Pete moved away until his back was against the cave wall. He waited, watching the boarded opening to the cave give way to the intruder.
Desperately, his hand searched the cave floor, seeking a weapon. Then he remembered his torch and his hand closed on it. The darkness of the cave might not be enough protection.
Then the big board was thrust aside. A burly form stood silhouetted in the faint light of the opening. It was so large that it had to turn sideways to enter the small cave.
Pete sucked in air.
He recognized the ill-tempered Mr. Carter and his shotgun.
The roof of the cave was low, and Mr. Carter had to stoop to advance farther. He bent and took a step forward. Then he stopped, listening. Pete heard it, too, his heart pounding wildly.
“Aaaaaahh… ooooo… oo!”
He shrank against the wall. He drew up his legs and gripped his weapon tighter.
Then he heard something else, the sound of running feet. It came closer, accompanied by a panting breath.
Other feet were following. Again he heard the moaning, wailing sound. “Aaaaahh… ooooo… oo!”
It had to be Jupe and Bob running. And being chased.
He gulped. He couldn’t close the moving rock now. It was their only way out of the big cave. Their only chance for safety.
But how safe was it? Pete wondered, with the terrible-tempered Mr. Carter standing crouched a few feet from him in the darkness, his shotgun at the ready.
There was a sudden whirling, skidding movement. Yellow eyes blazed in the opening in the rock.
Something moaned and bolted through.
It was followed almost immediately by something dark and growling. Then another. And another.
Pete’s mouth gaped open as he shrank against the cold cave wall.
He had been prepared for a dragon. This was a pack of wild, furry animals.
Mr. Carter grunted as something hit him.
He went down. Pete swallowed nervously. After the pack attacked the fallen man, they would be upon him.
He lifted the torch in his hand.
Bob and Jupiter huddled inside the narrow cupboard, straining their ears to hear.
“That’s a lot of track to check and clear,” a man’s voice complained. “As if we didn’t have enough to do with all that drilling. But we’re all set now.”
“It’ll be worth the trouble, Harry,” another deep voice said. “Let’s move it.”
“Sure,” the first man replied. “He’s a slippery character, Jack. Do you think we can trust him?”
The other man laughed. “There’s only one of him, brother. And there’s two of us. It’s our boat. Maybe he ought to be worrying if he can trust us!”
The hatch opened and the men climbed down the ladder. Bob and Jupe, their ears pressed tightly against the thin door, heard one of them walking forward.
An engine whined and caught. They felt a sudden jerk and a slight bump. Then they were moving smoothly on the rails.
Bob touched Jupe’s knee in the darkness. “They sound like those two skin divers. Are we going into the ocean?” he whispered.
“I don’t think so,” Jupe said softly. “There’s still not enough ballast in the dragon to keep it submerged.”
“Whew!” Bob sighed. “That’s a relief,”
The dragon moved with only a slight swaying motion to indicate its progress.
“We’re going backwards,” Jupe whispered, “into the old tunnel.”
“I know,” Bob whispered. “But why? What are they up to?”
Jupiter shrugged. “I wish I knew. Whatever it is, it sounds important.”
The dragon stopped suddenly with a lurch, and Bob and Jupe fell back, bumping against the thin wall.
The man who had been driving came back. “Okay, Harry,” his voice rasped. “It’s time to load up. Watch yourself!”
“He’d better not try any tricks on us,” the other grumbled. “Or I’ll crown him with one of those bars.”
“Yeah, sure,” the first one said. “Well, that’s the chance we’re taking. For a million bucks, it’s worth it!
Jupe and Bob stared into the darkness of the tiny compartment. One million dollars? They wondered if they had heard correctly.
The men walked away and climbed the ladder. The hatch opened, and fell back into place with a clanging sound.
Jupe tapped Bob’s shoulder. “Let’s see what they’re up to,” he whispered.
Stealthily, they opened the cupboard door.
They had taken only a few steps when they halted abruptly. A man was speaking, his voice hoarse and rasping, his words interrupted by spasms of coughing.
“Hurry it up,” he said. “I’ve taken care of the night watchman with some knockout drops. He’ll be out for a few hours. We should have the three hundred bars out of there before he wakes up.”
Bob nudged Jupe. “You were right. It’s Arthur Shelby. I recognize his voice and his cough.”
“That’s the second mystery solved,” Jupe whispered. “The mystery of the coughing dragon. Only one remains.”
“You mean this one — what they’re doing here?” Bob asked.
“The mystery of the three hundred bars,” Jupe replied. “Three hundred bars of what?”