mind having one of the lamas with medical skill take a look at +it."</p> + +<p>"How about letting a Hong Kong police doctor take a look at it?" Rick +asked. Long Shadow's cheerfulness was getting on his nerves. The man +acted more like a guest than a prisoner.</p> + +<p>"I don't think we need go that far," Long Shadow replied. "The lamas are +quite capable."</p> + +<p>"I wasn't concerned about your ankle," Rick corrected. "I was thinking +that the Hong Kong police might like to get their hands on the kind of +citizen who goes around shooting up hotels with a Schmeisser machine +pistol."</p> + +<p>Long Shadow stopped smiling abruptly. "You couldn't prove that," he said +swiftly.</p> + +<p>"Why not?" Scotty asked, "We'll let the police see if the slugs from +your machine pistol don't match those in the hotel wall. By the way, +where is the Schmeisser? I haven't seen it around."</p> + +<p>Long Shadow recovered his grin. "You'll never see it again. I took the +precaution of disposing of it, in case the police in the hotel area had +been alerted. Don't bother to ask me how I got rid of it."</p> + +<p>"We won't," Zircon replied. "Obviously, you wouldn't tell us. However, +perhaps you will tell us how long it will take to get out of here?"</p> + +<p>"About ten minutes."</p> + +<p>At their evident surprise, Long Shadow added, "I should have said once +we cross the lake it will take about ten minutes. You came a very long +way around, you see. I realize you followed the candle droppings, but +I'm afraid those were left some time ago, when I first explored the +cave. The first entrance you tried was the correct one, even though you +didn't suspect the presence of a door. When you took the open way, you +approached by a very twisting path."</p> + +<p>"Just to satisfy my curiosity," Scotty asked, "why did your men capture +us, then bundle us into the boats and bring us here? And where were you +all that time?"</p> + +<p>Long Shadow shrugged. "I knew your guide and bearers were outside, at +Korse Lenken, of course. My men have kept an eye on you. I also felt +they probably would start a search after you failed to return. It was +almost certain they would find the entrance to the caverns behind the +Black Buddha, and, like you, they would probably follow the candle +drippings. The drippings would lead them nowhere. Unless they found the +secret door, there would be no chance of them finding you here in our +permanent camp. Hence, I had you brought here. Ko and I were waiting in +the cave I use for an office. When we thought time enough had elapsed +for my orders to be carried out, we came here. Meanwhile, we took a nap. +Are you satisfied?"</p> + +<p>"You never intended that we should see daylight again," Rick stated. He +winked at his friends. "Suppose we tie a few stalactites to your feet, +and Ko's, and see how long it takes for you to get down to where the +heavy water is?" He looked meaningly at the lake.</p> + +<p>Ko groaned, but Long Shadow only smiled. "If that's the way you want +it," he said, "it will at least be quick. Both of us are done for, +whether you know it or not. Your Mr. Bradley will see to that."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>As Long Shadow had said, it was little more than ten minutes after +crossing the lake before the party reached the cave under the Black +Buddha. They had passed through the cave where Rick had found the +Tibetan. Again he realized how lucky he had been. Some good angel had +led him to the main route. Had he fallen asleep in some other cave, he +might still be wandering through the labyrinth.</p> + +<p>The rifles taken from Scotty and Zircon by Long Shadow's men had been +found in one of the tents. With Rick's rifle, they were insurance +against treachery. But Long Shadow seemed resigned, for some reason Rick +couldn't fathom, and Ko did nothing but curse the bearers who carried +him.</p> + +<p>Before reaching the great cave they stopped at a blank wall. At a signal +from Long Shadow, one of the Tibetans reached behind a stalagmite and +pulled a lever. A section of the wall swung open, disclosing the passage +they had thought stopped in a dead end.</p> + +<p>In a few moments they were crossing the outer cave, and Rick saw at once +that the bars across the entrance passage were gone.</p> + +<p>"When the inner door opens from the inside, the bars also open," Long +Shadow said. "There is another cave under this one where the mechanism +is located. No, I am not responsible. The ancient ones who made the +Black Buddha also made the doors and the mechanism."</p> + +<p>Rick ran ahead through the passage. He found the leather thong that +controlled the door and pulled. The metal tongue came out of its slot +permitting the counterbalance to swing the trap door upward. The others +were behind him with their lights, and Rick saw his shadow loom large on +the wall behind the Black Buddha. In the same way, the Long Shadow had +been projected upward, probably by the light from a candle in the hands +of a Tibetan bearer. He experimented, backing down a few steps. His +shadow seemed to fold downward into the oblong box of light cast by the +flashlights. When he walked up the stairs again, the shadow grew out of +the bottom of the projected oblong of light.</p> + +<p>As Rick reached floor level, he froze suddenly, his finger slipping the +hammer of his rifle to full cock. There were lights in the cave! As he +turned to call a warning, yellow-robed lamas, who had seen the reflected +light on the rear wall, poured around the statue with wild yells, their +torches held high.</p> + +<p>"Something's up," Rick called to the others. "Watch it!"</p> + +<p>Under the threat of Rick's rifle, then Scotty's and Zircon's, the lamas +fell back until the group stood alongside the Black Buddha, looking into +the cave. There were torches everywhere! And cooking fires. Rick's first +thought was that they had returned in the midst of a religious +celebration.</p> + +<p>And then he saw Sing. The Chinese guide ran to them, his face split by a +wide grin.</p> + +<p>"You came," he exclaimed happily. "We were about to tear the mountain +down, stone by stone! Where is the Indian boy?"</p> + +<p>Chahda came from behind the statue, herding the Tibetans who carried +Long Shadow, Ko, and the Nansen bottles. Sing turned and yelled.</p> + +<p>The lamas broke into cries of approval at the sight of Chahda. Several +of them ran to him and pressed his hand. He was a favorite, obviously.</p> + +<p>"They came to help when I told them the Indian boy was in danger," Sing +explained. "We were ready to start digging holes to find the caverns, +because we couldn't find the door." He eyed Long Shadow curiously and +grinned at the sight of Ko. "Should I get my frying pan again?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Might be a good idea," Rick said.</p> + +<p>"My boss not come yet?" Chahda asked.</p> + +<p>Sing clapped hands to his head in a gesture of self-annoyance. "I +forgot. A letter came. One of the consulate guards, a Chinese who knows +this part of the world, brought it from Chungking. It may be from Mr. +Bradley, because it came originally from Hong Kong."</p> + +<p>Zircon took the envelope while Rick, Scotty, and Chahda looked over his +shoulder. The envelope was marked for delivery from Hong Kong to +Chungking via diplomatic pouch. It was addressed to Zircon, with the +note, "Urgent. Forward by messenger." Bradley's initials were signed to +it.</p> + +<p>The scientist ripped the envelope open and, looking around to be sure +Long Shadow and Ko were out of earshot, he read:</p> + +<p>"'Have all the answers except the source. When you find it, destroy it +if possible. If you get Long Shadow or Worthington Ko, don't bother +bringing them back to Hong Kong, if they're still alive. Leave them at +Korse Lenken. Cable me from Chungking when you return.'"</p> + +<p>It was signed "Bradley."</p> + +<p>"I like his confidence in us," Zircon remarked. "Not 'if,' but 'when.'"</p> + +<p>"My boss does not know what it means to fail," Chahda said.</p> + +<p>"I can see one failure," Zircon remarked. "How does one destroy a body +of water?"</p> + +<p>Scotty's forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. "Couldn't we stir it up? The +heavy water is all at the bottom. If we could give it a stir, the heavy +stuff would mix with the rest."</p> + +<p>"But would maybe settle right back," Chahda objected.</p> + +<p>"Not for a few thousand years," Zircon said. "A good idea, Scotty. Do +you happen to have a spoon seven hundred feet long?"</p> + +<p>Scotty grinned. "Yes. Mr. Ko supplied one." He reached into his pocket +and pulled out a grenade. "These will do the best job of stirring that +black cup of tea that you've ever seen."</p> + +<p>"Capital!" Zircon exclaimed. "They'll do perfectly, Scotty." He looked +at the boys. "Who wants to go back?"</p> + +<p>Sing spoke up. "I will go, and some of the lamas should, too. The +monastery should know all about these caves, in case something like this +ever happens again." He spoke to the lamas in Tibetan. They consulted +briefly, then nodded assent. Five of them stepped forward.</p> + +<p>"And Scotty and I will go," Rick volunteered. "I want to see how this +spoon works." He looked at Long Shadow and Ko. "Maybe they ought to go +back and see the end of their racket, whatever it is."</p> + +<p>"No need," Zircon said. "They know it's the end, and Bradley does too. +Which is more than we know, I must say. But we'll find out from Bradley +very soon."</p> + +<p>Rick hefted his rifle. "Incidentally, there's one thing I want to do +before we go back."</p> + +<p>"And that is?"</p> + +<p>He grinned at the scientist. "I want to go hunting blue sheep."</p> + +<p>"Me, too," Scotty chimed in.</p> + +<p>Zircon chuckled. "Very well. One day for sheep before we hit the trail. +Since Bradley prohibits our taking revenge on the enemy, we'll take it +out on the local livestock. Now get going. And do a thorough job."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<h3>Canton Charlie's</h3> + + +<p>"You've come a long way, lads," Keaton-Yeats said. "From golden mice to +blue sheep and back to golden mice again. I must say, you should be +thoroughly familiar with the animal kingdom by now."</p> + +<p>"They very familiar with animal world," Chahda agreed. "Also, sometimes +become part of that world by making jackasses of their selves. Like when +shooting blue sheep."</p> + +<p>The boys had each bagged a blue sheep, but at considerable risk to life +and limb. In the process, they had gotten themselves marooned on a rock +ledge high above Korse Lenken, from which Sing, with the help of the +bearers, had managed to rescue them.</p> + +<p>"Never mind," Carl Bradley said. "They got their sheep, even if it +almost took their necks to do it. Those heads will make nice trophies by +the time the taxidermist is through with them."</p> + +<p>The heads were in a Hong Kong shop, being mounted. Bradley had promised +to ship them back to Spindrift by sea.</p> + +<p>Canton Charlie made his way through the empty tables, followed by a +Chinese who carried a tray laden with glasses.</p> + +<p>"More dragon's blood, meaning coke," Zircon said with a smile. "I +suggest we drink a toast to success and then get down to business. Carl, +you've kept us waiting long enough to hear your story."</p> + +<p>"It's the sort of tale that should be heard on a full stomach," the +ethnologist said. "That's why I've made you wait. Now that we've filled +up on Charlie's excellent chow, we'll talk. We have a little while +before the mob gathers."</p> + +<p>Bradley had insisted that all of them, including Keaton-Yeats, dine with +him at the Golden Mouse before swapping experiences and completing the +story of the heavy water. They had eaten real Cantonese food, each using +chopsticks, and they were full to the ears.</p> + +<p>Scotty grinned at Canton Charlie. "We owe you an apology," he said.</p> + +<p>The proprietor of the Golden Mouse shook his head. "The other way +around. Carl and Chahda told me you would come. If I'd kept a better +lookout while waiting for Carl to come after I sent him a message, that +Portuguese would never have had a chance to tip off Long Shadow, and the +Chinese who dropped the message would have been caught in the act."</p> + +<p>After talking it over, they had decided that the Portuguese seaman who +had been giving himself a manicure with a dagger probably had been the +one who tipped off Long Shadow about three Americans who had asked for +Chahda. Of course Long Shadow knew of Chahda's connection with Bradley +because of the incidents in Singapore.</p> + +<p>Canton Charlie grinned evilly. "That Portuguese won't do any more spyin' +for Long Shadow."</p> + +<p>His meaning was clear. Rick's eyes met Scotty's.</p> + +<p>"Pull up a chair, Charlie," Carl Bradley said. "We'll drink a toast in +coke to our former pals. Long Shadow and Worthington Ko."</p> + +<p>Zircon lifted his glass, then took a sip. "Long Shadow said he and Ko +were finished," he recalled. "And you said as much in your note, or +implied it. But I'm hanged if I know why they're finished. They were +healthy enough when we left them at Korse Lenken."</p> + +<p>Bradley smiled without mirth. "To understand their punishment, you must +understand what has happened. Suppose I start at the beginning?"</p> + +<p>"Best place," Chahda said. "Better start at Singapore, boss. Plenty I +don't know, too."</p> + +<p>"All right, Chahda. To begin with, I first heard about heavy water in +Singapore from an informant with whom I deal. I'm no physicist, of +course. I wouldn't know heavy water if I were served coffee made with +the stuff. But I saw the implications right away and I sent a cable to +Washington. You know about that because Steve Ames contacted Hartson +Brant, if I'm right."</p> + +<p>"You're right," Rick agreed.</p> + +<p>"At the time I knew nothing except that heavy water had appeared in +Singapore. I continued investigations at top speed. I managed to locate +the house which was headquarters for the heavy-water dealers, again with +the aid of an informant. At first I thought the stuff was coming +overland, down the Malay Peninsula. Then I learned it was being shipped +in by boat from Hong Kong."</p> + +<p>Customers were starting to come into the Golden Mouse. Bradley lowered +his voice so as not to be overheard. "At the same time, the dealers +spotted Chahda and me. It wasn't hard to do for an expert such as we +were up against. I walked into our hotel room and was jumped by +Worthington Ko and some Chinese thugs. We had it hot and heavy for a +while and some blood was shed." He grinned. "Not mine, I'm happy to say. +I managed to get clear and decided I'd better drop out of sight. So I +became a Eurasian seaman. It's a disguise I've used before, and it's +quite safe."</p> + +<p>Rick studied Bradley's face. He had a bone-deep tan, and his face, +although pleasant, had no really distinguishing features. It was easy to +see how he could become a Eurasian. Disguise, after all, was just +putting yourself into a part. It wasn't a matter of make-up.</p> + +<p>"I hurried to Hong Kong," Bradley went on, "sure that Chahda would piece +together the story enough to follow me. I stopped at Saigon on the way +and contacted our legation there. The minister had received the cable +sent to all missions in the Far East giving your names, descriptions, +and time of arrival in Hong Kong."</p> + +<p>"The timing must have been close," Scotty said.</p> + +<p>"It was. The legation had received the cable only hours before my +arrival. It probably was the day you left New York."</p> + +<p>"Also I think it was day I left Singapore," Chahda said.</p> + +<p>"I got to Hong Kong and contacted Charlie," Bradley continued. "Tell us +what you found out, Charlie."</p> + +<p>Charlie shrugged. "No trouble. I got in touch with a pal in the Chinese +Beggar's Guild. He checked up and found out that a lot of coolies +carrying goatskin water bags were crossing from China to Kowloon and +from Kowloon to the island. Of course a lot of that goes on, anyway. But +some of the coolies weren't selling their water. I got my hands on one +of the coolies and we sort of told him he ought to sing us a song about +where the water came from." Charlie grinned. "He sang all right. He +yodeled real good, about Korse Lenken. He also said Long Shadow had been +at the monastery."</p> + +<p>"Do you know Long Shadow?" Rick asked Bradley.</p> + +<p>"Yes. I'd never met him, but I knew him by reputation."</p> + +<p>Charlie stood up. "Got to take care of the customers. See you later."</p> + +<p>As he left, Bradley continued, "Next step was to get a line on the +source of the heavy water. We had the name of Korse Lenken, but that was +all. I assumed it was being produced industrially somewhere on the +Tibetan border. But that would take equipment, of course, so I put the +consulate commercial section to work finding out if Long Shadow had been +dabbling in industrial equipment. That's routine for a consulate. Well, +he hadn't. But what turned up but the fact that he had imported some +Nansen bottles."</p> + +<p>"I begin to see how it shaped up," Zircon said.</p> + +<p>"It wasn't difficult, really," Bradley admitted. "Just took plugging. At +that time, Chahda arrived from Singapore, bringing Long Shadow with him, +although he didn't know it."</p> + +<p>"Unhappy me," Chahda complained.</p> + +<p>Bradley smiled at the Hindu boy. "Don't be unhappy. Long Shadow is the +best in the business. Well, I told Chahda to go to Korse Lenken, then +dropped my disguise. As I had hoped, Long Shadow started following me, +dropping Chahda. Once Chahda was on his way, I ditched Long Shadow and +became the Eurasian once more. We had given Charlie instructions about +you. He got in touch with me the moment you showed up, but I was +delayed. Meanwhile, you had been spotted, probably when you asked for +Chahda. Long Shadow must have figured the odds were piling up. He'd lost +me, so he probably decided to keep the odds down by removing all of +you."</p> + +<p>He nodded at Keaton-Yeats. "Thanks to our young British friend, we found +you before you'd been knocked in the head. Then I took off after Long +Shadow, as you know. Somewhere between times I'd gotten the consul to +get a Nansen bottle, a rubber boat, and that other stuff for you. I +didn't know why you'd need the rubber boat, but I figured a Nansen +bottle meant water and you'd better be prepared."</p> + +<p>"If we hadn't been trapped in the caverns, we could have used the rubber +boat," Rick said. "But it was at camp with Sing when we needed it."</p> + +<p>"Fortunes of war," Bradley said. "Well, while you were sneaking around +through the caves, I kept busy. You probably know that the Far East is +the happiest spying ground in the world. There are so many spies they +have to spy on each other." He turned suddenly to Keaton-Yeats. "Isn't +that right, colleague?"</p> + +<p>The young Englishman's expression never changed. "And some are almighty +good," he said calmly. "Like Bradley. Soon as I knew he was on the case, +I reported to my superiors and we dropped the thing like a hot potato, +just to avoid being at cross-purposes. We knew that the Americans would +tip us off as soon as they had a definite answer."</p> + +<p>The boys stared at Keaton-Yeats. "But you're a bank clerk!" Rick +exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"He's also a British intelligence agent," Bradley said, grinning. +"That's why I insisted he come tonight. We've already informed the +British, through channels, that the heavy-water menace no longer exists. +Keaton-Yeats is here tonight to get the details."</p> + +<p>"You chaps would be simply amazed at how much valuable information one +picks up in a bank," Keaton-Yeats said. "Astounding. Although I must say +having lads ask for golden mice is a bit unusual."</p> + +<p>Scotty shook his head. "And you looked so innocent," he complained. "We +believed everything you said."</p> + +<p>The young Englishman grinned. "I am innocent," he replied. "No woolly +little lamb could be more so. And I did tell you the blessed truth, you +know, even though I didn't mention I had a bit of a job to do as well as +having an interest in your welfare. Our own chaps had discovered heavy +water was coming into Hong Kong, too, so naturally we were interested. +But since Bradley was already on the job, and we co-operate with you +Americans on matters atomic, we sat back and waited."</p> + +<p>"I'm astonished," Zircon admitted. "But get on with your story, Carl."</p> + +<p>"Right. As I said, spies spy on each other. I contacted a French agent I +know, and in the course of having lunch with him I casually asked how +much he had paid for the information about an atomic pile. I was just +fishing, of course. Well, he took the bait. He leaped at it like a +striking tuna. I knew I had something then. From there on, it wasn't +hard to uncover the whole business, just by making contact with the +espionage agents of various countries."</p> + +<p>The JANIG man wet his throat with another sip of coke. "And business is +just what it was. I can't say how long ago Long Shadow found out there +was heavy water in the Caves of Fear. I did find out that in his younger +days he was something of a scientist and that he explored the Korse +Lenken region thoroughly. That was shortly before the discovery of heavy +water in Lake Baikal. I think we can assume that he pieced the story +together and realized that the lake in the caverns had the same +possibilities. It would have been only a matter of scientific curiosity +then, but with recent developments in the atomic field, the +possibilities took on a new light."</p> + +<p>He paused as a Filipino brushed by, then resumed, lowering his voice so +only those at the table could hear. "He's a smart one. I've known about +him for a long time, as one of the best free-lance agents in the Far +East. He has a good reputation for accuracy, and he sells—or +sold—information to the highest bidder. He was riding on his reputation +in this deal, because as soon as the facts became known, as they had to +sooner or later, he was all washed up as a spy."</p> + +<p>"I don't get it," Rick complained.</p> + +<p>"I'll explain. He was selling a story to every country that was +interested. He would contact the embassy, consulate, or chief espionage +agent of, say, country X. He would report that country Y had a secret +atomic pile—nuclear reactor, that is—in the mountains of West China. +You can imagine the excitement. He would sell that information for a +reasonable price. Then, for a considerably higher price, he would +undertake to collect a sample of the deuterium they were using. Once he +collected the sample, which of course came from Korse Lenken, he would +contract to give them the location of the reactor for a very high price +indeed. He made the rounds country by country, changing his story as +needed. Of course he collected in advance for the location, which was to +be delivered later, after he had risked his life getting it. That was +the story he used—and some of the best agents in the Orient fell for +it."</p> + +<p>The daring ingenuity of the thing made Rick shake his head. "But they +were certain to catch up with him!"</p> + +<p>"Of course. He knew it. But he intended to stall in giving them the +final location until he had tapped every possible source. Then I believe +he intended handing them some phony location in West China, after which +he would disappear and live on the proceeds. He collected enough to make +him very wealthy. He hadn't reached us yet, but you can bet that if I +hadn't stumbled on the story, he would have made a sale to one of our +embassies or consulates."</p> + +<p>"Ours, too," Keaton-Yeats said. "He took advantage of all the interest +in atomic weapons. And of his reputation, of course."</p> + +<p>"What about Ko?" Scotty asked.</p> + +<p>"Ko had a side line," Bradley explained. "He was selling heavy water to +various institutions and schools all over Asia for normal experimental +purposes. He claimed to be importing it from England. That was why they +were bringing so much out."</p> + +<p>"That is also how we got interested," Keaton-Yeats said. "We got queries +about more heavy water at a lower price from one of the schools that had +bought Ko's product. Naturally, we knew no heavy water was coming from +England, so we got interested very quickly."</p> + +<p>"We sure dropped a monkey wrench in a gold mine," Rick said.</p> + +<p>"Evidently," Zircon agreed. "But you haven't explained why Long Shadow +and Ko are finished."</p> + +<p>Keaton-Yeats laughed grimly.</p> + +<p>Bradley stretched his legs out. "Easy. The story had already spread +about heavy water at Korse Lenken. Ronnie and I got the good word +circulating right after we received your cable from Chungking. By now +all the countries he sold his story to—and that is most countries—know +they've been done in the eye, as our British friend would say. Do you +know the penalty for a double cross in the espionage racket?"</p> + +<p>"A bullet, a knife, or a blunt instrument," Keaton-Yeats said. "It's as +certain as tomorrow's dawn."</p> + +<p>Bradley nodded. "Also, the lamas won't permit the two of them to remain +after their wounds are healed. They are evil men, and the lamas know it. +Sooner or later, they'll have to leave the mountains and enter +civilization. I know their type. They might survive if they wanted to +live alone in the mountains like two wolves. But they won't."</p> + +<p>Rick shuddered. He knew from experience what it was like to be hunted. +Ko and Long Shadow would be hunted by agents of a dozen countries or +more once they set foot in civilization. After that, it was only a +matter of time. The two couldn't escape for long.</p> + +<p>"Now," Bradley said, "let's have the details of your trip."</p> + +<p>A burly English seaman brushed past.</p> + +<p>"I'll be quick," Zircon said. "You know...."</p> + +<p>Bradley let out a yelp as the seaman stepped squarely on his foot. +"Watch out where you're going, you big ox!" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>The seaman stopped short. "Who you callin' a ruddy ox, you little +blighter?" He grabbed Bradley by the collar.</p> + +<p>The JANIG man's hands moved in a blur of speed. One struck the seaman's +hand away. The second caught him just above the solar plexus. The seaman +rocked backward, stumbled over a table occupied by three Portuguese, and +crashed to the floor, taking the table with him. One Portuguese clubbed +the seaman over the head with a bottle. The second threw a glass at +Bradley. The third picked up a chair.</p> + +<p>"Look out!" Scotty yelled. He flung his coke into the face of the chair +wielder, then jumped to grab the chair. The Portuguese, who had swung +the bottle, threw it at Scotty, missed, and knocked the glass out of the +hand of a Sikh seated at a near-by table. The Sikh rose with a battle +yell and leaped.</p> + +<p>Rick lost track after that. For a moment he stood amazed, then jumped to +help Chahda, who was being tackled from behind by one of the Portuguese. +Canton Charlie's was in an uproar. The fight had spread like fire in +dead leaves. Rick hadn't been aware of the place filling up, but it was +definitely full. Bottles and glasses flew.</p> + +<p>He ducked a wild swing with a chair, then as he stood up he brought the +table with him, dumping it over on three Chinese who were struggling +with Scotty. A fist caught him behind the ear. He kicked backward, then +whirled, his elbow catching a Filipino sailor in the chest. The Filipino +sprawled backward.</p> + +<p>A bottle whizzed past Rick's ear. He ducked, then rushed to Zircon. The +big scientist was holding a British seaman in each hand, busily knocking +their heads together. Scotty rose out of his path, swinging. A Eurasian +who had been about to swing with a bottle stopped short, swaying, as +Scotty's fist connected. The bottle dropped on Chahda, who was crawling +out from under a table.</p> + +<p>An American sailor rushed past, one arm catching Rick and sending him +sprawling. Rick swung wildly, and pulled his punch just in time to keep +from bashing Keaton-Yeats, who was busy with a swarthy man with gold +rings in his ears. The place was a madhouse. Bradley went headlong at +Rick's feet, jumped up again like a rubber ball, and plunged into the +fray. Rick saw with amazement that he was grinning from ear to ear.</p> + +<p>A Portuguese rose from nowhere and aimed a roundhouse swing at Rick's +head. He ducked, then put all his weight into an overhand chop, missed, +and fell against the Portuguese. The man threw him off and caught him +behind the ear with a short hook. Rick shook his head, dazed. Another +punch caught him on the cheek. He lost his temper then and flailed out. +One fist connected solidly. The Portuguese vanished, to be replaced by +someone else. Rick swung until his arms were leaden. Then, in the midst +of the turmoil, came a stentorian bellow.</p> + +<p>"Here! Listen!"</p> + +<p>He turned. Canton Charlie was standing on the bar, and a sawed-off +shotgun roamed impartially over the crowd. "The first man who pulls a +knife gets this!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>There was a roar from the mob, and the instant of silence dissolved into +a melee again. Rick turned back to see how his friends were doing and +saw a fist coming at him. He tried to bring his hands up, but he was too +slow. The fist got bigger and bigger and bigger and exploded into bright +lights. His knees buckled. He drifted off into peace and quiet.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<h3>Home Flight</h3> + + +<p>"The Golden Mouse," Keaton-Yeats said judiciously, "is rapidly becoming +a purple mouse." He tilted Rick's face to the light. "I also see other +colors. By the time you get home, a rainbow will be rather pale and dull +by comparison."</p> + +<p>"I got a mouse hung on me all right," Rick said. "And I didn't even see +who did it."</p> + +<p>"I did," Scotty volunteered. "It was a British seaman. Chahda polished +him off with a bottle before you even hit the floor."</p> + +<p>Zircon wrapped gauze around Bradley's knuckles. "For an ethnologist, +which is a peaceful profession, you are mighty quick to take offense," +he stated.</p> + +<p>"My boss is a sudden man," Chahda said from the bed where he lay with a +wet cloth on his head.</p> + +<p>They were in their room at the Peninsular Hotel. Rick had recovered +under the urging of a bucket of water in the hands of Canton Charlie. He +was still wet. He stripped off his shirt and grinned as he looked around +him. All of them bore souvenirs. His own probably was the most colorful, +consisting of a black eye that covered nearly half of his face. Scotty +had a welt across his forehead that would last several days. Bradley had +lost most of the skin off the knuckles of his right hand. Zircon moved +gingerly, favoring his bruised ribs. Chahda and Keaton-Yeats bore +painful egg-shaped lumps from swung bottles.</p> + +<p>"Happens at Charlie's every night," Bradley said. "Can't disappoint the +customers. Only a question of who starts it. Tonight I happened to be +the one. You get so you rather enjoy it after a while."</p> + +<p>"As a sport, it will never replace checkers," Scotty said. He winced as +his fingers explored the welt on his forehead.</p> + +<p>Rick chuckled. He could see what Bradley meant. As long as Canton +Charlie's shotgun ensured fair play, to the extent of no knives, it was +just a free-for-all such as might happen anywhere—at least where seamen +gathered.</p> + +<p>"It's like swimming in cold water," he said. "Getting in is tough, but +it's kind of fun once you've made the plunge."</p> + +<p>Bradley flexed his bandaged hand. "That's right. Now, it's getting late +and I still want to hear about your experiences. Hobart, want to pick up +where we left off?"</p> + +<p>They found seats on the beds and in the wicker chairs while the big +scientist told of their adventures in Korse Lenken, with assists from +the boys. When he had finished, Keaton-Yeats sighed. "I wish now I'd +gone with you," he said. "Nothing dull where you Americans go. While you +were barging around caves, I was making change at the bank. Very dull."</p> + +<p>"I guess that ties up all the loose ends," Bradley said. "And it makes +quite a package."</p> + +<p>"Even without a nuclear reactor or any potential atom bombs," Rick +added. "Anyway, we couldn't know until we investigated that there wasn't +some kind of atomic menace in the offing."</p> + +<p>"Right," Zircon agreed. "I must say, however, that I have a fine story +for one of the scientific journals. My analysis of the water samples +shows a layer almost a foot deep of nearly pure deuterium. It's an +amazing phenomenon which will require more of a theory than just the +heavy water settling. Settling wouldn't produce a fraction of the +amount. I'm taking the samples home for further analysis, along with +some samples of limestone from the caves. Who knows? This may produce a +scientific finding of some significance."</p> + +<p>"It may," Bradley agreed. "I hope it does, because then the trip will +have made some contribution to the sum total of our knowledge besides +contributing information to the JANIG files."</p> + +<p>"And the files of our office," Keaton-Yeats added.</p> + +<p>Rick looked at Chahda. "What now for you? Going to stay in the Far East +for a while?"</p> + +<p>The Hindu boy smiled. "Not so very long. I think now I go back to +Bombay, see my family for a while, then I will come to Spindrift."</p> + +<p>"Swell!" Scotty exclaimed. "We've missed you, half pint."</p> + +<p>Zircon and Rick echoed the sentiment.</p> + +<p>"No point in our staying on," the scientist said. "If we can get space, +we'll take off on tomorrow's flight." He smiled. "It will be good to get +back to our peaceful lab, eh, lads?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Scotty agreed.</p> + +<p>"Definitely," Rick said.</p> + +<p>And even as they spoke, halfway across the world hammer strokes +completed a structure that would mean anything but peace, a story to be +told in the next volume:</p> + +<h4>STAIRWAY TO DANGER</h4> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="The_Rick_Brant_Science-Adventure_Stories" id="The_Rick_Brant_Science-Adventure_Stories"></a><i>The</i> <span class="smcap">Rick Brant Science-Adventure</span> <i>Stories</i></h2> + +<h3>BY JOHN BLAINE</h3> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/ad.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Rocket's Shadow</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Lost City</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">Sea Gold</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">100 Fathoms Under</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Whispering Box Mystery</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Phantom Shark</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">Smugglers' Reef</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Caves of Fear</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">Stairway to Danger</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Golden Skull</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Wailing Octopus</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Electronic Mind Reader</span><br /></span> +<span class="i0"><span class="smcap">The Scarlet Lake Mystery</span><br /></span> +</div></div> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Caves of Fear, by John Blaine + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVES OF FEAR *** + +***** This file should be named 32269-h.htm or 32269-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/6/32269/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Caves of Fear + +Author: John Blaine + +Release Date: May 6, 2010 [EBook #32269] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVES OF FEAR *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the + U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. + + + + + + THE CAVES OF FEAR + + A RICK BRANT SCIENCE-ADVENTURE STORY + + BY JOHN BLAINE + + +GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS +NEW YORK, N.Y. + +COPYRIGHT, 1951, BY +GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC. + +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + + +_Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +[Illustration: At the base of the Black Buddha, a section of the floor +had swung upward.] + + + + +Contents + + + I CHANGES AT SPINDRIFT + + II THE CIPHER MESSAGE + + III HEAVY WATER + + IV PROJECT X + + V HONG KONG + + VI THE GOLDEN MOUSE + + VII THE JUNK WITH PURPLE SAILS + + VIII LONG SHADOW + + IX THE TRAIL TO KORSE LENKEN + + X THE AMBUSH AT LLHAN HUANG + + XI THE GOATSKIN WATER BAG + + XII THE BUDDHIST MONK + + XIII THE BLACK BUDDHA + + XIV THE CAVES OF FEAR + + XV THE LABYRINTH + + XVI THE LAKE OF DARKNESS + + XVII THROUGH A PAIR OF DARK GLASSES + + XVIII THE HOSTAGES + + XIX CANTON CHARLIE'S + + XX HOME FLIGHT + + + + +THE CAVES OF FEAR + + + + +CHAPTER I + +Changes at Spindrift + + +The sounds of hammer and saw had disturbed Spindrift Island for several +days, and Rick Brant was having a hard time getting used to it. The +noise didn't bother him. It was the idea behind the noise--the idea that +the close fellowship of the famous island was about to be intruded upon +by strangers. + +He sat in a comfortable chair on the front porch of the big Brant house +and stared morosely at the Atlantic. He was a tall, athletic boy with +brown hair and eyes and a face that was usually pleasant. + +"What's it going to be like with a mob of strangers galloping all over +the place?" he demanded. + +Don Scott grinned lazily from the depths of his armchair. He was a husky +youth, perhaps an inch taller than Rick, with black hair and dark eyes. +"Since when do five people make a mob?" he inquired. "Besides, I think +adding more scientists to the staff is a good thing. So does Dad." + +"I know it," Rick returned gloomily. "The others do, too. I'm a +downtrodden minority. No one sympathizes with me." + +Scotty shook his head sadly. "Poor old Rick. Seriously, I don't get it. +You should be cheering the loudest. Think of what it means, pal! More +fields of science to explore, including one I never heard of before. +Maybe more expeditions, of different kinds than the ones we've been on +up to now." + +"That's what I'm thinking about," Rick returned. + +"Then why the gloom?" + +"Because..." Rick stopped as the phone rang in the house. + +Scotty got to his feet quickly. "I'll get it. Mom and Dad are down +watching the builders." + +Rick smiled as Scotty went into the house. It pleased him to have Scotty +call Mr. and Mrs. Brant "Mom and Dad." It was a symbol of Scotty's +permanence in the family. No one had ever questioned Scotty's membership +in the Spindrift tribe since the day when the scrappy ex-Marine had +rescued Rick from a gang of thugs bent on destroying the Island +Foundation's moon rocket, and it was pleasant to think of Scotty as a +permanent brother. The two of them had been through some tight places +together and they were closer friends than brothers usually are. Like +Rick, Scotty was listed on the membership rolls of the Spindrift +Foundation as a junior technician. + +Hartson W. Brant was listed as president, but it was Rick's pride that +he and Scotty had earned places because of their own worth, and not +because of their relationship with the scientist. However, their +abilities were not the same. Because of Rick's interest in science, +particularly electronics, he had become expert in intricate wiring and +he was rapidly learning about the design of equipment. Scotty's talent +was in the mechanical field. He could repair machinery and he was a whiz +with engines. + +Thinking about work in the lab reminded Rick that he had an unfinished +project of his own on his workbench upstairs. He was half out of his +chair, determined to go upstairs and put the rest of the afternoon to +good use, when Scotty called. + +"Rick! Hurry up." + +He ran into the library and found Scotty holding the phone. "Here's a +funny one, Rick. The Whiteside telegraph office has a cable for you, but +they won't read it over the phone because it's all numbers. And it's +from Chahda." + +Chahda, the Hindu boy who had been like a member of the family since he +joined a Spindrift expedition in Bombay, was back home in India. He had +left the boys in New Caledonia after a recent adventure in order to +visit his family. + +"I'd better talk to them," Rick said. "Who's on the wire?" + +"Bill Martin." + +Rick took the phone. "Bill? This is Rick. What's up?" + +"Got a cable addressed to you," Bill answered. "I'd rather not try to +read it over the phone because it's all numbers. Can you or Scotty pick +it up?" + +"Where's it from?" Rick asked. + +"Singapore. And it's signed by your Indian friend." + +Singapore! What on earth was Chahda doing in Singapore? Rick couldn't +guess. "Bill, what kind of numbers are they?" + +"Groups. Seven figures in each group. If you ask me, it's some kind of +code." + +Rick thought quickly. "Barby's in Whiteside, Bill. She went over to a +movie right after lunch, and she should just about be getting out. You +can get her next door at the Sugar Shop, because she always stops in +there for a fudge sundae after the show. If she's already gone, phone +the boat landing. You ought to catch her one place or the other." + +"I'll try," Bill promised. "If I don't catch her, I'll call you back." + +"Thanks a million." Rick restored the phone to its cradle and looked at +Scotty. "What do you make of that?" + +Scotty shrugged. "It beats me. I didn't know Chahda was planning to +leave Bombay. If it comes to that, I didn't know he knew anything about +codes." + +"Neither did I," Rick agreed. "Remember he said something about a job in +his last letter? There was something secret about it he couldn't tell +us. Maybe that's why he's in Singapore." + +"Could be. Anyway, we won't know for sure until we get the cable and +decipher it. If we _can_ decipher it, that is." + +"We'll be able to," Rick said confidently. "He wouldn't send us one we +couldn't break." + +Scotty nodded. "I hope you're right. Well, let's go back and get lazy +again." + +"Not me." Rick started for the stairs. "I'm going to stop loafing and +get busy. The lenses for the camera arrived a week ago and I haven't +even looked at them." + +"I'll go with you. I got some questions about these new people maybe you +can answer." + +Upstairs in Rick's bedroom, Scotty sat down in the old leather armchair +while Rick opened up the doors that concealed his workbench. On the +bench was a camera with an odd-looking searchlight and telescope +attached. The searchlight gave off invisible infrared rays instead of +ordinary light, and the telescope was equipped with special lenses in +order to pick up the infrared. When the camera was loaded with special +film, it could take pictures in total darkness, provided the subject was +within range of the infrared light rays. + +The camera had played a major part in solving the mystery of _Smugglers' +Reef_. With the evidence collected from Rick's pictures, the police had +broken up a ring of gunrunners. But Rick still was not satisfied with +the camera. He was always striving to find the simplest way of doing a +thing. + +This time, he was planning to eliminate both the spring-driven dynamo +that powered the searchlight, and the infrared telescope. A new-type +battery in a small metal case already had been mounted under the camera, +far enough to one side so it wouldn't interfere with the tripod mount. +The battery would give ten hours of service, and it could be replaced in +a moment with a spare carried in the pocket. + +To take the place of the telescope, Rick had ordered lenses made of the +special glass that could "see" infrared. He intended to put the lenses +in ordinary sunglasses frames, restore the regular view finder to the +camera, and turn the telescope over to Scotty. By using the eyeglasses +with special lenses he could see whatever the infrared searchlight was +lighting up without the need of looking through the special telescope. +Using the glasses and searchlight on the camera together, he could see +perfectly in the darkness, and he could take movies, too, if he wanted +to. + +He went to work removing the telescope. + +"I've checked," Scotty said. "That 'scope will fit the mount on my rifle +with no changes." + +Scotty already had a telescopic sight on his rifle, and the telescope +from the infrared unit could be put in its place with a simple turn of a +screw. The infrared 'scope and light originally had been designed for a +rifle to be used by soldiers at night. Rick had simply adapted the unit +to his own needs. + +"We can get in some night skunk hunting," Scotty said. "You put the +infrared on 'em and take their pictures and I'll sight in through the +special 'scope and shoot 'em." + +Rick slipped the telescope out of its mount and handed it to Scotty. "If +there's one thing I don't need," he said, "it's a dead skunk. Couldn't +we hunt prairie moose instead?" + +"What's a prairie moose?" Scotty demanded. + +"A field mouse with horns." + +Scotty groaned. "All right, scientist. Let's get serious and see if you +can answer this one. We have an archeologist, a naturalist, and a +cyberneticist coming. I think I know what the first two are, but what in +the name of a blue baboon is a cyberneticist?" + +Rick put the camera view finder into place and began to adjust it. "A +specialist in cybernetics," he said. + +Scotty waved his arms. "Now I know!" he exclaimed triumphantly. "Any +idiot knows what cybernetics is. Or what they are. Ten cents apiece at +any hardware counter. No family should be without a handy-dandy +cybernetic!" + +Rick chuckled. "All right. Cybernetics is a combined study of machines +and the human nervous system. It's trying to figure out how machines and +humans are related. I don't know much about it myself, but I do know +this: the big electronic calculators that do problems in a few hours +that it would take humans hundreds of years to finish were the result of +cybernetics." + +"The big brains!" Scotty looked awed. "I've read about them. And to +think we're going to have that kind of expert here!" + +"With his wife and two kids," Rick added. "I wonder how Huggins will +like a crowd of kids trampling through his garden!" + +Scotty laughed outright. "Here we go again! Listen, Rick, start making +sense. How can twins less than a year old trample anyone's garden?" + +Rick didn't try to answer. He finished the adjustment on the camera and +put it back on the shelf, then started to work replacing the lenses in +an old pair of sunglasses with the special ones he had ordered. After a +moment, he asked, "Scotty, how would you like it if an expedition left +Spindrift and we weren't with it?" + +Scotty stared. "My sainted aunt! Is that's what's been bothering you?" + +Rick admitted it. He knew where he stood with the old gang, Hartson +Brant, Hobart Zircon, Julius Weiss, and John Gordon. He was far from +sure of how the new staff members would look on him and Scotty. He had +learned that some scientists had little patience with people who were +unfamiliar with their special fields, and he and Scotty were pretty +ignorant about the new sciences that would be represented. That was his +only reason for objecting when his father had decided to enlarge the +staff. + +"I can see it now," he said. "The Foundation will be planning an +expedition, maybe to be headed by this new naturalist, and we'll be on +the outside looking in. And why? Because Dr. Howard Shannon prefers not +to be bothered by a couple of kids who wouldn't know one bug from +another." + +"You're crossing bridges before you come to 'em," Scotty pointed out. +"For all you know, all three of these new scientists might be perfectly +swell gents, like Zircon, Weiss, and Gordon. Why borrow trouble in +advance?" + +"I suppose you're right," Rick had to agree. "But I still can't help +thinking about it." + +"Think all you like," Scotty said generously. "Me, I'm going to put my +little gray brain cells to work on Chahda's cable. Aren't you all fired +up with curiosity?" + +Rick started to say he was, but no reply was necessary because just then +he heard the sound of the motorboat engine for which his ears had been +attuned. He put down the sunglasses and ran for the door. Scotty had +heard the engine, too, and was halfway down the hall. + +It had to be Barby, Rick was sure. The other motorboat--the island had +two--was tied up at the pier, and they weren't expecting any visitors. +The builders had their own boat, a powered barge, anchored off Pirate's +Field. + +The boys ran out on the front porch and around the house, then down the +long flight of stairs that led to the cove where the motorboat landing +was located. + +It was Barby, sure enough, and she had the cable! She waved it wildly, +then gunned the boat around neatly so that it slid into the dock. Scotty +grabbed the bow line and made fast while Rick jumped for the stern line +and slipped it around a cleat on the landing. + +Barby cut the engine and jumped to the dock, a slim, pretty girl, her +face flushed with excitement. "It's from Chahda," she said breathlessly, +"and it's in code!" + +"We know," Scotty said. "Here, let's take a look at it." + +Barby handed it to him. He scanned it wordlessly, then handed it to +Rick. "Son, we'll be doing right well if we make any sense out of that!" + +"He wouldn't send us anything in a code we couldn't read," Rick +objected. "Let's see it. It can't be too hard." + +But in the next moment he changed his mind. His lips pursed in a low +whistle. This was the cable: + + RICK BRANT + SPINDRIFT ISLAND + NEW JERSEY, U.S.A. + + 5213039 6231581 1219456 2768612 2144644 9123299 + 3970731 6017747 1044914 3327116 6074193 4399693 + 0531612 1330552 3047171 3193986 8128912 7011716 + 0762878 3377335 3831075 5371011 3552684 3012963 + 3532456 8337373 9104476 1605588 2540551 2826677 + 9513148 3189710 4811223 5202998 5912492 3432174 + 3302710 7072010 1510108 4423007 3331954 7893623 + + L. CHAHDA + + + + +CHAPTER II + +The Cipher Message + + +Barby, Rick, and Scotty were in the library when Hartson Brant walked +in. They were reduced to the point of staring at each other helplessly +because of the magnitude of the task that confronted them. + +The famous scientist, who looked like an older version of his son, +greeted them with a smile. "What is this, a meeting of the Silent Three? +I can't ever remember finding you all together when one of you wasn't +talking." + +Rick handed him the cable. "What do you make of that, Dad?" + +Hartson Brant scanned it quickly. "From Chahda, in Singapore, and in +cipher. Am I supposed to gather that you don't have the key to the +cipher?" + +"That's right," Scotty said. He held up a heavy volume called +_Cryptography for the Student_. It was the only book on the subject in +the scientist's library. "We've been going through this, trying to find +some kind of clue. Honest, it's impossible." + +"There are so many codes and ciphers," Barby added. "Dozens. And it says +some of them can only be broken by days of work, by experts." + +"There's not an expert in the house, either," Rick concluded. "I didn't +think, when Bill called us up about it, that Chahda would use a code we +couldn't figure out, but I didn't expect a page like that." + +Hartson Brant read through the cable again. "How do you know you can't +figure it out? Perhaps a little reasoning will clear the air. Chahda +must have put a key in the message somewhere. How about this 'L' in +front of his name?" + +"That's right," Barby said excitedly. "That must mean something, because +his name is Chahda Sundararaman. There isn't an L in it anywhere." + +The scientist handed the cable back to Rick. "I'm about as curious as I +can get," he said, "but I refuse to think any more about it until you +hand me the clear version. I agree that Chahda wouldn't send a code you +couldn't solve, so my advice is put the code book away. You won't need +it, I'm sure. This isn't any code you'll find in there." + +He started out of the room, then paused at the door, his eyes twinkling. +"Will you have dinner at the table with us, or shall I ask mother to +break out some emergency rations so you can stay on the job?" + +"We'll eat with the family," Scotty replied. "We can keep on thinking +while we eat, can't we?" + +Rick watched his father wink at Barby, then walk toward the kitchen. +"Dad's right," he announced. "He must be. So let's put the book back and +start figuring this out. The answer probably is easy as pie once we find +the key." + +"How about starting with that odd letter?" Scotty asked. "That has to +mean something." + +"L is the twelfth letter in the alphabet," Barby offered. "Does that +mean anything?" + +Rick shook his head. "Not to me. But let's start from there, anyway. +Maybe the twelfth group of numbers has a clue." + +He counted rapidly across the number groups. "That group is 4399693. Now +what?" + +Scotty suggested, "Substitute letters for the numbers. That would make +it DCIIFIC. That doesn't mean anything." + +"Maybe you counted the wrong way," Barby said thoughtfully. "Count down +the columns instead of across." + +Rick did so. "That's 8337373. Substitute and it comes out ... let's +see ... HCCGCGC. Nothing there, either." + +Scotty had a pad of paper and a pencil and was making idle doodles. "I'm +trying to recall. When did Chahda learn anything about codes?" + +Rick thought for a moment. "He never did, that I know of," he said +finally. + +Barby stood up. "Well, I'm going to shower and change before dinner," +she announced. "But I'll keep thinking. I have an idea that talking +about it won't help much. If Dad and Rick are right about his using a +code we're sure to know, it must be staring us in the face and we're too +blind to see it." + +"Good idea," Rick agreed. "Let's break this up and each think about it. +If we each search our memories, maybe we'll come up with a clue." + +Barby went upstairs and Scotty retired to his favorite seat on the +porch. But Rick felt that he could think better on his feet. A glance at +his watch told him he had over an hour and a half before dinner. He +waved at Scotty and walked across the grass toward the gray stone +laboratory buildings. Professor Weiss was in his office working on some +mathematical theory he was developing. It was away over Rick's head. For +a moment he thought of posing the problem to the little professor, then +thought better of it and passed by the lab on the south side. He skirted +the woods and crossed Pirate's Field, so called because local legend +said the famed woman pirate, Anne Bonney, had once landed there with her +gang of cutthroats. He paused for a moment and studied the fused sand +left by the terrific heat when the first moon rocket was launched, but +the barren patch gave him no inspiration. + +Staying on the shore path, he walked slowly toward the back of the +island and presently came out at the tidal flats. The tide was out, +leaving the rocks exposed. He sat down at the edge of the low bluff +above the flats and stared into the patches of water. + +It was a hard job, trying to recall every detail of his friendship with +the little Hindu boy, but he tried. It had started in Bombay when Rick +and Scotty were on their way to Tibet with Weiss and Zircon to set up +the radar relay station for message transmission via the moon. When +their equipment was stolen, it was Chahda who took the lead in finding +it again. They had been amused by the beggar boy who had educated +himself with an old copy of _The World Almanac_. His ability to quote +anything from the "Alm-in-ack," as he called it, in English that was +sometimes pretty funny, was really astonishing. Then, at the Lost City, +he had more than proved his courage and loyalty, and the Spindrifters +had sponsored his visit to America as a reward. + +For a while Chahda had attended school in America, then he had gone to +the Pacific with the Spindrift expedition to Kwangara Island. After +salvaging the remains of an ancient temple from one hundred fathoms of +water--not to mention the treasure that was found--the Spindrifters had +returned home. But Chahda had elected to remain in Hawaii with Professor +Warren of the Pacific Ethnographic Society. Later, he had gone with the +Warren scientific expedition to the South Seas, and Barby, Rick, and +Scotty had joined the party in New Caledonia. After completing part of +the expedition's work, the trawler _Tarpon_ had returned to New +Caledonia where the young people had solved the mystery of _The Phantom +Shark_. When the three Spindrifters returned home, Chahda had taken air +passage to Bombay to see his family. + +"I can't remember all we talked about," Rick muttered to himself. "We +talked about everything and anything. Except codes. I can't remember +that we ever talked about codes." + +He got up, noticing that the crew of builders were in their barge, +returning to the mainland for the night. They were trucking materials to +a point on the shore near Spindrift, using an old wood road, then taking +the stuff the rest of the way by barge. + +It was getting on to dinnertime. He took the woods path back, passing by +the new cottages. They were nearing completion, the outsides already +finished. Beyond the cottages was the farm run by the Huggins family. +Mr. Huggins was just herding the island's milk cows into the barn for +milking. + +Rick kicked at a near-by tree. "Either I'm dumb or it isn't as simple as +we think it ought to be," he said aloud, then went on into the house. + + * * * * * + +Scotty and Barby had done no better. They gathered at the family table +with long faces and Barby placed the disturbing cable in the middle of +the table as a centerpiece. + +"If we look at it long enough, maybe we'll get inspiration," she said. + +Professor Julius Weiss, the only one of the three staff scientists who +was at home at the moment, picked up the cable and examined it. + +"A cipher, eh?" He adjusted his glasses. "It certainly looks +complicated." + +"Any ideas?" Rick asked hopefully. + +The little mathematician shook his head. "No, Rick. I could give you the +cube root of the square of the sum of the numbers, or anything like +that, but I'm afraid I wouldn't even know how to start breaking the +code." He added, "John probably could. He had some experience with codes +while in the Navy, I believe." + +John was Professor John Gordon. He was on an extended trip to New +Mexico, serving as a consultant to the Navy's guided missiles projects. +The third scientist, Professor Hobart Zircon, was giving a five-week +series of lectures in nuclear physics at Yale. + +"I'm afraid Professor Gordon is too far away to help us on this," Rick +said. + +Mrs. Brant came in, bringing a heavily laden dish of fresh corn on the +cob. Behind her trotted a shaggy little dog. + +Rick snapped his fingers. "Here, Diz." + +Dismal ran over and barked at his young master, then he rolled over on +his back and played dead, his only trick. Rick grinned. "Did you bring +him along as an adviser, Mom? I'll bet he'd be as good at solving this +as any of us." + +Mrs. Brant smiled. "From what your father told me, I think he might at +that. But why all the long faces? I think it's exciting getting a code +message from Chahda. Why, this is the first time we've had a code +problem on the island since the moon rocket." + +Mrs. Brant couldn't have caused a more sudden reaction had she tossed a +lighted firecracker into the middle of the roast. + +Barby knocked over her water glass. + +Scotty gasped, "Great grasshoppers! A book code!" + +Rick strangled on a sip of milk, and when he could get his breath again, +he ran around the table to his mother, kissed her soundly and lifted her +hand high in token of victory. "The new champ," he proclaimed. "Mom, +you're a genius!" + +"But, Rick, I didn't say anything except...." + +"You said just enough, dear," Hartson Brant replied. "We all had the +answer right in that second, because you gave us a clue. Do you remember +the code our former friend used when he was sending messages off the +island?" + +The "former friend" Hartson Brant referred to was a member of the staff +who had turned renegade and helped Manfred Wessel's gang in their +efforts to build a moon rocket, using the Spindrift design, in order to +win the Stoneridge Grant of two million dollars. The traitor scientist +had used code messages to keep the gang informed of new developments on +Spindrift while he had used the cloak of false friendship to slow up the +building of the Spindrift rocket. + +"He used a double code," Rick explained. "Part of it was a regular +cipher, but the first step was a book code." + +"I do remember!" Mrs. Brant exclaimed. "He used a copy of that book +Hartson's friend wrote. What was it? _Psychiatry Simplified._ The code +was numbers that gave the page of the book, and the position of the word +on the page, and unless you found the book, as Rick and Scotty did, you +couldn't break the code!" + +Barby jumped up in her excitement. "And I know what book Chahda was +using!" + +The rest of the group spoke as one. "_The World Almanac!_" + +Scotty ran for the library, Rick on his heels. + +"We told him about that code," Scotty said. "Now I remember when, too. +It was right after we got back from India, when we were showing him +around the lab." + +"I remember, too," Rick agreed. "We were telling him how the gang used +my plane, with me flying it, to smuggle their coded messages, and he +asked us about it because he had never heard of codes before!" + +They reached the shelf that held the _Almanac_ and stopped short. +Because of the year-to-year news summaries in the famous annual, Hartson +Brant had kept each edition as a reference source. There were over a +dozen of them on the shelf. + +"They're all different," Rick said. "The pages change each year. Which +one did he use?" + +Scotty's forehead furrowed. "Which one did he memorize? It was an old +one, but I can't remember the date." + +"Got it," Rick said. "Remember the letter L? The twelfth letter of the +alphabet. It must be the 1912 edition." + +Scotty surveyed the shelf. "Which we don't have," he said. + +Rick groaned. "No!" + +Hartson Brant called from the dining room. "Haven't you solved that +cipher yet?" + +The boys walked dejectedly back to join the others. Rick explained that +the right volume was missing. The Spindrift files just didn't go back +that far. + +"Sit down and eat your dinner," Hartson Brant said. He sliced roast for +them, his eyes thoughtful. "Something's wrong with your reasoning," he +said, as he filled Rick's plate. "Would Chahda have a 1912 edition with +him in Singapore? I doubt it. More likely he'd have a more recent one." + +"But the letter L has to mean something," Barby protested. + +"What could it mean but twelve?" Rick asked, and the answer struck him +before the words were out. He shouted, "I know! It could mean fifty! L +is the Roman numeral fifty." + +Barby clapped her hands. Scotty reached over and pounded Rick on the +back. + +"That's it," Hartson Brant said approvingly. "I'll make a wager on it. +Chahda used the 1950 edition." + +Rick pushed back his chair, but the scientist's voice stopped him. + +"Let's rest on our laurels, Rick. Finish dinner first, then we'll all +retire to the library and work it out." + +Because they were burning with impatience, the three younger members of +the Spindrift family did not enjoy the meal, but they made a pretense of +eating. Then, an eternity later, Hartson Brant took the last sip of his +coffee and grinned at Rick. "Shall we get to it?" + +"Shall we!" Barby led the way, holding the cable high. + +The first part was easy. Since most pages in the _Almanac_ had three +numbers, they assumed that the first three numbers in each code group +referred to the page. Similarly, they assumed that the second two +numbers referred to the line. That left two numbers for the position of +the word on the line. + +With nervous fingers Rick turned to Page 521 of the 1950 edition and +counted down 30 lines. He hesitated over the subtitles, then decided to +count them too. At the proper line, he looked up at Scotty and Barby who +were watching over his shoulder. + +"But there are two columns." + +"Don't worry about the columns," Scotty advised. "I don't think Chahda +would pay any attention to the columns, because it would mean extra +numbers in each group. Count right across and don't pay any attention to +the dividing line." + +Rick did so. "It doesn't come out right," he complained. "The number is +39, but there are only 17 words on the whole line." + +Barby sighed. "Maybe we're wrong all the way around." + +"I don't think so," Hartson Brant said. He was sitting in a comfortable +chair, smoking an after-dinner pipe. "The logic of the thing appeals to +me. Do you suppose Chahda would know about nulls?" + +"What's a null?" Scotty asked. + +"In cryptography it's a number, or letter, thrown in for the sake of +appearance, or to confuse." + +"Chahda might know," Rick said. "That brown head of his is crammed full +of more odd chunks of information than you could imagine. But if there's +a null in this, which figure is it?" + +"Try it both ways," Barby urged. "Here, I'll do it." She counted across +the line. "The third word is 'seventeen.'" She wrote it down. "The ninth +word is 'come.'" + +"Could be either," Scotty mused. "But 'come' sounds more likely. Let's +try the next group." + +That was 6231581. Rick turned to Page 623 and counted down 15 lines, +including the title. However, he didn't count the page heading. The +heading was on the same line as the page number. Both were above a line +drawn across the top of the page, and it seemed sensible to start below +the line. + +"There aren't 81 words on the lines," he said. "So that means another +null, maybe. The first word is 'both' and the eighth word is 'may.'" + +Barby wrote them down. "It all makes sense," she pointed out. "It could +be, 'Seventeen may,' or 'come both.'" + +"Keep going," Scotty urged. "Try another one." + +The third group gave them a choice of "Cheyenne," which seemed unlikely, +or "bad." + +"He couldn't be talking about Cheyenne," Rick said. "The word must be +'bad.' That means the first figure of the pair is the null, because it's +the second figure that stands for 'bad.'" + +"Sounds reasonable," Scotty agreed. "Keep plugging." + +So far, the probable words were: _Come both bad._ + +Page 276 in the fourth group turned out to be a table of atomic weights. +Line 86 was the element tantalum. If the first figure of the last pair +was assumed to be a null, the word was the symbol for tantalum: "Ta." + +Rick stared at it. "Something's wrong. This doesn't make sense." + +Barby asked impatiently, "How do we know?" + +Rick yielded and moved to the next group. It gave the word "rubles." +"That's Russian money," he said. + +The trio looked at it in bewilderment, then Scotty suddenly let out a +yell of laughter. "I've got it! Can't you see? 'Ta' and 'rubles' go +together! 'Tarubles.' Troubles!" + +Then they were all howling with joy. Leave it to Chahda to dream up +something like that, Rick thought. So far, the message made sense. _Come +both, bad troubles._ + +He turned the pages and counted feverishly. The sixth group gave "am," +the seventh "in." + +The eighth group gave the message an ominous tone. + +_Come both. Bad troubles. Am in danger._ + +The scientists and Mrs. Brant were looking over Rick's shoulder now, +too. + +The ninth group stopped them for a moment because the pair of figures +standing for the word was 14. If the figure 1 was a null, the word was +"the." But there were more than 14 words in the line, and the 14th was +"my." + +Rick looked at the faces around him. "I think it's 'my' because he must +have had a reason for using nulls. If I were making up the code, I'd use +them because sometimes there are enough words in a line so you need two +figures and sometimes not. But you always have to put down two figures +so the groups will be even." + +"Good thinking," Rick's father complimented him. "Go ahead on that +basis. But hurry up. The suspense is awful." + +There was a chorus of agreements. + +The next word was "boss." + +"He was working, then," Scotty guessed. "That must be it, if he has a +boss." + +Rick hurried to the next group. It produced "Carl." Page 439, the 96th +line, gave "Bradley." Then the boss's name was Carl Bradley. + +Hartson Brant gave a muffled exclamation. Scotty turned quickly. "Do you +know that name, Dad?" + +"Yes. But let's get the rest of the message. Quickly, Rick." + +The words appeared in rapid succession, with a pause now and then to +solve a new difficulty. Once, the lines across the columns were not even +and a ruler had to be laid across to find the word. Again, a null +appeared as the first number in the page group. Chahda had used it +because the page was 51 and he needed a third figure to round out the +group. That was easy to spot because the group read 951 and the book had +only 912 pages. + +In the last series of groups Rick came across another double word like +"tarubles." This time, "be" and "ware" combined to make "beware." Then, +the very last word stopped them for a moment. It was "umbra." + +"What's that?" Scotty asked. + +"The shadow cast by the moon during an eclipse of the sun," Julius Weiss +answered. "Or part of it, rather. There are two shadows. The umbra and +the penumbra." + +Barby ran for a dictionary and leafed through the pages quickly. "I have +it," she said. "Listen. It's from the Latin for 'shadow,' and it means +'a shade or shadow.'" + +"Shadow it is," Rick said, and wrote it down. Then, slowly, he read the +full message to the serious group around him. + + COME BOTH. BAD TROUBLES. AM IN DANGER. MY BOSS, CARL BRADLEY, + DISAPPEARED. GOVERNMENT WILL ASK SCIENTIFIC FATHER DO SPECIAL WORK. + MUST TAKE. GET JOBS, MEET ME HONG KONG GOLDEN MOUSE. WATCH CHINESE + WITH GLASS EYE, HE DANGEROUS. AND BEWARE LONG SHADOW. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +Heavy Water + + +Hartson Brant walked swiftly to the telephone and picked it up. + +"What's the matter, Dad?" Rick asked quickly. The scientist had a +strange look on his face. + +"Give me the telegraph office," Hartson Brant said. He put his hand over +the mouthpiece. "I'll tell you in a moment. I want to get a wire off +immediately." He spoke into the phone again. "Western Union? This is +Spindrift, Brant speaking. I want to send a straight telegram. Yes. To +Steven Ames." + +Rick gasped. Steve Ames was the young intelligence officer of JANIG, the +secret Army-Navy group charged with protecting the security of American +government secrets. The Spindrift group of scientists had worked with +Steve in solving _The Whispering Box Mystery_. + +Scotty's fingers bit into Rick's arm. + +Hartson Brant gave the address. "Here's the message. 'Have reconsidered +your request basis of new information just received here. Urge you come +or phone at once.' That's it. Sign it 'Brant, Spindrift.' Yes. Charge to +this number." + +He waited until the telegraph office had read back the message, then +hung up and turned to the waiting group. + +"Three days ago I had a phone call from Steve Ames. He asked if I could +undertake a special job for the government that would require me to go +overseas at once for an indefinite time. I was forced to decline because +obviously I can't leave now with these staff changes about to take +place." + +The scientist knocked the ashes out of his pipe, his face thoughtful. + +"Steve wouldn't take no for an answer. He insisted that the job was of +the utmost importance, and he added that it concerned an old college +chum of mine." He paused. "His name is Carl Bradley." + +Rick's eyes met Scotty's. + +"He said it was an urgent job, but that he would give me a few days to +think it over, to see if I couldn't rearrange my affairs in some way. I +assured him it was no use, that I couldn't possibly leave, but he said +to take until Saturday to consider it. That's tomorrow." + +Rick whistled. "Some timing." + +"It's a lot more than mere coincidence," Hartson Brant said. "But I +don't know any more about it than what I've told you." + +"Who is Carl Bradley?" Weiss asked. + +"I'm surprised you haven't heard of him, Julius. He has a considerable +reputation as an ethnologist. He and Paul Warren and I were in school +together. We lost track of him for a while, then he wrote from China. He +had spent several years inland, living with the Chinese, as one of them. +He produced some immensely valuable studies. Those, and his rather +remarkable ability to speak and act like a Chinese earned him the +nickname of 'Chinese Bradley.' He had lived most of his life since +school in one part of Asia or another. But I'm sure I can't guess what +his connection is with this special job of Steve's, or how he happened +to become Chahda's boss." + +"Or why he's missing," Barby added. + +The cable had created a mystery that demanded a solution, but no amount +of discussion answered the questions it raised. Finally, Mrs. Brant +broke up the debate by pointedly remarking on the lateness of the hour. +Reluctantly, the family started for bed. + +As Rick undressed, he continued the discussion through the door +connecting his room and Scotty's. "Chahda's pretty sure we'll hurry to +Hong Kong." + +"Is he wrong?" Scotty demanded. + +"I don't know," Rick said. "It depends on a lot of things. We can't go +unless we get jobs, and Steve evidently didn't say anything to Dad about +the rest of the staff, including us." + +"Dad hasn't even said he'll go," Scotty reminded. + +"Doesn't saying he has reconsidered mean that he'll go?" + +"Could be. Or maybe it just means he's willing to talk some more about +it. We should have pinned him down." + +"We will," Rick said. "In the morning." + +He lay awake for long hours, staring into the darkness and trying to +piece together Chahda's references to a golden mouse, a Chinese with a +glass eye, and a long shadow. It was no use. But there was no mistaking +the urgency of his friend's plea. + +Where was Chahda now? At a guess, somewhere between Singapore and Hong +Kong. But whether by land or sea or air, Rick couldn't imagine. Nor +could he even venture a wild guess at what kind of danger Chahda faced. + +After a long time he fell asleep, but it was fitful sleep broken by +frequent awakenings. + +In the morning, the discussion resumed over breakfast, bringing forth +wild speculations from Barby. Rick had to grin at her flights of fancy. + +"One thing seems sure," Scotty offered. "Chahda was in a big hurry." + +"What makes you think so?" Mrs. Brant asked. "Barby! Please stop feeding +Dismal at the table." + +Dismal turned beseeching eyes to Rick in a plea for moral support, but +his young master was listening to Scotty. + +"The words he used. Like putting together an atomic symbol and Russian +money to make 'troubles,' and using 'umbra' instead of shadow. I'm sure +in a big book like _The World Almanac_ troubles and shadows are +mentioned somewhere. But he didn't have time to search. He took the +first possibilities that came along." + +Rick nodded approval. "That figures. But why didn't he have time?" + +Scotty shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe better." + +Julius Weiss, who had tired of the discussion and started to the lab, +ran back into the house. "There's a plane heading this way," he +announced. "I'm sure it's coming here, because it's down pretty low." + +The conversation ended abruptly. Rick and Scotty were first out on the +lawn. The engine noise of the plane was loud. + +Rick saw it first, a sleek, four-place cabin job, circling wide out over +the water, losing altitude. In a few moments it banked sharply behind +the lab building, straightened out, and cut the gun. Rick was running +toward the end of the grass strip even before the plane settled smoothly +to the ground. + +"Steve Ames," he said to himself. "I'll bet it is." The JANIG officer +had wasted no time! + +Sure enough, Steve was the first out of the plane. Rick saw that he was +the only passenger. The pilot got out then, and Rick recognized him as +one of the JANIG operatives who had chased the Whispering Box gang +across Washington. + +Steve and Rick shook hands, grinning at each other, then Rick greeted +Mike, the pilot. + +"Didn't think we'd be needing Spindrift again so soon," Steve said. He +walked to meet the others and shook hands all around. "Let's get busy," +he said to Hartson Brant. + +Rick, Scotty, and Barby followed the two into the library. Mrs. Brant +took the pilot into the dining room for coffee while Professor Weiss +excused himself and went on to the laboratory. His apparent lack of +interest would have amazed anyone who didn't know him, but Rick knew +that when Julius Weiss was wrapped up in one of his theoretical math +problems, nothing else on earth could find room in his mind. + +Steve looked at the scientist. "What caused you to reconsider?" + +"This." Hartson Brant handed him the translation of Chahda's cable, then +the original. "We broke the code last night. It was a book code, using +_The World Almanac_. Chahda knew we'd be able to puzzle it out." + +Steve scanned the number groups briefly. "Clever," he commented. He read +through the clear copy twice, and his jaw tightened. "This explains +something that has puzzled me." + +"A good thing," Rick said. "Because all we got was the puzzlement. No +explanations." + +Steve tapped the cable thoughtfully. "I hate to ask you to tackle this +job, but you must have some ideas about it or you wouldn't have sent +that wire." + +Hartson Brant nodded. "I explained my situation to you on the phone when +you called a few days ago. The situation hasn't changed, but I must +admit this cable from Chahda puts a new light on the matter. That boy is +a member of the family." + +"Then you'll go?" + +"I don't want to, quite frankly. I will if there is no alternative. I +lost a lot of sleep last night making that decision. But first, I want +to propose that some member of my staff go in my stead." + +Steve walked to the desk and perched on its edge. "Which one?" + +"You know them all. You also know their specialties. Which of them would +fit your requirements best?" + +"Zircon. He's a nuclear physicist." + +Rick held his breath. Steve was continuing: + +"Chahda urges Rick and Scotty to get jobs, too. I hadn't considered +that, but it's not a bad idea." + +Rick closed his eyes and let out his breath in a sigh of relief. Scotty +nudged him. + +Hartson Brant asked, "Then you will consider Zircon as my substitute? +Always on condition that he will go, of course." + +Steve nodded. "I'd prefer you, but I'll take Zircon, if I can make a +condition of my own, and that is that you'll fly to the Far East on a +moment's notice if he and the boys can't handle it." + +Rick looked at his father anxiously. Hartson Brant had not given his +permission for them to make a trip, but evidently it was all right. The +scientist nodded. + +"I'll agree to that." He went to the telephone and picked up the +instrument. "Operator, I want to place a long-distance call." + +Steve winked at the boys. Then, as Hartson Brant placed the call to +Zircon in New Haven, Connecticut, the JANIG man said, "Going to be a +couple of tourists at government expense, huh? Pretty soft." + +"Maybe," Rick said, grinning. "That cable doesn't sound like anything +soft." + +Steve got serious. "You two proved yourselves in Washington, so far as +I'm concerned. You can make yourselves useful, and you'll provide a good +cover for Zircon." + +"What kind of cover?" Barby asked. + +Steve smiled at her. "Women can't keep secrets, I'm told." + +"I can," Barby retorted swiftly. + +Steve held up his hand for silence. Hartson Brant had Zircon on the +line. The scientist outlined Steve's proposal in a few words, and gave +Zircon the contents of Chahda's cable. Then he listened to Zircon while +Rick fidgeted anxiously. Finally, Hartson Brant said, "All right, +Hobart. Tell your people up there that I'll take your lectures. We'll +see you later today." He hung up and nodded at Steve. + +"Hobart had lectures scheduled for next week, but I can take them for +him. He'll be down this afternoon, and, he says, he'll be ready to leave +in the morning if necessary." + +"Good!" Steve nodded at Barby. "Even if you can't go on the trip, you +can make yourself useful. Want to place a call to Washington for me?" + +"Yes," Barby said eagerly. "Where to?" + +Steve gave her the number. Then, while she was placing the call, he +said, "Now, I'll tell you what I know." + +Rick's heart beat faster. Now he would learn what was behind Chahda's +cable! + +"The day before I phoned here," Steve began, "my office received a +message from Carl Bradley. It was a top secret message sent to us via +the American consulate general's channels from Singapore. I'd better +explain first that Carl is a JANIG man. His knowledge of that part of +the world has made him invaluable, and he works for us secretly while +doing his routine work as an ethnologist. That is top secret information +that must never be repeated outside this room." + +"You can depend on us," Hartson Brant assured him. + +"I know it. To go on. His job is gathering information about persons who +show too much interest in operations within our embassies and +consulates. However, the cable we got from him wasn't quite in that +line." + +Steve paused to see how Barby was getting along. She was trying to +listen to him and the operator at the same time. + +"This cable," Steve continued, "said he had accidentally made a +discovery of something potentially dangerous to America. He asked for a +competent nuclear physicist, and he named you, Hartson, to be sent to +Singapore at once to check on his finding, and to locate, if possible, +the source of the stuff he had discovered. We haven't heard from him +since. From Chahda's cable, it's evident something has happened to him. +And on the basis of the cable, I think we'll send Zircon and you boys to +Hong Kong first." + +Scotty put into words the question that was in Rick's mind. "What was it +that he discovered?" + +Steve's lips tightened, then he said: "_Heavy water!_" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +Project X + + +"Heavy water!" Hartson Brant exclaimed softly. + +Rick and Scotty looked at each other blankly. + +And at that moment, Barby completed the connection and called to Steve. +He strode to the phone and picked it up. "Who's this? All right. Steve +Ames here. Take down these names. Hobart Zircon. Richard Brant. Donald +Scott. You'll find full data on them in the files. Prepare travel orders +and get tickets for all three to Hong Kong via the first plane leaving +New York after 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night. Arrange for a letter of credit +in the usual amount on the National City Bank of Washington, and have +the bank make arrangements with all their Far East branches. Put all +three on the pay roll at the same grades they held before. Get passports +for them with visitor's visas for the Philippines, Hong Kong, +Indo-China, Indonesia, Siam, and China. We don't know where they'll end +up. Then put all that stuff in an envelope and get it to me here at +Spindrift by special messenger ... wait, never mind that. I'll send Mike +back right away, and he can bring it to me. Now read those instructions +back." + +Steve listened for a moment. "Right. Get going. What? Oh, charge the +whole thing to a new case file. Mark it Project X." + +He disconnected and turned to the group. "Now," he said grimly, "let's +talk turkey." + +He nodded at Rick and Scotty. "Zircon said he could leave in the +morning, if necessary. That's rushing you a little too much. So I've +given you until tomorrow night." + +Rick grinned. Once things started to move with Steve Ames, they moved +strictly jet-propelled. + +"What are we supposed to do?" Scotty asked. + +"Find Bradley. If you can. But don't spend too much time searching. +Getting all the dope--and I mean _all_--on that heavy water is the +reason for your going out there. If you find Bradley, he can help. Maybe +Chahda can help, too. But never forget for a minute that tracking down +that heavy water is your mission." + +"If we don't find Bradley, we won't know how to get started," Rick +pointed out. + +Steve grunted. "No? If I believed that, I'd have gone somewhere else for +help. I came here because I knew Spindrift could give me ingenuity as +well as scientific knowledge. And you hadn't better let me down!" + +"We won't let you down," Scotty assured him. + +Barby chimed in indignantly, "Of course they won't." + +Steve smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not afraid of their falling down on the +job. But it's a big one. I'll tell Zircon this when he comes, but you +can be thinking it over in the meantime. You're to find out who is +bringing heavy water to the Asia coast and what they're doing with it. +You're to find out where it comes from, and why it is being made. You're +to get samples and send them back here. And most important of all, +you're to locate and pinpoint for us any industrial plants you find." + +Scotty scratched his head. "Fine. Only let's get back to the beginning. +What is heavy water? And why are you so excited about it?" + +"I don't know, either," Barby added. + +Hartson Brant looked at his son. "You do, don't you, Rick?" + +"I know what it is, but I don't know why it's so important to Steve," +Rick said. He had read a great deal about heavy water in studying +elementary physics. It had many uses in physics experiments. + +"Let's see how much you know," Steve directed. "Sound off." + +Rick searched his memory, trying to marshal all the facts he knew. +"Well," he began, "ordinary water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen. In +every water molecule there are two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. +The important part, for what we're talking about, are the hydrogen +atoms. Hydrogen is the lightest element, and it has the simplest atom. +There's just one proton and one electron." + +He looked at his father, waiting for a nod to tell him he was on the +right track. When the scientist nodded approval, he went on. + +"That kind of hydrogen atom has a mass of one, as the scientists say. +But there are other kinds of hydrogen atoms, and they are pretty rare, +called isotopes. An isotope is just a different variety of the ordinary +kind of atom in each element. The thing that makes it different is a +change in the nucleus. Well, hydrogen has two isotopes. One kind, which +has a mass of two, is found in nature. It is called deuterium. Its +nucleus is called a deuteron. Another kind, which can be made in a +nuclear reactor, is called tritium. A little of it is found naturally +but not enough to count for much." + +He took a deep breath. "I hope I know what I'm talking about." + +"You're doing fine," Hartson Brant said. "Go on." + +"All right. Well, heavy water is made of one atom of oxygen plus two +atoms of deuterium, which is the first isotope of hydrogen. In +chemistry, there's no difference in the way heavy water acts. You can +even drink it. In fact, people do drink it every day, because in +ordinary water there is some heavy water. I forget the exact figures, +but I think that, by weight, there are five thousand parts of ordinary +hydrogen in water and only one part of deuterium." + +"That's right." Steve Ames nodded. "Five thousand to one. Now tell us +what is peculiar about all isotopes?" + +Rick thought furiously and came up with what he hoped was the answer. "I +think it's that isotopes aren't as stable as the basic elements. Some +are pretty stable, but some are pretty shaky. That's why some of the +isotopes of uranium can be split wide open in a chain reaction to make +an atomic bomb, and ..." + +A chill ran through him. His mouth opened. He knew! He knew why heavy +water had Steve Ames all excited. He choked: + +"Hydrogen bombs!" + +Scotty and Barby gasped. Steve Ames and Hartson Brant smiled. + +"It's true that one of the possibilities in building a hydrogen bomb +concerns deuterium," the scientist said. "But I scarcely think that's +the case here. How about it, Steve?" + +"Possible, but extremely improbable," Steve agreed. "What I'm most +interested in is a use for heavy water Rick hasn't mentioned. Know what +a nuclear reactor is, Rick?" + +Rick nodded. "It's what the newspapers usually call an 'atomic pile.' We +have quite a few in this country, I think. The Atomic Energy Commission +said quite a while ago that they used a nuclear reactor with uranium as +a fuel to make plutonium, which is the artificial element that can be +used in atomic bombs. Besides uranium itself, that is." + +"That's right. What I'm interested in is the fact that heavy water can +be used as a neutron moderator in a reactor." + +Rick looked blank. Steve was talking way over his head. Hartson Brant +saw his son's bewilderment and explained: "You've probably heard that +the uranium in a reactor is encased in blocks of graphite, which is +simply carbon, Rick. It prevents the neutrons from the uranium from +simply running wild. Well, heavy water can be used for the same +purpose." + +"Exactly," Steve said. "So you see, I'm not afraid of the possibility of +hydrogen bombs as much as I am of the possibility that somewhere in Asia +is a nuclear reactor. Until we get international agreement on atomic +weapons, we simply have to keep track of atomic developments everywhere +for our own protection. If there's a new country going in for atomic +research, and it can build a reactor, it might also be able to build an +atomic bomb. Now, don't forget I said heavy water is a legitimate +industrial product. We certainly can't object to a nation's +manufacturing it. We wouldn't want to. But when it turns up in an odd +corner of the world, I think we'd better find out why. If it's a +peaceful reason, we'll mark it down and then forget it. If not, we'll +make a report to the United Nations." + +"Why not report it right now?" Barby asked. + +"Good question. The answer is, we're not sure. Remember Carl Bradley was +unsure enough to ask for help. If we got up before the UN and started +hollering and it turned out to be plain water, we'd look pretty +foolish." + +"I don't even know how we'd begin," Scotty muttered. "How do you start +on a job like this?" + +"You'll start by being innocent tourists," Steve said. "You and Rick are +students on a holiday, with Zircon, your uncle, as guide and tutor. +You'll be interested in a number of things, including hunting. That will +give you a good excuse for barging around the country if you have to. +But you won't be able to decide what you want to hunt." Steve grinned. +"You'll decide after you find out where you have to go. And you'd better +learn about Asiatic game animals. For instance, if the trail takes you +to Indonesia, you may want to hunt the hairy Sumatran rhinoceros. In the +Philippines, you'll hunt timarau, which are a special breed of wild +water buffalo. In China, around the coast, you can hunt tigers. In +Malaya, if the trail does take you down to Singapore, you can hunt +tapir. Same for Siam. In Indo-China you can hunt tigers. Inland in +China, toward the Tibetan border, you'd better be hunting bharals." + +"That's a wonderful name," Barby said quickly. "What are they?" + +"Another name for them is blue sheep," Steve told her. "They're +bluish-gray, shading to white in the under parts. The horns are unusual, +because they curve outward from the sides of the head, then down and +backward." + +Hartson Brant paused in the act of filling his pipe and asked curiously, +"How do you know so much about Asiatic animals, Steve?" + +Steve laughed. "Because I used the same gag once myself." He started for +the door. "Talk it over, and think up any questions you can. I won't +promise to know the answers, but I'll try. I've got to get Mike started +back to Washington to pick up that stuff." + +When he had gone, Barby looked enviously at the two boys. "In my next +reincarnation," she announced, "I'm going to be a boy. I don't see why I +couldn't go, too. A girl would make the group look even less suspicious, +wouldn't it?" She scanned the three faces eagerly, then sighed. "All +right. I knew it wasn't any use." + +"Never mind, towhead," Rick said. He always hated to see Barby's wistful +expression when he and Scotty were going somewhere. "Maybe next time." + +"Not if next time is another job like this," Hartson Brant disagreed. He +studied his pipe stem, his forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. "I'm not +quite sure why I didn't object to Rick and Scotty going." + +Rick demanded swiftly, "You're not going to object, are you, Dad?" + +"No, Rick. If we hadn't been on other expeditions and in some tough +spots together, I surely would. But I know you two are able to take care +of yourselves. And so is Zircon. Only keep in mind that you may be +dealing with an entirely new breed of cats, unscrupulous men who +wouldn't hesitate to put you out of the way without a moment's +hesitation. So be careful. Be very careful. Don't take risks that aren't +essential to your job. And do what Zircon tells you to without +hesitation. He's knocked around in some pretty rough corners of the +world, and I don't know a man who is better equipped for this kind of +job, unless it's Carl Bradley." + +The warning sobered Rick even more. Apart from what his father had said, +he knew it was also what the information could mean to the security of +the country that had prevented the scientist from making a single +objection to their going. + +"We'll take no risks we don't have to," he promised. "We'll move as if +we were walking on eggs, Dad." + +And Scotty echoed the promise. + + * * * * * + +Nothing remained but to wait for Zircon and make definite plans. Steve, +who had risen early in order to get to Spindrift first thing, walked out +to the orchard with Dismal for company and stretched out under a tree +for a nap. + +Rick and Scotty couldn't possibly have napped, so they went up to Rick's +room and began to pack. That took little time, since they would travel +by air. Scotty took his rifle out of its protective case and cleaned it, +then tried on the infrared telescope. He removed from the 'scope the +masking bits of cardboard Rick had used to convert it to a camera view +finder, thus making it a telescopic rifle sight once more. It fitted +perfectly. + +"You taking the movie camera along?" he asked. + +Rick thought it over. "Guess I will," he said finally. "Tourists are +supposed to have cameras. I'll take the movie instead of the speed +graphic. And I can take along infrared film as well as regular color +film. If anyone asks, I can say I want movies of the animals you and +Zircon shoot. Then all three of us won't have to take guns." + +"Better finish putting the lenses into those sunglasses frames then," +Scotty said. + +"I'll do it right now. It won't take long." A thought struck Rick. "What +will Zircon do for a rifle?" + +"He'll have to borrow one, and an ordinary one won't do, either. If +we're supposed to be hunting big game, he'll need one bigger than +my .303." Scotty frowned thoughtfully. "How about Captain Douglas? He +used to be quite a hunter. You've seen the African trophies in his +office at the barracks." + +Captain Douglas was commanding officer of the Whiteside State Police +Barracks, and a good friend of the boys. He and his officers had +co-operated with them in rounding up the Smugglers' Reef gang. + +"Give him a phone call while I finish putting these lenses in," Rick +suggested. + +"Good idea." Scotty went to phone. + +More and more Rick was realizing the magnitude of the job they had +undertaken. He hoped fervently that Chahda would know something useful +in case they failed to locate Bradley. + +In a moment Scotty stuck his head in the door. "I've got the captain on +the phone," he said. "He's got a .45-90 we can borrow, and, bless his +heart, he didn't ask where we were going. When can we pick it up?" + +Rick thought it over. "I'll have to fly to the airport and pick up +Zircon in a little while. Tell Captain Douglas I'll buzz the barracks on +the way over. Ask if he can possibly deliver it to me at the airport. I +hate to bother him, but I won't have a car to go get it." Rick's little +cub airplane was the island's fast messenger-passenger service. + +"Okay." Scotty disappeared down the hall again for a few moments and +then returned. He took a seat in the leather armchair. "He finally did +get curious. Wanted to know if we needed that caliber rifle to shoot +Jersey mosquitoes. I told him we were going on a trip and that I +couldn't say anything more about it. So he said he'd lend us the gun +only on condition that we tell him the story when we got back. I said we +would, if we could." + +"He's the best," Rick said. "But he knows we've done some hush-hush work +for the government, and don't forget he's an ex-Marine. He wouldn't +embarrass us by asking too many questions." + +Scotty nodded. "Wait until you see this rifle. A .45-90 is a regular +cannon. It'll knock down anything smaller than an elephant, and it'll +knock down one of those, if it hits the right spot." + +"That's just Zircon's size," Rick said, grinning. The scientist was a +huge man who towered over the rest of the staff. + + * * * * * + +Later, Zircon dominated the library as Steve issued final instructions. +The scientist's booming voice had phrased questions for an hour, until +even Steve looked weary. + +"This winds up what I have to say," he told them. "Mike should be back +with your tickets, passports, and letter of credit in another hour. I'll +go back to Washington and issue instructions via the State Department to +all of our ambassadors and consuls in the area. They'll know what's +happening and why you're there, but no one else on their staffs will. Go +in to see each one whose country you enter. Make a lot of noise. Insist +on seeing the chief. Hell know your names and he'll do everything he +can. Bradley is supposed to check in with each embassy or consulate in +the same way. They'll be your points of contact in case he shows up +again. File reports when you can. Hand them to the ambassador or consul +of the country and no one else." + +Steve stopped for a moment, then his warm grin flashed. "This is going +to be tougher than beating the Whispering Box gang. I know you'll come +back with the answers, but be sure you have whole skins when you do!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +Hong Kong + + +The four-engine transport had been letting down from its cruising +altitude for what seemed like an hour. Rick was watching through the +circular window for the first sign of land, and he was getting +impatient. + +The trip had been a long one. It seemed to Rick that he had been sitting +in a plane for most of his life, even though they had been gone from +Spindrift for less than four days. That was because they were making no +stop-overs. At San Francisco, Honolulu, Guam, and Manila they had +stopped only long enough to refuel, or to change planes. + +Scotty, in the seat next to Rick, was sound asleep. Zircon, across the +aisle, was engrossed in a book. + +Rick looked up as the stewardess walked past him. She smiled and pointed +through the window on the opposite side. He caught a glimpse of +mountainous country below. Then, in a few seconds, a small island passed +underneath on his own side. They were getting close to the ground now. +He estimated their altitude at less than two thousand feet. He poked +Scotty in the ribs. + +"Rise and shine, mighty hunter. We're getting ready to land." + +Scotty was wide awake instantly. "About time," he muttered. "Show me +this famous Hong Kong." + +"Can't yet," Rick replied. "But we've passed a couple of islands. Look, +there's another." + +They were dropping rapidly now. The big plane suddenly banked, leveled, +then banked again. As they rocked up, Rick looked down into a cove, +crowded with Chinese junks. The brief glimpse sent a thrill through him, +as new scenes always did. They were the first junks he had seen outside +of pictures. + +The plane banked again, the other way. Rick realized with a sudden +feeling of discomfort that they were actually weaving their way through +mountain peaks! He had heard that the approach to Hong Kong was crooked +as a corkscrew; now he knew the reports didn't exaggerate. + +Zircon was leaning across the aisle. He pointed to a strip of curved +beach. "Repulse Bay," he boomed. "We're almost in." The scientist had +been to the Far East before, and he knew Hong Kong. + +They were close to the top of abrupt hills. Rick saw a road curving +through the hills and valleys, then they were over water again, and the +water was dotted with modern ships as well as junks. The plane rocked +far over in a tight bank, and there was a howl as the flaps were +lowered. Rick and Scotty buckled safety belts and sat back as the plane +leveled off. + +In a few moments they were collecting their luggage and walking across a +concrete apron to the customs building. Inside, a Chinese clerk, under +the supervision of a British officer, gave their effects a cursory +glance, stamped their passports, and handed them police forms to fill +out. They did so as rapidly as possible, turned them in, and left the +customs room. Outside, they picked up the bags they had checked, gave +them to a Chinese coolie, who appeared from nowhere, and followed him to +a taxi. + +It was a small car of English make. Zircon looked at it with +disapproval. "Am I supposed to fit into that thing?" he demanded. + +Rick hid a grin. The car wasn't much bigger than the scientist. Zircon +squeezed in gingerly, Scotty behind him. Rick got into the front seat +with the driver. + +"Peninsular Hotel," Zircon directed. + +"Funny," Scotty said. "I never expected to find an airport on Hong Kong. +All the pictures I've seen of it show mountains. It doesn't look as +though there were room for an airport." + +"There isn't," Zircon said. "We're not on Hong Kong. This is Kowloon. +It's a peninsula jutting out from the mainland of China. However, it's a +part of the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong. We'll get to the island +itself, and to Victoria, which is the main city, by ferry-boat or +walla-walla." + +"What's that?" Rick asked curiously. + +"Local name for a water taxi," Zircon explained. + +The taxi was leaving the airport now, but there was nothing in sight at +the moment to show that this was the Orient. The modern buildings were +of stone, brick, and concrete, and the streets were wide and clean. As +they got closer to downtown Kowloon, however, Chinese predominated, with +only a sprinkling of what were evidently Englishmen. In a short time +they pulled up in front of the Peninsular, one of the world's famous +hotels. It was an imposing structure, the lobby as vast as an auditorium +but broken up by numerous pillars, potted plants, and dusty-looking +furniture. They registered and were shown to a very large and +comfortable room with a window that opened on a fire escape. + +As Zircon tipped the Chinese bearers, Rick asked them, "What time is +it?" + +The chief "boy" answered, "Maybe thlee time, sor," and closed the door. + +"About three?" Rick looked at Zircon and Scotty. "It's early. Let's get +started right away. I'd like to find out where and what the Golden Mouse +is." + +"Good idea," Zircon agreed. He tossed a suitcase on one of the three +beds in the big room. "Let's clean up and change quickly. We'll have +time to see the consul this afternoon, too. I doubt that the consulate +closes before five o'clock." + +In less than a half-hour the three of them were walking from the hotel +toward the water front. Zircon led the way. "We'll take the ferry," he +said. "It's very fast." + +The ferry slip was less than a three-minute walk from the hotel, but +when they started to get tickets, they remembered that changing money +had completely slipped their minds. A scholarly looking Chinese +gentleman saw their plight and spoke to Zircon in faultless English with +a distinct Oxford accent. + +"Perhaps I can be of service, sir? If you have an American dollar bill, +I can change it for you. You will need only a little money for tickets, +and there is a bank close by the ferry slip on the other side." + +"You're very kind," Zircon said. "We'll accept your offer, sir. I do +have a dollar bill, I believe." + +He found it and handed it to the Chinese, who counted out six Hong Kong +dollars and a few tiny paper bills that represented change. "The rate +today is six and a fraction to one," he explained. + +Rick and Scotty added their thanks to Zircon's. The Chinese bowed. "A +pleasure to have been of even such small service." He smiled and +continued on his way. + +"The Chinese are without a doubt the most polite of all the Eastern +peoples," Zircon said. He pushed a Hong Kong dollar through the ticket +window, got three tickets and some change in return. They pushed through +the gate and walked across the dock to the ferry. + +As they did so, Rick got his first look at Hong Kong. He stared, amazed, +his mental image of an oriental city vanishing like a burst bubble. + +Across the bay, a green mountain stretched like a jagged knife-edge +against the sky line. Here and there, far above the bay, were white +blocks, like granite chips, marking houses. Lower down, the city of +Victoria began. It was like marble slabs piled in an orderly array, +thinning out toward the upper side of the mountain. Down at sea level, +the buildings were thickly clustered. But they were modern buildings, +not a trace of the oriental in them. + +Between the ferry and Hong Kong, the bay was crowded with water traffic. +Junks with gay sails sped noiselessly between puffing little tugs. Great +deep-water freighters were anchored, lighters at their sides taking off +cargo. Slightly to one side, the sleek line of a British cruiser was +visible, and beyond it a trio of lean, wolfish destroyers. + +The ferry moved away from the pier and picked up speed. Rick and Scotty +watched the colorful panorama of vessels. Hong Kong was beautiful, Rick +thought. And it was clean, though cities of the Orient were +traditionally dirty. + +Nor was his first impression changed when they reached the opposite +shore. The ferry landed them before tall, concrete buildings that shaded +clean streets. A block away they stopped to watch a three-story trolley +pass by. + +"Good gosh, a skyscraper on wheels," Scotty exclaimed. + +And that was just the impression it gave. + +Zircon stopped to ask directions of a passing Englishman, then told the +boys, "The American Consulate is only a block away. Suppose we change +some money, then pay the consul a visit." + +Rick thought quickly. "We'll need money, but why do all of us have to go +see the consul? We could split up. Scotty and I could start locating the +Golden Mouse while you're talking to him." + +"He probably knows all about it," Zircon pointed out. "It must be a +prominent landmark, although I've never heard of it. Otherwise, Chahda +wouldn't have known about it." + +"Unless it was a place Bradley had told him about," Scotty said. + +"That's possible. At any rate, we've nothing to lose by separating for a +while. I'll go see the consul and find out what he knows. You two start +asking questions and I'll meet you in an hour right here ... no, better +still, since we'll want to eat here, I'll meet you in front of +Whiteaway-Laidlaw's Department Store. It's only a few blocks from here +and there's a good restaurant close by." + +Rick's memory rang a bell. "Isn't Whiteaway-Laidlaw in Bombay?" + +"Yes. But it's also here, and in most major English cities in the Far +East." The big scientist smiled. "I picked it because I was sure you'd +remember the name. I wasn't so sure you'd remember Huan Yuan See's +Restaurant." + +"You were right," Scotty replied with a grin. "Well, let's get going. I +see a bank across the street. We can get our money changed there." + +It took only a few moments to exchange some of their American currency +for Hong Kong dollars. The boys folded the bills, which like all English +paper money were bigger than American bills, and tucked them into their +wallets. Zircon started for the consulate with a wave of the hand and a +reminder that they would get together in an hour. + +"Now what?" Scotty asked. + +"Now we start asking questions," Rick told him. They had paused at the +entrance to the bank and the guard was standing near by. His turban and +neatly curled beard proclaimed him to be a Sikh, a member of the warrior +Indian caste that is scattered throughout the Far East. + +"We're looking for something called the Golden Mouse," Rick said. "Can +you tell us where it is?" + +The Sikh considered. Then he shook his head. "Not know of that one, sir. +Not hear." + +"Maybe one of the bank officers would know," Scotty suggested. They +stepped back inside the bank and approached a thin young Britisher who +wore tweeds in spite of the heat of the day. + +Rick put the question to him. The Englishman looked blank. "Golden +Mouse, you say? Dashed if I ever heard of it. Is it supposed to be a +tourist place do you know?" + +"We don't know," Rick answered. "We've no idea." + +The young man's face expanded in a pleased smile. "Don't suppose you'd +consider substituting a pink rabbit? We have a restaurant of that name. +Haw!" + +Rick hid a grin. "Very kind of you," he said. "I'm afraid my friend and +I are allergic to rabbit fur." + +With a perfectly straight face, Scotty added, "Haw!" + +The young Englishman shook with laughter. "You know, that's really very +good," he said. "Allergic to rabbit fur! Very good! I'm sorry, fellows, +but I'm afraid I can't help locate your Golden Mouse. Why not try a +bobby?" + +"Bobby sox or bobby pin?" Scotty asked. + +The bank officer's eyebrows went up, then he smiled. "Oh, I see what you +mean. No, it's not a joke this time. Bobby is what we call policemen. +You know?" + +"Thank you very much," Rick said. + +"Not a bit. By the way, I can make a few inquiries of the chaps who have +been here for some time. They may know. If you have no luck, drop back." +He offered his hand. "My name is Keaton-Yeats. Ronald Keaton-Yeats." + +Rick and Scotty offered their names in exchange. "We'll come back if we +can't locate it," Rick assured him. + +Outside, Scotty laughed. "Haw!" he said. + +Rick grinned. "That's the famous English sense of humor, I guess. He's a +good scout." + +Scotty nodded his agreement. "Funny thing about these English. They do +things that seem silly to us, like wearing tweeds in bathing-suit +weather and cracking bad jokes. But when the chips are down, they can +fight like wildcats." Suddenly he pointed. "There's a policeman." + +"Let's tackle him," Rick said, and led the way across the street. + +The officer was evidently a lieutenant or something of the sort, because +he had impressive-looking shoulder tabs on his uniform. As they came up, +he was inspecting the papers of a small, hard-bitten character who wore +greasy dungarees and a cap black with grease and grime. Evidently the +papers were in order, for he handed them back and said curtly, "All +right, my man. But remember we'll have no doings from you or your like +in Hong Kong. If you're smart, you'll stick close to your ship." + +The man muttered, "Aye aye, Orficer. That I will." He moved away. + +The officer was a tall, erect man with a cropped, gray military +mustache. He saw the two boys and nodded. "Can I help you, lads?" + +"Perhaps you can, sir," Rick said. "We're looking for something called +the Golden Mouse." + +The officer's eyes narrowed. "Are you now?" he inquired. "And what would +you want with the Golden Mouse, if I may inquire?" + +"We're to meet a friend there," Scotty said. + +The tone of the officer's voice told Rick that something was wrong. He +asked, "Is something wrong with the Golden Mouse? We don't even know +what it is." + +"A good thing for you not to know," the officer retorted. "You're +Americans?" + +"Yes, sir," Scotty said. + +"Then the Hong Kong force is responsible for seeing that you have a +pleasant and safe visit. I warn you. Keep away from the Golden Mouse." + +He turned on his heel and walked off. Rick and Scotty stared after his +retreating figure, and then at each other. + +"How about that?" Scotty wanted to know. + +Rick frowned. "There must be something fishy about this Golden Mouse. +From the way he talks, it's a place. I wonder what kind?" + +A cockney voice spoke from behind them. "Now, that's a thing I could +tell you lads, always providin' you was willin' to part with 'arf a quid +or so." + +It was the man the officer had warned to stick close to his ship. He +winked at them. "Come over 'ere where that blinkin' peeler cawn't see +us." He motioned to the shadow of a hallway. + +Inside, he grinned at them. "I 'eard the line o' garbage the copper was +'andin' you and I says, 'ere's a chance to do a bit o' fyvor fer a +couple o' rich Yanks. And, I says, likely they'll part with a few bob to +buy ol' Bert a bit o' tea." + +Rick pulled out a couple of Hong Kong dollars. "We'll pay you. Now tell +us what the Golden Mouse is, and where it is." + +Bert pocketed the notes. "As to what it is, it's a kind o' restaurant, +you might say. It 'as entertainment and food and drink, and you'll find +a few o' the lads there for company most any night. Aye, it's a fair +popular place, is the Golden Mouse." He grinned, and there was a gap +where his two front teeth should have been. "As to where it is, that's +not so easy to tell a pair what don't know 'ow to get around. But you +just get a couple rickshaws, and you say to the coolies to take you to +Canton Charlie's place. They know it, right enough." + +He spat expertly at a cockroach that scuttled past. "But take a tip from +ol' Bert and don't go. Stay clear o' Canton Charlie's." + +"Why?" Rick demanded. + +"Never you mind why. Just stay clear. Bert's warnin' you." + +"We want to know why," Scotty insisted. + +Bert grinned evilly. "Right-o. The lads wants to know, and Bert's an +obligin' gent. You go to Canton Charlie's and I'll make a bet, I will. +I'll bet you'll be outside again in 'arf an hour, or maybe less." + +His grin widened. "But will you know yer outside? Not you. And why? On +account of you'll be layin' in a ditch somewheres with yer throats cut. +That's why." + +He pushed past and left them standing in the doorway, staring at each +other. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +The Golden Mouse + + +Hobart Zircon listened to Rick's report on the boys' findings, then made +an abrupt change of plans. Instead of eating in Hong Kong, they took the +ferry back to the hotel and took from their suitcases the old clothes +each had brought to wear on the trail, and to give them the look of +experienced hunters. As Steve had pointed out, only amateurs go in for +fancy togs as a rule. The experienced prefer tough, ordinary clothes +like dungarees and denim shirts. + +As they unpacked, Scotty asked, "Is it safe to leave our rifles, and +Rick's camera and that scientific stuff you brought?" + +He referred to some delicate equipment packed in a special case that +Zircon had brought from the Spindrift lab for investigating the heavy +water they hoped to find. + +"Perfectly safe," Zircon assured him. "In reputable hotels of this sort, +the Chinese help is scrupulously honest. You could leave money lying +about and it would never be touched." + +He had already reported on his conversation with the consul general. +There had been no word from Bradley, although Steve's instructions to +co-operate with the Spindrift party had arrived. The American official +had promised to get in touch with them if Bradley turned up. He had +never heard of the Golden Mouse. + +"I think we had better try to get in touch with Chahda right away," the +scientist said. "So let's have a bite to eat here, then go have a look +at this Golden Mouse, or Canton Charlie's. From the description, I'd say +it is typical of a certain kind of place where toughs hang out. Each +city in the Orient has several. If we wear these old clothes, we'll be +less conspicuous." + +In a short time they were in Hong Kong again. Zircon hailed three +rickshaws and they got in. "Canton Charlie's," the scientist commanded. +"Chop chop." + +The rickshaw boys started off at a trot. The way led along the bay +shore, past wharves and piers, until they were out of the central part +of the city and moving into a section that was more as Rick had imagined +an oriental city to be. The streets were wide, but lined with +board-front buildings. The signs were all in Chinese, and usually +painted in gaudy colors. There were no Englishmen in sight now, nor did +they see any policemen. + +It was a long way. They had left their hotel in full daylight, but dusk +had settled before the coolies finally turned off the main road. They +went into a narrow street, then turned down another and still another. +With each turn the streets narrowed and the light grew dimmer. How had +Chahda heard of a place in such a poor quarter of the city? Rick +wondered. + +Presently the rickshaws drew up in a dismal corner of what was little +more than an alleyway. They were in front of a low wooden building with +windows that hadn't been cleaned in years. Above the double door was a +faded painting, illumined by a single electric light bulb. The painting +probably was supposed to represent a mouse. Once, long ago, it had +evidently been yellow. Now it was so glazed with grime that it was hard +to tell. + +Rick stepped down from his rickshaw, sniffing the combined odors of +garlic, pungent sauces, filth, and stale beer. Scotty joined him, and +they waited for the scientist to take the lead. + +Zircon handed some money to the coolies and ordered them to wait. Then +he motioned to the boys and led the way to the door. It opened on a +large room dimly lighted by faded Chinese lanterns that hung over +low-power bulbs. The walls were covered with a grimy paper of faded +yellow on which unskilled drawings of mice at play were clustered. The +floor was crowded with tables, each table covered with a +yellow-checkered tablecloth. So far as Rick could see, there wasn't a +clean cloth in the lot. + +In front of the room was a long bar of scarred teak-wood. Behind it were +row after row of ordinary ten-cent-store water tumblers. Rick guessed +Canton Charlie's clients weren't fussy about drinking from fine crystal. + +Next to one wall, a white man in rumpled, dirty dungarees was sleeping +with head down on the table. His snores were not musical. At one of the +tables near the opposite wall, a dark-skinned man in a seaman's woolen +cap sat paring his nails with a knife easily a foot long. + +Zircon motioned to the boys and they sat down at one of the tables. +"It's too early for many customers, I suppose. But someone in charge +must be here." He banged on the table, then lowered his voice. "How do +you like the customer over there? A Portuguese sailor, from the look of +him." + +In a moment dingy curtains parted next to the bar and a man emerged. At +a guess, he was Spanish. + +"Bet he's got a knife a foot long, too, under that apron," Scotty +whispered. "He's the type." + +Rick nodded. Scotty was so right! The man's heavy-lidded eyes were set +in a swarthy face whose most prominent feature was a broken nose, +flattened probably with some weapon like a hard-swung bottle. A white +scar across his chin indicated that it might have been a broken bottle. +He was medium tall, and he wore a cap that might have been white once. +An apron covered loose black Chinese shirt and trousers. Rick was glad +big Hobart Zircon was sitting next to him. + +The man walked to the table and greeted them in a surprisingly soft +voice in which there was an accent Rick couldn't identify. + +"You're a little early, gents. But I can take care of you. What'll you +have?" + +"Chahda," Zircon said flatly. + +The man's eyes narrowed. "You better have a drink and sit tight." + +"Why?" Zircon asked. + +"You'll see. What'll you drink?" + +Zircon ignored the question. "Who are you?" + +"Canton Charlie. What'll you drink?" + +"What have you got?" + +There was a ghost of a smile on the scarred face. "I'll fix you up." He +clapped his hands. An elderly Chinese in dirty whites shuffled out. +Canton Charlie spoke a few words of singsong Cantonese and the old man +nodded. + +"Sit tight," Charlie said again, and walked away. + +"Lot of fine, useful information we're getting out of this," Scotty +grumbled. "I wonder how long we'll have to sit in this flea bag?" + +"Hard to say," Zircon replied. "But Charlie seemed friendly enough." + +The old Chinese was shuffling across the floor with a tray that held +three tumblers of dark liquid. "Wonder what he's going to give us?" Rick +said. "Probably dragon blood." + +The Chinese put the glasses down in front of them and padded off again. +Scotty picked up his glass and sniffed, and a grin split his face. +"Dragon blood, huh? Ten thousand miles from home, in the worst dive in +Hong Kong, and what do we drink? Coke!" + +Rick laughed. "American civilization and the mysterious East. But it +suits me. Coke is probably the only thing in the house fit to drink." + +The Portuguese finished the drink that had been in front of him, gave +his nails a last inspection, stowed his knife in a leg sheath, and left. +He hadn't even looked at them. + +"He's probably gone to find a blowtorch to shave with," Zircon rumbled. +He motioned toward the door. "New customers coming." + +They were the first of many. Within a half-hour the room was filled with +a strange assortment. There were British, American, French, Dutch, +Portuguese, and Filipino sailors, and men of uncertain profession who +ranged in complexion from pure Chinese to pure black. Many were +Eurasians, and of the Eurasians, a large percentage were of mixed +Chinese and Portuguese blood. Zircon reminded the boys that the +Portuguese colony of Macao was only half an afternoon's boat trip south +of Hong Kong. + +By and large, Rick decided, Canton Charlie's customers were as tough a +looking bunch of pirates as he had ever seen. They applauded noisily by +banging glasses on the table as a disreputable lot of musicians appeared +and began to make the night hideous with what seemed to be a Chinese +version of a Strauss waltz. By this time, the room was so blue with +cigar and cigarette smoke and so noisy with coarse chatter in a +half-dozen tongues that it was hard to see or hear one's neighbor. + +Again Rick wondered. How had Chahda ever heard of this place? He sipped +on his third coke and leaned over toward Scotty and Zircon. "Wonder +what's keeping Canton Charlie?" + +Zircon shrugged expressively. "Can't do a thing but wait, Rick." + +Fortunately, the wait was not much longer. A Chinese shuffled past and +dropped a folded note on the table. Before they could question him, he +had made his way among the tables and was gone. + +Zircon picked up the note, glanced through it, and handed it to Scotty. +Rick read over his friend's shoulder. The note was scrawled in pencil, +as though written in haste. + +"_To find the one you want, go to the end of the Street of the Three +Blind Fishermen. Go to the junk with the purple sails._" + +"Let's get started," Rick said. He rose to his feet. Zircon tossed some +money on the table. The three of them made their way through the noisy +mob of rough-necks and out the door. Rick breathed deeply when they were +out in the narrow street again. + +"Even with the garlic, this air smells better than what we left inside," +Scotty said. "Why do you think Canton Charlie didn't deliver the message +himself?" + +"Maybe he's not mixed up in it," Rick suggested. "Maybe he just had +orders to let someone know when we showed up." + +"We'll soon know," Zircon predicted. + +As the three rickshaw coolies materialized from the darkness where they +had been waiting, the Americans climbed in. Zircon asked, "You know +street called Three Blind Fishermen?" + +One of the rickshaw boys nodded. "Not far. We go?" + +"Yes." + +The rickshaws lurched forward. + + * * * * * + +Inside the Golden Mouse, Canton Charlie started for the table where the +three had been waiting. He stopped short as he saw they were no longer +there, turned on his heel, and hurried into an inner room. He spoke +quick words to a slim Chinese-Portuguese half-caste who immediately +hurried out the back door. Once in the open, the slim man ran as though +devils were after him. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +The Junk with Purple Sails + + +For perhaps ten minutes Rick, Scotty, and Zircon sat in the rickshaws +while the coolies pulled them through dark streets with no more noise +than the occasional creaking of a wheel or the slapping of bare feet on +the pavement. + +There were houses on both sides of the streets, but only now and then +did a light show through the impenetrable darkness. Rick finally sensed +that they were near the water by a feeling of greater space around him +rather than by anything he could see. A moment later he heard the +lapping of water against a pier. + +He was tense with excitement now. The first part of the journey was +coming to an end. In a few minutes they would be hearing Chahda's story. + +The rickshaws drew to a stop and the coolies dropped the shafts so their +passengers could climb out. The coolie who spoke the best English asked, +hesitantly, "You pay now, sor? We no wait here, yes?" + +"Very well." Zircon paid the boys' fare and his own. "I don't suppose +there's any reason to have them wait, since this is our destination. +Chahda's friends doubtless will provide a ride for the return journey." + +"I don't like this," Scotty whispered. "There's something funny about +the whole business. I feel it." + +"Where's the junk?" Rick demanded softly. "I can't see a thing." + +"We'll wait for a bit," Zircon said quietly. "And we'll be on our guard, +just in case Scotty's intuition is right." + +They waited quietly, leaning against what seemed to be a warehouse, for +what felt like five minutes but was probably only two. Then Rick heard +the mutter of voices and the splash of something moving in the water. +The sounds were followed by a bumping and scraping against the pier that +jutted into the water. + +"Be ready," Zircon commanded in a whisper. + +As he said it, a bull's-eye lantern made circles in the night, outlining +the high stern and bow of a junk. The lantern swung upward, revealing +the junk's sails. They were purple. + +Zircon led the way down the pier to the junk. "Chahda?" he called +softly. + +An accented voice answered, "Come aboard." The lantern played on the +pier's edge to guide them. Following its light, they jumped from the +pier into the litter of rope, boxes, and gear in the middle of the +uneven deck. The stench that smote their nostrils was terrible. Probably +the vessel hadn't been cleaned since it was built. Rick coughed from the +foul odor and then raised his voice. "Chahda? Where are you?" + +From somewhere the same accented voice replied, "We take you to him. Sit +down and wait." + +Rick turned in the direction from which the voice had come. He guessed +that the speaker was in the stern, although it was hard to tell which +was which. Then he saw a few lights along the shore change position and +knew they were moving. + +For no reason, he had a sudden impulse to jump back on the pier. He took +Scotty's arm. "We're moving!" + +"I know it. And I don't like it." Scotty's voice sounded grim. + +Zircon, a huge bulk in the darkness, leaned close to them. His usually +booming voice was barely audible. "Stand back to back, the three of us +making a triangle. Then feel around on deck and try to find something to +use as a club. I agree with Scotty. Something is very fishy here. If +Chahda's anywhere within reach, he could have come himself. He wouldn't +just send someone." + +The boys whispered agreement. They turned, so that Rick felt Scotty's +arm on his left side and Zircon's on his right. He stooped and pawed +through the clutter on the deck. His groping hand found a slender piece +of wood that he rejected at first. Then, when he failed to find anything +else, he groped around and found it again. At best, it was a poor +weapon. + +They settled down to wait. The junk was just barely making headway, and +as they stood waiting, their vision cleared a little. Or perhaps distant +lights on the shore provided faint illumination. Rick could make out two +men poling the junk from the stern. + +Far out on the water came the sound of a fast-moving craft of some sort, +then a searchlight probed the water briefly. From aft came a muttered +exclamation, then rapid orders in liquid Cantonese. + +Scotty's elbow dug into Rick's back. "They're coming," he said tensely. + +Dark figures hurtled at the three. + +A flying body slammed into Rick, smashing him to the deck. He lost his +stick, but struck out with his fists. He heard Zircon roar like a +wounded bull. + +Rick fought valiantly. Two men were on him, struggling to tie him with +lengths of rope. Once he felt the rope pulled across his cheek, leaving +a burning sensation. He sensed rather than heard the crashing and +shouting around him. Then he wriggled out from under his assailants and +staggered to his feet. Instantly one of the men was upon him again. + +"Fall flat!" Zircon bellowed. + +Rick did so, on the instant. There was the sound as of a baseball bat +smacking a steer and for an instant the deck was miraculously clear. +Zircon had found a piece of two-by-four lumber about eight feet long, +and he was swinging it like a flail. + +The accented voice called, "Drop it or we shoot!" + +A figure swung upright next to Rick and threw something. There was a +grunt and a crash as the man who had called went down. + +"Got him," Scotty said with satisfaction. + +A voice rattled orders in Cantonese. The polers from the stern advanced, +their long poles held out like lances. Zircon was their target. + +Scotty whispered, "Let 'em get close. You take the left and I'll take +the right. Go under the poles." + +For a heartbeat there was quiet. Rick divined the strategy. The polemen +would lunge at Zircon, then the rest would leap. He didn't know how many +there were of the enemy. He thought there must be at least seven. He +flattened out, eyes on the left poleman, ready to spring. The poles came +nearer, one was over him. + +"Now," Scotty hissed. + +Rick went forward, scrambling, legs driving. It was football, but +easier. His shoulder caught the poleman in the stomach, and he lifted. +The man went flying. Next to him he heard a dull thud, then he saw +Scotty stand up, looming large in the darkness. + +But the rest of the crew had charged. For a moment Zircon's lumber +wreaked havoc, then he struck a part of the junk and the two-by-four +splintered. He let out a yell of rage and flung himself on the nearest +man, lifted him bodily and threw him at the others. + +Yellow light pierced the darkness from the direction of the shore. A +voice screamed, "Yanks! Over the side! Swim here!" + +"Get going," Zircon howled. "I'll cover you!" + +Rick took heart. He ran to the side and jumped feet first. Scotty came +within a hair of landing on top of him. From overhead came cries of +rage, then another bellow from Zircon. In the next instant the scientist +plunged into the water with them. + +"Swim for it," he commanded. He rose high out of the water and yelled, +"Out with those lights!" + +The automobile lights that had illumined the scene blinked out. The +voice called back, "Hurry! The junk is putting about!" + +Rick was swimming at his best speed, head down in a powerful crawl, but +he took time to look back over his shoulder. The junk was turning! He +knew with despair that it could run them down easily. The shore was a +long distance away. "Spread out," he called. "Then they can't get all of +us." He put his head down and cut through the water like a fish. If only +there were time to undress! But he didn't dare pause even long enough to +untie his shoes. + +The swim was a nightmare. Every few moments the auto lights blinked +briefly as their unknown friend gave them a course to steer by. Rick +looked back once and the junk had straightened out and was gaining on +them. He redoubled his efforts. Scotty was even with him, but Zircon was +pulling ahead. + +He heard voices close behind and cast a glance back. The junk with the +purple sails was perilously close. He drew new strength from somewhere +and forged ahead. + +The swimmers had closed the distance rapidly. The next time the lights +blinked Rick could make out two figures standing next to the car. He +could hear the creaking of gear on the junk and the grunts of the +polemen, and the sounds were close! He lifted his voice in a cry for +help. "They're on top of us!" + +The car lights blinked on, and held the junk in their glare. A gun fired +once from the shore. Rick saw the orange spurt. Then he heard a cry from +almost overhead and the junk veered sharply. + +"Angle right," Scotty called, and Rick saw that they were almost at the +tip of the pier. He put on a last spurt, caught a pile, and pulled +himself up by its lashings. In a moment all three of them were running +down the pier toward the waiting car. + +The lights came on and a British voice called, "In the car. Hurry!" + +"It's the bank clerk!" Scotty gasped. + +It was. Ronald Keaton-Yeats ran to meet them. "Do hurry!" he exclaimed. +"We think someone from this end has gone for reinforcements for your +friends yonder." The three followed him to the car, a touring sedan of +British make. Rick sensed that someone was behind him and started to +turn, but a soft voice whispered in his ear. + +"Keep looking ahead. Get to your hotel and wait there for a phone call." + +They piled into the car, wet clothes and all. Keaton-Yeats ran around to +the driver's seat, then stopped. "I say! Where did that other chap go +to?" + +"What other?" Zircon asked. + +"A Eurasian. He's the one who led me here, and who fired that shot. +Dashed uncivilized, but I guess it saved your bacon, rather. No matter. +He's vanished and that's an end to it." The young Englishman had been +peering into the shadows. "We'll hie on our merry way and leave him to +his own devices." + +Rick started to mention the message that had been whispered in his ear, +then decided not to, although he couldn't have explained why. + +The car roared into life. Keaton-Yeats spun the wheel and they raced up +the street, the buildings magnifying the sound of their passing into +thunder. Not until they were on the main street was there quiet enough +for conversation, then Zircon demanded, "Would you mind giving us an +explanation? Naturally, we're interested." + +"Rather!" Keaton-Yeats said. "I met Brant and Scott this afternoon when +they inquired from me the way to a Golden Mouse. I'd never heard of the +creature, as I told them, and they rejected my offer of some other sort +of animal. Haw! But after they had gone, I made inquiries. I learned +that this Golden Mouse was a dive of the most unsavory character." + +He steered around a group of rickshaws and Rick clutched the back of the +front seat. He was having a fine case of jitters, because the Englishman +was driving on what appeared to Rick to be the wrong side of the road. +Even when he realized that left-hand driving was the rule in Hong Kong, +dodging cars on the wrong side left him rattled! + +"I worried a bit," Keaton-Yeats went on. "Even made a phone call or two. +Discovered Brant and Scott were registered at the Peninsular Hotel. But +by the time I phoned there, they had gone out. Having no engagements, I +decided to look up this Golden Mouse place and at least add another soul +to the party for safety's sake, so to speak. However, I never got in, +for just as I turned into the proper alley, after a bit of searching, +this Eurasian chap jumped on my running board. He asked did I care to +help out three Americans who were in trouble. I assured him that it +would be a pleasure, but I was already committed to two Americans, in a +manner of speaking. He demanded names. I gave him the two I knew. He +said you were mixed up in this affair in which he was taking a hand. I +told him to get aboard and he did so. We tore around odd streets for +some time. My nose is insulted from the things I've smelled tonight, I +assure you. We were about to throw in our cards, then, as luck would +have it, we spotted three rickshaw coolies, and blessed if they didn't +turn out to be yours. We sped down that Blind Fisherman Street just in +time to hear the most infernal commotion out in the bay. The rest you +know." + +There was no adequate way of thanking Keaton-Yeats. Without his kindly +interest in two strangers, they would doubtless have lost their lives. +But when they told him as much, he laughed it off. + +"Oh, I'm sure that's overdoing it a bit. What that crew was probably +after was a bit of ransom. Pirates are still something of a problem +around here, you know. We've had regular ocean-going craft picked off by +them and held. I've enjoyed it immensely, and if thanks are due, I'll +give them to you. Life was getting to be a bit of a bore." + +And that settled it, so far as Keaton-Yeats was concerned. He drove them +to the Kowloon ferry, but suggested that they take a walla-walla in view +of their disreputable appearance. As they shook hands all around, he +said, "Oddest thing. To me, the most curious business was that chap who +watched us. Not the Eurasian. Another one. It was because of him that we +suspected new recruits for our pirate friends were on the way." + +"What did he look like?" Rick asked. + +"Can't say. We never did see his face. Or any of him, for that matter. +Somewhere up the alley was an open door, and he was standing in it, +against the light. At least I believe that was the case, for all we saw +was his shadow. A most unusual shadow, at that. It was so long and thin +that it looked like a pole with a head and limbs. Our Eurasian friend +was a bit disturbed by it, too, for he mumbled something about blowing +the creature's head off if he stepped out of his doorway." + +"But you didn't see anything except the shadow?" Scotty asked. + +"Not a blessed thing. There was just that form, outlined in light, +stretching clear across the alley. It was uncanny, because to cast a +shadow such as that the bloke must have been ten feet high and no +thicker than a pencil!" + +They had found the Golden Mouse. Now another bit of Chahda's cable had +come to life. Rick's lips formed the words. + +"Long Shadow!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +Long Shadow + + +"Wheels within wheels and all of them turning merrily," Zircon said. "I +am absolutely appalled at how little we know of what is going on." + +The three of them, refreshed by showers, were in the hotel dining room +having a late snack. + +"Anyway, we have friends working for us," Scotty pointed out. "I think +our British pal did just as he said. He found out that the Golden Mouse +was not the sort of place for a couple of American tourists and decided +to go there in case we needed help." + +Rick agreed. "And thank heaven he did. But I have a couple of questions, +besides the biggest one of all." + +"The biggest one being: Where is Chahda?" Scotty added. + +"Right. Also, I want to know why that motorboat appearing on the scene +and flashing a searchlight made the junk gang jump us." + +"I'm only speculating," Zircon replied, "but mightn't that have been a +police boat on regular patrol? The junk gang would know it, I presume, +and they might decide to get us tied up and under cover, just in case +the police came too close." + +"That's reasonable," Rick agreed. "We'll probably never know for sure, +and that's as good an answer as any. Now, my next question is: Who was +the Eurasian who got together with Keaton-Yeats?" + +"You don't suppose it was Chahda?" Scotty suggested. + +"Couldn't have been," Zircon replied. "Chahda wouldn't have faded away +as soon as we got to shore. I can't imagine who the stranger was, except +that he apparently was a friend. Also, I think it's clear that Canton +Charlie certainly is not a friend, since our asking for Chahda resulted +in our being kidnaped, or close to it." + +Rick nodded. "Clear as air. Anyway, Bert's prediction was wrong. We +didn't get our throats cut in Charlie's." + +"He could have been only too right," Scotty reminded. "If we had gone +there alone and hung around until the mob got wilder, it could have +happened. What a wonderful crew of cutthroats! And they were on the way +to getting set for a few fights among themselves when we left." + +Rick glanced at big Hobart Zircon. "Having the professor along probably +helped, too. Even the toughest thug would think twice before tackling +him." + +Zircon chuckled. "I must admit I've found it some advantage to be so +sizable. What do you boys think of this strange shadow?" + +"Strange is right." Rick stifled a yawn. "Keaton-Yeats thought he was +unfriendly, and so did the Eurasian. But he didn't do anything very +unfriendly, I guess. He just stood in a doorway." + +"Chahda's cable said to beware of the long shadow," Scotty remembered. + +"Which is a good reason to think that the man who cast the shadow is an +enemy who now knows of our presence in Hong Kong," Zircon added. He +glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. If the phone call our unknown +friend mentioned to Rick doesn't come soon, it'll find me asleep when it +does." + +"Same here," Rick agreed. "Let's go up to bed." + +Zircon paid the check and they took the elevator. As they walked down +the long corridor to their room, Scotty scratched his head. "Mighty +funny how everything was arranged for us at Canton Charlie's, wasn't it? +We drop in, ask for Chahda, wait a while, get a note, and walk right +into the arms of a reception committee. That's mighty good +organization." + +"They had plenty of time to get the junk ready for us," Rick pointed +out. "We sat in Charlie's and cooled our heels for a long while." + +"We should have had knives a foot long." Zircon smiled. "Then we could +have given ourselves a manicure, like the Portuguese who left right +after we arrived." He put his key in the lock and pushed the door open. + +Rick had a confused impression of wild sounds, then something crashed +into him and he landed flat on his back. As he scrambled to his feet, +plaster showered down on him, and his ear separated the sounds. From +within their room, a voice screamed, "Watch out! Take cover!" There was +a blurred racket, as though a giant was running a stick along a monster +picket fence at jet speed. Scotty was yelling something and Zircon was +bellowing with rage. Then the thunderous stitching noise stopped. + +All three of them started into the room at the same time, and Rick +reached the door first. It was dark in the room, but in the faint light +from the hallway he saw two figures struggling. He acted without +thought. On a dresser just inside the door he had left a big flashlight. +He grabbed it, jumped into the fray, and brought it down on the head of +the man on top. The man slumped. + +With a catlike twist the man who had been underneath wriggled free. Rick +started to say, "What's going..." Then an open hand drove into his face +and pushed him backward into Scotty and Zircon. The three of them fought +for balance as Rick's assailant ran to the window, leaped out on to the +fire escape, and was gone. + +Scotty snapped on the light just as the man Rick had slugged staggered +to his feet, blinking. He was of medium height, with a thin, dark face. +He was dressed like a seaman, and apparently he was a Eurasian. Black +eyes blazed at the three of them. + +"Shut that blasted door! And bolt it!" the man commanded. + +Zircon bellowed, "Don't be giving us orders! Explain..." + +"I'm Carl Bradley," the man said. + +Rick swallowed. Of the two men in the room, he had lowered the boom on +the wrong one! + +Scotty shut the door and threw the bolt. + +"I've got to talk fast," Bradley said. "The hotel people will be up here +in a few seconds and I don't want them to find me. It would mean too +many explanations, and the police would want a statement I'd rather not +have to give." + +He straddled a chair. "I suppose you've guessed that I was the Eurasian +with the young Englishman. It was just luck I picked him up, and more +luck that we found your rickshaw coolies. Long Shadow's men had you, and +Long Shadow was watching. That's why I faded when you got ashore. I +intended following him, for once, instead of being followed myself. +About the only thing I don't know about him is his secret headquarters. +I didn't think I'd be able to get here, so I whispered to one of you +that I'd phone. Well, Long Shadow led me here, up the fire escape. We +came by a rather roundabout route, stopping while he ate. I suspected it +was your room, but I didn't know for sure. He came in. I crouched on the +fire escape. Didn't know what would happen, of course. Then we heard +voices. I say we--he didn't know I was here, of course. He hauled a +Schmeisser machine pistol from under his coat and slipped a clip in. +There was just enough light for me to see the outline. It's +distinctive." + +A queer little shudder zipped down Rick's spine. A Schmeisser! It was +the pistol known as the "burp gun," that sprayed slugs like a hose. No +wonder he hadn't recognized the sound! He kept his eyes on Bradley, +intent on what the slender JANIG man had to say. + +"I yelled out a warning," Bradley went on, "and jumped through the +window at him. Didn't dare take time to draw my gun. I kept yelling, +hoping one of you would give me a hand. He's wiry as a thuggee bandit. +Only I got a lump on the head instead." + +"I'm sorry," Rick muttered. + +"The damage is done and he's gone. Now I'll have to locate him again, if +I can. Meanwhile, write this down. Quickly. I think I hear voices coming +down the hall." + +Scotty whipped a pencil and an envelope from an inside pocket. + +"See the consul general. I've talked with him. He will give you a rubber +boat and a Nansen bottle I've picked up. Outfit for the trail, and have +plenty of weapons. Fly to Chungking and check in with the consul there. +Ask him to give you a reliable guide. You're going to Korse Lenken. +That's in Tibet." He spelled the name. "Chahda has gone on ahead. I'll +follow. That's where the heavy water is coming from, I'm pretty sure. +Chahda will check up. You can help him, then make tests to be sure it's +really heavy water. Maybe you can do something about the source of the +stuff. You'll have to see when you get there. I've got part of the story +about what's being done with the water, but not all of it." + +There definitely were voices outside now. The burp gun had brought the +hotel people. In a moment there was a hammering on the door. + +Bradley walked to the window. "You can let them in after I've gone. Any +questions? Quickly!" + +"What's the Nansen bottle for?" Zircon demanded. + +"I don't know. I only know that Long Shadow bought five of them." +Bradley threw a leg over the window sill and grinned at them. "Leave me +out of any story you tell. I need a free hand for the next few days. And +the less the police know about me the better for all of us." He +hesitated as the pounding on the door grew louder, then a key grated in +the lock. "I can tell you this," he said softly. "You can forget about +an industrial plant. This is something else we're up against." + +Then he was gone. + +"Open the door," Zircon said. For the first time, Rick saw that the big +scientist gripped his right arm just below the elbow, a red, sodden +handkerchief balled in his left hand. + +"You're wounded!" He jumped to the scientist's side. + +"A scratch," Zircon said. "But it saved our lives. Tell you about it +later. Open up, Scotty." + +Scotty threw the door open and the English night clerk, three Chinese +policemen, and half a dozen coolies piled in. + +"What's going on here?" the clerk demanded. "What happened?" + +"Nothing serious," Zircon said calmly. "There was evidently a bandit in +our room. We opened the door and he fired with his submachine gun. Then, +when he saw he hadn't killed us, he fled." + +It wasn't a very convincing story. Rick saw suspicion in the faces of +the hotel people. He threw in his nickel's worth. "What kept you so +long? We've been trying to phone." He had a hunch the switchboard coolie +was one of those in the room. Probably everyone on duty had raced up. + +"We heard nothing downstairs," the night clerk said. "The floor coolie +came down to get us. He took his time about it. Why was your door +locked?" + +Zircon tried hard to look sheepish. "I guess we must have bolted it in +the confusion. Then, when you knocked, we tried to open it. It was a few +seconds before we realized the bolt had been thrown and the door +couldn't be opened unless the bolt was withdrawn. And the confounded +thing stuck." + +"Why didn't you yell?" one of the policemen demanded. + +"Possibly you were yelling so loud yourselves you didn't hear us," +Zircon said mildly. "You were making considerable noise." + +The clerk frowned. "The manager will have to hear about this," he +stated. "I doubt that he will believe your story. You may even be asked +to pay damages." + +Zircon drew himself up to his full height. "The day we pay damages for +the privilege of being shot at in this disreputable dive you fatuously +call a hotel will be the day Hong Kong sinks beneath the sea like +Atlantis. Now have the goodness to clear out and let us get some sleep." + +The clerk's face was scarlet. Rick tried to hide a grin. + +"You'll have to make a formal statement to the police," the clerk +snapped. + +"In the morning," Zircon said. "In the morning we intend to see the +American consul. You will hear more about this incident than you expect, +my dear sir. Now clear out. We need our sleep. This has been most +unsettling." + +One of the policemen pointed to Zircon's bloodstained sleeve. "But you +need medical attention, sir." + +"I happen to be a doctor," Zircon said. That was true enough, but he was +a doctor of science, not of medicine. + +"You expect to treat yourself?" the clerk asked incredulously. + +"Nothing to it," Zircon boomed. "A trifle. Why, once, when hunting in +Africa, I had my back clawed by a lion. I stitched the wounds up +myself." + +The clerk was on the verge of a stroke. "You couldn't treat your own +back," he almost screamed. "Impossible! How could you?" + +"He turned around so he could see what he was doing," Scotty said. "Good +night, all." He shepherded them through the door and closed it. + +For a moment there was excited conversation from outside, then the +clerk, the policemen, and the coolies retreated down the hall. + +"They'll be back," Zircon said wearily, "but not before morning, I +hope." + +Rick looked at Scotty. "He turned around so he could see what he was +doing," he repeated. "My sainted aunt!" + +"Sewed up his own back," Scotty gibed. "Professor! You told that nice +man a fib!" + +"Great big juicy fib," Zircon said gravely. "Do I wash out my mouth with +soap or do I get a medal?" + +"Medal," the boys said, and laughed heartily. + +"Whatever got into you?" Rick asked the scientist. + +Zircon stripped off his coat and rolled up his sleeve. "He was so +pompous and so serious that I just couldn't resist. Besides, if I had +been serious, we never would have gotten rid of them. Here, Rick. I'll +need antiseptic and a gauze compress for this." + +The boys looked at the wound. As Zircon had said, it was trivial. The +slug had made a neat furrow across the surface of the skin, just deep +enough to cause a good flow of blood. The wound already was clotting. + +As Rick bandaged the scientist's brawny arm, Zircon said, "I recoiled +instinctively when Bradley yelled. But not far enough. One slug just +nicked me. But those heavy caliber weapons, like our service .45, will +knock a man down anywhere they hit him. This one spun me around and I +piled into you two. I think that is what saved us all." + +"I didn't know what was happening," Rick said. + +"Neither did I," Scotty agreed. "I've seen Schmeissers before, but I've +never heard one fired until now." + +"And let us hope we don't have to hear it again," Zircon added. When +Rick finished bandaging his arm, the professor went to a suitcase and +opened it, drawing out a folded map. "I'm curious about Korse Lenken," +he said. "It's a new name to me. This map covers China and a part of +Tibet. We may find it." + +After a long search, Scotty whistled. "Here it is. And look where it +is!" + +Korse Lenken was a tiny dot in the vastness of the mountains just beyond +the Chinese border at about 95 deg. east longitude and 32 deg. north +latitude. No other town was noted on the map in the area, but high +mountains were, and so were rivers. And Chahda was there, alone! At +least Bradley had not mentioned any companion who traveled with the +Hindu boy. + +"We'll need to outfit completely," Zircon said. "Food, warm clothing, +sleeping bags, and all the rest. And we'll need a rifle for Rick. We can +get American rifles here. Also, I think we had better put in a small +supply of ammunition beyond what we brought." + +For a short while they speculated on the trip, and on the many things +Bradley had left unsaid. It was unfortunate that they couldn't have had +a few moments longer. But Rick could see that his presence in the room +would have needed explaining, since he hadn't traveled up on the +elevator. It was better for him to disappear. + +Before getting into bed, they went to the door and opened it. Across the +hall, Long Shadow's burp gun had made a fine mess. Plaster hung in +patches and the laths behind were broken and splintered. Fortunately, +the room opposite was a storage closet, so no one else had been in the +line of fire. Rick looked at the dozens of holes and shook his head. + +"If we'd been right in the doorway," he said, "we would now be so full +of holes they could use us for mosquito netting--if the holes weren't so +big." He looked at the other two and added, "I'm beginning to think Long +Shadow doesn't like us." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +The Trail to Korse Lenken + + +Sing Lam-chiong dug heels into the flanks of his mule and trotted back +to where Zircon, Scotty, and Rick were jogging along on their respective +mounts. + +"Good place to make lunch, in about ten minutes." + +"Fine, Sing," Zircon said. "We could use lunch." The scientist looked +down with distaste at his horse, a big hammerheaded black with the lines +of a plow beast. "This creature is about as comfortable as a wooden +sled." + +Rick sympathized. His own nag, a pin-eared Chinese pony of a peculiar +mouse-gray color, had no particular gait. He just waddled along, swaying +from side to side and making his rider saddle sore. + +Sing saluted and went back to the head of the column, which was made up +of pack mules, each led by a Chinese bearer. There were four of the pack +animals, each laden with the party's gear. + +"He certainly knows this trail," Scotty commented. + +"A good thing," Rick said. "The camping places are few and far between. +I wish Korse Lenken were nearer." + +The party was ten days out of Hong Kong, high in the mountain ranges +that formed the backbone of south Asia. Since leaving the more civilized +part of China they had trekked through alternate valleys and mountain +passes, making good time in the valleys, but slowing to a snail's pace +in the mountains. Sometimes the trail was wide enough for the three of +them to ride abreast. Sometimes it clung to the mountainside with +scarcely room for a single horse or mule. But Sing, leading the way, had +a knack of picking the easiest route. + +The Chinese guide was a gift from heaven. The Spindrifters had checked +in at the American Consulate at Chungking, as Bradley had instructed +them, and the consul had offered the loan of one of his own staff. Sing, +normally a clerk at the consulate, had been born and brought up in the +western reaches of outer Sinkiang Province, and he knew the area from +wide travels with his father, a Chinese border police officer. Although +he had never been to Korse Lenken, he had been close to it. + +In a short while Sing called out in Chinese to the bearers and they +followed him into a sort of pocket in the mountainside. Scotty, who was +slightly ahead of Rick and Zircon, turned. "We've got company for lunch. +There's another party already here." + +In a moment the three Americans were greeting a portly Chinese who rose +to greet them. + +"Howdy, Mr. Ko," Rick said cordially. "We were wondering when we would +catch up with you again." + +Worthington Ko smiled and bowed. "We will doubtless meet many times +until our paths separate. Please dismount and join me. My bearers have a +good cooking fire you are welcome to use." + +Ko was a textile merchant they had overtaken on the trail a short +distance out of Chungking. Since then the two parties had passed and +repassed each other several times. Ko had three mules, in addition to +the one he rode, and two bearers. The mules carried only light packs. On +the return trip, he had told them, they would be laden with Tibetan +textiles. He was heading for the famous monastery of Rangan Lo to buy +embroidery from the Buddhist monks. Eventually, the embroidery would +find a market in Europe. + +The three Spindrifters got down stiffly from their horses and found +seats among the rocks next to the merchant. He smiled sympathetically. +"You are stiff? These trails are very poor and one must travel them many +times before one gets used to them." He took off his thick, horn-rimmed +glasses and polished them on a scrap of silk. "After twenty years of it, +I still find myself bent with weariness at the end of the day." + +Sing busied himself with getting food ready. The Spindrift bearers +unpacked utensils and their own rations of rice and dried meat. + +Ko rose from his rocky seat and rearranged the long, flowing silk coat +he wore. "I must be off. With your permission, I will proceed slowly, +however, so that you will overtake me before nightfall." + +"Of course," Zircon said. "But may I ask why?" + +Ko's nearsighted eyes peered at the rifles carried in saddle sheaths on +each of the three horses, and at Sing's shotgun. "I hope to take +advantage of your weapons," he explained. "By nightfall we should reach +Llhan Huang, which is a sort of crossroad. It marks the start of the +Lenken country. The Lenkens are unlikely to attack a well-armed party of +eight. But they delight in robbing a small party such as mine. For that +reason, I usually manage to find a larger group to which to attach +myself when entering the Llhan region." He smiled. "The armament you +carry for hunting bharals will serve admirably to keep the Lenkens at a +distance." + +The Spindrift party had been warned that the tribe known as Lenkens were +dangerous to travelers. + +"We'll be delighted to have you join us," Zircon assured him. + +Rick was about to suggest that the portly Chinese merchant wait until +after the Spindrifters had eaten so they could all travel together, but +he thought better of it. Ko had been cordial, but he had shown little +interest in the American "hunting" party and Rick thought he probably +preferred to travel at his own speed and in his own way. + +Sing called that lunch was ready and they took mess kits to the fire and +loaded them up with rice covered with a savory sauce, canned beef, and +hot, crisp water chestnuts. As Rick sighed with gratitude over the first +tasty mouthful, Scotty looked at the vanishing Ko party and mused, +"Wonder how come he speaks English so perfectly?" + +Sing overheard. He grinned. "No reason for surprise. Many Chinese are +educated in American and English colleges both in China and in other +countries. Like myself. I am a graduate of Oberlin." + +"Guess that's right," Scotty admitted. + +"Worthington is a rather strange name for a Chinese, Sing," Rick +remarked. + +The guide nodded. "It is. But I don't think it is his real one. Many +Chinese take western first names, especially those who trade with +westerners. That is because our own names are often too hard to say or +remember." + +"Have you ever met Ko before?" Zircon asked. "Since you've traveled +widely in this region, I thought you might have come across him before." + +"I don't think so," Sing replied. "But this is a very big country and +there are many travelers like him." + +Sing was certainly right in saying that there were many travelers, +although the merchants like Ko were a minority. There were families of +Tibetans walking along the trail, laden with their possessions, heading +for goodness knew where. There were groups of horsemen, dressed in the +quilted clothes of the mountain country and with peaked felt hats. Such +men usually were armed with old-fashioned muskets and carried forked +rests in which to lay the musket barrels for support while firing. There +were parties of Chinese, sometimes on foot and sometimes with trains of +mules or yaks, the oxlike Tibetan beasts of burden. + +Frequently, especially in valley country, small villages lay near the +trail. Often there were herders with their large flocks of sheep. + +Although the trail slanted up and down, from valley to mountain pass and +back down again, the way led constantly higher toward the white-capped +peaks that have been called "The Backbone of the World." Beyond them, +many hundreds of miles away, lay Nepal and India. + +It was always cool now, and the Americans and Sing wore windbreakers and +woolen sweaters. The bearers donned padded long coats. At night, the +sleeping bags were comfortable; without them the Americans would have +been chilled through and through. + +"Make a guess, Sing," Rick requested. "How many more days to Korse +Lenken?" + +Sing counted on his fingers. "With fortune, maybe we'll get there late +day after tomorrow. Depends on the trails." + +Zircon sipped steaming tea standing up. He was too saddle sore to sit +down. "Where do we camp tonight?" + +"A mile or two past Llhan Huang. I know a good water supply there." + +The bearers were standing around waiting patiently, already finished +with cleaning up and packing, except for the Americans' teacups. They +downed the last swallows of tea and handed the cups to Sing, then swung +into the saddle again. + +"I hope Sing is right about getting there day after tomorrow," Rick said +as he shifted uncomfortably in the "chafing seat," as he called it. +"This hay-burner is no luxury liner." + +"Ditto," Scotty agreed. "Besides, I'm anxious to see Chahda." + +Hobart Zircon nodded. "I hope whatever we find is worth the discomfort +of this trip." He grinned. "At any rate, it's a new experience for all +of us." + +"I don't think I'll thank Bradley for it, though," Rick added. "Well, +let's get moving." + +He dug his heels into the pony's flanks and moved into position behind +Sing. Scotty and Zircon fell back to bring up the rear. Although they +were reasonably sure no one would attack them, Zircon felt it was best +to have a rear guard and they had taken turns at the end of the column. + +In spite of saddle soreness, Rick looked at the view with appreciation +as the trail suddenly topped a rise. Far below spread a lush valley. +Beyond were the last peaks they would have to cross before they came to +Korse Lenken. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +The Ambush at Llhan Huang + + +It was late afternoon before the Spindrift caravan left the rocks of the +mountain pass and reached better ground. They paused on top of a small, +pyramid-shaped hill while one of the bearers retied the pack on his +mule. + +Zircon looked at the formation with interest. "An old volcanic cone," he +pointed out. "Notice the regularity of the slope? And we're in a kind of +saucer that once was a live crater." + +Rick could see it clearly once the scientist mentioned its volcanic +origin. The saucer was perhaps a dozen yards across, and its edge was +marked by a definite rim. Whoever first made the trail apparently had +decided to go right up and across the hill instead of pushing through +the dense underbrush at its base. + +In a moment they started again, the mules picking their way carefully +down the hillside. At the bottom of the hill was a rather dense forest, +and beyond it the valley. + +Sing called back over his shoulder. "Llhan Huang is just past the woods. +We'll meet Ko there, I think. I just saw the last of his mules going +into the woods." + +Rick stood up in his stirrups and rubbed his raw and aching thighs. The +three had ridden horseback before, but not to any great extent, and the +long trail was a hard initiation. + +He noted that the sun was dropping behind the western peaks, and he knew +from experience that it would be dark in a few minutes. The great +western range was so high in the air that it brought night by blocking +out the sunlight surprisingly early in the afternoon. + +Then he rode into the forest and gloom closed in around him. It was +cold. He zipped up his windbreaker and reached for his gloves. He saw +that the trail through the forest twisted and turned to miss the big +hardwood trees, so that sometimes he could see only the mule in front of +him. Zircon and Scotty, at the rear of the column, were out of sight +most of the time. + +It grew darker rapidly. Rick reached into his saddlebag and drew out a +flashlight, tucking it into his jacket pocket where it would be handy. +When he could see the sky overhead, it was dark gray and he knew night +was close at hand. + +Presently he found himself peering through the gloom even to see the +mule directly in front. When they got out of the woods it would be +lighter, he hoped. + +Then, as he stood up again to ease his saddle burns, the woods around +them were suddenly alive with gunfire! His pony reared and would have +bolted if he had not gripped the reins tight and jerked him to a stop. +He caught a glimpse of orange flashes in the gloom, and from ahead he +heard a sudden scream from one of the mules. + +Scotty's voice rose in a yell. "Turn around! Turn! Get back out of the +woods to the hilltop!" + +Rick saw his friend's strategy at once. On the hilltop, they could fight +off almost a battalion. He pulled his quivering pony around on the +narrow trail and yelled at Sing. + +The guide's voice came in answer. "Coming! We're coming!" + +A slug whined past Rick's ear and slapped into a tree trunk. He tried +desperately to get the rifle out of his saddle sheath while controlling +his fear-crazed pony. Then he heard the roar of Sing's shotgun. There +was no sound of firing from Scotty and Zircon, and he guessed they were +having trouble with their mounts, too. None of them was horseman enough +to fire from the saddle. + +Rick stopped trying to get the rifle free and bent low, urging his pony +on. Behind him, he heard the pound of mule hoofs, and in the woods on +both sides the rustle of underbrush as the attackers tried to keep up. +The shots were fewer now, thank goodness! + +In a few moments the racing column broke out of the woods into better +light. Ahead, Rick saw Zircon and Scotty go over the rim of the volcanic +hill, and within seconds saw them reappear again on foot, rifles in +hand. + +"Come on," Scotty yelled. "We'll cover you!" + +Zircon's big .45-90 spoke with a decisive slam and Rick heard the heavy +slug crash through the brush. Then the mules ahead of him topped the +hill and in a moment he was out of the saddle, too, rifle in hand. + +He joined Scotty and Zircon in time to see Sing and the other two +bearers race up the hill. One mule was missing. + +"Hold your fire," Scotty said. "There's nothing to shoot at unless you +see a muzzle flash." + +Sing jumped from his mule's saddle and took command. He spoke rapidly to +the bearers, who at once forced the mules to their knees and then over +on their sides. "So they won't get hit," Sing explained. "We lost one +mule." He reloaded his shotgun, his face worried. + +"Did you see anyone?" Rick asked. + +"No. But I'm afraid for Ko. We had almost caught up when they started +shooting. I saw one of his mules right ahead of me." + +"Let's hope he found some sort of cover," Zircon said. He glanced at the +sky. "It will be completely dark within a few minutes. Sing, scatter +your men around the rim. They can keep watch, even if they have no +rifles. The rest of us can take up positions at equal distances from +each other around the rim." + +Scotty adjusted his rifle sights. "Afraid of an attack after dark, +professor?" + +"I am. This attack probably was timed to catch us in the woods in the +darkness. We're fortunate that Scotty's memory is good. Suggesting the +hill was a wonderful idea." + +"I knew we'd be cut to pieces in the woods," Scotty said. + +Rick surveyed the terrain anxiously. Sing was posting his men. "A good +thing they're not very expert shots," Rick said. "They took us +completely by surprise." + +Scotty walked to the rim and found a position that suited him. "Not much +danger of their hitting us except at point-blank range, if their guns +are like some of those we've seen." + +Zircon found a position, too, and Rick searched for one that he liked. +He finally chose a place where a broken rock pile would give him cover. +It was so dark now that he could scarcely see. + +There were plenty of noises down the hill, but no firing. Rick waited, +rifle thrust out before him. Were they gathering for a rush? And who +were they? Then he heard the noise of a dislodged pebble on the hillside +below him. He strained to see, but it was too dark. He thought: If only +I had the infrared light and the glasses! They were in one of the packs. +Stupid not to have thought of them at once, he berated himself. Now he +didn't dare leave his position until he found out what was below. + +There was the sound of a body sliding over low brush almost directly +beneath him. He tensed, then as an afterthought, he reached into his +pocket and brought out the flashlight. With it, he thought, he could +blind the attacker and at the same time get a shot at him. He put his +thumb on the button and waited. + +In a moment a figure loomed out of the darkness only a few feet away. +Rick sucked in his breath and half lifted his rifle for a one-hand shot. +At the same moment, he pressed the flashlight button. + +The beam shot squarely into the face of Worthington Ko! + +Rick put down his rifle quickly to extend a helping hand to the +merchant. And then he noticed something. + +Shoot a light into the eyes of a man whose pupils are dilated by +darkness and there is a definite reaction. If the eyes are normal, the +pupils contract sharply. + +One of Ko's did. Rick saw them, magnified by the thick glasses. The +other pupil didn't change at all. + +And as the fact registered, Rick saw something else. In one of Ko's +hands was a grenade! + +In the instant that Rick grabbed up his rifle and swung it like a club, +he guessed the answer. + +_Ko was the Chinese with the glass eye!_ + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +The Goatskin Water Bag + + +Several things happened almost at the same time. The attackers awoke to +the fact that Rick's light made a good target and started shooting. Rick +dropped the flashlight as his rifle, swung with one hand, barrel +forward, connected solidly with the top of Ko's head. Scotty jumped to +see what was happening. + +The grenade rolled from Ko's hand, and as it did, the safety handle flew +off! Ko already had pulled the pin! + +A musket slug cracked into the rock inches from Rick's face and sent +chips of stone into his face. He felt a sudden pain above one eye. But +before he had time to realize what had happened, he was hauled back +bodily into the crater by the guide. + +Scotty, who had recognized Ko in the beam of the fallen flashlight, +grabbed the merchant by the collar and dragged him into the saucer with +them. + +There was a five-second fuse on the grenade, but things had happened so +fast there was a second to spare before it went off. Then for an instant +there was a dull flash and the _cruuuump_ of the grenade. Shrapnel +sliced through the woods below, bringing yells of fright. + +"The camera," Rick gasped. He got to his hands and knees, shaking his +head. There was wetness across one eye that he thought was blood. + +Scotty got his meaning instantly. He snapped, "Sing. Keep an eye on Ko," +and ran to the pack animals. It took him only a moment to find the +camera and lift it from its case, then he handed Zircon the special +glasses and quickly fitted his infrared telescopic sight onto his own +rifle. + +Rick got to his feet, keeping the injured eye closed, and fumbled +through the gear until he found his tripod. He set it up quickly and +mounted the camera on it. Then he carried the unit to the edge of the +saucer and pushed the button that lit up the infrared light. He couldn't +see to shoot, but he could operate the camera unit. Through the special +glasses, Zircon would be able to see anything the infrared beam hit. +Scotty would be able to see, too, through his special telescopic rifle +sight. Rick panned the light across the woods below. It wasn't light +that could be seen, of course. Only the dull glow of the filament, too +dim to be seen more than a few feet away, told him that the camera was +operating. + +"I see one," Zircon bellowed suddenly, and the words were echoed by the +dull, authoritative slap of the .45-90. The heavy slug drove through the +brush below. "Missed," the scientist said in disgust. + +Scotty's rifle cracked sharply. Scotty didn't miss. There was a yell +from below, then the noise of many men running through the underbrush. +Rick guessed that the attackers didn't like the weird sharpshooting in +the darkness. + +In a few moments there was quiet, and the infrared light found nothing +but the silent woods. Sing, who had been crouching over Ko, ready frying +pan in hand, said, "They've gone, I think. These hill people don't like +night fights, anyway." + +"That's my guess, too," Scotty agreed. + +Zircon found his own flashlight, and, ducking low, shot it over the +saucer's edge. He waited long moments, but nothing happened. Had the men +who attacked them still been in the woods below, they certainly would +have fired at the tempting target. + +"Bring that light here, will you, professor?" Rick called. "Something +hit me in the eye awhile back." He tried to keep the concern out of his +voice. Had he been blinded in that eye? + +Scotty and the professor hurried to him in some concern. Zircon shot the +light into his face and he blinked with his good eye. + +"Good heavens," Zircon said softly. Then, on closer examination, he +sighed with relief. "A scratch, just below the eyebrow. The eye itself +isn't damaged. Scotty, find the first-aid kit, please? We'll have this +cleaned up in a jiffy." + +While Scotty held the light, Zircon cleaned the wound and washed the +blood from Rick's eye. Then, in the midst of the operation, there was a +metallic clang from where Sing stood guard. + +Scotty flashed the light over in time for them to see Worthington Ko +stretch limply on the ground. Sing's smile flashed. "He was waking up. I +didn't want to bother you, so I made him sleep some more." + +Rick had to chuckle. Their efficient guide had bashed Ko with his frying +pan. + +Zircon completed giving Rick first aid. "That's clotting nicely, Rick." +He cut a tiny piece of sterile gauze and affixed it with a bit of tape. +"There you are. Good as new by morning. I suspect that a chip of stone +must have struck you." + +Rick tested the action of his eyelid on that side. The gauze felt ten +times as big as it actually was, but it was all right. "Thanks, +professor," he said. "Now, let's take a look at our captive." + +Worthington Ko's slumber, induced by Sing's mighty frying pan, was not +very deep. A cupful of water in the face brought him around readily +enough and he peered up at the Americans. He had lost his glasses in the +shuffle, and without them there was no doubt that he had one glass eye. +He peered balefully from the good one. + +"What," he demanded, "is the meaning of this?" + +"We might ask the same," Zircon stated, "except that we can assume that +you sponsored the attack on us. What we want to know is, why?" + +Ko snorted indignantly. "Nonsense! I was coming to your aid, having made +my way through that mob of Tibetan bandits." He rubbed his head. "And +then someone struck me." + +"Were you going to use that grenade as a calling card?" Rick asked +caustically. + +Ko opened his mouth to speak, but Rick continued, "Don't try to tell us +you were going to use it in our defense. Men don't pull the pins on +grenades until they're ready to toss them. That one had our name on it." + +Ko shrugged. "I see you've convinced yourselves. It's useless for me to +say anything further." He shut his mouth obstinately, nor could they get +anything further out of him. + +Zircon motioned to Sing. "Tie him up. Then post guards. We'll stay here +for the night." He turned to the boys. "I think it's safe to make a +fire. We can have some supper and then turn in. I'll take first watch +with one of the bearers. Scotty will take the second, Rick the third, +and Sing the last." He opened the chamber of his rifle and extracted the +shell, then put the rifle down. "I'm hungry," he said, grinning. +"Nothing like a good fight to work up an appetite." + +Scotty laughed. "You talk like a Marine," he said admiringly. + +The night passed without incident, and the entire party was awake at +dawn. Over breakfast, they discussed the affair again. Like the +discussion of the night before, it proved futile. There were simply too +many questions that had no answers. + +Rick summed it up. "We've found Long Shadow and the Chinese with the +glass eye. Or rather they've found us. And it's obvious they're out for +blood. It scares me to think of what would have happened on the junk if +the Englishman and Bradley hadn't taken a hand." + +"I'd like to know how they knew we were coming," Scotty said. + +Zircon drained the last of his coffee. "I don't think they did know. We +walked into Canton Charlie's and asked for Chahda. We put the finger on +ourselves, so to speak. They probably assumed that anyone asking for +Chahda was an enemy. Obviously, they had some sort of contact with +Chahda, otherwise he wouldn't have cabled the descriptions after stating +that he was in danger." + +"That sounds right," Rick agreed. He looked over to where Worthington Ko +was having a cup of tea under the watchful eye of Sing. "What do we do +with our fat chum?" + +"Keep him for a hostage," Scotty suggested. + +Zircon shook his head. "A good idea, but not practical. It would require +that we guard him constantly and that would be a nuisance. No, I think +we had better leave him and push on for Korse Lenken as rapidly as +possible. Now that we know our danger is from Chahda's enemies and not +from casual bandits, we are forewarned." + +"Then what do we do with him?" Rick asked. + +"Leave him here, afoot. His friends probably will find him, but I don't +think that matters. Now that we know him, he's less dangerous. We can +treat him like any other bandit." + +Rick and Scotty agreed. As they drew nearer the goal, both of them were +increasingly anxious to get to Chahda, to hear from him some of the +answers to their questions, and finally to get down to the business of +finding the heavy water that was the reason for their quest. + +Although they hadn't discussed it, Rick was worried about Chahda. +Normally, he had full confidence in the Hindu boy's ability to take care +of himself. But this time Chahda was far from the kind of people he +knew, among unfriendly strangers. Was his friend hiding somewhere in the +mountains around Korse Lenken? Or had he found a hide-out in the village +itself? + +They would soon know. + +After breakfast, Rick, Scotty, and Sing surveyed the scene of the +ambush, leaving Zircon to guard the Chinese and to direct the repacking +of their gear. + +There were definite signs of the enemy's presence in the woods below. +One area was pretty well trampled, indicating to Scotty's trained eye +that the ambushers had departed in a big hurry. The Chinese guide +pointed to where ants were swarming around a section of ground. + +"Someone was hit there," he said. "Ants find bloodstains fast in this +country." + +"We were aiming low," Scotty said. "Probably a leg wound. Sing, where do +you suppose Ko's mules are?" + +The guide shrugged. "Pretty sure to be far away. The men who attacked us +wouldn't leave mules behind. They're too valuable." + +Scotty led the way down the trail to where the first shots had been +fired. The three moved cautiously, just in case the attackers were +waiting a little distance away. Scotty's rifle was ready for instant +use. + +"I was right here," Sing said. "Ko's mules were ahead of me, just a few +yards away. Let's go ahead some and take a look." + +The trail wound through the woods for a little distance and then broke +into a clearing. Rick saw gear littered over the ground and pointed to +it. "Looks as if they left something behind!" + +In a moment they were looking through what was evidently Ko's entire +luggage. Sing kicked at a pile of cooking utensils. "They took the mules +but left everything else." + +"Funny they'd do that," Rick said thoughtfully. "After all, Ko was the +boss. He must have arranged the ambush. Unless we're wrong about him." + +"I don't think we're wrong," Scotty denied. "You hit it on the nose when +you said a man doesn't pull the pin on a grenade unless he's ready to +toss it. Ko must be the boss." + +Sing examined a richly embroidered robe. "My guess is that Ko hired a +few Tibetan bandits. They wouldn't worry about him or his belongings +after being met by heavy resistance. And his bearers would be afraid to +stay and face him. Or maybe they thought he was killed while attacking +us. There was a lot of noise, and it was dark." + +Rick thought Sing was probably right. He walked over to a pile of furs. +"What are these?" he asked. "Ko must have been a fur trader." + +Sing looked up. "Water bags. Goatskin. Very common in China." He dropped +the robe and came to look, his face wrinkling into a frown. "But usually +a man doesn't carry so many. Very funny." + +Rick and Scotty examined one with interest. It was a whole skin, except +for head and feet. Even the tail was still attached. The ends of the +legs had been sewed up, but the neck was left open. Attached to the neck +opening was a rawhide thong that could be used to bind the opening tight +when the skin was filled with water. + +"These are good bags," Sing said. "Better than most." + +"Perhaps he planned to sell them," Rick suggested. + +"Don't think so." The Chinese guide shook his head. "People here make +their own. Every time they kill a goat for meat, that's a new goatskin. +The Buddhist Tibetans, who don't kill anything, even flies, use pottery +jugs." + +Scotty had started counting the bags. He paused at the ninth and held it +up. "This one is split open. Looks like the seam gave way. There's a +sort of funny lining." + +Rick took the skin and turned it inside out. It was smooth and glassy on +the inside, and the substance was completely transparent because he +could see the skin underneath. + +Sing felt of it. "Never saw anything like that before." + +Rick held it to his nose and sniffed. It was odorless. He took his +pocketknife and scraped at it while the others watched. A tiny flake +shaved off. He tested it between his fingers, and it was flexible as +rubber. An idea was growing in his head. + +"It's crazy," he said. "But you know what I think this is? I think it's +plastic!" + +"The professor can tell us," Scotty suggested. "Come on. Let's take it +to him." + +They ran back up the trail, Rick leading with the skin. If the stuff +were plastic, it could mean only one thing. He lengthened his stride. + +Zircon looked up from his notebook as they topped the hill and ran +toward him. He dropped the book and jumped to his feet, reaching for his +rifle. + +"It's not another ambush," Rick panted. He held out the skin. "It's +this. Professor, what is this transparent stuff inside?" + +Zircon took the skin and ran his finger tips over the lining. He held it +up so that it caught the light, then looked at Rick curiously. "That's +odd," he muttered. "This is certainly a goatskin. And almost surely, +this is a plastic lining. I can't be sure, of course, but I've never +seen anything like this in nature." + +"It's a goatskin water bag," Rick said excitedly. He pointed to Ko. "He +had a dozen of them." + +Zircon bellowed, "So! Then if this is plastic...." + +"It was a clever stunt," Rick finished. "No one would suspect coolies +toting goatskin water bags. And even if anyone did suspect, he wouldn't +be able to tell anything by a casual examination." + +Sing scratched his head. "Forgive my stupidity," he said. "The +suspicious one wouldn't be able to tell what? If this lining is plastic, +it is a senseless waste. Water keeps cool in a goatskin bag because of +evaporation through the pores. It certainly couldn't evaporate through +plastic." + +"No," Zircon agreed. "That is the idea. They don't want evaporation. +Also, the plastic guarantees the water's purity." + +Sing said no more, but he was obviously puzzled. Nor could the Americans +tell him what had excited them, that they had found the means by which +the substance they sought was carried to the coast. + +Rick had a quick vision of Chinese coolies making their slow way through +the countryside, unnoticed because water-bearers were so commonplace. +But the coolies in this case carried bags lined with plastic, and the +stuff that made the legs thrust out stiffly and that swelled the bag was +not ordinary water! It was the stuff which had brought them halfway +across the world. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +The Buddhist Monk + + +The party topped a high rise and stopped, spellbound at the scene that +spread before them. They were on the rim of a great valley. Far on the +other side of the valley stood the high peaks of the Himalayas, a mighty +screen between them and India. + +Below, a lush green path marked the course of a wide river. On either +side of it, sloping up to the mountains, was the lighter green of +grasslands. + +Sing pointed. "There is Korse Lenken." + +Rick had to look hard before he saw it. Then he began to make it out. +The monastery was built under a great cliff on one side of the valley. +At first glance it seemed like part of the cliff itself. It was huge, +with tier after tier of gray stone buildings rising in piled masses from +the valley floor. Around it, like tiny mounds of earth, were the hair +tents of the Tibetans. + +"Magnificent," Zircon rumbled. "Well worth coming to see, even if we +find nothing at the end of the trail." + +"We'll find Chahda," Scotty said. "I'm sure we will. And the sooner the +better." + +Rick felt the same way. Now that the end of the trail was in sight, +excitement was rising within him. He was anxious to find his Hindu +friend and to find at the same time answers to some of the mysteries +they had encountered. + +"Let's hurry," he said impatiently. + +Sing shouted at the bearers and the party took a narrow trail that +dipped into the valley. Scotty rode ahead with Sing, and his rifle was +ready for instant use. Rick and Zircon brought up the rear, their own +rifles held ready. They had taken no chances since the fight on the +hilltop. Worthington Ko had been left afoot far behind them, but there +was no assurance his friends hadn't come to the rescue with horses. Rick +kept glancing behind him, just in case of an attack from the rear. + +They had reached the rim of the valley by midmorning. All through the +day they made their way down the mountain, reaching the valley floor +about three in the afternoon. Another two hours of steady travel took +them past the yurts of Tibetan herders--conical tents made of horsehair +felt. The stolid Tibetans watched them pass, no interest in their beady +eyes. + +Then, as darkness began to set in, they reached the monastery. Korse +Lenken towered above them, already shaded in twilight. From somewhere +within the great pile they heard the tinkle of bells, then the deep +tones of a mighty gong. Lamas, priests in yellow robes, walked past with +bowed heads. Some of them spun their prayer wheels and intoned the +Buddhist ritual. + +_Om Mani Padme Hum. Hail, the jewel in the lotus!_ + +The jewel, of course, was the Lord Buddha. + +They watched the pageant for a few moments, enthralled. Then Zircon +commanded Sing. "Find someone you can talk to. We'll want to see the +High Lama." + +Sing nodded. "I will go into the monastery. The bearers will find a +place to camp." He issued orders in Chinese. + +The bearers scattered at once, searching for a suitable place to pitch +camp. The three Americans sat their horses and watched the activities +around the great monastery, too interested even to talk. + +Rick saw countless yellow robes on the various balconies. There must be +thousands of monks, he thought. And there were an equal number of +Tibetans, many of them already busy at cooking fires near the base of +the gray stone buildings. He smelled mutton cooking, and the acrid, +unpleasant odor he had learned to identify with yak butter. Hot buttered +tea was a Tibetan staple. He had tried it on the trail, because he was +interested in everything, even yak butter. But he didn't think it would +ever take the place of ice cream in his affections. + +One of the bearers came back and motioned to them. They followed as he +led the pack mules to a place in the shelter of a great rock. The other +bearers were foraging for wood. In a few moments a fire was going and +camp was being set up. + +Sing returned. "No one may see the High Lama," he reported. "He is in +the middle of some kind of ceremony that takes a month. But I talked +with an important priest. He was friendly. He said he would send one of +the lamas to be our guide and to help us find your friend." + +"Good," Zircon said. "Now, let's have some dinner. I'm famished." + +The boys echoed his sentiments. + +It was fully dark before they ended their meal. They were squatting +around the fire, sipping coffee and listening to Zircon's description of +the Buddhist ritual when one of the bearers suddenly called out. The +three Americans and Sing reached for their weapons as a yellow-robed +lama shuffled out of the darkness. + +This, evidently, was their guide. He was of less than medium height, but +that was all Rick could tell about him. His loose robe draped around his +body and his cowl was pulled up, hiding his face. + +"Welcome," Zircon boomed. "Sing, speak to him and tell him we are +grateful for his coming." + +Sing spoke to the monk in Chinese. + +The robed lama stood immobile, just within range of the firelight. The +yellow flames made shadows across his cowled figure. Rick felt a little +shudder run through him. The quiet figure was somehow weird. + +Sing shifted to another language, but the lama made no reply. Then, +slowly, he brought his hands up level, outstretched toward them. He +chanted slowly, his voice muffled under the cowl. Then the chant died +and his hands were lowered once more. + +Sing turned to the group. "I don't know what he said. It's not in a +language I understand." He spoke to the apparition. The monk stood +motionless. + +"Wish they'd sent us someone we could talk with," Scotty grumbled. "A +lot of use this joker will be!" + +The monk's cowl turned slowly toward Scotty. The figure moved +majestically toward the boy, then the hands lifted again. From under the +cowl a sepulchral voice issued. + +"Could be more use than you think, muttonhead." + +For an instant there was stunned silence, then Rick and Scotty leaped +for the robed figure with yells of delight. Rick hit him high and Scotty +hit him low. They held him down and pulled the cowl from him, then +pommeled him unmercifully, while Zircon cheered them on. + +Only when the monk begged for mercy did they let him up. He tossed the +robe aside and grinned at them. + +"Okay," Chahda said. "You win. But it took you plenty time to get here! +Why you take so long?" + +The slim Hindu boy hugged them solemnly, one at a time, and shook hands +with Sing. "Now," he announced, "I eat. Got plenty sick of sheep meat, +you bet!" + +Then they were all laughing and talking at once while the cook hastened +to prepare a meal. In a few moments Chahda was attacking a high-piled +plate and talking between bites. + +"Good you came now," he said. "I got plenty worry. You find Bradley?" + +Zircon told him of the meeting in the hotel. + +Chahda nodded. "Good. I think he show up soon." + +"Start at the beginning," Rick demanded. "There's a whole lot we don't +know. In fact, if you come right down to it, we don't know anything." + +"Okay." Chahda took a sip of coffee. "I start at start. In Bombay." + +Chahda had been visiting with his family in Bombay when Bradley arrived +in the Indian city. The two had met by accident. Chahda had gone to the +Taj Mahal Hotel to write a letter to the boys, because there was no +paper or ink at home. Bradley, who happened to be in the lobby, had +noticed the address on the envelope as Chahda handed it to the desk +clerk. + +Once the scientist discovered that Chahda knew the Spindrift group and +had been on expeditions with them, the rest followed naturally. Bradley, +realizing that the clever little Hindu boy would be of great value in +his undercover work, had hired him. Chahda didn't say so, but Rick could +understand that such was the case. + +Chahda's duties had been those of general assistant. He had cared for +baggage, run errands, acted as secretary, and on a few occasions had +been assigned to follow people in whose destinations Bradley was +interested. The two had gone from Bombay to New Delhi and Calcutta, then +to Singapore. At Singapore, while following up another matter, Bradley +accidentally had discovered that heavy water was being sold. + +"He was much excited," Chahda said. "I did not know why. Heavy water? I +asked myself what is heavy water. I knew about ice, which is frozen +water and which is heavy. But who would have much excitement about ice? +The Sahib Bradley hurried to the Consulate of America and he sent a +cable to Washington." + +Then the scientist had assigned Chahda to watch a certain house in +Singapore, the place from which the heavy water was being taken to +unknown destinations. Chahda had watched for three days without relief, +and he had seen Worthington Ko. Then, since Bradley had not come for +him, he deserted his post long enough to return to their quarters, a +room in an obscure Chinese hotel in Singapore. There he had found +evidence of a fight and bloodstains on the floor. There was no sign of +Bradley. + +It was then, Chahda guessed, that Long Shadow had found him. He saw the +shadow several times while he hunted for Bradley. Then, while searching +for his boss in the Tamil quarter, he had been attacked by Chinese thugs +led by Worthington Ko. They had beaten him into insensibility, hustled +him into a taxi, and were carrying him somewhere into the inland of +Malaya when he regained consciousness. He escaped by going headlong +through a window while the car was traveling and then taking cover in +the jungle alongside the road. Going by a roundabout route, he reached +Singapore again. There he found that their luggage was held by the hotel +and the room had been rented to someone else. + +Chahda polished his plate with a biscuit and groaned expressively. "I +say to myself then, Chahda, now is time to think real hard. What to do?" + +He knew that the cable Bradley had sent asked for Hartson Brant to be +assigned to the job. And he knew also that from Singapore they were to +head for Hong Kong. He knew nothing about Hong Kong, but he did know +that Bradley was acquainted at a place called the Golden Mouse because +he had heard him mention it to a Chinese the scientist used for +undercover work now and then. + +"The Long Shadow came again while I was thinking," Chahda continued. "I +saw it in front of the hotel. So I went quick-fast out the back, and ran +through many places until I was sure he could not find me. I went to +where many Indians live in Singapore, and I found a friend." + +The friend, another Indian, had gone to the United States Information +Library in Singapore and borrowed a copy of _The World Almanac_. Chahda +already had decided he would cable the boys, and how he would do it. He +knew, because of what they had told him, that they would be able to +figure out a book code and that they would realize his choice naturally +would be the _Almanac_. Knowing the annual by heart, he naturally also +knew the table that converted Roman numerals to Arabic numbers and had +used the letter L as a clue to the right volume. + +"But how did you know about nulls?" Rick asked. + +"Oh, that was very lucky. I learned how to put Sahib Bradley's messages +in code, and there were many nulls." He grinned impishly. "Of course I +did not know if you also knew what are nulls. I was thinking, they are +two who are good with science. But are they also good with code? Maybe +not. But, anyway, they are plenty smart to read a book. That will tell +them about nulls." + +"We didn't have to read a book," Scotty said. "Dad told us about them." + +"Scientist father also plenty smart even without books," Chahda agreed. +"Anyway, I make the message and I send cable." + +Rick interrupted again. "How did you know Ko had a glass eye?" + +Chahda smiled. "When they capture me, I fight like maybe ten wild +elephants. I kick honorable Mr. Ko in the face. And what happens? His +glasses fall off and one of his eyes falls out! Also, it breaks when it +falls and I see it is glass. I am so surprised I forget to fight and +someone hits me from the back of my neck, and then all is dark. I did +not know Mr. Ko's name then. My boss tells me it later." + +"No more questions for the moment," Zircon ordered. "I want to hear the +rest of this. Go ahead, Chahda." + +The Hindu boy had used his friend as a go-between and had arranged for +the consul general to advance him funds. Since the official knew he +worked for Bradley, that was not difficult. Then he had arranged for +their baggage to be shipped and held at the airport in Hong Kong, and +had taken a plane there himself. + +At the Golden Mouse, Canton Charlie had given him quarters. In another +day, Bradley showed up. The scientist had been caught in the Singapore +hotel room by Ko and company, but had fought his way clear. There wasn't +time to leave a note for Chahda at the hotel and he didn't dare return +to the room for fear of having the enemy locate him again. So he had +depended on Chahda's wits to tell him the next step and had gone ahead +to Hong Kong, hoping to find more information about the heavy water. + +At Hong Kong, Long Shadow had shown up again. + +Bradley, in the meanwhile, had not been idle. Through his various +sources of information he had determined that the source of the heavy +water was in the neighborhood of Korse Lenken. Chahda was instructed to +go there at once and start reconnoitering while they waited for the +party from the States. Bradley deliberately dropped the disguise he had +been using, that of a Portuguese seaman, and let Long Shadow locate him. +Then he had started out, hoping to draw the enemy away from Chahda long +enough for the boy to get clear and start for Korse Lenken. Bradley was +to shake the enemy when he could and resume his investigation. Finding +the source of the water was not enough, he had said. It also was +necessary to find out how it was reaching Singapore, and what its +ultimate destination might be. + +Chahda had experience with Buddhist monasteries dating back to the time +when he had worked in Nepal. Also, many Indians were Buddhists. There +were some in almost every monastery, and of that number a few could be +depended on to speak Hindi, or Hindustani as it was called, which was +Chahda's language. He also knew a little Tibetan from his years in +Nepal. + +"I came here easy," Chahda finished. "There was a big lot of pilgrims +and they took me in." He grinned. "They thought I was a monk. And I +found Indians, like I had thought. They hid me, so I do not think Long +Shadow knows I am here. And now I know where the heavy water comes +from." + +Zircon gave an exclamation. "Chahda, you're a marvel! Where does it come +from?" + +"Tomorrow I show you," Chahda promised. + +"Who is Long Shadow?" Rick demanded. + +Chahda shrugged. "Not knowing. We never see him. Only the shadow." + +Scotty stirred up the fire a little. "How come Canton Charlie didn't +turn you over to the enemy as he did us?" + +"What?" Chahda was astonished. + +Scotty quickly outlined their adventures while Chahda listened +thoughtfully. When he had finished, the Indian boy shook his head. +"Something bad wrong. Charlie is one of Bradley's men. My boss pays him, +and he is friendly. You say Charlie told you to go to this junk?" + +Rick thought back. Charlie himself actually had not told them. They had +not seen Charlie when the note was dropped on their table. + +"Charlie himself didn't tell us," he stated. "It could have been one of +Long Shadow's men. Or one of Ko's. And that Portuguese with the knife +could have been one of Long Shadow's men, too. I'll bet he was the one +who put the finger on us. He must have heard us ask for Chahda. Long +Shadow and his men knew Chahda, of course, and they would certainly try +to get rid of reinforcements like us." + +"Right," Zircon agreed. "Perhaps the fault was ours in not waiting for +Charlie to tell us himself, although I don't see how we could have +known." + +"I think that is it," Chahda said. "Charlie is a friend. So the men on +the junk with purple sails were Long Shadow's, and you plenty lucky you +get out with your skins, believe me." + +Zircon rubbed his chin. "Chahda, our instructions from Bradley were to +bring a rubber boat and a Nansen bottle. That must mean the heavy water +source has something to do with a lake or river. Is that true?" + +"Don't know about those things," Chahda said. "I know only that the +heavy water comes from a place near here. I know how to get there and I +will take you. I do not think we will like this place much. It has a bad +name." + +"What kind of bad name?" Scotty asked. + +"In English," Chahda said, "it is 'The Caves of Fear'!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +The Black Buddha + + +Long ago, according to the tale Chahda had heard from his Indian +Buddhist friends in the monastery, a High Lama and some of the chief +priests of Korse Lenken forsook their vows and went in for piracy with +the monastery as headquarters. + +For years they flourished, robbing travelers and even swooping down on +Chinese cities across the border. The name of Korse Lenken was known +throughout the East as a place of terror. Between attacks, the High Lama +and his priests made mockery of the religion of Buddhism that they were +sworn to uphold, and they built a huge caricature of Buddha, all in +black and with the face of a demon. + +Then, went the legend, as they dedicated the great statue to the hordes +of the mountain underworld, the Lord Buddha himself appeared in the sky +and stretched his hands over them. The vast multitude of robbers fell to +their knees and lifted their hands for mercy. And Lord Buddha, the +gentle and merciful, gave them mercy. His voice rang through the +mountains like the winds of heaven: "Live! Live unharmed. But live in +fear! It is written." + +Buddha, so went the legend, then vanished. A great wind sighed through +the valley, and bolts of light flashed from heaven. It grew black, black +as the darkest night. And when the blackness cleared and the wind died, +new mountains stood where the High Lama and the multitude had been. + +The lamas who had remained faithful to the teachings of Buddha labored +to build a new monastery, and as the years passed they heard mutterings +in the earth. Then one day a repentant lama, who had been one of the +multitude, came forth, an old man. The High Lama and the robbers still +lived, he said. But they lived in the blackness under the new mountain, +in vast caverns where no light ever came. And there were _things_ in the +darkness. Things they could not see, but of which they were terribly +afraid. As Lord Buddha had said, they lived in fear. + +The little group was silent as Chahda finished reciting the legend. Then +the Hindu boy added, "Of course this is long ago. So very long. Maybe it +is only a story. And maybe not. The monks of Korse Lenken do know there +are big caverns, and they know of this Black Buddha. I know of it +myself. But more than that I do not know." + +"And it is from the Caves of Fear that the heavy water is presumed to +come," Zircon finished. "That is quite a tale, Chahda. But how do we get +to the Caves of Fear?" + +"The entrance is somewhere in the Cave of the Black Buddha," Chahda +said. "At least, that is what the monks have told me. Also, they showed +me how to get there. But I did not go in." He shuddered a little. "Who +knows if the old High Lama might not be waiting? I thought better I wait +for you." + +Rick felt the weirdness of the tale, too, but he made a joke. "I didn't +think hobgoblins would frighten you away, Chahda." + +Chahda didn't smile. "People who live in the East do not laugh at +hub-gubbles, Rick." + +"I was just trying to be funny," Rick apologized. "Well, what do we do +now?" + +"We look in the caverns for the source of the heavy water," Zircon +stated. "And the sooner we start, the better. Chahda, have you seen men +with water bags heading out of here? Men with anything at all suspicious +about them?" + +The Hindu boy nodded. "I have seen such men. Once I saw ten men going up +the trail to the outside with such bags. The bags were all they had. I +am sure the bags had heavy water. If not, why so many?" + +Zircon told him of the plastic-lined bags they had found and of their +suspicions. + +Chahda saw the implications instantly. He grinned. "We find out plenty +more about these water bags, you bet! I think I go right now and find +out if any more men with bags go by today." He hurried off, getting into +his monk's costume as he went. + +Rick watched him go, shaking his head with admiration. "He's a wonder," +he said. "I'll bet Bradley thinks so, too." + +"Anyone would," Scotty agreed. "He gets things done. Wish I could say +the same for us. All we've done so far is travel while he did the work. +Why don't we get busy?" + +"Busy how?" the scientist asked. + +"Couldn't we look into this cave tonight? I don't see that waiting until +morning will help much. If it's a big cave, there won't be light in it, +anyway." + +Rick thought Scotty had something there. He pointed out that plenty of +lights were in their packs, and that they had the dark-light camera +besides. + +Hobart Zircon thought it over, then agreed. "There's another advantage," +he added. "Starting out tonight, we'll attract less attention. We got +here about dark, so the people of the area don't know we're here. +They'll know in the morning, though, and we'll have a thousand +sight-seers hanging around, unless they're greatly different from the +other Eastern people I've met. And the less anyone knows about our +interests, the better." + +Sing nodded agreement. "That is right. By morning many people will come +to see the strangers. I doubt if they have seen very many white men +before." The Chinese guide paused. "But I don't know if I like the idea +of going into strange caves while it's dark. As your little friend says, +anything is possible in this part of the world. Even hobgoblins." + +"We wouldn't want you to come, anyway, Sing," Rick said. He looked at +Zircon for agreement. "It would be better if you took care of our +equipment and sort of acted as rear guard. We'll need someone to stand +by in case we don't come out of the cave again." + +"Afraid the hobgoblins will kidnap us?" Scotty asked. + +"Not hobgoblins. But if the heavy water is there, some of Long Shadow's +men will be, too. We probably can take care of ourselves. Only suppose +they catch us by surprise?" + +Zircon agreed. "Rick is right. And even if there is no one in the cave, +there remains the possibility of accident. I think we'll do well to +leave Sing here. Then, if we're not out in twenty-four hours, he can +take steps to get us out." + +"That's wise," Sing nodded. + +They were debating what to take with them when Chahda returned. He +reported that some of the lamas had seen men with goatskin water bags +late in the day, men that they knew to come from outside the valley, +traveling from the general direction of the Cave of the Black Buddha. It +was such water-carrying groups that had made Chahda sure that the cave +was the source. There was no other near-by place that was possible. + +"That settles it," Rick said. He told Chahda what they had in mind. + +Chahda glanced at the sky. "Moon in a little while," he said. "With no +moon, we could not even get there. Too rough. But if no clouds come, we +can go." + +Rick was a little surprised that Chahda hadn't objected in view of his +apparent dislike of the whole idea. Then he realized that the little +Hindu boy wasn't made that way. He might be afraid, but he would go. +That was true bravery. + +After some discussion, they decided not to take their full equipment, +but merely to use the trip to locate the entrance to the Caves of Fear. +Once the way was found, they could return and load up with gear and +provisions. However, each of them took a few emergency rations, a full +canteen of water, their weapons, and flashlights. Chahda was given a big +electric lamp to carry. Rick slung the dark-light camera over his +shoulder while Scotty changed his rifle sight for the infrared +telescope. + +The moon was up by the time they were ready. They shook hands with Sing +and started off, Chahda leading. + +The way led across the valley at a slight angle, heading toward the +river. At first it was smooth going, with only high grass underfoot. +Rick was enjoying himself. The moon gave light to the valley center, but +the sides, under the sheer mountain walls, were shrouded in shadow. The +peaks themselves, snow-capped to the west, were bright. + +Then Chahda cut back away from the river toward the nearest mountain +wall. The way began to get rougher, with hillocks to climb and rocky +outcroppings to skirt. + +Soon they were out of the grassland entirely, walking through rock +masses. Now and then they went from the moonlight into dense shadow and +had to use their flashlights. Except for their flashlights, no man-made +light disturbed the wild scene. They had been traveling for some time. +It was late and not even a fire in front of a herder's tent could be +seen. By Rick's watch, it was almost eleven. + +It was closer to midnight when Chahda stopped. He pointed to a rocky +defile. "This is as far as I went before. My friend who showed me said +the cave is there." + +Zircon took the lead. Behind him, Rick put his own flashlight away and +held his rifle ready for use. Scotty, too, was ready. Chahda, crowding +Rick's steps, had the big light ready to turn on. + +Zircon's beam picked out rocky walls that rose for a hundred feet. He +picked his way over tumbled rock, the others following. The way took a +sharp turn, then came to a dead end. + +"Nothing here." Zircon's light covered the area a foot at a time. There +was no opening. + +"Maybe we missed it," Scotty suggested. "Let's go back, and examine +everything on the way." + +They reversed their steps. All of them used lights now, and the combined +beams illumined the steep walls brightly. + +"Take a look at that," Scotty said suddenly. His light was on a pinnacle +of rock that appeared to have some sort of opening behind it. He moved +in, cautiously, the others close behind. There was an opening, sure +enough, where the pinnacle leaned against the main rock wall. There was +just barely room to squeeze through. Zircon almost got stuck. + +Once past the opening, a new trail seemed to open up. And at its end an +aperture in the rock wall loomed black before them. + +"That must be it," Rick said, and his voice echoed hollowly. + +Scotty moved ahead to the entrance and flashed his light inside. The +beam was lost in the blackness beyond. "It's big," he said, and the +words rolled around in the emptiness. + +Rick felt a shiver run down his back. "What are we waiting for?" he +demanded roughly. "Let's get inside." + +The opening wasn't large. Zircon had to duck going in. Rick was right +behind him, Chahda bringing up the rear. Just inside, they stopped, all +lights going. + +The cave was tremendous. The level rock floor stretched away from them, +and when they shot their lights upward, a vaulted dome reflected the +beams a good hundred feet overhead. Slowly they moved away from the +entrance, lights busy searching the cave. There was nothing near the +entrance but rock, solid and smooth. And it was so quiet Rick thought he +could hear his own heartbeat. Then his light beam picked up a green +reflection on the far side of the cave. + +"There's something there," he exclaimed. In spite of himself, his voice +shook. + +"We'll soon see," Scotty said. Their voices rumbled through the cave, +echoing and re-echoing. + +Zircon gave a sudden exclamation. "Chahda! Where's the big light?" + +The Hindu boy had been playing the bright beam on the walls to one side. +Now he swung it squarely ahead, and Rick gasped. + +The Black Buddha! + +It seemed to crouch against the far wall, a giant, loathsome thing of +dead black with live green eyes. + +They went toward it, all lights on the thing, and as they made out more +details, Rick shuddered. The Buddha was completely the opposite of every +other Buddha he had seen. Instead of the bland, quiet look of peace, +this thing had its mouth open, showing sharp ebony teeth. It leered over +a nose like a pig's, and its body was gross and misshapen. It was, Rick +thought, toad-like. It quite frankly gave him the willies. His +imagination gave it life, so that the obscene lips smirked, and almost +seemed to drool. + +Something white at the base caught the light beams. In a moment they +stood before a pile of bones, heaped against the statue's left side. + +Zircon's light swept them. "Human," he said. + +Rick's scalp tightened. + +Next to him, Chahda let out his breath in a sigh that was nearly a moan. + +In the second that they stood silently looking at the pile of bones, +there came a slight sound from somewhere behind the Black Buddha. +Instantly their lights swept in the direction of the sound, until Scotty +hissed, "Put 'em out!" + +Blackness flooded in on them. Rick strained his eyes to see, his ears to +hear. He tried to control his breathing, sure that its sound could be +heard forty feet away. + +Then he saw a horizontal thread of light about three feet long against +the wall behind the statue. It spread upward slowly, forming a +rectangle. Rick watched it, his palms wet on the rifle as he tucked the +flashlight away and gripped the weapon tightly. + +It was yellow light, eerie as a will-o'-the-wisp and scarcely stronger. +Then, as Rick watched, a shadow rose up in a black narrow path from the +bottom of the rectangle. It rose and rose until it almost filled the +frame, and the blackness was in the form of a man, almost, except that +it was too long, too thin. + +The four stood as though hypnotized for a dozen heartbeats, then Zircon +came to life. He jumped forward with a great roar. + +"Long Shadow!" + +The light vanished and again blackness closed around them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +The Caves of Fear + + +Instantly all lights were directed at the back of the cave. Zircon +rushed around the statue and stopped short as his light found only rock +walls. + +"He has to be here somewhere," the scientist bellowed. "Hunt for him!" + +Rick stood for a moment estimating the direction from which the light +had come. He walked to the part of the wall on which they had seen the +shadow, and stood with his back to it. He flashed his light straight +ahead, and it fell on the broad back of the Black Buddha. + +The others had followed his line of thought and were watching. + +"Look for a door," Scotty said. He hurried to the back of the statue and +began examining it with his light. Rick joined him. Zircon got out a +jackknife and began to probe into cracks. Chahda got down on hands and +knees and felt along the base. + +The back of the statue was seamed with cracks, but they ran +helter-skelter without apparent order. The illumination against which +the shadow was cast had been rectangular. + +"There isn't a straight line in the bunch," Rick said, disappointed. +"What now?" + +"There must be a way to open the door, wherever it is," Zircon stated. +"That's what we must look for, I think. It may be on the statue itself, +on the floor, or on a wall near by. Rick, you and Scotty take the +statue. Chahda and I will take the walls and floor." + +"What are we hunting for?" Scotty asked. + +"I don't know. Perhaps a knob, perhaps a keyhole. Look for anything +unusual." + +Rick and Scotty began at opposite sides of the statue's back and started +working toward each other, examining every inch of the black stone +minutely. Zircon and Chahda started side by side on the wall behind the +statue and worked away from each other. Rick used his jackknife to probe +every suspicious crack or chip, but without success. He and Scotty +covered the back as high up as they could reach without finding a thing. +Zircon and Chahda worked along the wall until they were thirty feet +apart, then the scientist called a halt on the theory that the secret +lock wouldn't be that far from the door. The door was either in the +statue's back or near its base. + +While Zircon and Chahda started examining the floor, Rick and Scotty +started on the statue's sides. There was more decoration along the +sides, so they had to go more slowly and carefully. + +After a while, Chahda called, "Something here." + +The others stopped what they were doing and hurried to him. The Hindu +boy's light was on a tiny slot in the floor. It seemed shallow. Rick +pointed out that the floor in the area was checkered, almost like a tile +floor. + +"There must be a reason for that," Zircon said. He knelt by the slot and +peered into it. "Nothing in the slot, however. Rick, isn't yours a scout +knife?" + +"Yes, sir." Rick handed it to him. + +Zircon opened the screwdriver blade and pushed it into the slot. Nothing +happened. He moved it from side to side, with no effect. + +"There must be some reason for that slot," Scotty said. "Try again, +professor. Push harder." + +Zircon shoved the blade down into the hole and pushed. "There must be a +special key of some kind," he said finally. "That is, if the slot has +anything to do with the door. I suggest we continue the search until +we're satisfied that this is the only possibility." + +Rick nodded, disappointed. He turned back to the statue and took a step +forward into space! + +A wild yell burst from him as he felt himself falling, then Scotty had +him by the jacket and was hauling him back. Rick collapsed on the stone +floor, his heart pounding The others shot their flashlights into the +place where he had stepped. + +A section of the floor had swung upward, right at the base of the +statue. It yawned open, and from its lip a flight of steps led downward. + +"It worked," Chahda said. "But was so silent we never hear it!" + +Scotty gripped his rifle and snapped off the safety catch, then holding +the weapon in one hand like a pistol, he took his flashlight in the +other hand and started down. Zircon was right behind him. + +Rick got to his feet and felt for the dark-light camera. It hadn't been +jarred because his body had cushioned it. But he wanted to be sure the +strap was still secure on his shoulder. Satisfied that all was well, he +started down the steps after Zircon. He didn't fancy going into the +underground part of the cave, but there was no choice. This was what +they had come for. + +There were ten broad stone steps carved from the rock. Rick shot his +light around and saw that a heavy beam ran from the underside of the +trap door down to the bottom of the stairs where it ended in a stone +block. It was a counterbalance, the weight of the stone evidently just +enough heavier than the door so that moving the latch would let it swing +open. The latch itself was a piece of metal, probably bronze, that slid +in a channel carved in the underside of the door. Rick guessed that the +sideways pressure of the blade in the slot had let the door open rather +than the downward shove Zircon had given. A cord of leather ran from the +latch back along the corridor so that anyone entering the rock tunnel +could tug on it and open the door without climbing the stairs. + +Rick joined Zircon and Scotty at the bottom of the steps. Chahda was +right behind him. The stairs ended in a long, low passage, just high and +wide enough for a man to pass. It was perhaps fifty feet long, and it +ended in blackness that indicated a bigger passage, or another cave, +beyond. Rick touched the walls and noted the marks of ancient chisels. +The passage had been cut in the living rock. + +"Have your rifles ready," Zircon directed. "Chahda, you have the big +light. Lead the way and we'll cover you." + +Chahda switched on his big light and took the lead. The others, rifles +ready for instant use, followed close behind. Big Zircon held his weapon +over Chahda's shoulder as the Hindu boy walked slowly down the passage. + +In a moment they were at the entrance to the next passage or cave. +Chahda peered in, turning his light from side to side. Zircon, looking +over his head, said, "A large cave beyond. Very large. Chahda, do you +see anything?" + +Chahda shook his head. "Only rock. Nothing inside I can see." + +"All right. Go ahead." + +The Hindu boy stepped into the cave, the rest following. Rick saw that +Zircon hadn't exaggerated. The cave was even larger than the one that +held the Black Buddha. Chahda's big light picked out the opposite wall +dimly. + +The scientist brought his own light into play, turning it on the walls +nearest them. "Odd," he muttered. "The character of the rock changes +completely. This is almost surely limestone." + +Rick had to grin. Even chasing Long Shadow through an underground cavern +couldn't quiet Zircon's scientific curiosity. "What do we do now, +professor?" he asked. + +Zircon looked up from his examination of the whitish rock. "Eh? Oh. +Sorry, Rick. Why, I suppose we explore a bit more. I don't think we'd +better go far, however. Now that we know that Long Shadow is here, we +had better return to camp and get extra food, batteries, and ammunition. +However, I would like a look at the opposite side. There must be further +passages, because this cave obviously doesn't contain our friend." + +"Suppose...." Scotty started to say. + +Rick never found out what Scotty was going to say, for at that moment +the four whirled as something grated behind them. They were in time to +see metal rods slam home across the entrance through which they had +come! + +Rick and Scotty reached the entrance first. Each of the boys grabbed one +of the rods and tugged. They were rigid. + +"We're locked in!" Rick's voice was harsh. + +"Let me look," Zircon said quietly. + +The boys stood back while he made a careful inspection. From floor to +top of the passage entrance the metal bars blocked the way. They were +about an inch thick, spaced only six inches apart. They had shot out of +holes in one side of the passage and lodged in corresponding holes on +the opposite side. + +None of them had noticed the holes. They had been too curious about what +lay beyond the passage. + +Zircon put his massive strength against one of the bars. It didn't move. +He tried to slide it either way. There wasn't even a fraction of an inch +of slack. + +He turned, and at the expression on his face a shiver slid down Rick's +spine. Long Shadow had caught them neatly. + +They were trapped in the Caves of Fear! + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +The Labyrinth + + +Zircon led the three boys to the center of the big cave, then spoke in a +whisper. "I see no need in advertising our plans to the enemy. Keep your +voices down. Now, what are we to do?" + +"Long Shadow must be watching us from somewhere," Scotty said uneasily. +"But from where?" + +"The walls are uneven," Rick pointed out. "There could be peepholes +anywhere. But what I'd like to find is the place with the controls for +that gate! It can't be far from the entrance." + +"Is true," Chahda agreed. He turned the big light on the barred +entrance, then played it back and forth across the walls on that side of +the cave. There was no break anywhere. + +"Turn it on the other side," Zircon ordered. + +Chahda did so. Now that they were closer to the far wall, openings could +be seen. There were two, both of them door size. Except for the entrance +through which they had come, they were the only openings in the cave. + +Rick spoke up, and he was surprised that there was no shakiness in his +voice. "Look, gang. If we stay here waiting for Long Shadow to open up, +we might stay forever. I'd rather push on, at least for a little way." + +Zircon looked at Scotty. "You're the military expert. What chance have +we in a fight?" + +Scotty shrugged. "In an open fight, we have a good chance. Our rifles +are better than any I've seen around here, and we can fire a lot faster. +But if they start potting at us from around corners and through holes in +the rock...." He didn't have to finish. + +"Better we go ahead," Chahda said. + +Zircon hesitated. "If this is the only entrance to the caverns, as seems +quite likely, Long Shadow has trapped himself as well as us. He'll have +to open up to get out." + +Rick didn't think so. "There's no opening under the Black Buddha except +the one we came through. But we didn't look around the passage very +thoroughly, so there might be a door of some kind." + +"You're right," Zircon agreed. "Very well. Let's try going on. Rick, you +bring up the rear, and keep looking back." + +Rick objected. "Wouldn't it be better for me to go ahead and use the +infrared beam with the glasses? Then I could see perfectly." + +The scientist considered. "It would be better if the caves ahead are +large, yes. If they are not, our flashlights will do just as well. I +think we'd better save the infrared battery as long as possible. +Incidentally, do you have a spare?" + +"At camp," Rick said. It had been planned as a brief trip of +exploration. He hadn't thought spare batteries would be necessary. Now +he blamed himself for being so shortsighted. It was always best to be +prepared for anything. + +"Can't be helped now," Scotty said. "And speaking of batteries, we'd +better use only two flashlights at a time, one in front and one in +back." + +"Excellent idea," Zircon approved. "I'll take the lead. Scotty next, +then Chahda, with Rick as rear guard. Now, which of the entrances do we +try first? I vote for the one on the right." + +The scientist strode toward the deeper darkness of the entrance and shot +his light inside. The others took up the positions he had assigned. Rick +kept his flashlight beam moving around the big cave, watching for any +sign of an enemy. + +"Another passage," Zircon said, and his voice echoed hollowly. "Cover +our rear, Rick." They went into it single file, Rick walking sideways in +order to keep looking back for a possible enemy. Then, as the others +stopped suddenly, he fell over Chahda. He heard the scientist say, "Dead +end. Nothing but a blank wall. Rick, lead the way out. We'll try the +other." + +The second passage gave better results. It wound through the limestone +for a short distance, then opened into a small cave filled with +wonderful white rock formations. + +"Stalactites and stalagmites," Zircon boomed. "I suspect we are getting +into the deeper caverns, those hollowed out by water and not by man. The +question is, which way do we go now?" + +Rick took his eyes from the way they had come long enough to look +around. The cave was like a junction room, openings branching off in all +directions. + +Scotty switched on his flashlight and began examining the cave floor. +"Look for signs," he directed. "If men have come this way, they must +have left some traces." + +Chahda hurried to look, too. Rick stood where he was, light and eyes +going from one opening to another. He didn't intend to be caught off +guard. + +Scotty gave a grunt of satisfaction and stood up. "Candle wax," he +announced. "And it leads through here." He pointed to a gap between two +fluted columns, made by centuries of dripping water that had deposited +countless grains of limestone. + +Zircon immediately walked to the gap and peered through. "Come on," he +said. "There's another cave beyond." + +The next cave was larger, and nowhere in it was there evidence that man +had occupied it. Rick looked around him, awed by the bizarre beauty of +the place. From ceiling and floor limestone icicles strained toward each +other. They were the stalactites and stalagmites Zircon had mentioned, +formed over the centuries by slow drops of water, each of which left its +tiny trace of limestone to help build up the formation. On one wall of +the cave the water deposits had carved a waterfall, so perfect that it +might have been frozen into white rock only moments before. And from +every grain of stone their flashlight beams twinkled and reflected until +it seemed the walls were crusted with jewels. + +"More wax," Chahda called. He had found it near an irregular low opening +in the cave wall, a tiny drop left by someone carrying a tallow candle. + +Zircon went through the opening an inch at a time, on hands and knees. +The others followed, to find themselves in a cave almost identical to +the one they had left, except for the stone waterfall. This cave, too, +had walls broken in a number of places. + +Rick and Zircon flashed their lights around, seeking the next step. Then +Rick caught a quick glimpse of something red that moved! Quick as a +flash he shifted his hand on the stock of his rifle, pointed it like a +pistol, and fired. The red object vanished! + +The thunderous echo of the shot reverberating through the cave drowned +out his yell. He sprang through the entrance where he had seen the flash +of red and found himself in still another cave. Scotty was right behind +him. + +"What is it?" Scotty demanded. + +"I think it was a man," Rick said quickly. "He was wearing something +red. Come on, he can't be very far from here." + +"Which way?" + +There was no way of telling which way the man had gone. There were a +half dozen openings in the cave walls. Rick pointed at the two biggest. +"You take that one and I'll take this." Rifle ready and flashlight held +in front of him, he ran through the break in the wall he had indicated. +Scotty hurried to the other. + +If only they could get their hands on even one man, Rick thought, they +might force him to serve as their guide! He passed through another cave, +choosing the biggest entrance on the opposite wall. As he went through +it, he was certain he saw a movement, as though the quarry had just +rounded a corner. He let out a yell and lengthened his stride. In a +second he reached the corner, rounded it, and found himself in an odd +cave with countless pillars, formed when stalactites from the ceiling +and stalagmites from the floor had joined together. It was a veritable +labyrinth. He started through it, got perhaps fifty feet, and stopped. +The man he had chased surely knew his way around the caves. There was no +hope of overtaking him now. Better rejoin the others, Rick thought. It +was senseless to get too far away from his companions. + +He turned and started back, then hesitated, not sure of the way he had +come. The corridors formed by the limestone pillars led in all +directions. + +"I must have come this way," he muttered, and started off. Then he +stopped again, playing his light around. He couldn't be sure. Suddenly +worried, he ran forward and was brought to a halt by a solid wall. He +turned and hurried along it, seeking an opening. He found one, but +smaller than the one through which he had come. He plunged on, found a +big opening, and went through it into an irregular cave unlike any he +had seen before. He turned to retrace his steps, and his eyes met a wall +where the openings were separated only by glistening partitions of +limestone. He couldn't even be sure of the one through which he had just +entered. + +He licked lips that were suddenly dry. "I can't lose my head," he told +himself sternly. "I've got to stay calm." + +But in spite of his warnings to himself, he felt panic rising within +him. + +He was completely, hopelessly lost! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +The Lake of Darkness + + +Rick sat with his back against the cold surface of a stalagmite column. +His head drooped with weariness and his throat ached from yelling. He +had retraced his steps a dozen times or more. He had lost count. But +none of the passages took him back to his friends, nor had his yelling +of their names brought a response. + +He forced himself into a semblance of calmness and tried to think. What +was he to do? He eyed the beam of his flashlight and realized that he +ought to conserve the batteries. He turned it off, and dead, silent +blackness closed in about him. + +True blackness is rare. It cannot be found by closing shutters or +curtains in a room, even at night. Some light always penetrates man-made +rooms unless they are designed, as very few are, for total darkness. +Rick never had experienced it before, and it was frightening. He had to +take a firm grip on himself to keep from getting panicky. + +But if the underground caverns were completely without light, they were +not completely without sound. As Rick sat quietly he began to hear the +slow drip of water. It was the slow drip of centuries that had produced +the weird limestone formations of the caves. + +He began to talk quietly to himself, and the sound of his own voice was +better than listening to the slow dripping of water. + +"I can't stay here. The others wouldn't have any more chance of finding +me than I have of finding them. But if I leave here, I'm taking a +chance. I might go so deep into the caves that I'd never find my way out +again, or see any of the others again." + +He had visited some of the limestone caverns of Virginia, and he had +read of the New York and Kentucky caverns. He knew that even in America +there were endless series of caves that never had been fully explored. +This fabled Tibetan place might extend on forever. + +"On the other hand," he continued to himself, "if I keep moving, I might +stumble on the big cave under the Black Buddha again. It's less than a +fifty-fifty chance. A whole lot less. But it's a chance and I'd better +take it." + +He didn't let himself think of what would happen if he failed to find +his way back. He got to his feet and switched on his light again. By +contrast with the total darkness, the reflection of the beam on the +limestone walls was brilliant sunlight. He had to wait while his eyes +adjusted themselves to the light. Then he flashed the beam around. There +were passages going in every direction. + +"Which way do I go?" he asked himself. + +It was a tossup. He remembered an old trick and spat into the palm of +his hand. Then, with the forefinger of his other hand, he slapped the +spittle sharply. The biggest drop flew between two limestone +hour-glasses that formed one passage. He hitched up the camera case on +his shoulder, picked up his rifle, and started forward. + +The caverns were endless. Walking slowly, to conserve his strength, he +wandered through countless incredible rooms of gleaming stone. The +dripping water had formed all manner of things. He saw animals, ships, +mountain scenes, waterfalls, and cataracts, fairy grottoes, fish, +distant houses ... all carved of shining stone by millions upon +countless millions of water drops over centuries past number. He was so +completely enthralled by the unearthly beauty of the place that he even +forgot his predicament for a few moments. + +And then he noticed that his flashlight was growing so weak that it no +longer threw a clearly defined beam. It must have been getting weaker +for some time, he thought, but his eyes had adjusted themselves to the +failing light. + +He looked at his watch, wondering that the flashlight batteries had run +down so soon. The watch had run down, too, and had stopped. He couldn't +remember. Had he wound it before coming to the cave? He was chilled now. +It was cold and damp in the limestone passages. He shivered and pulled +up his collar. + +The panic rose up again. He didn't know how long he had been in the +cave. Had it been only a short while, or so many hours that his watch +had run down? He said to himself as calmly as he was able, "I'll have to +get where I'm going before the light fails altogether." + +He began to run. + +The illusion grew that he was trying to overtake the end of the +flashlight's beam. When he did catch up with it, that would be the end. +He had completely forgotten the infrared light on the camera, even +though the case banged against his side as he ran. He had been carrying +it for so long it had become a part of him. + +He dodged through passages, rounded turns, leaped over stalagmites. Once +he had to crawl on his hands and knees under water-smooth limestone, +pushing his rifle ahead of him. + +And all the time he was catching up to the end of the light. The radius +of illumination narrowed as the batteries failed, increasing the danger +of stumbling into a sudden crevice. Outside, the flashlight would have +been rejected long ago as a source of light. But far underground, with +no other light of any kind, it was still useful. + +Running more slowly now, at a stumbling dogtrot, he broke into a cave +larger than any he had seen since the first one, at the end of the +passage from the Black Buddha. The feeble light failed to reach the +opposite wall. + +Rick stopped, panting for breath. He knew he had to rest. He found a +natural seat next to a twisted pillar of limestone and sat down. + +The light slowly faded until there was only the dimmest of red tints to +the bulb, and then that vanished too, and he was again in total +darkness. As he watched the light fade, he remembered the infrared. Now +he got the glasses from the case and put them on. He took the camera out +and adjusted the handstrap so it could be carried like a satchel. But he +didn't turn on the light just yet. The battery had to be conserved at +all costs. Because.... + +He swallowed hard. Because when the battery for the infrared light ran +down, there would be nothing but darkness. Darkness would mean feeling +his way through the limestone tangle, and he realized fully that he +would not get far before death claimed him in the form of a yawning +canyon in the limestone rock. He had passed many of them. + +He set his jaw. That was ten hours away, because the battery would last +that long. Ten hours was a long time if used wisely. + +He closed his eyes and leaned back, dead tired. He dozed off. + + * * * * * + +Rick was never sure what awakened him, because there was no noise. It +may have been the light on eyes made sensitive by ultimate blackness. +But could a single candle have that much effect? + +The candle was carried by a man. A Tibetan. The candle was in a tin +container, punched full of holes. That was to keep it from being blown +out in case of a draft, although there was little or no draft in the +caverns. + +When Rick opened his eyes the man was walking straight across the floor +of the big cave, noiseless as a cat in feet wrapped in quilted cloth. +The miracle was that Rick didn't cry out on seeing another human. + +He sat frozen, watching the man. Then, as the stranger reached the far +side of the cave, Rick came to life. If he lost this man, who obviously +knew his way around, he was finished! Working at top speed he untied his +shoelaces and slipped off his shoes. Then, in stocking feet, he padded +silently across the floor. + +The candle was his guide. He didn't need the infrared beam yet. He would +follow the candle, and if it led him right into the hands of the enemy, +that was better than perishing alone of hunger in the blackness of the +inner caves. + +As he went, wary of a backward look by his quarry, he put his rifle +under his arm and fumbled to tie a knot in his laces. It took time, +since he was carrying the camera in one hand now. When he finally +managed, he draped the shoes around his neck. + +A dozen times he had been on the verge of abandoning the rifle as +useless extra weight. Now he was glad he had held onto it. + +Ahead, the candlelight bobbed and turned as the Tibetan, unaware that he +was being followed, made his way through the caverns. Rick followed at a +safe distance, close enough to avoid being left behind by a sudden turn. + +There was a new feeling in the air suddenly, a feeling of space and of +wetness. Rick sniffed. There was an odor, too, like decaying leaves, +although much weaker. His hopes brightened. Was the Tibetan leading him +out of the caves? + +Then, so suddenly that he almost slipped from the edge, the path took +him to a narrow ledge above a body of water of some kind. + +The Tibetan was making his way along the ledge, candle held high in a +search for something. When Rick switched on the infrared light for a +moment, the incredible scene leaped to his eyes from the darkness. From +under his feet a lake stretched away, its farther shore beyond the +eight-hundred-yard range of the infrared light. He turned the light back +and forth, seeking the end of the amazing body of water. But there was +nothing except the shore on which he stood. + +The water was dead calm. Not a ripple disturbed the glassy surface. He +shot the invisible light straight down, and the water was so deep it +looked black. + +With a sudden start he realized he might lose the Tibetan candle bearer. +He hurried after him, using the infrared light because the candle was +too far away now to show him the path. With the glasses on, using the +infrared light was just like using a powerful searchlight. + +Far ahead, the candle stopped moving. Rick now proceeded more +cautiously, and he switched off the infrared light in case the Tibetan +should look back and possibly spy the glowing filament of the lamp. + +The man was stooping over something, the candle resting on the stone +next to him. Rick switched the light on, then off again. And he broke +into a silent run. During the second the light had been on he had seen +that the Tibetan was untying a boat! + +He had an instant to make a decision. He reached a spot a few feet +behind the preoccupied stranger, who was having trouble with the rope +knot, and put the infrared camera down on the stone. Then, gripping the +rifle firmly, he walked right up to the man. + +"Hands up," he growled. + +The Tibetan screamed. + +He whirled, eyes wide with astonished fright, and he didn't even see the +rifle. He swept an enormous knife from his belt and leaped! + +Rick stumbled backward, and as he did, he realized that he couldn't +shoot. He still needed the man for a guide. He swung the rifle, barrel +first. + +It was just as effective as it had been when he swung on Worthington Ko. +The barrel connected with an audible _thunk_. The Tibetan fell forward +on his face. + +Frightened out of his wits, Rick rolled him over, pulled aside the +sheepskin coat he wore and put his ear on the man's chest. Then he +sighed with relief. He hadn't swung too hard. For a moment he had feared +that the blow had killed the man. And that would have been almost as +effective as holding the rifle barrel to his own head, because he still +had no idea of where to go without the guide. + +He debated for a moment, then lifted the Tibetan, dragged him to the +boat and dumped him in. It was a flat-bottomed craft with blunt ends and +primitive oar-locks. The oars were poles with round disks of wood on the +ends. + +He collected the candle and the camera, placed them on a thwart, and +went to work on the rope. It was reeved through an iron ring that jutted +from the stone. The sight gave him heart. Where there was iron, men came +often. At least he was sure that held true in this case. But his victory +had spurred him on and he didn't want to sit quietly and wait. He wanted +to keep going. + +He untied the knot, blew out the candle, shipped the oars and pushed +off. Something was on the other side of this Lake of Darkness. He +couldn't imagine what, but he intended to find out! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +Through a Pair of Dark Glasses + + +Somewhere, perhaps, beyond the Lake of Darkness, was Long Shadow. + +Rick felt certain of it. The Tibetan who lay unconscious at his feet had +been going somewhere. He had walked steadily and purposefully, with some +definite destination in mind. What was more logical than to assume that +the Tibetan had been heading for the hidden plant where heavy water was +being produced? + +Once the plant was found, Long Shadow would be found there, also. Even +if he were not there at the moment, he would come. And when he did, Rick +intended to do something about it. He had no definite plans. He only +knew that somehow he would force Long Shadow to unlock the gate to the +outer world. + +His oars dipped rhythmically as he pulled out into the lake. The +infrared light was directed toward a jutting edge of limestone on the +shore he had just left. He was using the rock formation as a marker so +he could steer a straight course. + +He wondered about his friends. Were they lost, too? Or had they managed +to keep to the right trail by following the tiny drops of candle wax? +The odd tin candleholder explained why there wasn't more wax to follow. +The holder caught most, but not all of the drippings. + +The rocky shore of the underground lake receded rapidly. Rick stopped +rowing and turned, switching the infrared light toward the direction in +which he was heading. He could see the opposite shore now, but dimly. +Knowing that the infrared light was effective at eight hundred yards, he +estimated the lake to be about twelve hundred yards wide. That was over +three-fifths of a mile. + +When he shot the light up and down the lake, he saw nothing but the +black water. That meant the lake was more than sixteen hundred yards +long. He turned the light upward and surveyed the ceiling. It was +irregular, varying in height from a dozen feet to over two hundred. In +one place, the ceiling came down to within a few feet of the black +water. + +It was an eerie place. Rick's quick imagination turned him into the +mythical Charon, who ferried the dead across the River Styx into Hades. +He grinned mirthlessly. The limp figure of the Tibetan gave substance to +the picture. + +He bent over the man, reaching for his wrist. The pulse was weak but +steady. He had given the Tibetan a healthy belt. There was no sign of +returning consciousness. But Rick wasn't worried. If he had hurt the man +badly, the pulse would have been thready and unsteady. He would wake up +presently, and his head would feel like a pillow stuffed with rocks, but +otherwise he would be all right. Rick knew. He had been knocked out +himself a couple of times. + +He resumed rowing, and his steady strokes brought him closer to the +opposite shore. He turned to examine it and saw that a rocky ledge rose +gradually out of the water. In a short time he felt the boat grind +against the limestone. + +He got out and pulled the craft up on the shore, which was worn smooth +by the water. The ledge varied from ten to fifty feet in width. Beyond +it, the roof of the cavern came down sharply to form a curving wall +broken in countless places. He could see into the broken places nearest +him. They were the beginnings of more cave labyrinths. + +Now that he had reached the opposite shore, what was he to do? Again he +leaned over the Tibetan. The man showed no signs of returning +consciousness. + +Rick cast his invisible light up and down the shore. Nothing indicated +that humans ever had been there before him. He realized that the wisest +thing would be to wait until his guide returned to consciousness and +then force him to lead the way once more. But he was impatient. +Somewhere along the shore there must be signs he could follow. + +He pulled the boat up as high as he could, then used strips torn from +the Tibetan's own clothes to bind and gag him. That done, he picked up +the infrared camera and his rifle and stood a moment in indecision. +Which way? + +It was a tossup. Finally he decided to keep going in the general +direction the Tibetan had led him. He paused long enough to inspect his +rifle. After firing, he had failed to lever another cartridge into the +chamber. He did so now, then put the hammer on half cock so it couldn't +fire accidentally, and started off. + +It was easy going in most places. But now and then he came to a point +where the shore ledge narrowed and he had to crawl. Once he skirted an +outcropping by walking in the water, feeling his way carefully so he +wouldn't step off a ledge into the depths. + +After a while he began to think he hadn't been very smart. He was +getting exactly nowhere. As far ahead as the infrared beam could +penetrate, there was nothing but the curving shore. In some places the +lake narrowed to a channel less than a hundred feet wide, then it +broadened again until he could no longer see the opposite shore. He +couldn't guess how far he had walked from the boat. He thought it must +be at least a quarter mile. + +Presently he found a place where a limestone pillar made a comfortable +back rest and sat down. He switched off the infrared light, and +instantly all light was blotted out. It was startling, even more so than +when he had switched off the flashlight, because the infrared beam gave +the illusion of a sort of gray daylight. + +He sat quietly, waiting for some of the weariness to leave his legs, his +eyes closed. After a while he opened them again, more from habit than +with the intention of seeing anything. He couldn't see even the tip of +his nose it was so dark. Then suddenly he realized it wasn't as dark as +he had expected! + +There was a faint luminous quality that outlined the shore of the lake. +He studied the line of demarkation, then guessed that the faint +luminosity must come from microscopic plant or animal life that clung to +the rock underwater. Sea water had a phosphorescence sometimes for the +same reason. + +His eyes followed the faint line up the shore in the direction he had +been traveling. The silver phosphorescence turned a faint yellow. Almost +out of the range of his vision the yellow was picked up by the water, +like the dimmest moonlight. + +He studied it for long minutes, trying to figure out the reason for the +phenomenon, then he almost leaped out of his skin. The water was +reflecting the yellow light! It didn't come from the water the way the +luminous silver did! + +He got to his feet. Reflection meant man-made light! + +It was hard to follow the faint yellow light. When he switched on the +infrared, the light vanished completely. When the infrared was off, he +couldn't find his way. + +He compromised, going a hundred feet or so with the infrared on, then +turning it off and sitting quietly until his eyes adjusted themselves +and he could see the yellow glow once more. After he did this a few +times he could see that the light was growing slightly stronger. + +Then, as he progressed, he realized why he couldn't see the source of +the light. It was around a corner of the rock wall. + +After several minutes of alternate walking and waiting he reached the +corner. It dropped sharply into the water, and when he flashed the +infrared down, he saw that the water was black. No shelf here to walk +on. He debated for a moment. He could swim around, or he could try to +find another way. There were plenty of cave openings. One of them might +go through. + +He had been lost once, and he didn't intend to let that happen again. He +tore open the packet of emergency rations he had brought, searching for +something with which to lay a trail. + +Inside the waxed container were little cans of food and a packet of hard +crackers. The crackers would do. + +But looking at the food reminded him that he hadn't eaten in a long +time. He didn't know if it was hours, or days. He had lost all track of +time. He took the can key and unwound the narrow sealing strip on a +container of cheese. It tasted wonderful. He devoured every bit of it, +including the crumbs left in the can. Then he opened a can of meat and +ate that, too. He had been sipping at his canteen at various times, but +it was still more than half full. He detached the canteen cup and filled +it from the lake, tasting it cautiously. The water had a flat taste, +like boiled water, but it was all right. He drank deeply, then filled +the canteen. + +His hunger and thirst satisfied, he surveyed the various openings around +him, then chose the one nearest the corner he wished to get around. At +the very entrance, he placed the empty cheese tin. Inside the cave, he +turned to be sure it was clearly visible, then walked across to an +opening that seemed likely to lead him in the right direction. He placed +the second can at that opening and went into the passage formed by a +series of stalagmite columns. It was a dead end. He returned to the cave +where he had left the cans, picked up the empty meat can, and tried +another entry. + +He was completely calm now. He knew that humans, even though enemies, +were not far away. And he was quite sure that his friends were all +right. They would take steps to leave a trail so they would not get lost +as he had done. + +The second passage was better. He wound in and out through the limestone +formations, leaving a trail of broken cracker crumbs. Every now and then +he turned to see that the trail was plain. He grinned. Hadn't he read a +story when he was a kid about some children who had left a trail of +crumbs only to have the birds eat them? + +No danger of that here. No self-respecting bird would get near the +place. + +It wasn't long before he ran out of crumbs. Then he tore his +handkerchief into tiny bits and used that. When he reached the end of +the cloth scraps, he sat down to rest, turning off the infrared light +while he carefully shredded a big piece of his shirttail. + +As his eyes adjusted themselves to the darkness, he saw the yellow light +again, only stronger this time! Carefully, his heart beating excitedly, +he turned the infrared light in the direction of the yellow glow and +switched it on. Before him was a big opening in the limestone. He +surveyed the floor carefully and saw that there was nothing over which +to trip. He turned off the infrared light, and, leaving a trail of torn +cloth behind him, he crawled toward the source of the light. + +He came out on the shore of the lake once more. Before him stretched the +black water, the yellow light dancing across its surface. And the source +of the light was not from candles, but from torches! + +Across the water, perhaps a hundred yards away, a half dozen torches +burned, their light lost in the emptiness of the great lake cave. Near +the torches he could see figures moving and knew with sudden relief that +he had found the enemy camp. + +He turned on the infrared light, aiming it at the torches, and through +his special glasses he saw the scene light up. + +Where the torches blazed was a great shelf of rock, stretching back +several hundred feet to where the rock wall began once more. On the +shelf were a dozen men, sitting around a tiny cooking fire much paler +than the torches themselves. They were Tibetans, like the one he had +captured. + +He saw an odd structure at the water line and after a little study +realized that it was a barge of some kind, perhaps a floating pier. It +had odd derricklike wooden ladders on it. There were four of them, +perhaps three feet high. Beyond the barge he made out at least two +flat-bottomed boats. + +Further back, against the limestone wall, he could see tents or lean-tos +made of some kind of cloth. He couldn't see clearly, but thought the +cloth might be felt. This, then, was a permanent camp! The tents must be +there to offer some protection against the cold and dampness. + +He inspected the men again. They were all short. None of them could be +Long Shadow. + +"Now what?" Rick asked himself. + +It was certain that Long Shadow would come to the camp sooner or later. +It was almost as certain that Scotty, Zircon, and Chahda, if they +followed the trail of the wax candles carefully, would arrive sooner or +later at the boat landing to which the Tibetan had led him. Always +provided they hadn't been ambushed. He shivered at the thought. The cave +formations would make it easy for the enemy to lie in wait. Then, even +with their old-fashioned muskets and lack of shooting ability, they +could pick off the little party. + +But they wouldn't do it without cost! Scotty was deadly with a rifle. +Zircon was a better than average shot. + +Rick debated. It was no good to make his presence known. Far better to +lie in wait until Long Shadow came. Then, if he could take the camp by +surprise, his rifle would do the rest for him. + +But how to take it by surprise? + +He scanned the shore around the camp. In several places between him and +the camp shelf, the rock wall came right down to the lake's edge. Unless +he wanted to search for a way through the caves, he would have to swim. +Or use a boat. + +Beyond the last sheer place, the camp shelf started. Its edge curved and +twisted for a little distance. If he could get to the starting point, he +could keep undercover easily enough. Then, making his way along the +wall, he could probably escape being seen until he was almost at the +tents. With luck, a sudden dash would bring him right to the enemy +without being seen first. + +That was how he would do it. He would go back and get the boat, then lie +in wait in this very place until the time came. He withdrew from the +entrance, then paused suddenly. The men around the fire were getting to +their feet and walking toward the water. He watched as they peered into +the darkness in the direction he thought of as "down lake." One of them +ran to a torch, pulled it out of its holder, ran back to the water's +edge, and waved it. + +A signal! To whom? + +Two of the men were kneeling just beyond the barge, and a moment later +they proceeded to get into the two flat-bottomed boats he had seen. What +they had been doing was untying the boats. He watched as they rowed out +onto the black lake. + +They must be going after someone! + +Rick hurried back the way he had come, following the path of torn cloth, +then the broken cracker crumbs. He would have to hurry. The Tibetans +might have gone after Long Shadow! + +He retraced his steps at a pace that was half-walking, half-running. The +trail he had left showed clearly in the infrared light. In a few moments +he came out of the caves onto the lake shore once more, and he saw the +signal that had summoned the boats. A red light was now clearly visible. +He thought it was right at the point from which he had pushed off in the +Tibetan's boat. + +A sudden thought struck him. Wouldn't they miss the Tibetan and the +boat? He hurried faster. Now and then he stopped to listen, and he could +hear the sound of oars in the water. + +It didn't take long to reach his boat. When he leaned over the Tibetan, +frightened black eyes peered up at him. He tested the man's bonds. They +were tight enough to be effective, but not so tight they cut off his +circulation. He knew the gag was uncomfortable, but he didn't dare +remove it. As assurance that he meant no harm, he patted the man on the +shoulder. Some of the wild fright went out of the beady eyes. + +Working quietly, Rick pushed the boat out into the water. He wasn't +afraid of being seen. Candles or torches didn't cast enough light to +penetrate the blackness as the infrared beam did. But he might be heard. +He had to be as quiet as possible. + +He used only one oar, kneeling in the stern and paddling the +flat-bottomed craft like a canoe. The infrared camera, placed on the +seat with the beam directed ahead of him, gave him plenty of light to +see. Once in a while he turned the beam around. The two boats were +making good progress toward the red signal. The beam of the infrared +camera didn't penetrate far enough for him to see what or who was under +the red light. + +He rounded the corner that had blocked his way and paddled silently +along the rocky wall. The two boats were out of sight now. + +Rounding the corner gave him a clear view of the torches, but he knew +the men around them couldn't see him. + +The way was longer than he had thought. He paddled in and out of coves, +past grottoes in the rocky wall. Then, at last, he saw the little pile +of torn cloth he had left on the shore at the end of his cave trail. He +had put all the cloth not needed for marking trail in one place, not +because he had been foresighted, but because he hadn't needed it any +more. He was glad now of the accident that marked the right place, +otherwise he couldn't have identified it from the rest of the openings +in the wall. + +He pulled the boat up to it and anchored it by the rope to a convenient +stalagmite. Then he half-lifted, half-dragged the trussed Tibetan into +the cave and out of sight of the lake. + +Rick searched the water for some sign of the boats, and thought he heard +them coming. He went back to the Tibetan, took his canteen, unscrewed +the top, and placed it on the rock. Then, kneeling over his captive, he +took the man's throat in one hand. With the other he undid the rag that +held the gag in place. Pressure of his fingers warned the Tibetan he +would be strangled if he so much as squeaked. Then Rick pulled the torn +rags he had used as a gag from the man's mouth, lifted him to a sitting +position, and held the canteen to his lips with his free hand. + +The Tibetan drank greedily. Rick let him rest for a moment, then held +the canteen again. The man drank his fill, then nodded his thanks. Rick +quickly replaced the gag and bound it in place, then used another piece +of cloth torn from the man's clothing to lash one leg to a stalagmite. +He didn't want to risk having the man wriggle to the entrance at the +wrong time, and sound an alarm. + +Rick was exultant. High excitement was rising in him, because he thought +it was only a matter of time now before Long Shadow would come, even if +his enemy was not already in one of the boats that were making their way +back to the camp. + +He switched out the infrared light, placing the camera on the ground, +pointing toward the boat landing. Then he lay down on his stomach, rifle +thrust out in front of him and handy to his hand. He could wait. He +could wait days, if necessary. Because once Long Shadow came, he would +force him to show the way to the outside, and he would force him to +locate the others. + +If Long Shadow refused to co-operate ... Rick's lips tightened. Then at +least he wouldn't be lonesome in the Caves of Fear. His enemy would be +his company until the end. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +The Hostages + + +A faint splashing warned Rick that the boats were approaching. In a few +moments they were opposite his position. He swung the infrared light +around toward them and snapped it on. + +There were two men in the lead boat, one rowing and the other taking his +ease in the stern. Rick's heart leaped as he saw that the passenger was +of very slender build. Was it Long Shadow? He couldn't see his face +clearly. He looked at the second boat, and a sudden grin split his lips. + +Worthington Ko! + +The Chinese merchant was sitting at ease, and there was no mistaking his +portly figure. Besides, he twisted on the wooden seat, making himself +more comfortable, and for an instant his face was toward Rick. + +"Good," Rick muttered to himself. If the slender man wasn't Long Shadow, +at least he would have Ko to deal with. The Chinese with the glass eye +could, he knew, speak English, although it was probable that Long Shadow +could, too. + +He watched as the boats reached the barge. Ko and the slender man got +out. Rick studied the stranger, noting that he was taller than Ko, and +so thin that, compared with the portly merchant, he looked like an +animated bean pole. + +"He surely must be Long Shadow," Rick told himself. As soon as the +excitement of their arrival had died down among the Tibetans, he +intended to get into his boat and start toward the camp. + +Ko and the stranger talked together for a moment, then the latter +gestured toward the Tibetans. The Tibetans ran toward the tents while +the two newcomers waited. + +Rick watched the Tibetans, his brow furrowed. Surely they weren't going +to strike camp! He revised his plans hastily. If they did start to take +down the tents, he would dump his prisoner back in the boat. Then he +would follow wherever they went. + +The Tibetans vanished into the tents, and in a moment they came out +again. + +And they were leading Scotty, Zircon, and Chahda! + +Rick gasped. + +His friends had been in the camp all the time, prisoners! He groaned +softly. If he had only known, he might have gotten to them while the +boats were gone and the number of guards was temporarily reduced. He got +to his knees, determined to start for them right away. Then he paused as +his three friends were led before the two strangers. They were all +erect, their hands tied behind them. + +Anyway, prisoners or not, they were evidently none the worse for their +captivity. Again he started for the boat, and again he paused. What if +Long Shadow and Ko intended loading them in the boats? It might be wiser +to wait. He sank down to a sitting position, caressing the cold metal of +his rifle. The next few moments would tell the story. + +Worthington Ko stepped forward, confronting Zircon. The Chinese nodded +his head, then deliberately slapped the scientist across the face. + +Zircon couldn't strike back. But his legs were free. One massive leg +swung in a giant punt that caught the Chinese squarely in the stomach. +Worthington Ko flew backward like a rag doll and slid along the +limestone floor. Rick watched the tableau, spellbound. + +The Tibetans ran forward. + +Rick put the camera down, light pointing at the group across the way. +Then he raised his rifle and sighted in. He'd get some of them before +they could harm his friends. His finger tightened slowly on the trigger. + +And then the Tibetans fell back as Long Shadow barked an order. + +Worthington Ko got to his feet, bent over, both hands on his stomach. He +weaved a little. The breath had been knocked right out of him, Rick +thought. + +The Tibetans and Long Shadow watched as Ko straightened up, very slowly. +He ran his hands gingerly over his big stomach. Then, walking +unsteadily, he moved back to within a few feet of Zircon. He called out +something and one of the Tibetans ran forward. + +Rick's throat clogged as the torchlight reflected from a shiny blade. Ko +took the blade and swished it through the air. Then, drawing it back, he +stepped forward. + +The Chinese was squarely in Rick's sights. He squeezed the trigger and +the rifle recoiled against his shoulder. The shot thundered through the +echoing cave. + +Ko staggered. He dropped the blade, took a couple of hesitant steps +backward, and then sat down hard. + +There was sudden chaos in the camp across the way. The Tibetans ran back +and forth aimlessly like sheep. Long Shadow bellowed orders. Then he ran +to a torch, pulled it out of the socket, and heaved it into the water. +The Tibetans got the idea. The torches flashed through the air and then +hissed out in the water. + +Long Shadow felt his way toward the three Spindrifters, calling out +orders to the Tibetans. Rick suddenly realized that, of all in sight, +only he could see! Long Shadow and his men thought they were safe in the +darkness. + +He watched, rifle at his shoulder, as Long Shadow collected the +Tibetans. Then he realized that the enemy intended herding Scotty, +Zircon, and Chahda into the caves. Probably they were certain that in +the caves they would be safe from whoever had fired from the darkness. + +Ko was still sitting. He had one hand pressed to his side. + +The Tibetans were groping for their prisoners. Rick grinned. He aimed at +the stone under their feet and fired. There was a chorus of yells. He +levered another cartridge into the chamber and fired again. + +The Tibetans fled, charging blindly toward the cave openings beyond the +tents. + +Long Shadow kept yelling orders, groping around in the blackness, but +the Tibetans paid no attention. They reached the back wall of the cave. +Two of them went headlong into openings. Others crashed into the walls, +fell, crawled sideways, scrambling until they found the openings they so +frantically sought. + +Long Shadow's voice could be heard screaming in fury for his men to come +back. + +He couldn't see, as Rick could, that they were all now in the caves +behind their leader. + +Finally, giving up, Long Shadow started for safety himself. + +It would never do to allow the thin man to get away, Rick thought. He +wanted Long Shadow. He and his companions had questions to ask him, and +they needed him to get them out of the Caves of Fear. He sighted +carefully at the long legs that were feeling their way toward the back +wall. He fired. + +Long Shadow stumbled headlong, then he started to crawl. Rick stood up +and yelled. "Gang! Get Long Shadow!" + +His words echoed eerily through the cave. + +Zircon understood and bellowed. "Where is he?" + +Rick thought quickly. The three were still standing in a line. He +shouted orders. + +"Right face. Forward march!" + +Like a well-trained machine, his friends obeyed. They marched forward +steadily. But they were slightly off. He remembered the correct command. + +"Left oblique! March!" + +Scotty swung a quarter left, bumped into Zircon. Chahda stood still, not +understanding. Neither had Zircon comprehended the command. Rick yelled, +"Scotty! Turn right just a fraction." + +Scotty did so. "Now," Rick called. "He's about ten feet in front of +you." + +Scotty moved forward, feeling his way a step at a time. When he was +almost on Long Shadow, Rick yelled, "You're there!" + +Long Shadow turned over on his back and clawed in his pockets. + +"Watch out!" Rick screamed. "He's got a gun!" + +Scotty jumped, feet first. He missed Long Shadow by a fraction, landing +next to his chest. + +"Fall to the left!" Rick yelled. + +Scotty crashed down across the man, calling to Zircon and Chahda. Guided +by their friend's voice, the two reached his side quickly. Rick couldn't +hear what Scotty said, but the big scientist suddenly sat down, his back +to Long Shadow. A moment later he writhed away, and he had the pistol +between his bound hands. + +Rick sighed his relief. "Wait!" he yelled. "I'll be right there!" + +He didn't dare take his eyes off the scene long enough to pick up his +prisoner. Time enough for that later. He untied the boat and got in. He +knelt, placing the rifle on the seat in front of him next to the +infrared camera. Then, using the oar as a paddle once more, he started +straight across to the camp. + +It wasn't a far journey. But as he reached the halfway mark, two of the +Tibetans looked cautiously out of their hiding place. Rick put the oar +across the gunwales, picked up his rifle, and sighted carefully. +Fortunately, there wasn't so much as a ripple on the water. The boat was +perfectly steady. + +He squeezed the trigger, and the stalactite directly over their heads +shattered into a thousand pieces, showering them with limestone. They +didn't wait for a second shot. He could hear their yells even after they +had ducked back into the caves. They weren't used to sharpshooting in +total darkness. + +Rick smiled as he resumed paddling. He could understand how they felt. +He wasn't used to it, either. + +In a few moments he was at the barge. He tied the boat to one of the odd +derrick affairs and scrambled out. Then, picking up the camera and +rifle, he hurried to his friends. + +Scotty and Chahda were using Long Shadow as a bench. Zircon sat a little +distance apart, trying to peer toward Rick through the darkness. + +"Dark in here, isn't it?" Rick inquired pleasantly. + +"Rick! You old muttonhead!" Scotty exclaimed. + +"Thank God you're safe," Zircon said. + +Chahda grinned the widest grin ever and said, "Also giving much thanks +that friend Rick has eyes like cat which see in dark!" The Hindu boy +didn't know about the infrared camera, unless the others had explained +it to him. There hadn't been time back at camp, and Rick hadn't thought +of it, anyway. + +In a moment the three were untied, rubbing circulation back into their +wrists. + +"Let's get a light!" Zircon said. "I think we had better see to the +wounded. I assume there are wounded? I know Ko was hit. And just as he +was about to carve my head from my shoulders, too." + +"He's sitting over there," Rick said. + +"Where's there?" Scotty asked. + +He kept forgetting that only he could see. "Where he dropped. Long +Shadow is hit, too. I don't know how badly." + +For the first time, they heard their enemy's voice. It was rather high, +but cultured and pleasant. "Not badly. Although I believe my ankle may +be broken. I have felt, and I don't believe I am bleeding much." + +Rick knelt quickly and put the infrared light on the wound. Long Shadow +was right. It hadn't bled much, and Zircon, looking the wound over after +borrowing the glasses, told him, "I doubt that the ankle is broken. The +wound is clean." + +"Stay where you are," Rick warned him. "We'll bandage you after we look +at Ko." + +"I have no intention of going anywhere," Long Shadow said. "Not when +some magic I don't understand permits you to see in complete darkness." + +Rick took the glasses from Zircon's hand. In the interval during which +the scientist was wearing them, he had understood how the others felt. +The darkness was absolute. He put the glasses on again and walked over +to Ko, talking so his friends could follow the sound of his voice. + +"Well, Mr. Ko," he said, "you got a little surprise, didn't you?" + +The Chinese with the glass eye groaned. "You have won," he complained +weakly. "Now have the kindness to let me go to my ancestors in peace." + +"Better let me take a look at him," Zircon said. + +Rick walked to the scientist's side and took one of his hands. Then he +took off the glasses and pressed them into the hand he was holding. That +done, he stood in the blackness and waited. + +"Lie flat," presently Zircon said. + +"Please go away," Ko groaned. + +"Lie flat," Zircon ordered. + +There was the sound of ripping cloth. Zircon grunted. "Hmmmm." + +Ko moaned. "I wish to go to my ancestors alone." + +"You're not going to your ancestors," Zircon replied scornfully. "I +doubt that they'd have you. In case you're interested, Rick's bullet +merely plowed a nice, round hole through some of the fat on your right +side. You haven't even lost enough blood to make the wound interesting." + +Ko's voice was suddenly animated. "Are you sure?" + +"Quite sure. No, don't try to get up. Stay where you are. If you try to +run I'll order our seeing-eye marksman to finish the job." Zircon +continued, "Rick, Scotty, Chahda. Stay where you are. I saw some torches +stacked in one of the tents. I'll get them and be right back." + +The three boys assured him that they wouldn't move. Rick, for one, had +no intention of prowling about in the blackness. + +While they waited, Scotty asked, "What happened to you, Rick?" + +Rick hesitated. He couldn't give an adequate account of what he had +experienced during the recent hours. Or was it weeks? He summed it up. +"After we got separated, I couldn't find you again. I wandered around. +Then I sat down in a big cave and fell asleep. When I woke, there was a +Tibetan with a candle. I followed him to a boat landing, slugged him, +and rowed across the lake. He's waiting, tied up, across the lake at the +spot from where I fired. How about you?" + +"We look for you," Chahda said. "We look a long time, and almost get +lost ourself." + +"Finally we decided we'd better push on and find Long Shadow," Scotty +continued. "We tracked the drippings from the candles for hours. It was +slow work. Then, while we were resting, we got jumped from behind. They +didn't even have to bother about lights, because one of our flashlights +was on, and it was getting so weak we couldn't see more than ten feet. +They came out of the darkness with a rush and there we were. They made +us walk to the boat landing, called the boats from here, and brought us +over. We've been sitting in one of those tents for hours. You know the +rest." + +How rapidly they could cover the tortured hours of travel in a few +words, Rick thought. But he said only, "I'm glad we're all together +again." + +"How you see in dark?" Chahda asked. + +Rick explained briefly. The Hindu boy chuckled. "Plenty mystery for one +who not know, you bet! I scared myself, like the men who ran." + +Then Zircon came back. He brought out matches and in a moment torches +were blazing again. They bandaged the two enemies as best they could, +using clean handkerchiefs which Chahda and Scotty carried. And Rick got +his first good look at Long Shadow's face. + +The man was incredibly thin. His skin was stretched over the bones of +his face like parchment, and it had a sallow ivory tinge even in the +ruddy torchlight. His eyes were black, with just the faintest hint of a +Mongoloid fold. + +"Are you a Eurasian?" Rick asked bluntly. + +"Yes." Long Shadow smiled. "I'm one quarter Burmese. The other +three-quarters doesn't matter." + +"You know our names," Rick said. "I'm sure you do. But we don't know +yours." + +Long Shadow laughed. "You could never pronounce my Burmese name and the +other name I use is of no importance." + +Zircon and the others had been listening. Now the scientist said, "We'll +have plenty of chance to talk, Rick. At the moment I'm concerned with +getting out of here. After a bit of exploration of course. It's almost +certain that the heavy water comes from here. Although I don't know the +source." + +Scotty motioned toward the Lake of Darkness. "Bradley said to bring a +Nansen bottle and a rubber boat. He must have known about this. Why +would he say to bring a Nansen bottle if not to take a sample from the +lake?" + +Zircon flashed a look at Long Shadow. The Eurasian smiled gently. +"That's a good question Mr. Scott asked," he told them. "But don't look +to me for the answer." + +"Search the tents," Zircon ordered. "Chahda, keep an eye on our two +friends." + +The three Americans walked to the felt tents and began searching through +them. Zircon used the infrared camera. Rick and Scotty took torches. + +Rick was feeling through a pile of furs when Zircon called, "Here are +the flashlights!" + +Zircon's had run down, but Scotty's, and Chahda's big lights were still +useful. They made the search much easier. Rick went back to the pile of +skins and found that they were plastic-lined water bags, similar to the +ones they had found on the way to Korse Lenken. Then, stacked in a +corner of the tent, he found some Nansen bottles! + +At the same moment, Scotty called from the next tent. "Look what I +found!" + +He had located the ammunition supply. There was powder and ball for the +old muskets the Tibetans used, two boxes of machine pistol cartridges, +and a small case of grenades! + +"Now we know where Ko got the one he tried to use on us," Rick said. +"But where did they come from in the first place?" + +"The war," Scotty guessed. "There must be tons of ammo and ordnance of +all kinds floating around China. What makes me wonder is why the +Tibetans don't have modern rifles." + +"I suspect the answer is their natural conservatism," Zircon suggested. +"They are slow to change. And such guns as they use are handed down from +father to son. I don't doubt that modern rifles were offered them and +that they refused." + +Rick knew something of the Oriental mind, although not much, and he +realized that Zircon was probably right. In a land of ancestor worship, +change was resisted. + +Scotty stuffed grenades in each pocket. "Just in case we get into a +fight on the way out," he explained. + +Rick was glad to leave the deadly things to his friend. Scotty knew +about grenades from his tour of duty in the Marines; he had thrown more +than a few himself. + +"Nansen bottles in the next tent, professor," Rick said. "There must be +something to this business of getting stuff out of the lake. But golly, +you don't get heavy water out of natural water, do you?" + +"I don't know," Zircon said. "There is only one precedent I can think +of. Have you ever heard of Lake Baikal?" + +Neither boy had. + +"It's a very large lake in Siberia, just above Mongolia," the scientist +told them. "It is also very deep. A few years ago, before the Iron +Curtain closed down, word came out of Russia that some scientists had +succeeded in getting heavy water samples out of Baikal. That is the only +precedent that I know. + +"It is true," he continued, "that heavy water has a tendency to sink. +Naturally enough, since it is heavier. But for enough to form on the +bottom of a body of water, there would have to be great depth and +complete calm. Any current would stir the water up and the heavy water +would merge with the normal once more." + +"In other words, you need a lake like this one," Rick concluded. + +"I must admit it fits the requirements," Zircon agreed. "And we've seen +no sign of an industrial plant. These caverns certainly would be no +place for one." + +"We can soon tell," Scotty suggested. "Let's take a sample. When we get +out, you can test it." + +"Quite right," Zircon said. "And let's be quick about it." + +It didn't take long to discover the reason for the odd little derricks +on the barge. Each was equipped with a pulley and a reel of wire. +Obviously, it was from here that the Nansen bottles were lowered. + +While Chahda and Scotty remained on shore, Zircon and Rick pushed the +barge out into the lake. Rick got a Nansen bottle ready. + +The bottle was made of metal, each end equipped with a spring cap. The +bottle was lowered on a wire with the ends open, permitting water to +flow through it freely. When it reached the desired depth, a metal +weight called a "messenger" was attached to the wire and dropped. The +weight of the messenger released devices that closed the caps, thus +trapping the water sample inside. A brass spigot on the side permitted +the sample to be taken out easily when the bottle was hauled up again. + +They had brought four bottles from Long Shadow's stores. The first one +was lowered to the very bottom, and it took a long time getting there. +The reel of wire with which the barge was equipped ran out and out until +a full seven hundred feet of it had disappeared into the dark depths of +the lake. Rick was glad the reel of wire had a geared handle. Pulling +that weight up would be no fun. + +Once the slackening of the wire told them that bottom had been reached, +Zircon put the messenger on the wire and let it go. Seconds later, a tug +on the wire told them it had struck and Rick reeled in. + +Other samples were taken at five, ten, and fifteen feet from the bottom. +Zircon marked the bottles, then they paddled back to shore. + +Long Shadow spoke up. "Of course you have testing equipment?" + +"At our camp near Korse Lenken," Zircon assured him. + +"You'll find what you expect," the Eurasian said. + +"Thank you. And now, we'll also thank you to lead us out of here." + +"No," Long Shadow said. + +"You're beaten," Zircon said reasonably. "Why not admit it and +co-operate? We've nothing against you even if there were law in Tibet. +See us to the outside and open the barred gate and you're at liberty to +go." + +Rick started to protest, then he realized Zircon was right. Law in this +part of the world was the law of the rifle. There was nothing they could +do to Long Shadow or Ko. + +Long Shadow considered. "I suppose you're right. My little business deal +is over, at least for the time being." He raised his voice and yelled in +Tibetan. + +The boys grabbed up their rifles as Tibetan heads showed from the caves, +black eyes blinking in fear. + +"They will carry me and Ko," Long Shadow said calmly. "Now let us be on +our way." He smiled. "I must admit I have a selfish interest in all this +worry about getting to the outside. This ankle is beginning to hurt, and +I won't mind having one of the lamas with medical skill take a look at +it." + +"How about letting a Hong Kong police doctor take a look at it?" Rick +asked. Long Shadow's cheerfulness was getting on his nerves. The man +acted more like a guest than a prisoner. + +"I don't think we need go that far," Long Shadow replied. "The lamas are +quite capable." + +"I wasn't concerned about your ankle," Rick corrected. "I was thinking +that the Hong Kong police might like to get their hands on the kind of +citizen who goes around shooting up hotels with a Schmeisser machine +pistol." + +Long Shadow stopped smiling abruptly. "You couldn't prove that," he said +swiftly. + +"Why not?" Scotty asked, "We'll let the police see if the slugs from +your machine pistol don't match those in the hotel wall. By the way, +where is the Schmeisser? I haven't seen it around." + +Long Shadow recovered his grin. "You'll never see it again. I took the +precaution of disposing of it, in case the police in the hotel area had +been alerted. Don't bother to ask me how I got rid of it." + +"We won't," Zircon replied. "Obviously, you wouldn't tell us. However, +perhaps you will tell us how long it will take to get out of here?" + +"About ten minutes." + +At their evident surprise, Long Shadow added, "I should have said once +we cross the lake it will take about ten minutes. You came a very long +way around, you see. I realize you followed the candle droppings, but +I'm afraid those were left some time ago, when I first explored the +cave. The first entrance you tried was the correct one, even though you +didn't suspect the presence of a door. When you took the open way, you +approached by a very twisting path." + +"Just to satisfy my curiosity," Scotty asked, "why did your men capture +us, then bundle us into the boats and bring us here? And where were you +all that time?" + +Long Shadow shrugged. "I knew your guide and bearers were outside, at +Korse Lenken, of course. My men have kept an eye on you. I also felt +they probably would start a search after you failed to return. It was +almost certain they would find the entrance to the caverns behind the +Black Buddha, and, like you, they would probably follow the candle +drippings. The drippings would lead them nowhere. Unless they found the +secret door, there would be no chance of them finding you here in our +permanent camp. Hence, I had you brought here. Ko and I were waiting in +the cave I use for an office. When we thought time enough had elapsed +for my orders to be carried out, we came here. Meanwhile, we took a nap. +Are you satisfied?" + +"You never intended that we should see daylight again," Rick stated. He +winked at his friends. "Suppose we tie a few stalactites to your feet, +and Ko's, and see how long it takes for you to get down to where the +heavy water is?" He looked meaningly at the lake. + +Ko groaned, but Long Shadow only smiled. "If that's the way you want +it," he said, "it will at least be quick. Both of us are done for, +whether you know it or not. Your Mr. Bradley will see to that." + + * * * * * + +As Long Shadow had said, it was little more than ten minutes after +crossing the lake before the party reached the cave under the Black +Buddha. They had passed through the cave where Rick had found the +Tibetan. Again he realized how lucky he had been. Some good angel had +led him to the main route. Had he fallen asleep in some other cave, he +might still be wandering through the labyrinth. + +The rifles taken from Scotty and Zircon by Long Shadow's men had been +found in one of the tents. With Rick's rifle, they were insurance +against treachery. But Long Shadow seemed resigned, for some reason Rick +couldn't fathom, and Ko did nothing but curse the bearers who carried +him. + +Before reaching the great cave they stopped at a blank wall. At a signal +from Long Shadow, one of the Tibetans reached behind a stalagmite and +pulled a lever. A section of the wall swung open, disclosing the passage +they had thought stopped in a dead end. + +In a few moments they were crossing the outer cave, and Rick saw at once +that the bars across the entrance passage were gone. + +"When the inner door opens from the inside, the bars also open," Long +Shadow said. "There is another cave under this one where the mechanism +is located. No, I am not responsible. The ancient ones who made the +Black Buddha also made the doors and the mechanism." + +Rick ran ahead through the passage. He found the leather thong that +controlled the door and pulled. The metal tongue came out of its slot +permitting the counterbalance to swing the trap door upward. The others +were behind him with their lights, and Rick saw his shadow loom large on +the wall behind the Black Buddha. In the same way, the Long Shadow had +been projected upward, probably by the light from a candle in the hands +of a Tibetan bearer. He experimented, backing down a few steps. His +shadow seemed to fold downward into the oblong box of light cast by the +flashlights. When he walked up the stairs again, the shadow grew out of +the bottom of the projected oblong of light. + +As Rick reached floor level, he froze suddenly, his finger slipping the +hammer of his rifle to full cock. There were lights in the cave! As he +turned to call a warning, yellow-robed lamas, who had seen the reflected +light on the rear wall, poured around the statue with wild yells, their +torches held high. + +"Something's up," Rick called to the others. "Watch it!" + +Under the threat of Rick's rifle, then Scotty's and Zircon's, the lamas +fell back until the group stood alongside the Black Buddha, looking into +the cave. There were torches everywhere! And cooking fires. Rick's first +thought was that they had returned in the midst of a religious +celebration. + +And then he saw Sing. The Chinese guide ran to them, his face split by a +wide grin. + +"You came," he exclaimed happily. "We were about to tear the mountain +down, stone by stone! Where is the Indian boy?" + +Chahda came from behind the statue, herding the Tibetans who carried +Long Shadow, Ko, and the Nansen bottles. Sing turned and yelled. + +The lamas broke into cries of approval at the sight of Chahda. Several +of them ran to him and pressed his hand. He was a favorite, obviously. + +"They came to help when I told them the Indian boy was in danger," Sing +explained. "We were ready to start digging holes to find the caverns, +because we couldn't find the door." He eyed Long Shadow curiously and +grinned at the sight of Ko. "Should I get my frying pan again?" he +asked. + +"Might be a good idea," Rick said. + +"My boss not come yet?" Chahda asked. + +Sing clapped hands to his head in a gesture of self-annoyance. "I +forgot. A letter came. One of the consulate guards, a Chinese who knows +this part of the world, brought it from Chungking. It may be from Mr. +Bradley, because it came originally from Hong Kong." + +Zircon took the envelope while Rick, Scotty, and Chahda looked over his +shoulder. The envelope was marked for delivery from Hong Kong to +Chungking via diplomatic pouch. It was addressed to Zircon, with the +note, "Urgent. Forward by messenger." Bradley's initials were signed to +it. + +The scientist ripped the envelope open and, looking around to be sure +Long Shadow and Ko were out of earshot, he read: + +"'Have all the answers except the source. When you find it, destroy it +if possible. If you get Long Shadow or Worthington Ko, don't bother +bringing them back to Hong Kong, if they're still alive. Leave them at +Korse Lenken. Cable me from Chungking when you return.'" + +It was signed "Bradley." + +"I like his confidence in us," Zircon remarked. "Not 'if,' but 'when.'" + +"My boss does not know what it means to fail," Chahda said. + +"I can see one failure," Zircon remarked. "How does one destroy a body +of water?" + +Scotty's forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. "Couldn't we stir it up? The +heavy water is all at the bottom. If we could give it a stir, the heavy +stuff would mix with the rest." + +"But would maybe settle right back," Chahda objected. + +"Not for a few thousand years," Zircon said. "A good idea, Scotty. Do +you happen to have a spoon seven hundred feet long?" + +Scotty grinned. "Yes. Mr. Ko supplied one." He reached into his pocket +and pulled out a grenade. "These will do the best job of stirring that +black cup of tea that you've ever seen." + +"Capital!" Zircon exclaimed. "They'll do perfectly, Scotty." He looked +at the boys. "Who wants to go back?" + +Sing spoke up. "I will go, and some of the lamas should, too. The +monastery should know all about these caves, in case something like this +ever happens again." He spoke to the lamas in Tibetan. They consulted +briefly, then nodded assent. Five of them stepped forward. + +"And Scotty and I will go," Rick volunteered. "I want to see how this +spoon works." He looked at Long Shadow and Ko. "Maybe they ought to go +back and see the end of their racket, whatever it is." + +"No need," Zircon said. "They know it's the end, and Bradley does too. +Which is more than we know, I must say. But we'll find out from Bradley +very soon." + +Rick hefted his rifle. "Incidentally, there's one thing I want to do +before we go back." + +"And that is?" + +He grinned at the scientist. "I want to go hunting blue sheep." + +"Me, too," Scotty chimed in. + +Zircon chuckled. "Very well. One day for sheep before we hit the trail. +Since Bradley prohibits our taking revenge on the enemy, we'll take it +out on the local livestock. Now get going. And do a thorough job." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +Canton Charlie's + + +"You've come a long way, lads," Keaton-Yeats said. "From golden mice to +blue sheep and back to golden mice again. I must say, you should be +thoroughly familiar with the animal kingdom by now." + +"They very familiar with animal world," Chahda agreed. "Also, sometimes +become part of that world by making jackasses of their selves. Like when +shooting blue sheep." + +The boys had each bagged a blue sheep, but at considerable risk to life +and limb. In the process, they had gotten themselves marooned on a rock +ledge high above Korse Lenken, from which Sing, with the help of the +bearers, had managed to rescue them. + +"Never mind," Carl Bradley said. "They got their sheep, even if it +almost took their necks to do it. Those heads will make nice trophies by +the time the taxidermist is through with them." + +The heads were in a Hong Kong shop, being mounted. Bradley had promised +to ship them back to Spindrift by sea. + +Canton Charlie made his way through the empty tables, followed by a +Chinese who carried a tray laden with glasses. + +"More dragon's blood, meaning coke," Zircon said with a smile. "I +suggest we drink a toast to success and then get down to business. Carl, +you've kept us waiting long enough to hear your story." + +"It's the sort of tale that should be heard on a full stomach," the +ethnologist said. "That's why I've made you wait. Now that we've filled +up on Charlie's excellent chow, we'll talk. We have a little while +before the mob gathers." + +Bradley had insisted that all of them, including Keaton-Yeats, dine with +him at the Golden Mouse before swapping experiences and completing the +story of the heavy water. They had eaten real Cantonese food, each using +chopsticks, and they were full to the ears. + +Scotty grinned at Canton Charlie. "We owe you an apology," he said. + +The proprietor of the Golden Mouse shook his head. "The other way +around. Carl and Chahda told me you would come. If I'd kept a better +lookout while waiting for Carl to come after I sent him a message, that +Portuguese would never have had a chance to tip off Long Shadow, and the +Chinese who dropped the message would have been caught in the act." + +After talking it over, they had decided that the Portuguese seaman who +had been giving himself a manicure with a dagger probably had been the +one who tipped off Long Shadow about three Americans who had asked for +Chahda. Of course Long Shadow knew of Chahda's connection with Bradley +because of the incidents in Singapore. + +Canton Charlie grinned evilly. "That Portuguese won't do any more spyin' +for Long Shadow." + +His meaning was clear. Rick's eyes met Scotty's. + +"Pull up a chair, Charlie," Carl Bradley said. "We'll drink a toast in +coke to our former pals. Long Shadow and Worthington Ko." + +Zircon lifted his glass, then took a sip. "Long Shadow said he and Ko +were finished," he recalled. "And you said as much in your note, or +implied it. But I'm hanged if I know why they're finished. They were +healthy enough when we left them at Korse Lenken." + +Bradley smiled without mirth. "To understand their punishment, you must +understand what has happened. Suppose I start at the beginning?" + +"Best place," Chahda said. "Better start at Singapore, boss. Plenty I +don't know, too." + +"All right, Chahda. To begin with, I first heard about heavy water in +Singapore from an informant with whom I deal. I'm no physicist, of +course. I wouldn't know heavy water if I were served coffee made with +the stuff. But I saw the implications right away and I sent a cable to +Washington. You know about that because Steve Ames contacted Hartson +Brant, if I'm right." + +"You're right," Rick agreed. + +"At the time I knew nothing except that heavy water had appeared in +Singapore. I continued investigations at top speed. I managed to locate +the house which was headquarters for the heavy-water dealers, again with +the aid of an informant. At first I thought the stuff was coming +overland, down the Malay Peninsula. Then I learned it was being shipped +in by boat from Hong Kong." + +Customers were starting to come into the Golden Mouse. Bradley lowered +his voice so as not to be overheard. "At the same time, the dealers +spotted Chahda and me. It wasn't hard to do for an expert such as we +were up against. I walked into our hotel room and was jumped by +Worthington Ko and some Chinese thugs. We had it hot and heavy for a +while and some blood was shed." He grinned. "Not mine, I'm happy to say. +I managed to get clear and decided I'd better drop out of sight. So I +became a Eurasian seaman. It's a disguise I've used before, and it's +quite safe." + +Rick studied Bradley's face. He had a bone-deep tan, and his face, +although pleasant, had no really distinguishing features. It was easy to +see how he could become a Eurasian. Disguise, after all, was just +putting yourself into a part. It wasn't a matter of make-up. + +"I hurried to Hong Kong," Bradley went on, "sure that Chahda would piece +together the story enough to follow me. I stopped at Saigon on the way +and contacted our legation there. The minister had received the cable +sent to all missions in the Far East giving your names, descriptions, +and time of arrival in Hong Kong." + +"The timing must have been close," Scotty said. + +"It was. The legation had received the cable only hours before my +arrival. It probably was the day you left New York." + +"Also I think it was day I left Singapore," Chahda said. + +"I got to Hong Kong and contacted Charlie," Bradley continued. "Tell us +what you found out, Charlie." + +Charlie shrugged. "No trouble. I got in touch with a pal in the Chinese +Beggar's Guild. He checked up and found out that a lot of coolies +carrying goatskin water bags were crossing from China to Kowloon and +from Kowloon to the island. Of course a lot of that goes on, anyway. But +some of the coolies weren't selling their water. I got my hands on one +of the coolies and we sort of told him he ought to sing us a song about +where the water came from." Charlie grinned. "He sang all right. He +yodeled real good, about Korse Lenken. He also said Long Shadow had been +at the monastery." + +"Do you know Long Shadow?" Rick asked Bradley. + +"Yes. I'd never met him, but I knew him by reputation." + +Charlie stood up. "Got to take care of the customers. See you later." + +As he left, Bradley continued, "Next step was to get a line on the +source of the heavy water. We had the name of Korse Lenken, but that was +all. I assumed it was being produced industrially somewhere on the +Tibetan border. But that would take equipment, of course, so I put the +consulate commercial section to work finding out if Long Shadow had been +dabbling in industrial equipment. That's routine for a consulate. Well, +he hadn't. But what turned up but the fact that he had imported some +Nansen bottles." + +"I begin to see how it shaped up," Zircon said. + +"It wasn't difficult, really," Bradley admitted. "Just took plugging. At +that time, Chahda arrived from Singapore, bringing Long Shadow with him, +although he didn't know it." + +"Unhappy me," Chahda complained. + +Bradley smiled at the Hindu boy. "Don't be unhappy. Long Shadow is the +best in the business. Well, I told Chahda to go to Korse Lenken, then +dropped my disguise. As I had hoped, Long Shadow started following me, +dropping Chahda. Once Chahda was on his way, I ditched Long Shadow and +became the Eurasian once more. We had given Charlie instructions about +you. He got in touch with me the moment you showed up, but I was +delayed. Meanwhile, you had been spotted, probably when you asked for +Chahda. Long Shadow must have figured the odds were piling up. He'd lost +me, so he probably decided to keep the odds down by removing all of +you." + +He nodded at Keaton-Yeats. "Thanks to our young British friend, we found +you before you'd been knocked in the head. Then I took off after Long +Shadow, as you know. Somewhere between times I'd gotten the consul to +get a Nansen bottle, a rubber boat, and that other stuff for you. I +didn't know why you'd need the rubber boat, but I figured a Nansen +bottle meant water and you'd better be prepared." + +"If we hadn't been trapped in the caverns, we could have used the rubber +boat," Rick said. "But it was at camp with Sing when we needed it." + +"Fortunes of war," Bradley said. "Well, while you were sneaking around +through the caves, I kept busy. You probably know that the Far East is +the happiest spying ground in the world. There are so many spies they +have to spy on each other." He turned suddenly to Keaton-Yeats. "Isn't +that right, colleague?" + +The young Englishman's expression never changed. "And some are almighty +good," he said calmly. "Like Bradley. Soon as I knew he was on the case, +I reported to my superiors and we dropped the thing like a hot potato, +just to avoid being at cross-purposes. We knew that the Americans would +tip us off as soon as they had a definite answer." + +The boys stared at Keaton-Yeats. "But you're a bank clerk!" Rick +exclaimed. + +"He's also a British intelligence agent," Bradley said, grinning. +"That's why I insisted he come tonight. We've already informed the +British, through channels, that the heavy-water menace no longer exists. +Keaton-Yeats is here tonight to get the details." + +"You chaps would be simply amazed at how much valuable information one +picks up in a bank," Keaton-Yeats said. "Astounding. Although I must say +having lads ask for golden mice is a bit unusual." + +Scotty shook his head. "And you looked so innocent," he complained. "We +believed everything you said." + +The young Englishman grinned. "I am innocent," he replied. "No woolly +little lamb could be more so. And I did tell you the blessed truth, you +know, even though I didn't mention I had a bit of a job to do as well as +having an interest in your welfare. Our own chaps had discovered heavy +water was coming into Hong Kong, too, so naturally we were interested. +But since Bradley was already on the job, and we co-operate with you +Americans on matters atomic, we sat back and waited." + +"I'm astonished," Zircon admitted. "But get on with your story, Carl." + +"Right. As I said, spies spy on each other. I contacted a French agent I +know, and in the course of having lunch with him I casually asked how +much he had paid for the information about an atomic pile. I was just +fishing, of course. Well, he took the bait. He leaped at it like a +striking tuna. I knew I had something then. From there on, it wasn't +hard to uncover the whole business, just by making contact with the +espionage agents of various countries." + +The JANIG man wet his throat with another sip of coke. "And business is +just what it was. I can't say how long ago Long Shadow found out there +was heavy water in the Caves of Fear. I did find out that in his younger +days he was something of a scientist and that he explored the Korse +Lenken region thoroughly. That was shortly before the discovery of heavy +water in Lake Baikal. I think we can assume that he pieced the story +together and realized that the lake in the caverns had the same +possibilities. It would have been only a matter of scientific curiosity +then, but with recent developments in the atomic field, the +possibilities took on a new light." + +He paused as a Filipino brushed by, then resumed, lowering his voice so +only those at the table could hear. "He's a smart one. I've known about +him for a long time, as one of the best free-lance agents in the Far +East. He has a good reputation for accuracy, and he sells--or +sold--information to the highest bidder. He was riding on his reputation +in this deal, because as soon as the facts became known, as they had to +sooner or later, he was all washed up as a spy." + +"I don't get it," Rick complained. + +"I'll explain. He was selling a story to every country that was +interested. He would contact the embassy, consulate, or chief espionage +agent of, say, country X. He would report that country Y had a secret +atomic pile--nuclear reactor, that is--in the mountains of West China. +You can imagine the excitement. He would sell that information for a +reasonable price. Then, for a considerably higher price, he would +undertake to collect a sample of the deuterium they were using. Once he +collected the sample, which of course came from Korse Lenken, he would +contract to give them the location of the reactor for a very high price +indeed. He made the rounds country by country, changing his story as +needed. Of course he collected in advance for the location, which was to +be delivered later, after he had risked his life getting it. That was +the story he used--and some of the best agents in the Orient fell for +it." + +The daring ingenuity of the thing made Rick shake his head. "But they +were certain to catch up with him!" + +"Of course. He knew it. But he intended to stall in giving them the +final location until he had tapped every possible source. Then I believe +he intended handing them some phony location in West China, after which +he would disappear and live on the proceeds. He collected enough to make +him very wealthy. He hadn't reached us yet, but you can bet that if I +hadn't stumbled on the story, he would have made a sale to one of our +embassies or consulates." + +"Ours, too," Keaton-Yeats said. "He took advantage of all the interest +in atomic weapons. And of his reputation, of course." + +"What about Ko?" Scotty asked. + +"Ko had a side line," Bradley explained. "He was selling heavy water to +various institutions and schools all over Asia for normal experimental +purposes. He claimed to be importing it from England. That was why they +were bringing so much out." + +"That is also how we got interested," Keaton-Yeats said. "We got queries +about more heavy water at a lower price from one of the schools that had +bought Ko's product. Naturally, we knew no heavy water was coming from +England, so we got interested very quickly." + +"We sure dropped a monkey wrench in a gold mine," Rick said. + +"Evidently," Zircon agreed. "But you haven't explained why Long Shadow +and Ko are finished." + +Keaton-Yeats laughed grimly. + +Bradley stretched his legs out. "Easy. The story had already spread +about heavy water at Korse Lenken. Ronnie and I got the good word +circulating right after we received your cable from Chungking. By now +all the countries he sold his story to--and that is most countries--know +they've been done in the eye, as our British friend would say. Do you +know the penalty for a double cross in the espionage racket?" + +"A bullet, a knife, or a blunt instrument," Keaton-Yeats said. "It's as +certain as tomorrow's dawn." + +Bradley nodded. "Also, the lamas won't permit the two of them to remain +after their wounds are healed. They are evil men, and the lamas know it. +Sooner or later, they'll have to leave the mountains and enter +civilization. I know their type. They might survive if they wanted to +live alone in the mountains like two wolves. But they won't." + +Rick shuddered. He knew from experience what it was like to be hunted. +Ko and Long Shadow would be hunted by agents of a dozen countries or +more once they set foot in civilization. After that, it was only a +matter of time. The two couldn't escape for long. + +"Now," Bradley said, "let's have the details of your trip." + +A burly English seaman brushed past. + +"I'll be quick," Zircon said. "You know...." + +Bradley let out a yelp as the seaman stepped squarely on his foot. +"Watch out where you're going, you big ox!" he exclaimed. + +The seaman stopped short. "Who you callin' a ruddy ox, you little +blighter?" He grabbed Bradley by the collar. + +The JANIG man's hands moved in a blur of speed. One struck the seaman's +hand away. The second caught him just above the solar plexus. The seaman +rocked backward, stumbled over a table occupied by three Portuguese, and +crashed to the floor, taking the table with him. One Portuguese clubbed +the seaman over the head with a bottle. The second threw a glass at +Bradley. The third picked up a chair. + +"Look out!" Scotty yelled. He flung his coke into the face of the chair +wielder, then jumped to grab the chair. The Portuguese, who had swung +the bottle, threw it at Scotty, missed, and knocked the glass out of the +hand of a Sikh seated at a near-by table. The Sikh rose with a battle +yell and leaped. + +Rick lost track after that. For a moment he stood amazed, then jumped to +help Chahda, who was being tackled from behind by one of the Portuguese. +Canton Charlie's was in an uproar. The fight had spread like fire in +dead leaves. Rick hadn't been aware of the place filling up, but it was +definitely full. Bottles and glasses flew. + +He ducked a wild swing with a chair, then as he stood up he brought the +table with him, dumping it over on three Chinese who were struggling +with Scotty. A fist caught him behind the ear. He kicked backward, then +whirled, his elbow catching a Filipino sailor in the chest. The Filipino +sprawled backward. + +A bottle whizzed past Rick's ear. He ducked, then rushed to Zircon. The +big scientist was holding a British seaman in each hand, busily knocking +their heads together. Scotty rose out of his path, swinging. A Eurasian +who had been about to swing with a bottle stopped short, swaying, as +Scotty's fist connected. The bottle dropped on Chahda, who was crawling +out from under a table. + +An American sailor rushed past, one arm catching Rick and sending him +sprawling. Rick swung wildly, and pulled his punch just in time to keep +from bashing Keaton-Yeats, who was busy with a swarthy man with gold +rings in his ears. The place was a madhouse. Bradley went headlong at +Rick's feet, jumped up again like a rubber ball, and plunged into the +fray. Rick saw with amazement that he was grinning from ear to ear. + +A Portuguese rose from nowhere and aimed a roundhouse swing at Rick's +head. He ducked, then put all his weight into an overhand chop, missed, +and fell against the Portuguese. The man threw him off and caught him +behind the ear with a short hook. Rick shook his head, dazed. Another +punch caught him on the cheek. He lost his temper then and flailed out. +One fist connected solidly. The Portuguese vanished, to be replaced by +someone else. Rick swung until his arms were leaden. Then, in the midst +of the turmoil, came a stentorian bellow. + +"Here! Listen!" + +He turned. Canton Charlie was standing on the bar, and a sawed-off +shotgun roamed impartially over the crowd. "The first man who pulls a +knife gets this!" he shouted. + +There was a roar from the mob, and the instant of silence dissolved into +a melee again. Rick turned back to see how his friends were doing and +saw a fist coming at him. He tried to bring his hands up, but he was too +slow. The fist got bigger and bigger and bigger and exploded into bright +lights. His knees buckled. He drifted off into peace and quiet. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +Home Flight + + +"The Golden Mouse," Keaton-Yeats said judiciously, "is rapidly becoming +a purple mouse." He tilted Rick's face to the light. "I also see other +colors. By the time you get home, a rainbow will be rather pale and dull +by comparison." + +"I got a mouse hung on me all right," Rick said. "And I didn't even see +who did it." + +"I did," Scotty volunteered. "It was a British seaman. Chahda polished +him off with a bottle before you even hit the floor." + +Zircon wrapped gauze around Bradley's knuckles. "For an ethnologist, +which is a peaceful profession, you are mighty quick to take offense," +he stated. + +"My boss is a sudden man," Chahda said from the bed where he lay with a +wet cloth on his head. + +They were in their room at the Peninsular Hotel. Rick had recovered +under the urging of a bucket of water in the hands of Canton Charlie. He +was still wet. He stripped off his shirt and grinned as he looked around +him. All of them bore souvenirs. His own probably was the most colorful, +consisting of a black eye that covered nearly half of his face. Scotty +had a welt across his forehead that would last several days. Bradley had +lost most of the skin off the knuckles of his right hand. Zircon moved +gingerly, favoring his bruised ribs. Chahda and Keaton-Yeats bore +painful egg-shaped lumps from swung bottles. + +"Happens at Charlie's every night," Bradley said. "Can't disappoint the +customers. Only a question of who starts it. Tonight I happened to be +the one. You get so you rather enjoy it after a while." + +"As a sport, it will never replace checkers," Scotty said. He winced as +his fingers explored the welt on his forehead. + +Rick chuckled. He could see what Bradley meant. As long as Canton +Charlie's shotgun ensured fair play, to the extent of no knives, it was +just a free-for-all such as might happen anywhere--at least where seamen +gathered. + +"It's like swimming in cold water," he said. "Getting in is tough, but +it's kind of fun once you've made the plunge." + +Bradley flexed his bandaged hand. "That's right. Now, it's getting late +and I still want to hear about your experiences. Hobart, want to pick up +where we left off?" + +They found seats on the beds and in the wicker chairs while the big +scientist told of their adventures in Korse Lenken, with assists from +the boys. When he had finished, Keaton-Yeats sighed. "I wish now I'd +gone with you," he said. "Nothing dull where you Americans go. While you +were barging around caves, I was making change at the bank. Very dull." + +"I guess that ties up all the loose ends," Bradley said. "And it makes +quite a package." + +"Even without a nuclear reactor or any potential atom bombs," Rick +added. "Anyway, we couldn't know until we investigated that there wasn't +some kind of atomic menace in the offing." + +"Right," Zircon agreed. "I must say, however, that I have a fine story +for one of the scientific journals. My analysis of the water samples +shows a layer almost a foot deep of nearly pure deuterium. It's an +amazing phenomenon which will require more of a theory than just the +heavy water settling. Settling wouldn't produce a fraction of the +amount. I'm taking the samples home for further analysis, along with +some samples of limestone from the caves. Who knows? This may produce a +scientific finding of some significance." + +"It may," Bradley agreed. "I hope it does, because then the trip will +have made some contribution to the sum total of our knowledge besides +contributing information to the JANIG files." + +"And the files of our office," Keaton-Yeats added. + +Rick looked at Chahda. "What now for you? Going to stay in the Far East +for a while?" + +The Hindu boy smiled. "Not so very long. I think now I go back to +Bombay, see my family for a while, then I will come to Spindrift." + +"Swell!" Scotty exclaimed. "We've missed you, half pint." + +Zircon and Rick echoed the sentiment. + +"No point in our staying on," the scientist said. "If we can get space, +we'll take off on tomorrow's flight." He smiled. "It will be good to get +back to our peaceful lab, eh, lads?" + +"Yes," Scotty agreed. + +"Definitely," Rick said. + +And even as they spoke, halfway across the world hammer strokes +completed a structure that would mean anything but peace, a story to be +told in the next volume: + + STAIRWAY TO DANGER + + + + +_The_ RICK BRANT SCIENCE-ADVENTURE _Stories_ + +BY JOHN BLAINE + + + THE ROCKET'S SHADOW + THE LOST CITY + SEA GOLD + 100 FATHOMS UNDER + THE WHISPERING BOX MYSTERY + THE PHANTOM SHARK + SMUGGLERS' REEF + THE CAVES OF FEAR + STAIRWAY TO DANGER + THE GOLDEN SKULL + THE WAILING OCTOPUS + THE ELECTRONIC MIND READER + THE SCARLET LAKE MYSTERY + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Caves of Fear, by John Blaine + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAVES OF FEAR *** + +***** This file should be named 32269.txt or 32269.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/6/32269/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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