Joe walked out of his cabin and closed the door. He made his way into the woods and headed for the rocks. He had an idea the lights did have something to do with the two campers he and Steve had seen.
He had been out several nights at different times and noticed the lights would either start at the lake and end near where Joe believed there was a cave or vice versa. One thing he had become convinced of was that there wasn't anything mysterious about the lights. Unless you took into account who carried them and why.
He was going to have to write Frank and tell him about this. He just wished Frank would get back from the assignment Dad had sent him on. If Frank didn't hurry up and answer at least one letter he was going to start to get worried.
There! He saw the lights appear on the hill. He kept moving, trying not to make any noise as he headed toward where they had appeared. He noticed the lights were moving down toward the lake. Joe shook his head, ignoring the urge to follow the lights.
He was glad the moon was full tonight. Making his way toward the supposed cave at night without a flashlight was hard enough. Without the moon, it would have been impossible.
Joe arrived in the general vicinity of where the lights appeared. He looked around and was pleased to see the lights in the distance still heading to the lake.
Joe scouted around and finally found a small opening, barely large enough to crawl through. He started to crawl in but realized Hairy had been big and would never of made it through this way. He decided to keep searching. Finally, he came across a larger opening. He ducked his head as he entered to avoid hitting it on the rocks.
Once inside, sure he wouldn't be seen, he removed a penlight from his pocket and turned it on. He went deeper into the cave, shining his light on the walls and ceiling every so often to avoid missing something.
After what seemed like forever, the cave opened up into a fair-sixed cavern. Joe lifted his light from where it had been and aimed it straight ahead. His eyes went wide with shock as he saw the unconscious and bound form of his former roommate, Steve.
Joe hurried over and knelt beside Steve. He put two fingers to the carotid artery at the side of his neck to see if Steve had a pulse. Sighing in relief, he quickly laid down his penlight and pulled out his pocket knife from his shorts and set about freeing the hapless youth.
"Steve, wake up," Joe said, lightly tapping his face. "Come on, open your eyes."
"Wh..what?" Steve mumbled barely conscious of Joe. He opened his eyes briefly, but when they closed, they remained shut.
"Ah, Steve," Joe groaned, frowning. He picked his penlight up and looked around the cavern. Obviously, this is where the campers and divers had been staying. Scattered ont he cavern floor were some clothes and a sleeping bag. As Joe panned the cave, he saw several more sleeping bags, canvas sacks, metal boxes, weapons and dynamite.
Joe knew he had to get out of there before the occupants returned and he figured he didn't have a lot of time since it felt like it had taken him forever to find the cave and make his way to where he was now.
He knew he would make better time if he were on his own but that wasn't an option he considered. He put his penlight in his mouth and pulled Steve into a fireman's carry. Getting a secure grip, Joe let go of Steve with one of his hands and snatched the light out of his mouth and slowly made his way back the way he had come.
When he reached the cave entrance, he put Steve on the floor and crept outside. He saw no lights signaling the return of the men so he went back inside and dragged Steve through the mouthof the cave. There was no way Joe could have carried him through the low entryway.
Outside, he took a deep breath and was assaulted not with the scent of fresh grass but with the stench of cigarette smoke. He wrinkled his nose in distaste and looked around anxiously. Seeing no movement, he turned back to Steve and picked him back up, prepared to carry him back to camp. As he started out, three men stepped out of the shadows, each with varying facial expressions, but they all had one thing in common: they were all carrying guns.
Joe froze on the spot, Steve growing heavier, as he waited for them to make the first move.
"I knew you were going to be trouble," said the guy with the straight, long, brown hair Joe had seen his first time out with Steve.
"Robert Hash," Joe said, finally remembering the man. "You're supposed to be dead."
"Supposed to be," Hash agreed. "But you are," he added, raising his gun and taking aim.
He had been out several nights at different times and noticed the lights would either start at the lake and end near where Joe believed there was a cave or vice versa. One thing he had become convinced of was that there wasn't anything mysterious about the lights. Unless you took into account who carried them and why.
He was going to have to write Frank and tell him about this. He just wished Frank would get back from the assignment Dad had sent him on. If Frank didn't hurry up and answer at least one letter he was going to start to get worried.
There! He saw the lights appear on the hill. He kept moving, trying not to make any noise as he headed toward where they had appeared. He noticed the lights were moving down toward the lake. Joe shook his head, ignoring the urge to follow the lights.
He was glad the moon was full tonight. Making his way toward the supposed cave at night without a flashlight was hard enough. Without the moon, it would have been impossible.
Joe arrived in the general vicinity of where the lights appeared. He looked around and was pleased to see the lights in the distance still heading to the lake.
Joe scouted around and finally found a small opening, barely large enough to crawl through. He started to crawl in but realized Hairy had been big and would never of made it through this way. He decided to keep searching. Finally, he came across a larger opening. He ducked his head as he entered to avoid hitting it on the rocks.
Once inside, sure he wouldn't be seen, he removed a penlight from his pocket and turned it on. He went deeper into the cave, shining his light on the walls and ceiling every so often to avoid missing something.
After what seemed like forever, the cave opened up into a fair-sixed cavern. Joe lifted his light from where it had been and aimed it straight ahead. His eyes went wide with shock as he saw the unconscious and bound form of his former roommate, Steve.
Joe hurried over and knelt beside Steve. He put two fingers to the carotid artery at the side of his neck to see if Steve had a pulse. Sighing in relief, he quickly laid down his penlight and pulled out his pocket knife from his shorts and set about freeing the hapless youth.
"Steve, wake up," Joe said, lightly tapping his face. "Come on, open your eyes."
"Wh..what?" Steve mumbled barely conscious of Joe. He opened his eyes briefly, but when they closed, they remained shut.
"Ah, Steve," Joe groaned, frowning. He picked his penlight up and looked around the cavern. Obviously, this is where the campers and divers had been staying. Scattered ont he cavern floor were some clothes and a sleeping bag. As Joe panned the cave, he saw several more sleeping bags, canvas sacks, metal boxes, weapons and dynamite.
Joe knew he had to get out of there before the occupants returned and he figured he didn't have a lot of time since it felt like it had taken him forever to find the cave and make his way to where he was now.
He knew he would make better time if he were on his own but that wasn't an option he considered. He put his penlight in his mouth and pulled Steve into a fireman's carry. Getting a secure grip, Joe let go of Steve with one of his hands and snatched the light out of his mouth and slowly made his way back the way he had come.
When he reached the cave entrance, he put Steve on the floor and crept outside. He saw no lights signaling the return of the men so he went back inside and dragged Steve through the mouthof the cave. There was no way Joe could have carried him through the low entryway.
Outside, he took a deep breath and was assaulted not with the scent of fresh grass but with the stench of cigarette smoke. He wrinkled his nose in distaste and looked around anxiously. Seeing no movement, he turned back to Steve and picked him back up, prepared to carry him back to camp. As he started out, three men stepped out of the shadows, each with varying facial expressions, but they all had one thing in common: they were all carrying guns.
Joe froze on the spot, Steve growing heavier, as he waited for them to make the first move.
"I knew you were going to be trouble," said the guy with the straight, long, brown hair Joe had seen his first time out with Steve.
"Robert Hash," Joe said, finally remembering the man. "You're supposed to be dead."
"Supposed to be," Hash agreed. "But you are," he added, raising his gun and taking aim.