Part 15 (1/2)
Those trees along the edge of the gully would screen it from the ridge!”
The boys halted to discuss the next step in their search.
”The mine tunnel must be somewhere in the mountainside,” Frank reasoned. ”And it must be on this side of the valley. The other side's miles away-Dawson couldn't have carried the gold that far.”
”Which still gives us a lot of ground to cover,” Joe said.
The two boys rode toward the edge of the valley where the ground began to slope steeply upward.
”Dawson probably wasn't in shape to climb very far after the crash,” Frank said. ”So let's concentrate along the lower slopes.”
The boys decided to turn left and skirt the mountainside for at least two miles. If their efforts proved fruitless, they would then retrace their steps and try the other direction.
Deep drifts and tangled underbrush made the going difficult. Several times the Hardys were disappointed.
What looked like a hole in the mountainside proved to be only the shadow of trees or some rocky outcropping.
But suddenly Frank gave a cry of excitement and pointed. ”There's an opening for sure, Joe.”
The dark recess was only partly screened by a clump of underbrush. The two boys dismounted, ground-hitched their horses, and scrambled up the slope. They pulled aside the snow-laden brush and Frank shone his flashlight into the hole.
As the yellow beam stabbed through the darkness, Joe murmured, ”This looks more like an ordinary cave than a mine tunnel.”
”But there is a tunnel back there,” Frank replied.
In the rear wall of the cavern, about fifty feet or more from the entrance, they could make out another hole which evidently led deep into the mountainside.
”Okay, let's take a look,” Joe urged.
The boys entered the cave cautiously and walked toward the inner pa.s.sage. Frank stopped as he heard a faint rustling noise to their left.
”Hold it, Joe.”
His brother turned quickly. A pair of glowing eyes glinted at them from the darkness.
Frank's flashlight revealed an enormous gray wolf! Standing stiffly, the animal glared at the intruders, baring its teeth in a low growl.
Other noises reached the boys' ears. Frank swung his flashlight around and a dozen pairs of wolves' eyes shone in the glow like burning coals.
”Good grief!” Frank's voice was a hoa.r.s.e whisper. ”We've walked straight into a den of wolves!”
CHAPTER XIX.
Wolf Prey FOR a moment the Hardys were paralyzed with fright.
Joe swallowed hard and whispered, ”Can we make a break for freedom?”
”We can try.”
At the first step, however, the huge timber wolf nearest them gave a savage snarl. The fur on its back bristled stiffly.
Frank muttered, ”One false move and that lobo will go for us. This pack acts hungry.”
There was a patter of feet in the darkness. The glowing eyes from the dim recesses circled closer. The wolves were gathering around the boys, cutting off escape through the cave entrance!
Frank could feel drops of cold perspiration trickling down his skin. ”Snap on your flashlight, too, Joe.
That may help hold them back.”
Joe played the beam slowly back and forth, while Frank used his.
The wolves slunk restlessly to and fro. Their lolling tongues gave them a wickedly grinning appearance, but they were wary of the lights. Now and then, as a gaunt gray form was caught in the full radiance of a beam, the animal would leap back into the shadows.
It was clear that the flashlights could not hold the beasts at bay for long. As the wolves paced back and forth, the circle was being drawn gradually tighter.
”Watch it!” Joe exclaimed suddenly.
The leader of the pack was advancing straight toward Frank, who stabbed his light full into the wolf's greenish eyes. The brute shrank back, its ears laid flat to its head. A vicious growl issued from its throat.
Instinctively the Hardys moved a step backward. The pack seemed to sense the boys' fear and pressed its advantage, forcing the Hardys to retreat still farther.
”Into the tunnel!” Frank told his brother.
”It may be a blind alley,” Joe warned.
”We'll have to risk it-there's no other way out.”
Inch by inch, the boys backed toward the tunnel opening.
”It's not wide enough for both of us,” Joe said tensely, flas.h.i.+ng his light quickly behind them.
”Then you go first,” Frank ordered.
They were only a few yards from the tunnel now. Joe began working his way into position behind his brother. The wolves edged closer still, growing bolder, as if they sensed that their victims were trying to escape.
Suddenly the leader gave a vicious snarl and shortened his distance from the boys with a quick leap forward. Again Frank focused his flashlight squarely into the huge beast's eyes-but this time the wolf refused to shrink back. Frank's heart hammered as he saw the bared fangs and slavering jaws. Any instant it would leap in for the kill!
”Quick! A rock!” Frank gasped.
Joe looked around desperately and s.n.a.t.c.hed up a heavy, jagged stone. He hurled it with all his might at the wolf. The rock hit the beast squarely in the head and the wolf collapsed, with blood oozing from the wound.
A chorus of low growls rose from the pack. The wolves seemed cowed by their leader's downfall, but their nostrils had caught the scent of blood.
”Run for it!” Frank yelled.