CHAPTER X

  Stranded in Steamboat

  The road to Steamboat led by Careless Mesa, then through a series oftwists and turns down to comparatively level country again. According tothe map, the ghost town was in a valley next to a dry lake bed.

  Rick glanced at his watch. "It's going to be late when we get there."

  "Maybe that's good," Scotty returned. "If anyone is in the town we'llsee lights. This country is so wide open it would be hard to sneak up onthe town in daylight."

  "It would, if there was anything to sneak up for. Haven't you got thefeeling this is a wild-goose chase?"

  Scotty dodged a deep hole in the road. "It could be. But we can't justsit around waiting for the Earthman to hand us a calling card. Besides,Mac and Pancho were gone long enough to reach Steamboat and return tobase this morning." That was what the vehicle-control board had shown.

  "They might have been just waiting at Careless Mesa," Rick pointed out."We have no evidence they went to Steamboat. Besides, if anything wasstolen during the shoot this morning, they couldn't have been in on it."

  "That's true. But we can't lose by looking the town over. Besides, I'venever seen a real ghost town."

  Rick watched the desert go by, his mind busy with the problems. AsScotty had said, if Mac and Pancho weren't in on the thefts, someonewas. That someone had to get the stolen goods off the base and to alocation from which it could be carried to civilization. He toyed withthe idea that the stolen transistors might simply have been destroyed orhidden by the Earthman in order to hold up work at the base. That didn'tseem likely.

  The facts of time and distance certainly eliminated Mac and Pancho.During the shoots they were miles away. They had little or noopportunity to get close to the rockets. It was only reasonable to crossthem--and all other radar-tracking teams--off the suspect list. Yet,Rick couldn't forget his initial feeling about the pair.

  Scotty pointed. "Isn't that a town?"

  The jeep had topped a gentle rise. Below lay a small, dry lake bed. Atone edge of the dry lake, nestled in low foothills, were gray, weatheredbuildings. It was almost certainly Steamboat.

  Scotty stopped the jeep and they surveyed the countryside with care.There was no sign of movement, no sign of a dust cloud from any othervehicle.

  The sun was low in the west. In a short time it would be out of sightbeyond the mountains, then darkness would close in. Rick reached intothe jeep's glove compartment and found the flashlight he had stowedthere. He checked it, then asked, "What are we waiting for?"

  "Ideas," Scotty replied. "What say we roll right on through the townwithout stopping, then turn and come back through that wash at the baseof the hills?"

  Rick looked to where the dark-haired boy pointed. He saw the shadow of agully that followed the foothills closely.

  "Think it's necessary?" he asked.

  Scotty shrugged. "Probably not. But it's better to be careful than sorrylater."

  "Okay with me. Let's go."

  Scotty put the jeep in gear and they rolled swiftly down to the level ofthe dry lake bed and toward Steamboat. A few minutes later they enteredthe town.

  Rick inspected the buildings with care. It looked like the setting for aWestern motion picture, except for the lack of people and horses, andthe lack of paint. He identified a pair of stores, a two-story buildingthat could only have been a hotel, a livery stable, and severalbuildings without identification of any kind. There was only one street,and they were on it. Nowhere was there a sign of life. Then they werethrough the town, and the road climbed gently toward the foothills.

  Scotty held the jeep at a steady speed for over a mile. As the roadgradually curved around a rock outcropping, he said, "Look behind andtell me when the town is out of sight."

  Rick turned in his seat in time to see Steamboat vanish behind theoutcropping. "Now."

  Scotty brought the jeep to a halt. "The road should fork pretty soon,shouldn't it?"

  "That's right. Left fork to Pahrump Valley, right fork to Death Valley."

  "Let's hit the ditch." Scotty reached down and put the jeep intofour-wheel drive, then turned left off the road.

  The bottom of the dry wash was alternately sandy and studded withboulders. Scotty picked his way with care, but it was a rough ride. Onceor twice he stopped while Rick climbed the slope of the wash for asurvey of the situation. Finally they pulled to a halt and both boysreconnoitered ahead, to find a good way out of the wash and onto theroad. Satisfied that getting from the wash onto level ground would poseno problems, they turned off the jeep engine and settled down to wait.

  Again, Rick felt the futility of what they were doing. They might waitfor weeks without ever seeing another human being.

  "There's going to be a moon," Scotty remarked.

  Rick looked up at the slim crescent. "Yes, but not much of a moon. I'drather depend on a flashlight."

  Scotty stirred restlessly. "Maybe we should have explored the town."

  "Maybe. It's too late now, except to explore by flashlight. We canalways come back during daylight."

  They fell silent while darkness settled in. Rick began to feel drowsynow that the excitement was at an end. He let his head droop. Presentlyhe slept.

  Suddenly he realized Scotty was shaking him. "I'm awake," he whispered."What's up? What time is it?"

  "Nearly nine. I was going to let you sleep for a while before startingback." Scotty's voice was low. "A car came along the road. Not from thebase. The other way. It was traveling without lights. It stopped intown."

  "Let's go," Rick whispered. He got out of the jeep, Scotty on his heels.They moved carefully up the slope of the wash and emerged on the opendesert behind the town.

  Scotty took his arm. "Follow me." The dark-haired boy moved into thelead.

  They moved in a bent-over position, making their way from bush to bush,careful to move silently. Rick's pulse began to hammer. Why shouldanyone come to the ghost town, especially in a darkened vehicle? For thefirst time he felt hope. They might find out something of importanceafter all!

  Scotty led the way, taking advantage of every bit of cover, and in ashort time they emerged from the desert behind the row of ghostly,abandoned buildings. Rick recognized the hotel, the only two-storystructure in the town. It was directly in front of them.

  "Wait here a minute," Scotty whispered. He moved quickly and silentlyinto the shadow of the livery stable. Scotty was skillful at this kindof work, and Rick knew it was best to let him reconnoiter alone.

  Presently Scotty materialized from the shadows and moved to Rick's side.He whispered, "They came in a sedan. I couldn't see any lights, but Iheard voices. They're in the hotel."

  "Let's get closer," Rick replied softly.

  Scotty plucked at his sleeve and Rick followed, moving swiftly into theshadow of the livery stable. Scotty moved slowly along the wall, thencrossed the narrow alley between the stable and hotel with one longstep, hesitating at the hotel corner. Rick followed silently. There wasa window. Scotty crouched, so he would be below the window, and scuttledpast it. Rick was right behind him.

  The rear door of the hotel was next. Scotty's gesture told Rick theywould stop there and try to listen. Scotty moved a few steps and stoppedonce more. He was in position. Rick crowded close behind him, then movedout from the wall a little so that he, too, could hear directly throughthe door.

  From almost under his foot came a strident, warning buzz, and an icyripple moved down his back. A snake! And he couldn't even see it! Hefroze where he was, muscles tense for the shock of needle-sharp fangs.He waited an eternity, not even daring to breathe. There were voicesfrom within the hotel, but he didn't hear what they were saying. At thatmoment he couldn't possibly have cared less.

  Then, his probing eyes saw the faint outline of the creature, halfcoiled, flattened head weaving. It was barely beyond striking distance.He watched it, not daring to look away, not daring to move.

  Had Scotty heard the snake? But of course he must have. Rick reachedwith infinite caut
ion and tugged at his pal's sleeve. Scotty would haveto move first. Then Rick could move slowly to a position tight againstthe wall, where Scotty was now. Only by moving into the wall could heget away from the snake.

  But in that moment the rattler apparently decided it had waited longenough. The evil head moved slowly toward Rick's foot.

  Rick couldn't help it. He let out an involuntary yelp and jumpedsideways, into Scotty. Scotty had no place to go but through the hoteldoor. He crashed into the rickety, partly hanging door, Rick on top ofhim.

  Rick tried to get to his feet, sensing sudden noise and movement withinthe hotel, but he wasn't fast enough. A hand grabbed him by the arm andhauled him upright, and a fist glanced off his cheek-bone, snapping hishead back.

  Scotty, underneath, gathered his feet under him and charged like aplunging fullback, directly into the hotel. There was a grunt as theboy's head met yielding flesh, then a powerful arm circled his neck andhe was lifted off his feet, fighting for breath.

  A hand yanked Rick forward. His arms were twisted behind him. A pencilflashlight flicked on briefly and a voice muttered, "It's a couple ofkids!"

  Rick struggled, but subsided when it became clear that he could donothing but wrench his arms out of joint.

  A man muttered, "Rope in the car trunk."

  Feet sounded on the boards of the hotel. Rick tried to pierce the gloom,to see his captors, but there wasn't enough light to see more than vagueshapes. He had never heard the voices before. The feet came back. Thevoice said, "Lash 'em tight."

  Rick was dumped face down on the dusty floor. Expert hands tied hiswrists and ankles tight and lashed them together, with his knees bent atan acute angle and his shoulders pulled back. Next to him he sensed thatScotty was getting the same treatment.

  A voice whispered, "Wonder who they are?"

  "Doesn't matter," the first voice said. "We'll be out of here in fifteenminutes, if the others keep to schedule, and we won't be back. We can'tuse this place again."

  A third voice broke in. "I didn't see a car. They must have cached itsomewhere."

  "You're right," the first voice agreed. "Find it, and fix it. Where'llwe put these kids?"

  The second voice had a suggestion. "The old jail across the street. Wecan lash 'em to the bunks."

  Rick felt himself lifted like a sack of grain. He swayed as the manlugged him through the front of the hotel, across the porch, and intothe street. His captor rounded the car that was waiting there and Rickstrained to turn his head, to try to see the license plate, but couldn'tcatch a glimpse of it.

  A creaky door was swung open and he was carried into an inner room anddropped face down. It knocked the breath out of him for a moment. Whenhe recovered, he was tightly lashed to a rusty iron frame. His gropingfingers felt the frame and the rope, but the knots were beyond hisreach.

  A voice asked, "Will we turn 'em loose later? We don't want 'em to diein here."

  "They won't. They can get loose, but it will take a while and we'll belong gone. Come on."

  The door creaked again. Rick listened to the sound of footsteps acrossloose boards, then there was silence.

  Scotty whispered, "What do we do now? Wait for the Lone Ranger andTonto?"

  Rick had to grin, in spite of their plight. "Looks like it," he agreed.There was something ridiculous about being bundled into an antiqueWestern jail. "Anyway, we didn't get bitten by that blasted snake."

  "That worried me plenty," Scotty agreed. "Can you move at all?"

  Rick's fingers hadn't stopped exploring. "Not much. How about you?"

  "There's a sharp end of wire under my hands. I'm going to see if I canloosen the knots. Keep working."

  "Don't worry," Rick whispered fervently. "I will."

  Silence fell, except for an occasional scrape as they struggled. Rick'sarms began to hurt, and his neck felt as though it would neverstraighten again. Gradually he worked the rope end into reach and beganto move it, hoping to loosen the knot. Then there was a soft exclamationof triumph from Scotty.

  "Are you free?" Rick whispered quickly.

  "No. But I pulled the rope between my wrists and ankles loose enough soI can move. Just a minute."

  Scotty got to his knees, balancing precariously. "I'm going to try toslide my hands down the frame to yours."

  Rick strained his neck trying to see if there were any obstacles in theway, but he could see nothing. Scotty grunted. "I think I'm hung up on abolt that's sticking through the frame." There was silence for a fewmoments while the boy struggled. "Made it," he muttered. "The ropesloosened a little."

  Presently Rick felt Scotty's fingers and moved his own, seeking theropes around his pal's wrists. He probed, trying to find the key to theknots. Finally, his right forefinger touched a free end, and he followedit into a twist of rope. His first two fingers could just reach thetwist, and he set to work on it, moving the rope back and forth, tryingto pull on it. Suddenly it gave.

  "One," he said softly. There was another knot immediately under the loophe had just untied. It was tougher than the first one, but eventually hemade it.

  "I think you loosened it a little," Scotty said. "Maybe I can slide aknot over that bolt and pull loose."

  Scotty moved away from him, sliding his hands along the rusty frame. Theboys worked in silence, Rick tackling his own knots again while Scottytried to use the rusty bolt as a lever.

  Rick had to give up for a while. His hands hurt too much, and he knewthat Scotty's must be hurting, too.

  "Listen!" Scotty said suddenly.

  A car, or a truck, was approaching the town, from the direction ofCareless Mesa!

  The boys tackled the knots with desperation and suddenly Scotty fellforward as his hands loosened.

  Outside, the car braked to a stop. Rick wondered if Mac and Pancho hadcome to keep a rendezvous? He couldn't get rid of the feeling that thosetwo were involved somehow.

  "A few minutes more," Scotty gritted. "The knots are loose." Then, "Igot it."

  Moving swiftly, Scotty untied his ankles and knelt at Rick's side. Longminutes later Rick felt the ropes fall from his wrists. It didn't takelong to get his ankles free, and he stood up, rubbing circulation backinto his hands.

  Scotty went to the doorway of the old jail and Rick joined him. "Seeanything?"

  "No," Scotty whispered. "We'll have to go outside."

  "We can't go out the front," Rick murmured. "They'd see us. That carstopped right in front. Let's see if there's a back entrance of somekind."

  He led the way to the rear of the jail building, walking carefully inthe darkness. There were windows but they were barred. He carefully felthis way past the jail's only cell, and along the back wall.

  Outside, a motor spun into life.

  Rick whirled. "They're going!"

  Another motor started.

  The boys turned and hurried to the front of the building. They were intime to see a sedan shift and speed away from the hotel, following theroad toward civilization.

  They hurried into the street and Scotty pointed in the oppositedirection. The road back to the base was a dim, pale ribbon in the faintmoonlight. Along it a dark shape was speeding.

  "That does it," Rick said aloud.

  Scotty turned to watch the departing sedan. "It didn't take them long tocomplete their business, whatever it was. I didn't hear any talk, didyou?"

  "Not a word. Do you suppose that was Mac and Pancho that came from thebase?"

  "No way of knowing, but it could have been. Come on. Let's find ourjeep."

  The jeep was where they had left it, but the hood was up. Scotty hurriedto look, while Rick went to the glove compartment. The flashlight hadn'tbeen touched. He got it and joined Scotty, throwing the beam under thehood.

  For a moment everything looked normal, then Rick saw that thedistributor cap and rotor were missing. The question was, had the mensimply hidden them? Or had they taken the parts along?

  Scotty put his thoughts into words. "If the parts are here, we'll findthem in the morning.
If they aren't ..."

  Rick finished, "We'll be here until someone finds us!"