The Mystery of the Blazing Cliffs - M. V. Carey [12]
“Yes, sir,” said the lieutenant. He climbed into the jeep. “Move it!” he said to the driver. “Come on! Let’s go!”
A moment later the jeep was speeding off down the lane.
“Hank,” said Mr. Barron, “pick ten of the most trustworthy men — men who can shoot
— and send them in to see me. We’ll have the fence patrolled all along the road.”
“But Charles, will that help?” said Mrs. Barron. “If the President does come here, won’t he come by helicopter? If the guards are on the road—”
“Be still, Ernestine!” snapped Barron. “You don’t understand about these things.”
Barron started up the steps to his house, then paused and looked back at the Three Investigators. “You boys,” he said. “You can stay here. You’re innocent victims, and I won’t put you out on the road where idiots like that lieutenant might — well, God knows what he might do. Elsie, would you mind feeding four more?”
“No, Mr. Barron,” said the cook.
“Good enough,” said Barron, and he went into the house.
Jupiter, Pete, and Bob stood near the truck with Konrad. They watched Hank Detweiler call the names of ten of the ranch workers. The men went one by one up the steps into the Barron house.
By the time the men came out again, it was getting dark, but the boys could see that each man carried a rifle and wore an ammunition belt. They went off down the lane towards the fence and the gate.
Other residents of the ranch drifted away, and when Hank Detweiler emerged from the Barron house, only Konrad and the boys remained in the driveway.
“I don’t know what this is all about,” said Detweiler, “but I’m sure it will blow over before long. You’ll probably be on your way again tomorrow.”
He went into the ranch house, which was now lighted by the soft glow of kerosene lamps. After a moment Konrad announced that he would go in, too.
“Well?” said Bob to Jupiter, after Konrad had gone.
“I don’t know what to think,” said Jupe. “When we left Rocky Beach at noon, everything was fine. Now, only a few hours later, we have no electricity, the radios don’t work, and the telephone is dead. The President has made a speech about strange aircraft landing in several parts of the country, and there are soldiers patrolling the road so that we can’t drive away.”
“Maybe we can’t drive away, but we can walk away,” said Pete. “If we can get to someplace that’s outside—”
He stopped short. “Hey,” he said. “I’m beginning to sound like I really believe this place is a fortress—like the rest of the world is outside. We’re inside, where it’s safe.”
“We aren’t even sure it’s safe,” said Jupe. “But you’re right. We should walk out to the nearest town. We won’t learn anything by staying here. Maybe there really is some sort of invasion going on and we can get more news about it outside.”
“But Mr. Barron has guards watching the fence,” said Bob. “Will they let us pass?”
“They won’t know we’re going,” said Jupe. “We’ve gotten past guards before. We can do it again.”
“What about the soldiers?” asked Pete.
“We can keep out of their way easily enough,” Jupe declared. “They’ll probably be watching the gate any way.”
“Okay,” said Bob. “Anything’s better than just sitting here waiting for the sky to fall.”
“Then let’s go,” said Jupe. “Something strange is going on. I want to know what it is!”
Chapter 6
The Blazing Cliffs
THE THREE INVESTIGATORS slipped quietly down the lane in the darkness.
“I can’t see a thing,” Pete complained. “It’s black as pitch.”
“It won’t be for long,” Jupe predicted.
Even as he spoke, the moon crept up from behind the eastern cliffs. A faint silvery light touched the valley, and the gravel lane suddenly appeared grey-white. In the citrus groves to one side there were shadows under the trees—deep black shadows, sharply etched on the ground.
“Everyone off the drive!” ordered Jupe. “Someone could see us out here.” He led the way to the shadows under the orange trees. The three boys went on silently towards