The Mystery of the Death Trap Mine - M. V. Carey [35]
Pete took a book of matches out of his pocket and he and Jupe crept outside. Jupe picked up the bucket and sloshed its contents over the shack. Pete struck a match and tossed it. Instantly a sheet of flame engulfed the old wood. The shed was burning fiercely.
“Beautiful!” said Pete. “That ought to do it.” Suddenly Jupe gasped and shouted: “It sure will! Quick! Get into the mine. I think I know what Thurgood was storing in that shack!”
They dodged into the mine entrance and the four scrambled down the slanting floor.
“Get down!” yelled Jupe.
They all hit the ground — and the shack exploded with a roar that shook the earth!
Chapter 16
Flight!
THE EXPLOSION WENT on and on, thunderous and deafening. When at last it stopped, echoes of the blast rumbled back from the hills. Allie and the boys stumbled out of the mine. The remains of the shed blazed beside the mine entrance, and bits of burning debris were strewn over the ground.
Pete gaped. “All we wanted was a little fire!”
“I should have guessed that Thurgood was keeping his dynamite in that shack!” said Jupiter.
As the shock of the explosion wore off, things started happening with frightening speed.
The door of the old mine-works building sprang open and the two Mexicans rushed out.
They scrambled over the fence and disappeared among the rocks on the slope above the mine. Manny and Gasper staggered out of the cabin just as Thurgood’s red truck careened into the clearing through the open gate.
“Hey, Mr. Thurgood!” yelled Pete as he ran forward. “Watch out! Those guys broke into your house, and they’re armed!”
As Gasper turned threateningly to Pete, Thurgood jumped out of his truck, pulling a shotgun after him. “Hold it right there,” he yelled. “If you two take another step, you’re finished.”
But Gasper was too fast for him. Before Thurgood could raise his gun barrel, the thug lunged at Pete and grabbed the boy’s shoulder. Pete stumbled and felt something press into the small of his back.
“Drop your gun,” Gasper told Thurgood, “or I’ll blow the kid in half!”
Thurgood lowered his gun slowly, then let it fall to the ground. Manny ran forward and picked it up. A nasty grin spread over his flat features. His eyes darted to the other kids near the mouth of the mine. “You, girl!” he called. “Get over here!”
“No, wait!” Bob tried to step in front of Allie.
“Out of the way, kid!” ordered Manny. Brandishing the shotgun, he ran over and grabbed Allie, twisting her arm behind her back. “Now march!”
Suddenly they heard the wail of a siren. It was the fire engine coming from Twin Lakes.
Manny and Gasper looked at each other, and tightened their hold on the hostages.
“That road …” Manny nodded toward the rutted track up to Hambone, faintly visible in the failing light. “Where does it go, girlie?”
“Just … just to an old ghost town,” said Allie.
“What’s on the other side of them mountains?”
“Only the desert.” Allie looked frightened, but she held her chin high.
Gasper nodded toward Thurgood’s truck. “We can make it in that. It’s got 4-wheel drive.”
“You’ll never get away with this!” cried Allie.
“Shut up!” croaked Gasper.
They could hear the distant rumble of the
fire engine now. Again the siren sounded.
“Hurry up! Into the truck!”
Manny shoved Allie in front of him, thrust
her into the back seat of Thurgood’s truck, and climbed in after her. Pete ended up in the front
seat next to Gasper. Jupe, Bob, and Thurgood
stood by helplessly. The truck lurched out of the
clearing and, with a clash of gears, started up the
grade of the Hambone road.
Jupe and Bob ran to the gate after the
departing truck. Gasper was driving without
lights, and the truck was soon lost from sight among the pine trees on the mountainside.
In the other direction, the red lights of the approaching fire engine showed beyond Uncle
Harry’s gate. Siren screaming, it pulled into
Thurgood’s clearing