The Caves of Fear: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story

Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
The sounds of hammer and saw had disturbed Spindrift Island for several days, and Rick Brant was having a hard time getting used to it. The noise didn't bother him. It was the idea behind the noise—the idea that the close fellowship of the famous island was about to be intruded upon by strangers.
He sat in a comfortable chair on the front porch of the big Brant house and stared morosely at the Atlantic. He was a tall, athletic boy with brown hair and eyes and a face that was usually pleasant.
What's it going to be like with a mob of strangers galloping all over the place? he demanded.
Don Scott grinned lazily from the depths of his armchair. He was a husky youth, perhaps an inch taller than Rick, with black hair and dark eyes. Since when do five people make a mob? he inquired. Besides, I think adding more scientists to the staff is a good thing. So does Dad.
I know it, Rick returned gloomily. The others do, too. I'm a downtrodden minority. No one sympathizes with me.
Scotty shook his head sadly. Poor old Rick. Seriously, I don't get it. You should be cheering the loudest. Think of what it means, pal! More fields of science to explore, including one I never heard of before. Maybe more expeditions, of different kinds than the ones we've been on up to now.
That's what I'm thinking about, Rick returned.
Then why the gloom?
Because... Rick stopped as the phone rang in the house.
Scotty got to his feet quickly. I'll get it. Mom and Dad are down watching the builders.
Rick smiled as Scotty went into the house. It pleased him to have Scotty call Mr. and Mrs. Brant Mom and Dad. It was a symbol of Scotty's permanence in the family. No one had ever questioned Scotty's membership in the Spindrift tribe since the day when the scrappy ex-Marine had rescued Rick from a gang of thugs bent on destroying the Island Foundation's moon rocket, and it was pleasant to think of Scotty as a permanent brother. The two of them had been through some tight places together and they were closer friends than brothers usually are. Like Rick, Scotty was listed on the membership rolls of the Spindrift Foundation as a junior technician.